While the new Early Learning Goals have been met with criticism from many in the early years sector, Mark Lehain explains why he thinks they are an improvement and a step in the right direction

The Government recently announced an overhaul of the Early Learning Goals (ELGs), and it has generated a lot of attention and headlines within the early years sector. The aims of the revision are straightforward enough: to focus in on the most important aspects of learning, minimise the impact of disadvantage at this early stage, and reduce the administrative burden for schools, teachers and pupils too.

Sensible update

The Government consulted extensively with experts across the sector and appears to have genuinely listened to what they had to say, producing a sensible update that should both reduce workload and the word gap. The latter is the massively ambitious dream of many a teacher, and eradicating it is a long-term goal that may take many years to reach, but the hope is that these new ELGs will be a big step in the right direction.

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