This is an interesting report. Here’s the text.
And here are some brief thoughts:
The context: is to provide a baseline for the introduction of the new Early Years Foundation Stage, publication of which is imminent. The report also links to the DfES guidance on “Improving Outcomes in the Foundation Stage,” which is linked here.
Main findings:
The report comes out strongly in favour of play, with statements such as:
There was a clear link between communication skills and the development of creativity. Creativity flourished where practitioners supported and valued language development and children’s imaginative play.
It will doubtless be reported as being more about statements such as:
Most children achieved well in the majority of the early learning goals.
However, achievement was lower in calculation, early reading and writing, a sense of time and place, an understanding of culture and beliefs, and imaginative play because practitioners gave these too little attention. Girls achieved better than boys and reached higher standards.
But note how much priority there is given to play! This ties in with OfSTED’s reporting on a cross-national comparative study of EY in England Denmark and Finland and with the report on Transition.
Page 4 gives the clearest indication of the thinking: Not all settings were aware enough of the impact of girls’ and boys’ different choices of play activity on their progress in other areas of learning. Something that could do with further study from trainee teachers as well as managers and practitioners?
There was a clear link between communication skills and the development
of creativity. Creativity flourished where practitioners supported and
valued language development and children’s imaginative play. And if this might seem self-evident to many, its inclusion is itself significant.
nicktomjoe 