Early Years Leadership Forums
Summer 2011
Agenda
□ Local updates and celebrations
□ The EYFS – the direction of travel
□ Workforce development - future needs
Following a short break there will be a briefing
about the transition document Starting and
Staying Strong. Those EYFS leaders who
have already attended a briefing are not
expected to stay for this session.
Much to celebrate…resources to support practice
Planning
The journey from principles to practice
Turn to person next to you and share
with them something that you wish to
celebrate that has happened this year
Early Years (EYFS quality
improvement) – the current position
In Leeds…
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EYC team 2 years old…
Penny Vine has left the EYCT…
Sector representatives…
Early Language Consultant retained…
CYPP (2011-14) and Child Friendly City…
Children and Young People’s Plan
Children and Young People in Leeds are
1. safe from harm;
2. do well in learning and have the skills for life;
3. choose healthy lifestyles and
4. have fun growing up and
5. are active citizens who feel they have a voice and influence.
The success in these outcomes (in early years) will be measured by:
□ Improved attainment at the end of the foundation stage for all
children;
□ Closing the gap;
□ Reduction in referrals to Children's Social Care;
□ Reduction in the numbers of children at risk of development delay;
□ Promoting the importance of good attendance during early childcare
learning experiences.
How will early years contribute?
Ensuring sufficient, high quality,
nursery education for
all young children from birth
Targeting those most at risk of
relatively poor early learning
outcomes
Ensuring that vulnerable groups are
targeted for appropriate access
to quality early education experiences
Ensuring settings are delivering
the EYFS to a high standard
Further developing the
quality of the early years
workforce
Concentrating intensive support in
areas of high deprivation, where
sufficiency, take up and quality
of free nursery education are
key to closing the gap
EYCT promote… early years quality improvement in line
with the local authority's quality improvement
strategy for all settings delivering the statutory Early
Years Foundation Stage. The team is committed to
the central role of good quality early years
experience in improving children’s life chances. The
team continue to offer advice, training, challenge and
support to ensure high quality early years provision,
gaps in achievement are closed and outcomes for our
youngest children in Leeds are high.
eydt@leeds.gov.uk 0113 395 0510
or visit the early years collaboration site
or Leeds family hub
Early Years – the current position
Nationally …
“The DfEducation and DfHealth will be publishing a policy
statement on the Early Years later in the year, setting out our
vision for reform. We know that there have been huge
improvements in maternity and early years services over the past
years , but we have to keep reviewing and refreshing what we do
and how we do it in response to changing pressures and new
developments. We want a system that is led by the professionals
who understand how best to deliver these services – and so we
will be working closely with experts in the early years sector to
produce our publication, collaborating on a new vision for the
crucial foundation years of each child’s life.”
Developing a vision for Early Years
DfE website
Two publications to appear shortly
The first will be approached from the
perspective of parents, and set out the
Government’s offer to families from
pregnancy until their child reaches the age of
five.
The second will be for the sector – for all
those who work with expectant parents and
our youngest children and for commissioners
and funders of services.
www.education.gov.uk
□ Themes: early years research digest on the
theme of early years development
home>schools>tools and initiatives>TRIPS
research digests>themes:early years
□ Early learning and childcare latest news
from the Dept. on early learning and
childcare home>children and young people>
early learning and childcare
Tickell Review of the EYFS
Key documents:
 The Tickell Review – The Early Years: Foundations for
life, health and learning
 The EYFS Review: Report on the evidence
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46 recommendations covering aspects as
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how children learn
how best to support their development
the educational programmes
assessment arrangements
effectiveness of welfare requirements
the early years workforce
partnerships with parents and carers and between LAs and
Ofsted
While it is reassuring that the Review report recommends no
changes in the aims and philosophy, including retaining the
original EYFS themes and principles – there are a number of
changes that LA teams and practitioners will need to engage
with:
□ highlighting the importance of Personal, Social and
Emotional Development, Communication and Language, and
Physical Development from birth
□ changes in emphasis with Literacy becoming a separate area
□ renaming and re-arranging some areas of learning and
development
□ highlighting the commitments from Learning and
Development (playing and exploring, active learning, and
creating and thinking critically) as characteristics of effective
learning
□ a reduction in the number of early learning goals: 69 to 19?
□ a progress check at 24 to 36 months
so…
□ There is universal agreement on the principles
and objectives of the EYFS
□ There is clear support for the concept of a
single framework to raise standards and further
develop partnership working
□ There is a call to give more time to ‘bed in’ the
EYFS and
□ to retain its mandatory nature.
“a revised EYFS which is more flexible and more
accessible, and which provides a strong
foundation for all children and families.”
What does this mean for Leeds?
The Early Years Service will continue to promote effective early
years practice based on proven research and the principles of
the Early Years Foundation Stage. We will contribute to the
consultation (expected in the next month). Any changes are not
expected to be implemented until September 2012.
We are continuing to produce guidance and training
opportunities that reflect the current statutory framework and
will support the implementation of the revised
framework next year.
Please contact the Early Years Consultant Team if you have any
questions or suggestions
 eydt@leeds.gov.uk  0113 395 0510
Two publications to appear shortly
The first will be approached from the
perspective of parents, and set out the
Government’s offer to families from
pregnancy until their child reaches the age of
five.
The second will be for the sector – for all
those who work with expectant parents and
our youngest children and for commissioners
and funders of services.
What are your future needs?
Discuss in small groups and record on post it
notes …..
□ training needs for you
□ training needs for other staff in your setting
□ suggestions for future leadership forums
Hello - National Year of
Communication 2011
Hello is a campaign focusing on improving children and
young peoples’ speech, language and communication
skills.
To find out more about the YOC or to share an idea….
□ http://www.hello.org.uk
□ http://www.talkingpoint.org.uk
□ Twitter - @Hello Leeds
□ Cindy.Costigan@leeds.gov.uk
□ www.thefamilyhubleeds.org
Be re-inspired….
Beyond Reggio
Emilia…Inspirational
Practice for Early
Years in Leeds
September 2011