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This page covers the latest literacy news from the
early years sector in the last four weeks. To search for more
in-depth information or news and initiatives by subject area
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The Guardian has reported on a study that found the benefits of reading to a child, playing with numbers and shapes, teaching them nursery rhymes and taking them to the library are detectable on top of the influence of their parents' wealth and level of education.
The study followed nearly 3000 children at over 800 primary schools from age 3 onwards. The team collected detailed information about the schools they attended, their socioeconomic background and their home environment. It is the largest study to look in such detail at the educational development of children in the general population.
The new analysis, which is published in Science, focused on achievement in maths tests at age 10.
Read the article at www.guardian.co.uk/education/
(The Guardian, 29 August 2008)
After three years of inpections, Ofsted has published a damning report on daycare in the UK. While they judge 3% of providers to be ‘outstanding’, they claim that 40% are just ‘satisfactory’ or ‘inadequate’. These include nurseries with no first aid kits. The proportion of ‘inadequate’ childminders has tripled since 2005 reports, to 6%.
The chief inspector, Christine Gilbert, warned that the government's new Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum for under-fives was too complicated for many settings, which would not cope with its 69 separate requirements for children reading and writing skills before they start school. Ministers said that the EYFS would help improve childcare, though critics warn it will only worsen substandard settings and shackle successful or alternative settings.
Christine Gilbert said: "Though only a small proportion [of childcare settings] are inadequate, that masks the fact that there are almost twice as many inadequate childminders this year. Providers judged to be inadequate have significant improvements to make if they are to meet the demands of the EYFS and provide the high-quality education and care children deserve."
The Department for Children, Schools and Families said: "It's heartening that childcare in this country is improving, but we want to drive up standards even further. That is why we are introducing the EYFS in September, which will give every child equal right to the best-quality care and learning."
(The Guardian, 27 August 2008)
Read the article at www.guardian.co.uk/earlyyearseducation.ofsted
While an essential safety measure in a car, baby-seats could delay development in youngsters if used too much at home, reports the Daily Mail. Some parents leave their baby in the chairs ‘for hours at a time’ at home. While this may keep them still and safe, the youngster misses out on developing crucial skills like co-ordination and concentration. Researchers from Liverpool John Moores University gave 120 local children aged ten and 11 tests in reading, memory and general reasoning. For the next eight months, some of the children completed a ‘movement programme’ of simple exercises, twice a week, while the rest were not offered the programme. On testing them again, researchers found the children who took part in the movement programme performed 'significantly better' that the others.
Dr Alweena Zairi, who led the study, claims the increased activity had improved their coordination and fine-tuned their reflexes. She said: 'Reflexes are integrated by normal childhood activities such as crawling, climbing, balancing and swinging. People are trying to be too safe but they are causing further problems. The Government should consider using movement programmes in schools to iron out difficulties children might have.'
Read the article at www.dailymail.co.uk/car-seatsl
(Daily Mail, 26 August 2008)
The TES has announced the results of a poll of 1,480 teachers that found almost nine out of 10 support the controversial new curriculum for under fives. This is despite much criticism from leading professionals in recent months and two foundation stage goals (relating to forming simple sentences and using phonics to try writing) currently under review. While many teachers agreed with critics on certain points, particularly that the two goals under review were far too high, two thirds felt the new curriculum will improve pupils’ overall experience.
Further issues raised in the survey include play-based and outdoor activities, increased workloads for teachers and resulting pressures on early years professionals to meet targets.
(TES, 1 August 2008)
www.tes.co.uk/search/story/?story_id=2651255
The Times has reported on a letter signed by over 80 leading authors, educationists, and psychologists, including former children's laureate Michael Morpurgo and author Philip Pullman, that criticises new targets set out in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) framework. Targets relating to punctuation and writing sentences have been described as ‘unrealistic and risk harming pre-school children by setting back their development.’
The letter campaigns for ‘compulsory learning targets’ to be changed to voluntary guidance. Ministers state that the targets are not mandatory and an exemption process is included. However, the letter claims that 'the 34-page exemption process purporting to enable providers to opt out of some of the learning requirements– is expertly camouflaged, labyrinthine and bureaucratically complex, appearing to have been intentionally designed to deter anyone from applying.'
Other signatories to the letter include Professor Tim Brighouse of the Institute of Education, London; psychoanalyst Professor Susie Orbach and childcare author Dr Penelope Leach.
Read the article at www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/education/article4387301.ece
Read a further comment piece on the issue at www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/leading_article/article4386785.ece
(The Times, 25 July 2008)
The Daily Mail has reported findings from US research, which says young children find it "significantly harder" to concentrate when the television is on, even if it is in the background and they do not appear to be watching it.
The research, carried out at the University of Massachusetts, examined how adult TV programmes affected the children's attention span and ability to focus on their own play. It found that, while the TV was on, "the children played for shorter periods and spent less time focused on the toys compared with when the programme was turned off".
Read the article at www.mailonsunday.co.uk/news/article-1035061/How-television-harmful-toddlers--theyre-watching-it.html.
(Daily Mail, 15 July 2008)
The Guardian has published an interview with Kathy Sylva, professor of educational psychology at Oxford University, whose work on the Effective Provision of Pre-school Education (Eppe) project has influenced the Government’s approach to early years provision.
Read the interview at http://education.guardian.co.uk/higher/news/story/0,,2289651,00.html
(Guardian, 8 July 2008)
Children’s Minister Beverley Hughes has announced a review of early literacy goals, to be led by Sir Jim Rose as part of his review of primary curriculum. Sir Jim will consider whether two of the milestones set out in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) are appropriate for children around the age of five. They are: use their phonic knowledge to write simple regular words and make phonetically plausible attempts at more complex words; and write their own names and other things such as labels and captions, and begin to form simple sentences, sometimes using punctuation.
The review will consider how to strike the right balance between providing children with a strong start in literacy and encouraging a ‘smooth transition’ from the early years into Key Stage 1 of primary school. BBC.co.uk reported the announcement as coming after a panel of experts advising on education policy described the two targets as "overly ambitious for most children".
Sir Jim’s review of the primary curriculum is due to report by the end of March 2009. Beverley Hughes also announced further details of the EYFS review, scheduled to begin in 2010 and assess the implementation of the framework to date.
Read the press release at www.dfes.gov.uk/pns/DisplayPN.cgi?pn_id=2008_0133
Read the full article at www.news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/7482063.stm
(DCSF, 30 June 2008)
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