Despite rumours about delays to the publication of the revised Early Years Foundation Stage flying around the sector, the new framework and some of the guidance were duly released last week by the DfE.
Amid frantic downloading of the documents, the early years community is now starting to dissect what it all means. You can read some of the initial reactions in our news story (pages 4-5) and see what early years consultant Ann Langston thinks on a first reading (pages 14-15).
Sarah Teather's Ministerial Statement talks of major step towards a 'lighter touch regulatory regime'. Government language being used about regulation at the moment is of growing concern, with MP Elizabeth Truss's comments ringing alarm bells. In fact, her assertion that the Netherlands has deregulated successfully is erroneous, as this is now being reversed.
Do we really want the education and protection of our youngest children to be 'light touch'? And in fact there is little in the revised EYFS to change the existing position. The EYFS never asked settings for huge amounts of assessment paperwork, for example - that came more from some local authorities' requirements.
The EYFS Learning and Development Consultation Report will raise a few eyebrows. Despite significant numbers saying that they were unhappy with some of the goals, particularly writing and numbers, no changes have been made.
Two things, however, leave a bit of a sour taste. The EYFS framework document is not properly designed, illustrated, printed and produced, with practitioners left to print their own hard copies. And the DfE website home page contains no mention of the revised EYFS - is it not deemed important enough by Gove and his people?