Nursery World - Opinion: In my view - Why we protest at EYFS

'Why stage a protest now?' and 'Why protest at all?' asked Nursery World's editorial when we launched the Open Eye campaign against the Early Years Foundation Stage becoming compulsory (6 December).

Why protest now? The early years sector has beeen moved from non-compulsory, funding-linked desirable outcomes to compulsory, law-linked learning requirements in the space of ten years. Concerns have certainly been expressed in regard to the six learning goals, but until September 2008 the concerned could choose not to comply by sacrificing the possibility of funding. That choice is about to be removed and replaced by the force of law. The Government will succeed in imposing its own educational paradigm on movements such as Steiner and Montessori.

After the low-key consultation process, an exemption for non-compliance for 'providers who base their provision on alternative approaches which conflict with the statutory requirements with respect to learning and development' was changed to exemption possibilities only on a 'short term basis for providers who lack the capacity to meet the full requirements' (of the EYFS).

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