Are you stuck at one end of the school playing in the sand while your colleagues are getting on with the ‘proper’ job of teaching? Or corralling your four- and five-year-olds to sit down and write so they are ready for the demands of KS1? Sadly, it’s how many early years practitioners in schools are made to feel and act, caught between the EYFS and the National Curriculum.
Being an EYFS leader or a member of an early years team in a school can be a complicated and challenging position, with many left fighting their corner unless they have the support of an understanding and well-informed head teacher. It can be especially isolating if there is only one Reception teacher in the school and the senior leadership team don’t have a deep knowledge of the early years.
‘For early years people, child development is the basis of all learning. It’s the starting point and clashes with the National Curriculum, which is not developmentally appropriate,’ says early years consultant Anne Gladstone. ‘This results in two different cultures working alongside each other in a primary school. Many teachers outside of the early years are not trained in child development but solely focused on teaching and learning.’
Many early years practitioners will argue passionately that the pressure for formal learning at an early age is too soon, backed by well-documented evidence showing that the more open-ended and play-based experiences that children have, the better their outcomes. Instead of leading to an increase in literacy and numeracy rates, formal learning can have the reverse effect of putting children off learning and negatively impact their well-being. Adding to current pressures to adopt formal teaching methods, however, is the demanding new primary curriculum.
‘Early years practitioners have said to me that the more pressure put on Year 2, then the more they can feel that pressure cascading down. For example, getting children to write sooner and introduce formal learning sooner,’ says James Bowen, director of NAHT Edge, the union for middle leaders in schools. ‘It’s easy to see why there is that pressure but, on the contrary, it would be better to push good early years practice into Year 1 and children will do far better in the long run.’
PROMOTING AND SUPPORTING PLAY
The extent to which the importance of play in early learning is often not promoted or supported was evident in the recent Teaching Schools Council report, Effective Primary Teaching Practice, which stated: ‘Schools that most effectively supported transition bring Year 1 approaches into Reception.’ Maria Moon, deputy head and EYFS lead at Clarkson Infant and Nursery School in Wisbech, Cambridgeshire (see case studies) says this only furthers the divide between early years practitioners and KS1 in school teams. ‘School readiness is often not understood and instead of independent learning, critical thinking and communication, a lot of schools think it’s sitting at a table, which is reflected in this review,’ she observes.
Often senior management has less understanding of the early years than of KS1 and 2, which can lead to inappropriate whole-school policies being implemented. ‘For instance, if it was decided to have a whole-school policy on improving the standards of writing, they would need to know that what happens in the early years is a very different approach to Year 6,’ explains Jan Dubiel, national development manager at Early Excellence. ‘If they haven’t got a thorough understanding of early years development then they may not understand that children outside using chalk on the ground is a writing activity, or hanging off a climbing frame is strengthening muscles in order to write.’ Often staff higher up the school don’t understand good early years practice, such as free-flow and continuous provision, or the planning and expertise required.
‘It’s poor when early years practitioners are not included in planning and staff meetings because they’re told they only apply to KS1 and 2. When there is that division in schools and early years is felt like a bolt-on, then early years practitioners feel undervalued,’ says Mr Bowen. ‘The physical position of the early years in many schools – the furthest point of the school – is also not helpful. It can give the feeling of being physically separate from the school too, even though it’s often for the practical reason of needing the outdoor learning space.’
STATUS AND STANDARDS
Historically, the early years has not had the same status as other areas of the school and a lot of heads have no direct experience of the early years. Early years practitioners are still paid less than other teachers. ‘Even brilliant practitioners can take a back seat because they feel lower down in the school hierarchy and are not taken into account,’ says Ms Gladstone. ‘There should be a two-way process of sharing information, not assuming teachers get more knowledgeable as you get up the school.’
This is not the case in all countries, for example in Finland where Wendy Ellyatt, chief executive of the Save Childhood Movement (see box, p38), describes early years practitioners as being ‘top of the tree, rather than at the bottom’.
She thinks early years practitioners in the UK are struggling because politicians are not listening to research. ‘There are a lot of very good people who want to find solutions but are being blocked by the system,’ she says. ‘Even when it’s evidence-based, it gets ignored, such as Cathy Nutbrown’s Review. In Holland, government policy puts children at the centre and an independent ombudsman looks at the impact on children and families, whereas here even our children’s commissioner reports to the DfE.’
Ms Moon highlights Minister of State for School Standards Nick Gibb tweeting a photo of formal writing in a nursery class. She believes that while senior ministers are showing ignorance of developmentally appropriate practice there is not much hope of change. ‘Such an influential figure promoting three- and four-year-olds writing as best practice is a confusing message and gives Year 1 teachers more credibility to say that children are not ready.’
Unfortunately, Mr Bowen regards the Government as being ‘obsessed with using testing to drive school behaviours’ and he can’t see the situation improving. Judy Shaw, head teacher of Tuel Lane Infant School in Sowerby Bridge, West Yorkshire (see case studies), agrees. ‘As long as we have still got some accountability system which is recordable and reportable then there is going to be pressure on the head to produce results. I hate myself for doing it but it’s easy to start thinking about the product rather than the process, and that’s the killer. Then there is the danger of downward pressure on the early years.’
On the plus side, Mr Dubiel believes the status of early years in schools has risen in recent years with the input of neuroscience. ‘There is a wider acceptance that the early years matter and that nursery is important. Dr Ian Robertson talks of early years practitioners as neurosurgeons and that with every interaction they change the child’s brain structure,’ he says. ‘There is more a confusion and lack of understanding about what it looks like in good practice.’
SOLUTIONS
Being an advocate for early childhood may not be in the job description for early years practitioners in schools, but it’s what the majority end up doing in order to defend their work and protect children from coming under further pressure.
‘I’ve never met an early years teacher, me included, who hasn’t had to fight for what they do in class and justify their approach. It has to be accepted that it comes with the territory, and the role of an early years practitioner in a school is not an easy one,’ says Mr Dubiel. ‘They need to be resilient and strong and not get bullied into doing what is not appropriate.’
The power of knowledge
Mr Dubiel thinks people undertaking their initial early years training should be made aware that their approach will be challenged and they will have to justify it. So they need a firm grasp of child development and to be supported in articulating their approach as part of their training.
‘Continuing to be up on current research after qualifying, and CPD, are critical. Part of the role should be to be aware of what is going on around you. This will help give the ability to articulate to senior managers, parents and Ofsted and anyone who challenges them what they do and why,’ he says. ‘Practitioners should subscribe to early years publications and keep in touch with current themes and issues. In school they can be in a bubble and need to be aware of the wider picture so they can anticipate what’s going to come next.’
Set up networks
Mr Dubiel also suggests establishing networks with other schools, particularly for lone teachers delivering the EYFS, in order to promote peer reflection, receive support and share ideas. ‘Even if they are completely different in approach, then at least it can reaffirm what you are doing for your children and enable you to reflect on practice,’ he adds.
Get political, have your say
Ms Gladstone agrees with forming networks to find like-minded people to support each other, but cautions against them becoming ‘moaning shops’. She believes practitioners need to ‘get political’ in order to gain equal status for the early years in education in the UK and promote developmentally appropriate practice.
‘We need to make our thoughts heard, write letters and articles and get our ideas into the press more,’ she urges. ‘We need to be proactive, join unions or organisations like TACTYC or the Save Childhood Movement. There’s lots of value in getting involved, having our say and keeping up to date with issues.’
James Bowen also encourages early years practitioners to ‘respond to consultations and speak loudly and clearly of the pressures and what they are experiencing’.
Take on a senior role
It can really help when early years practitioners are included on the school senior leadership team because they are able to push for issues to be considered from an early years perspective. ‘A lot of heads do not have direct experience of the early years. For this reason it’s important to give the early years a strong voice on the leadership team,’ says Ms Shaw. ‘Early years practitioners need to be persistent to get their voice heard.’
Remember colleagues may want to listen
Thankfully, Mr Bowen feels that around 90 per cent of colleagues would like to learn more about the early years, which he says would help them to get away from the notion that it’s just preparing children for KS1. And Mr Dubiel is increasingly working with heads who were KS2 teachers and never taught in the early years but now want to understand and support it.
Find a common language
Mr Dubiel argues that early years workers need to be clearer with language and terminology in order to make it accessible to others. ‘The Teaching and Skills Council review described Reception as confused and inconsistent. I think that’s a lot to do with the language used in the early years. There needs to be a clear understanding of the words and terminology used, such as when we are talking about play-based learning, what does it mean in practice?’ he says.
Refer colleagues to Ofsted’s definition of play
Contrary to common thinking, Ofsted does not favour a ‘formal way of working’ in the early years. Its good practice survey Teaching and play in the early years: A balancing act? aimed to ‘address the recurring myth that teaching and play are separate, disconnected endeavours in the early years’. Its inspectors’ handbook now makes quite clear that, ‘Teaching in the early years should not be taken to imply a “top down” or formal way of working.
‘It is a broad term that covers the many different ways in which adults help young children learn. It includes their interactions with children during planned and child-initiated play and activities: communicating and modelling language, showing, explaining, demonstrating, exploring ideas, encouraging, questioning, recalling, providing a narrative for what they are doing, facilitating and setting challenges.
‘It takes account of the equipment adults provide and the attention given to the physical environment, as well as the structure and routines of the day that establish expectations. Integral to teaching is how practitioners assess what children know, understand and can do, as well as taking account of their interests and dispositions to learn (characteristics of effective learning), and how practitioners use this information to plan children’s next steps in learning and monitor their progress’ (Early Years Inspection Handbookand School Inspection Handbook, 2015).
Ultimately, says Mr Dubiel, ‘Early years practitioners in schools need to stand up and be clear and confident about what we do. It is our responsibility that Reception children leave our care as rich, confident, inquisitive, skilled learners and that’s what we have to strive for. It’s why we call it the Foundation Stage.’
CASE STUDIES
Sowerby Bridge cluster group
‘I feel it’s important for us to be advocates for early years children. I work in the early years because I love the spontaneity, creativity and joy of young children. Seeing how stifled they can be if they are required to do things that are developmentally inappropriate is upsetting,’ says Lorraine Booth, assistant head and Reception teacher at Tuel Lane Infant School and Nursery in Sowerby Bridge, West Yorkshire.
‘Fortunately, I work in a supportive school with other early years practitioners, but I could see how isolating it was for some Reception teachers, so five years ago I set up a network for the early years practitioners in our local cluster of 14 schools.
‘When there is only one person working towards the EYFS, it can be difficult to manage other teachers’ expectations and downward pressures. Training and resources can also be geared to a different curriculum and Reception just expected to slot in.
‘We meet informally every half term. Often we’ll have a focus, such as Understanding the World or maths, but it’s also the opportunity to get others’ advice, seek reassurance, discuss child development and share good practice. We’ve become friends over the years, know each other’s strengths and weaknesses. Members will often discuss situations where they’ve been asked to introduce initiatives that don’t support the EYFS ethos, such as introducing literacy and maths hours into Reception. They’re then more informed and confident to raise the issue with their head.
‘It’s not a time for us to sit and moan but to question whether things are right and how we can be doing it better for the children, instead of bowing to pressure. It’s good to have support rather than feeling alone.’
Clarkson Infant and Nursery School in Wisbech, Cambridgeshire
‘The national curriculum and early years framework is a very top-down model in a lot of schools where they have not got an advocate to raise the profile of effective early years pedagogy,’ says Maria Moon, deputy head, nursery teacher and EYFS lead. ‘Pressure can come from teachers saying that children are not ready for Year 1, when actually it’s the curriculum that’s not ready.
‘It all depends on the senior leadership team and I feel lucky to have a head that is an advocate of the early years. We’ve been working towards breaking the very formal teaching methods and raising the profile of the early years. By creating an enabling environment, we feel we can raise outcomes for all children.
‘It’s a challenging journey and we’ve had to work hard with staff and parents, look at the principles of the EYFS and how they translate into learning and enable them to unpick effective practice, otherwise it can be seen as just play. Middle leaders are not only tasked to know their core subject but also how it is taught in the early years. We feel it is fundamental that the starting point for children is our assessments based on effective pedagogy, observing children, understanding what they can do and scaffolding. Good transition is key and we’re working towards Year 1 reflecting the EYFS principles up to Christmas.
‘All staff are encouraged to access outside training so they can develop different viewpoints and challenge our thinking. We want to keep current in our practice and strive to keep our own CPD up to date. I feel it’s important to access as much training as I can, read current research, look at forums and keep abreast with conversations on Twitter in order to do my job effectively and be an advocate for early years childhood.’
CAMPAIGN GROUPS
Save Childhood Movement
‘We need to worry because we’re literally damaging our children, but by launching the Save Childhood Movement we’re trying to say that there is hope and there is somewhere to go. Come and join us and together we can have a bigger voice,’ says chief executive Wendy Ellyatt.
‘We need to stop the damage by stopping being dictated to from the top. We need to be asking the Government why our children’s well-being is less than in other countries and we have worse educational results when our children start school three years earlier than in many countries.’
The Movement is campaigning for a child-centric culture – with children’s well-being put first, and then achievement – including raising the school starting age and not testing young children. It aims to support, inform and, where necessary, challenge leaders and policy-makers in order to create a more caring and values-led society.
‘We need policy-makers to really understand the developmental needs of children. Schools have to respond to the pressure of the Department for Education,’ says Ms Ellyatt. ‘A lot of teachers don’t want to do these things but head teachers are put under enormous amounts of pressure and it is worse than it’s ever been, with the primary schools’ assessment system pushing it all down further.’
Early years practitioners are being asked to join the Movement in order to get their voices collectively heard and raise their profile. Ms Ellyatt aims to join people who are feeling isolated in their profession by, for example, developing clusters of early years teachers.
‘We can then make them feel that they’re not alone. They can talk to others and not feel isolated,’ she says. ‘We need to start putting more onus on politicians to answer to the electorate but we need numbers to do that. It needs to come from grassroots action but this needs to be co-ordinated rather than lots of little campaigns.’
Other groups
The Save Childhood Movement is not alone in challenging current teaching methods in schools, particularly in the early years. See also:
Keeping Early Years Unique Set up by Elaine Bennett, EYFS and Year 1 leader at Friars Primary School and Nursery in Southend-on-Sea, this group is ‘passionate about the vital role of all-consuming play in promoting holistic, child-centred learning’.
• http://keepingearlyyearsunique.blogspot.co.uk.
Let our kids be kids This group was set up by parents ‘who’ve had enough... enough of endless testing, enough of teachers not being trusted to teach, enough of an Ofsted-driven, dull, dry curriculum aimed solely at passing SATs’. Also up for discussion is learning in the early years.
• www.facebook.com/parentssupportteachers
THE HUNDRED REVIEW
The Hundred Review of Reception Practice was launched last year by training and resource company Early Excellence in response to, what it perceives to be, the increasing danger of Reception practice being pushed further away from the principles of the EYFS.
‘Early Excellence has been looking at Year R for a while, particularly on how it fits into the wider picture of the EYFS and primary,’ says national development manager Jan Dubiel. ‘The Teaching School Council review was frustrating because no-one [involved] was a recognised early years specialist. It made a greater case for putting the spotlight on Reception but having it fundamentally driven by Reception teachers and heads. We want to put the issues of Reception in the public domain and debate it with the support of evidence.’
Evidence is currently being gathered and those working in Reception and senior leaders accountable for outcomes are being urged to participate and share their experiences. It’s hoped that findings from the review will bring clear recommendations to clarify:
• how good outcomes are secured in Reception
• what is effective teaching in Reception and how we know
• what prevents or secures progress and attainment in Reception.
‘We’re hoping that the Government will find the findings of the review unignorable and will take notice of it,’ Mr Dubiel says.
To register your interest in The Hundred Review, complete an online survey or attend a review focus group, visit: http://earlyexcellence.com/hundredreview
MORE INFORMATION
• For coverage of, and links to, the Teaching Schools Council’s Effective Primary Teaching Practice report, see: www.nurseryworld.co.uk/nursery-world/news/1159503/reception-practice-report-flawed
• www.gov.uk/government/publications/teaching-and-play-in-the-early-years-a-balancing-act
• The Multiple Identities of the Reception Teacher: Pedagogy and Purpose, edited by Anna Cox and Gillian Sykes (Sage, 2016)
• ‘Play on!’ by Annette Rawstrone, Early Years in School supplement, January 2017, www.nurseryworld.co.uk
• ‘All to play for’ by Annette Rawstrone, Early Years in School supplement, January 2016, www.nurseryworld.co.uk