Launch of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Consultation
The Department for Education has launched a consultation on the EYFS to offer providers increased flexibility and alleviate known burdens, exploring giving providers more choice over how they operate and making it easier for them to deliver the EYFS.
The DfE are keen to understand how these changes may support settings and local authorities to deliver the new entitlements announced at the Spring Budget.
Closing date: 26th July 2023.
The DfE will organise engagement events during the consultation period to allow a range of opportunities to feed in. Start Well will share the dates for these events as soon as they are announced. In the meantime, more information can be found here.
Respond to the consultation via the Citizen Space platform.
Any further questions can be directed to eyfs.consultation@education.gov.uk
More information
Plans to boost the early years workforce
The DfE will launch a new national campaign early next year to support the recruitment and retention of talented staff. Alongside this, we will consider how to introduce new accelerated apprenticeship and degree apprenticeship routes so everyone from junior staff to senior leaders can easily move into a career in the sector.
The early years workforce makes a huge contribution to young children’s lives and supports parents to work and access the childcare they want. Like the EYFS consultation, it is the intention that these plans will support the sector in building the workforce it needs to deliver the new entitlements announced at the Spring Budget and deliver high quality early education and care.
Supporting professional development
We will continue to prioritise quality and safety while exploring opportunities to remove burdens on childcare settings and support providers. This work builds on the investment of up to £180 million in a package of training, qualifications, expert guidance and targeted support for the early years sector to support children’s learning and recovery from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Early Years Child Development training can help early years practitioners working with children 0-4 years strengthen their knowledge and understanding of child development. The online training has been created with subject matter experts, is free and universally accessible to the early years workforce. There 5 modules already available covering child and brain development, personal, social and emotional development, physical development and language development. A further 4 modules will be released during 2023 including one focused on Mathematics.
The Professional Development Programme phase 3 (PDP3) provides early years practitioners with training on communication and language, early mathematics and personal, social and emotional development. PDP3 is available within all local authorities in England and recruitment for the second cohort of trainees, commencing their training in September 2023, is currently underway.
The Stronger Practice Hubs and Experts and Mentors programme offer a range of support and development for settings. You can find out more about all the offers at Early years education recovery programme: supporting the sector - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
You can read more about the announcement online: Massive boost to childcare payments marks first step in largest ever expansion of childcare - GOV.UK