The Change for Children agenda, stemming from Every Child Matters (DfES, 2003), has largely been welcomed by the early years sector. However, despite a general consensus on the need for a new framework for professionals to ensure the wellbeing of children, questions have been raised over exactly how this should be implemented. One such query comes from the Early Childhood Forum (ECF) which, while agreeing with the agenda's principles, has expressed unease over the aim that children should be what is termed 'ready for school'.
ECF, a coalition of 46 national professional associations, voluntary organisations and interest groups, acts as a critical voice on behalf of the sector, putting the needs and interests of all young children and their families first. Its view is that the concept of 'ready for school' is a poor reflection of the thinking behind Every Child Matters, which is, in other ways, extremely beneficial for children.
Outcomes framework
Every Child Matters has five central outcomes for children:
* be healthy
* stay safe
* enjoy and achieve
* make a positive contribution
* achieve economic well-being.
It is acknowledged by the Govern- ment that the outcomes are mutually reinforcing. For example, children and young people learn and thrive when they are healthy, safe and engaged (DfES, 2004).
The Outcomes Framework maps indicators for meeting the five outcomes and how progress towards them will be measured. Both the children's commissioner and Children's Services Authorities are now required by law to attend to these outcomes under the Children Act 2004 ((s.2 (3) & s.10 (2)).
Enjoy and achieve
The outcome of 'enjoy and achieve' is translated in the Children Act (2004) into 'education, training and recreation'. But as it stands in the framework, 'ready for school' is the aim that early childhood professionals must work towards in order to demonstrate to Children's Services Authorities how they are meeting the provision of young children's education, training and recreation.
This aim is the one aspect of the framework that members of ECF are universally concerned about. They feel that it is an impoverished outcome for the quality of experiences that children have engaged in since birth, and that using this term as the summation of those experiences is far from ideal.
The sector has for many years battled against the notion that formal school is where the 'real' learning begins for children. This is particularly important at a time when engaging with parents is high on the agenda, and we are asking them to make decisions about the quality of early years provision they choose for their child. In this context, the aim of 'ready for school' does nothing to establish a greater understanding of why this first stage of education matters. It is a period when children belong in a setting which provides them with relevant and positive learning experiences, where they can develop a strong sense of their own identity and become self-confident as learners.
Readiness for school is not a new idea. It has been around for years in varying forms.
At a recent seminar hosted by the Thomas Coram Research Unit at the Institute of Education, Margaret Carr, professor of education at the University of Waikato, New Zealand, made a presentation on New Zealand's early childhood curriculum (Te Whariki), which emphasises the learning partnership between teachers and parents and families. Teachers make a holistic curriculum in response to children's learning and development in the early childhood setting and in the wider context of the child's world.
Margaret Carr highlighted how much has changed for the New Zealand early years sector over her years in the field. For instance, at the start of her career she had to coach children to hop, as this meant they would be accepted as ready to move to school.
The big concern for members of ECF is that what 'readiness for school'
means can differ significantly from one person to another. There are some who believe that children should be prepared to deal with the ways in which school is different from their previous, familiar setting. Others consider that children should be able to use pencils and sit still.
A study carried out by Perry et al (1998) showed the different perspectives of children, parents and teachers on the concept of readiness for school:
* Parents felt adjustment - that is, being able to mingle and interact well with other children and adults - was of most importance.
* Teachers commented on the importance of adjusting to the classroom environment, which included concentrating and following instructions.
* Children themselves noted that it was understanding and complying with school rules and expectations that made them 'ready for school'. They mentioned the importance of 'bringing your best manners' and how 'sitting up straight will get you a merit award'.
These ideas may represent how many will interpret the concept of 'ready for school', but they do not reflect the sector's ambitions for children's enjoyment and achievement.
Ready for children
Rather than questioning whether young children are ready for school, perhaps we should instead be asking, are schools ready for them?
Raising the age at which children start their formal learning to six, following European models, and seeing birth-to-six as the first phase of education, could be a significant move in supporting children in the transition to primary school.
There is an opportunity in the new Early Development and Learning Framework currently being devised to extend the outcome of 'ready for school' - so far the only official outcome attached to the extensive range of services for children up to the end of the Foundation Stage.
ECF hopes that this framework will add some depth and richness to the articulated aims on the outcome framework for early years services. This should ensure that local authorities and the agencies to be funded under the present initiative have some guidance about the quality and range of provision expected.
Establishing foundations
As Ofsted will be making judgements on the Early Development and Learning Framework, the value of early years experiences needs to be articulated more clearly. This should include a celebration of what young children do now, rather than what they need to get ready to do.
Launching the recent Ofsted report Firm Foundations, HM inspector of schools David Bell commented that 'parents can be assured that the vast majority of childcare providers in this country are doing a good job in keeping children safe and preparing them for life at their "big school".'
Statements such as these could reinforce the notion that a pre-school setting is only worthwhile if it is preparing children for what is to come later, not for what they are enjoying and achieving at this stage Issues such as differing definitions and the importance of early learning suggest that 'ready for school' is not an appropriate target for the early years. As an alternative, ECF has recommended the following outcome: Establish rich foundations from birth for a life of learning, enjoyment and achievement.
This gives a clear aim for this first phase of learning, that acknowledges the significant achievements of the early years and respects the impact of Birth to Three Matters and the Curriculum Guidance for the Foundation Stage. It also celebrates the fact that what occurs in the early years does indeed provide the foundation for all that is to follow.
Further information
For more information on the Early Childhood Forum visit www.ncb.org.uk/ecf or call 020 7843 6078
