Comments on: Open EYE Petition

By: Thomas Capizzi

Thomas Capizzi — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 19:06:43 +0000

I support this petition.

By: juliet Henderson

juliet Henderson — Wed, 21 May 2008 18:22:25 +0000

The Current Early learning strategy is not working.We have the worst literacy in G8.WE should adopt the European system of no formal education until 7.If a child experiences failure in literacy at 4 ,he will lose motivation and self esteem.A child’s eyes are not fully developed until 7!Pre learning skills such as fine and gross motor skills are vital and are being ignored under the current system.Emotional and social Intelligence are also being sacrificed at the expense of other targets.

By: Jackie Parr

Jackie Parr — Tue, 20 May 2008 12:39:47 +0000

Childminding, (home based childcare) is not just a geographical location but also an ethos and deeply held belief by those who practice it and those who seek it out, of a particular kind of learning experience and nurturing.
The parents who choose it are looking for a substitute for themselves and their home, with the same type of values and attitudes they hold. They require the kind of one to one, loving experience their child would have if they could stay at home. They place the social and emotional well being of their child, the opportunity for him/her to remain in their community visiting local shops, parks, libraries, the school they will attend on a daily basis and making friends with the lollypop lady, checkout girl etc., of more value and real benefit than all the observations and assessments we will be obliged to provide for OFSTED, Local Authorities and Schools.
Most of these parents come from the ranks of people who believe that it is not appropriate for young children to be observed and assessed no matter how laudable the motive and that there is plenty of time for this more formal approach when they get to school.
They are not saying that this is the only valid early years experience (0_3 & 0_5), but that it is the one they have chosen, feel happy with and that suits their family.
The EYFS effectively takes away this choice and that of childminders like me to provide it. It locks us into a prescribed way of practising, observing, recording and assessing children that is alien to the ethos of a true home setting.
I have been a childminder for thirty years, have two level three qualifications in childcare and development and was graded outstanding by OFSTED at my last inspection.
The children in my care develop and flourish at their own pace and in their own ways of learning supported in their understanding and achievements towards the Early Learning Goals without the necessity for me to record and compare them to statistics, developmental charts or each other.

By: Morag Groves

Morag Groves — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 18:19:16 +0000

We, Super Camps Ltd, operate activity day camps for children aged 4 – 14 years during the school holidays. As such we will be required to deliver the EYFS to our youngest age group from September 2008.
We are fundamentally opposed to the EYFS. Children come to us during their school holidays – as such, they should be on holiday. Of course they will be learning all the time while they are with us – in a fun, active, stimulating environment with lots of valuable interaction with their peers and adult role models. But for their break from formal term-time learning, this type of “natural” learning is far more appropriate than the monitored, target-driven environment which the EYFS will inevitably create. At a time when the experience of several other countries suggests that better long-term results can be achieved by delaying the start of formal learning, how can it be advisable to start this earlier, and moreover implement this year-round?
On a practical level we also believe that the scheme has been ill thought-out for holiday schemes such as ours. Many children attend for as little as a single day – what meaningful progress towards learning goals can reasonably be made in such a short space of time?
We have no issue with the welfare requirement of the EYFS – the welfare of the children in our care is always our main priority. But this is the first time that our type of setting has been required to deliver a learning element in our programmes. In our opinion this is not in the best interests of the children. This is also a view shared by those parents with whom we have discussed this, and who resent the fact that their ability to make their own choices for their children’s holiday activities is being removed. They are happy with the programme we provide and with our ability to meet the needs of their children – that is why they return season after season.

By: Ruth Behan

Ruth Behan — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 21:52:11 +0000

I too love working with young children. I have a Certificate in Person centred counselling, an Honours Degree in Childhood and Youth Studies and am about to be assessed for EYPS . But I don’t know how long I can carry on becaus I am disgusted with all the hypocrisy. What little children thrive on is the attention of a loving adult. But this is getting harder abd harder for us t provide. In 2000 the statutory child to adult ratio for children aged 3-5 was 1 to 5. At that level we had to work hard , but it was possible to do a good job. Shortly after this the ratio ws changed to 1-8 and vast mounds of paperwork were introduced. Now after years of study to become a graduate I find the sinister information in the EYFS that, being a graduate I can legally have a ratio of 1-13. This is totally barbaric , I would just be herding children not caring or educating them . I work in a full daycare setting. Some children are there from 8am to 6pm - how are the emotional needs of these children to be met ? The low pay of my fellow workers is a scandal they are just being exploited to provide cheap childcare so that women can go out to work - but what is the earthly point of providing bargain basement childcare so that other women can go out to work in other lowpaid jobs? The children are being robbed of a proper childhood by a system that replaces loving care with a mountain of very expensive glossy paperwork. If the government think that an exhuasted nursery assistant on the minimum wage is going to read any of this bumf after a nine hour stint in an understaffed and poorly equiped nursery they are totally out of touch with reallity. The money that they are putting into the Transformation fund needs to go to the underpaid staff - most of it is currently being gobbled up by FE colleges offering training .Most of the training is about understanding the governments bumf. Meanwhile the standards in some nurseries are very very bad ( Thats actually what the Transformation fund is all about else why spend all this money on change if it’s already good ?) children don’t choose to go to nurseries and many of them state clearly and frequently that they would rather not. We are supposed to trot out the party line about respecting children’s individuality but are put into a position where it’s practically imposible to do so. They want us to work like teachers but for a fraction of the money but it’s the children who will suffer because good people will leave rather than put up with it.

By: Debbie Palmer

Debbie Palmer — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 22:24:08 +0000

I don’t consider my Montessori nursery to be simple. I have spent a lot of money on beautiful equipment which serves a purpose in educating and stimulating our children. As a PVI there is no money pumped into my nursery - I have to pay for everything myself based on the fees I receive from parents. I receive support for training from my LEA for which I am grateful and I have also achieved EYPS thanks to the transition fund. I, too, count myself as a dedicated member of the childcare industry and put my heart and soul into my business, although when numbers drop after the summer term I earn very little for the effort I put in. I also have a young family at home who need me and I have a house to run. I do not appreciate the additional bureaucracy that I will be faced with from September and I also do not appreciate the Government telling me how to teach my nursery children. Nor do the parents I serve and some will be sending their objections in writing. Our children thrive in my setting and make great achievements in all areas of the Curriculum before they start school because they want to, not because they have to. Yes, the EYFS may reflect what I do already, but I do not want the Government to dictate to me that I must follow and record each individual standard for each child just to prove that what I am doing was right in the first place. Children are individuals and learn at their own pace through hands-on activities, stimulating materials and play. If they are to be drilled into a dull education of being force-fed worksheets and reading books so they can write a sentence, sometimes with punctuation, by the time they are 5 then I wish to have nothing to do with the EYFS. I feel very sorry for young children living in our current culture. Compulsory pre-school education would never be enforced abroad and furthermore there are no diverse effects on children starting school at the age of 7 in Europe. The Government seems to think it knows best yet never consulted parents on what they wanted for their children and now the freedom of choice is being taken away - so much for a “democratic society”. The future of childhood looks very bleak indeed - our future children are likely to be nothing more than clones.

By: Margaret Simms

Margaret Simms — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 23:24:54 +0000

Okay, I’m joining the over 20 years in childcare group. Like J and D above, I too have enjoyed my career immensely. I have made the most of every change and opportunity to develop from ‘Just a Mum’ to childminder, Parent and Toddler Group and Playgroup founder, to fully fledged professional status of Early Years Lecturer, Childcare Recruitment Strategy Officer, Researcher and now I run my own Early Years and Childcare consultancy.
Change is a challenge that is best faced cheerfully.
Yes, there is heaps of paperwork these days, the hours are long and the money poor but there is more to life. We have to find ways of growing with change or change will taken us under.
Yes Playgroups were simple; we scrimped and saved to buy paint, we raided our own pantries for ingredients to make play dough. These days millions of pounds is being pumped in to the Sector; there is a world wide wealth of Early Years expertise collaborating to give children the best possible start in life and I am proud to count myself amongst those dedicated childcare workers, from way back when, who has moved with times and continues to encourage all who work with young children and families to hold their heads high and agree that we are all doing a very good job.

By: D Trowbridge

D Trowbridge — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 22:54:01 +0000

I also have worked in childcare as a childminder for over twenty years, and now with these changes approaching feel that the demands that are being made on me could result in me having to give up my work which I have thorougly enjoyed over the years. My parents chose my setting for a home based, loving, caring and playfull place for their children, soon Iwill be planning, observing, photographing and educating from birth onwards and as I am the sole carer, who is going to do all my paperwork and look after the chidren, at the same time. Because at the end of the day I still have a home and a family as well.

By: J Billows

J Billows — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 20:29:51 +0000

I have worked with children in Early years for over 20 years and have enjoyed my career immensely, but the pressure that has been placed on this profession recently has been ridiculous. We now have as much paper work as a reception teacher (but of course not the pay), but what makes it even worse is the conflicting advice from the different agencies out there that is supposed to help us. Even OFSTED don’t know about the EYFS (is this because in another year it will be something different)
What ever happened to the simple PLAYGROUP where children went to learn the social skills before starting school, how to sit quietly and listen to a story and then be able to recall that story with a degree of accuracy. How to hold a paint brush and pencil and enjoy painting a picture of mummy without someone observing if they are putting arms and legs in the correct place. Children are young for such a short time, please lets get back to enjoying that time with them, to nurturing the skills that they have without any pressure (pressure on the child and the parents).