EYFS review recognises key role of childminders
NCMA has welcomed the recommendations in Dame Clare Tickell’s
Review of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), which recognises
the vital contribution of childminders to early years
education.
NCMA childminders played a central role in
informing the consultation through focus groups, childminding
visits and written responses, and the positive outcomes of the
review reflects their crucial involvement.
Liz Bayram, Joint Chief Executive at NCMA,
said "NCMA is delighted with the recommendation that registered
childminders continue to deliver the EYFS alongside other early
years practitioners, which is vital to ensuring all children have
access to the same life-enhancing early education
opportunities.
"NCMA members played a central role in
informing the review and it is clear Dame Clare has listened to
their views. We welcome the recommendations on greater clarity on
paperwork, which if taken forward by Government, will guide
childminders on the appropriate balance between writing up their
observations and supporting the learning and development of the
children in their care.
"Crucially, Dame Clare Tickell identifies that
CPD for early years practitioners will be the key to unlocking the
potential for the EYFS. This is critical and, at a time of
reduction in local authority investment in training and support,
NCMA is keen to work with Government to ensure CPD opportunities
remain accessible to all childminders, so they are supported to
deliver high quality care and learning within the framework of the
EYFS."
Valuable feedback
Many of the key recommendations from the
review respond to both the positive feedback and concerns raised by
childminders.
- Single framework: there
should continue to be a single early years framework that applies
to all providers working with children in the early years,
including childminders.
- Paperwork: the EYFS should
explicitly state that paperwork be kept to the absolute minimum
required to promote children’s successful learning and
development. Ofsted and local authorities should avoid
creating burdens for practitioners arising from requests to collect
unnecessary data and information, and to keep paperwork that is not
required by the EYFS.
- Inspection guidance: Ofsted
and local authorities should work together to produce clear,
consistent information for early years providers and should show
how Ofsted will inspect the requirements for what different
settings have to do to deliver the EYFS.
- Training and professional
development: strong and effective leadership across the
early years sector should be accompanied by opportunities for
further training and professional development, enabling
practitioners to develop confidence and more specialist skills.
This should be readily available to all practitioners, particularly
single practitioners such as childminders.
- Parents and carers: increase
the emphasis within the EYFS on the role of parents and carers as
partners in their children’s learning. Every parent should be
introduced to the EYFS when their child starts in an early years
setting.
- Networks: Government should
consider how peer networks, such as childminder networks, and
national organisations can provide support for registered
childminders.
- Workforce development: the
Government must retain the aspiration and commitment to improve the
quality of the early years workforce and retain a focus on the need
to upskill the workforce.
- Early years summary: the
EYFS should include a requirement for practitioners, including
childminders, to provide on request to parents and carers, at some
point between the ages of 24 – 36 months, a short write early years
summary of their child’s development in the prime areas.
- Early learning goals: these
should be reduced from 69 to 17.
- Key areas of learning:
personal, social and emotional development, communication
and language and physical development should be prime areas of
learning in the EYFS.
- EYFS Profile: this should be
significantly slimmed down and made much more manageable, based on
17 proposed new early learning goals, and have clearer links into
KS1.
- Development check: the
Government should investigate the feasibility of an integrated
health and development check at the age of 24-36 months to help
spot children with additional development needs early.
NCMA looks forward to continuing to work with
Dame Clare’s review team and the Department for Education on the
development of the EYFS, and to ensure childminders
are well prepared and
supported to respond to any changes.