Consultations & Responses

This is where we share with you the consultation responses and other lobbying activities undertaken on your behalf.

2019

Press release, 24 May 2019 New early years coalition (including TACTYC) launches survey ahead of proposed EYFS changes

A new coalition of early years organisations has launched a survey to better understand the sector’s opinion of and attitude towards the EYFS ahead of a government consultation later this year.

The coalition, which includes Early Education, NDNA, PACEY and the Early Years Alliance, was founded in response to concerns early years experts were insufficiently involved in drafting revised Early Learning Goals (ELGs).

Representations have already been made to DfE to ensure that any future changes to the ELGs and the EYFS Statutory Framework have the full benefit of the most up to date research evidence and reflect best practice from across the sector.

The short survey which takes around 10 to 15 minutes to complete is designed for early years practitioners, leaders and managers. The survey provides respondents with an opportunity to share what they think about how the EYFS currently and asks them what they would like to see change.

Practitioners are invited to respond to our survey at www.surveymonkey.com/r/EYFS_Voice.

Beatrice Merrick, Chief Executive of Early Education said:

“It’s entirely appropriate to revisit the EYFS and see whether it can be improved, based on evidence that has accumulated since the Tickell Review.  Tickell set a benchmark of good practice in consulting with the sector and reviewing the research to ensure that the EYFS was as well constructed as it could be at the time, and any future reviews should live up to that same standard. 

“We want to ensure that piecemeal changes such as the recently proposed changes to the ELGs don’t compromise the quality of the whole.  We’re pleased DfE are engaging with us, and we hope that some of the less well-informed changes to the ELGs will be unpicked before they go out to public consultation to ensure that all changes are improvements on what is currently in place.”

Michael Freeston, Director of Quality Improvement at the Early Years Alliance, said:

“This consultation could bring about the biggest changes to the EYFS since its introduction. The Early Learning Goals, currently being piloted were devised with little input from the sector. My concern is that policy is being devised from a perspective that does not put children first and seeks to extend formal learning down into the early years. This makes it all the more vital that, when it comes to this consultation we are not only listened to but are also around the table, shaping what any changes should look like.

“I would urge everyone working in the early years to complete this survey. The more of us who make our voice heard now the harder it will be to ignore us when the government sets out the terms of its consultation later this year.”

Purnima Tanuku, Chief Executive of National Day Nurseries Association said:

“Since the launch of the Early Years Foundation Stage we have seen the quality of early education increase. The EYFS was built on a firm foundation of strong research based evidence, with a number of sector leaders involved in its development and embraced by the sector. 

“The proposed changes could have a negative impact on the quality of early years education, especially for our younger children.  We appreciate that a cycle of review is necessary to ensure that the EYFS is the best it can be, however this cannot be achieved without a thorough review of evidence based best practice and in collaboration with the early years workforce.”   

Liz Bayram, Chief Executive of PACEY, said:

“Any review of the ELGs and EYFS must be underpinned by robust evidence of the factors influencing quality early years practice. There is a strong consensus within the sector that the proposals currently being piloted in 24 primary schools are likely to encourage a top-down, tick-box, one size fits all approach that will not be suitable for many children, especially those with SEND, English as an additional language (EAL) or the summer-born. Initial proposals for changes to the EYFS Profile are not always supported by evidence of child development, and must recognise the EYFS curriculum is for children 0-5 . Through piloting and consultation the new revised EYFS must end up stlil recognising that every child is unique and make sure our very young children don’t experience too formal a curriculum too early.

“Everyone working in early years has expertise on what works and what needs to change in the current EYFS and the ELGs and we would urge you all to take time to share your expertise so we continue to ensure the EYFS is seen as a world-class curriculum for early education.”

The coalition members include Early Education, the Early Years Alliance, Early Childhood Studies Degrees Network (ECSDN), Early Childhood Forum (ECF), Keeping Early Years Unique (KEYU), the National Children’s Bureau (NCB), National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA), Professional Association for Childcare and Early Years (PACEY), Sector Endorsed Foundation Degrees in the Early Years (SEFDEY) and TACTYC: the Association for Professional Development in Early Years.  Meetings also include observers from unions including the NAHT, ASCL, NEU, NASUWT and the coalition also has support from specialist groups including the Early Childhood Mathematics Group (ECMG) and Music Educators and Researchers of Young Children (MERYC)

For further information contact any of the following:

Beatrice Merrick, Early Education, beatrice@early-education.org.uk 07712 398672

Deri Jones, Early Years Alliance, deri.jones@eyalliance.org.uk, 0207 697 2598

Earlier in 2019 ..

Please read TACTYC’s response to Ofsted’s EIF consultation here – this was sent to Ofsted this week by our fabulous President Wendy Scott.  TACTYC also offered further suggestions of contemporary and seminal research here to support policy making in the early years. We will keep you posted on progress! Please do share with your colleagues and discuss. We would also like to invite members to submit their own suggestions ….

Young children as guinea pigs TACTYC STOP PRESS

Read the latest TACTYC paper, entitled ‘Young children as guinea pigs: the Reception Baseline Assessment Framework’.  This paper criticises the government’s planned national pilot of reception class baseline testing, released by the Standards and Testing Agency (STA). Education experts from TACTYC state that the STA framework fails to address the substantive problems with baseline assessment that have been repeatedly identified by education experts, teachers and parents. Equally, the new information about the content and administration of the test raises additional concerns.

2018

2017  

2016

  • DfE consultation: Literacy and numeracy qualification requirements for level 3 Early Years Educator staff – TACTYC response
  • Dame Reena Keeble’s Effective Primary Teaching Practice Report – TACTYC collaborative open letter response
  • Education Select Committee Primary Assessment Inquiry – TACTYC response.
  • The Labour Party Children and Education Policy Commission ‘Delivering a step change in early intervention and the early years’ – TACTYC response
  • Inquiry on Foundation years and the UK Government’s life chances strategy – TACTYC/EE Response
  • Education Committee inquiry into the purpose and quality of education in England – TACTYC response

Older responses

2015

2014

2013

  • False judgements and expectations are failing young children (12th November 2013) – TACTYC Press Release
  • Policy advice and future research agendas: Early Years (12th November 2013) – BERA Early Childhood special interest group / TACTYC collaboration
  • Primary assessment and accountability under the new national curriculum (12th September 2013) – TACTYC Response
  • The Regulation of Childcare (12th September 2013) – TACTYC Response
  • TACTYC’S response to the Teachers’ Standards (Early Years) (23rd July 2013) – TACTYC Response
  • Letter to Teach First (5th July 2013) – TACTYC Response
  • More Great Childcare response to BAECE (20th June 2013) – TACTYC Response
  • Letter to Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg (10th June 2013) – TACTYC Response
  • Legislating for Less Great Childcare (29th April 2013) – TACTYC press release
  • Consultation on proposed changes to the role of the local authority in early education and childcare (29th April 2013) – TACTYC response
  • National Curriculum response (17th April 2013) – TACTYC response
  • English government’s consultations on Early Years Educator qualifications (17th April 2013) – TACTYC response
  • The Early Years Teachers Standards consultation (17th April 2013) – TACTYC response
  • TACTYC’S Response to Guardian Comment: Ben Goldacre (20th March 2013) – TACTYC response
  • Shaking the foundations of quality? Why ‘childcare’ policy must not lead to poor-quality early education and care (March 2013) – Cathy Nutbrown
  • Consultation on Early Education and Childcare Staff Deployment (March 2013) – TACTYC Response
  • Playtime is over for Britain’s nurseries (January 2013) – Letter to Sunday Times
  • Points made to Education Select Committee (January 2013) – TACTYC Response
  • The Truss Report: More Great Childcare (January 2013) – TACTYC Response
  • Extending Free Early Education to More Two-year-olds (November 2013) – Consultation Response

2012

Pre-2011 responses

Click on any of these to bring up that response. Please feel free to use these with staff, parents, students … whoever will benefit from sharing the contents.

Published: January 9, 2019 | Print
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