Contex and Principles for Early Year Learning Essay

Question An explanation of the legal status and principle of the relevant first Years Framework and wherefore the too soon year frameworks emphasise a personal and individual go up to encyclopaedism and organisement 1. 1 The statutory framework for the EYFS sets out the legal requirements relating to scholarship and discipline and the legal requirements relating to welf atomic number 18. The EYFS framework has statutory force by virtue of Section 44 of the baby safekeeping represent 2006. The EYFS is a central come out of the tenner year fry concern strategy Choice for pargonnts, the best start for minorren and the landmark Childcare Act 2006.This Act, which regulates the childcare in England, formalise the important strategic component local authorities play, through a set of duties. These duties require authorities to work with their NHS and Jobcentre Plus partners to improve the outcomes of separately children up to phoebe bird old age of advance and reduce in equalities between them secure sufficient childcare for working(a) parents provide a parental information service provide information, advice and training for childcare providers.The play withal lays out registration and inspection arrangements, providing for an integrated procreation and care framework for the Early Years and general childcare registers. The sufficiency, information and outcomes duties came into effect on 1 April 2008 and the remaining purveys came into effect from folk 2008. The revised, simpler framework for the EYFS was published on 27 March 2012, for implementation from 1 September 2012. This is an integral part of the Governments wider vision for families in the stern eld.It demonstrates our commitment to clearing professionals from bureaucracy to focus on supporting children. Together with a more flexible, free archaean education entitlement and new streamlined inspection arrangements, this is a step towards a lighter touch regulatory regime. The Government will continue to adjudicate to reduce burdens and remove unnecessary regulation and paperwork, which undermine professionals ability to protect children and promote their outgrowth. The new EYFS framework trade names a number of improvements Reducing bureaucracy for professionals, simplifying the statutory estimation of childrens ontogenesis at age five. Simplifying the learn and development requirements by reducing the number of early cultivation goals from 69 to 17. Stronger emphasis on the three prime areas which are most essential for childrens healthy development. These three areas are conference and language physical and personal, social and emotional development. For parents, a new proceed check at age dickens on their childs development.This links with the Healthy Child review carried out by health visitors, so that children get any additional support they compulsion before they start inculcate. Strengthening partnerships between professionals and parents, ensuring that the new framework uses clear language. The Early Years Register (EYR) and the General Childcare Register (GCR) provide a regulatory framework for childcare under the act. Ofsted regulates the two registers the EYR for people caring for children vul fecesised from birth to 31 August after their fifth birthday and the GCR for childcare over this age.The GCR has two parts the compulsory part (for providers of childcare for children aged five to seven) and a voluntary part (for providers of childcare for children aged eight and over or childcare that is exempt from registering on a compulsory basis). The EYFS has replaced three source frameworks Curriculum Guidance for Foundation Stage, the Birth to Three Matters frameworks, and the National Standards for Under 8s Day-care and Childminding. The EYFS is given legal force through an Order and Regulations made under the Act.From September 2008 it will be mandatory for all schools and early years providers in Ofste d registered mise en scenes attended by unripened children that is children from birth to the end of the academic year in which a child has their fifth birthday. All early years providers are required to meet the EYFS requirements. From September 2008 it is the legal responsibility of these providers to run across that their provision meets the learning and development requirements, and complies with the welfare regulations.The Early Years Foundation Stage 2012 (EYFS) sets the standards that all early years providers essential meet to ensure that children learn and develop rise up and are kept healthy and safe. It promotes teaching and learning to ensure childrens school readiness and gives children the broad range of knowledge and skills that provide the right foundation for good future progress through school and sprightliness.Every child deserves the best possible start in life and the support that enables them to fulfil their potential. Children develop quickly in the earl y years and a childs go outs between birth and age five deplete a major wallop on their future life chances. A secure, safe and happy childhood is important in its own right. Good parenting and high quality early learning together provide the foundation children need to make the most of their abilities and talents as they grow up. The EYFS seeks to provide quality and consistency in all early years settings, so that any child makes good progress and no child gets remaining behind a secure foundation through learning and development opportunities which are planned around the demand and interests of each individual child and are assessed and reviewed regularly partnership working between practitioners and with parents and/or carers equality of chance and anti-discriminatory practice, ensuring that every child is included and back up. The EYFS specifies requirements for learning and development and for safeguarding children and promoting their welfare.The learning and develo pment requirements cover the areas of learning and development which must contrive activities and sleep withs (educational programmes) for children in all early years settings the early learning goals that providers must befriend children work towards (the knowledge, skills and understanding children should befuddle at the end of the academic year in which they turn five) and assessment arrangements for measuring progress (and requirements for reporting to parents and/or carers). The safeguarding and welfare requirements cover the steps that providers must take to keep children safe and promote their welfare.Four guiding principles should shape practice in early years settings. These are every child is a peculiar child, who is constantly learning and can be resilient, capable, confident and confident children learn to be strong and separatist through positive relationships children learn and develop well in enabling environments, in which their experiences respond to th eir individual necessitate and at that place is a strong partnership between practitioners and parents and/or carers and children develop and learn in different ways and at different rates.The framework covers the education and care of all children in early years provision, including children with special educational needs and disabilities. The aim of the EYFS is to help young children achieve the five Every Child Matters outcomes of staying safe, being healthy, enjoying and achieving, making a positive contribution, and achieving economic well-being by 1. setting the standards for the learning, development and care, ensuring that every child makes progress and that no child gets left behind.Parents, providers should deliver individualised learning, development and care that enhances the development of the children in their care and gives those children the best possible start in life. Every child should be supported individually to make progress at their own pace and children wh o need extra support to fulfil their potential should receive special consideration.All providers have an as important fibre to play in childrens early years experiences and they have to ensure that the provision they deliver is both captivate to children needs and complementary to the education and care provided in childs different settings. 2. providing for equality of opportunity and anti-discriminatory practice and ensuring that every child is included and non disadvantaged because of ethnicity, culture or religion, home language, family background, learning problematicalies or disabilities, gender or ability.Practitioners should focus on each childs individual learning, development and care needs by removing or helping to overcome barriers for children, being alert to the early signs of needs that could lead to later difficulties and responding quickly and appropriately, stretching and challenging children because all of them should have the opportunity to experience an enjoyable programme of learning and development. 3. creating the framework for partnership working between parents and professionals, and between all the settings that the child attends.Working with children operator working in partnership with a lot of people, for this reason is important that practitioners ensure continuity and coherence by manduction relevant information with each other and with parents. Parents and families are central to a childs well-being and learnings needs. For this reason practitioners should support this important relationship by sharing information and offering support for extending learning in the home. 4. improving quality and consistency in the early years sector through a commonplace set of standards which apply to all settings and providing the basis for the inspection and regulation regime.5. laying a secure foundation for future learning through learning and development that is planned around the individual needs and interests of the child, and informed by the use of ongoing observational assessment. It is important to their future success that children earliest experience help to build a secure foundation for learning throughout their school years and beyond. Practitioners must sensitive to the individual development of each child to ensure that activities they undertake are suitable for the stage that they have reached.Children need to be stretched, but not pushed beyond their capabilities, so that they can continue enjoy learning. Practitioners must observe assessment planning for each childs continuing development through play-based activities, and respond quickly to childrens learning and development needs. on that point are a lot of important aspects on the early years provision in the EYFS framework. These principles are 1. there should be a variety of provision for children under five in any locality. 2. All groups should operate in safe, healthy premises and should register with the local social services depart ment. 3.Groups should be of pliable size and have a high adult to child ratio. 4. Groups should comply with al employment legislation and pay adequate salaries and expenses to volunteers. 5. Staff should be educate and experienced, and with volunteers and parents, should be given the opportunity to further their learning. 6. Groups should have extending times that reflect the needs of parents and children. 7. Groups should have clear policies and procedures for admission and attendance of children 8. Groups should consider childrens dietary needs to ensure that any food or drink provided is appropriate, acceptable and nutritious.In the provision of any refreshment, groups should respect individual, cultural, religious and medical requirements. 9. Groups should have appropriate and adequate insurance cover. 10. Parents are the main educators of their children and should be involved in all aspects of the group including management. 11. Groups should have sound management procedures . 12. Groups should be recognise by, and have contact with, other local providers of education and care for young children. 13. Groups should provide for children and adults with disabilities and learning difficulties including children in need as defined by the Children Act 1989. 14.Groups should be well organised, with guardedly planned activities. 15. Groups should provide good quality educational equipment and play activities appropriate ages and stages of development. 16. The quality in any group is last dependent upon the skills, attitudes and commitment of adults, and groups should build upon these. 17. There should be equal opportunities, in all aspects of the groups work, for adults and children. All children in England between ages 5 and 16 must receive a full-time education. For children under age 5, publicly-funded nurseries and pre-schools are available for a limited number of hours each week.After the age of 16, students can attend sixth form colleges or other furth er education institutions. There are different types of child settings but all of them should follow The deterrent Discrimination Act 1995 that sets out two main duties for childcare providers not to treat a disabled child slight favourably to make presumable adjustments for disabled children Registered day nurseries Children are normally admitted from age 18 months to 3? years. They usually have fixed opening times and are usually open all day and during the school holidays to meet the needs of working parents.They may also offer before and after school childcare and holiday care for school aged children. Local authority nursery schools and nursery classes They are funded by the local authority. Children can start a nursery school or nursery class attached to a primary school from the age of three. Some nursery places are for a half-day (either a morning or an afternoon), others are for the whole school day. Pre-schools and Playgroups Pre-schools and playgroups provide care, p lay and learning opportunities for children aged two to five years.They usually offer half day sessions, term time only, although many may offer extended hours. Primary school Primary schools are for children aged from four or five until the age of 11. subsidiary school Secondary schools are for children aged 11, until the age of 16 but often also include sixth form centres or colleges which have pupils until the age of 18. finicky schools Special schools educate children or young people aged 5 and upwards almost always with statements of special educational need. Childminders Provide care, play and learning opportunities inwardly the childminders own home.They may be able to work flexible hours and periods. Will often take or collect children from playgroup or school. Can care for a maximum of six children under 8 years of age, depending on the play space available, but no more than three under 5 years of age and not normally more than one under 12 months Question An explanatio n of how national and local guidance materials are used in setting 1. 2 UKs current provision to work with early years children has been influenced by many different theories. FRIEDRICH FROEBEL (1782-1852) Froebel founded his first kindergarten in 1840.He believed in outdoor and indoor play and invented finger play, songs and rhymes. He valued symbolic behaviour through play this is where children understand that they can make one occasion stand for or symbolise something else for example, a yoghurt pot can symbolise a cup of tea. He felt that children were able to learn at their highest level through imaginative play. He was also well known for encouraging block play which he called gift encouraging children to understand a variety of mathematical concepts and relationship through play with various wooden blocks.His theory start with the concept that humans are creative beings, for this reason honest education must help children to understand their true nature as creative bei ngs. Froebel believed that play is the engine that drives true learning. Play is not idle behaviour. It is a biological imperative to discover how things work. It is happy work, but definitely purposeful. Froebel sought to harness this impulse and focus the childs play energy on specific activities designed to lead them to create meaning from this experience. In his opinion children can only learn what they are ready to learn.Each child is unique and develops according to their own schedule. Nothing can be more wasteful or frustrating than to try to force a child to march to a different beat. Froebel works with each childs own rhythm but makes it purposeful and guides the child toward the group. Froebel recognized that you cannot command the child so he controlled everything else. A prepared environment provides the teacher with the proper tools and gives children the experiences that the teacher feels are most beneficial, leading the childs mind to the subject at hand. It feels le ss structured or forced, but it is actually extremely efficient.After his death the idea of his child-centred kindergarten became popular in both Germany and the rest of Europe. MARIA MONTESSORI (1870-1952) Maria Montessori was a doctor in poor areas of Rome in the early twentieth century. During this time she observed childrens development and saw them as active learners. She did not believe in imaginative play but she felt that children needed to experience concepts such as shape, size and order through structured play. She also felt that, at different stages of their development, children are particularly receptive to certain area of learning and that the adult must guide them through these.Montessori believed that children would become independent learners if they worked on their own. She did not encourage sequence of exercises often using specifically designed didactic (instructional) materials. (Penny Tassoni, 368)These are materials that involve sensory experiences and are se lf-correcting. Montessori materials are designed to be aesthetically pleasing, yet sturdy and were developed by Maria Montessori to help children develop organization. Montessori believed that the environment should be prepared by matching the child to the corresponding didactic material.The environment should be comfortable for children (e. g., child-sized chairs that are lightweight). The environment should be homelike, so child can learn practical life issues. For example, there should be a place for children to practice proper self-help skills, such as hand washing. Since Montessori believed beauty helped with concentration, the setting is aesthetically pleasing.The Montessori method consists in a carefully developed set of materials which create the proper environment for children at each stage of their development. In this environment and with the guidance of trained teachers, they can develop their intellects and turn all the skills and content of human civilization.Over six ty years of experience with children around the world proved Dr. Montessoris theory that children can learn to read, pull through and calculate as easily and naturally as they learn to walk and talk. Her methods are still popular in Montessori schools around the world. The towering/Scope approach The High/Scope Approach has roots in constructivist theory. Constructivists believe that we learn by mentally and physically interacting with the environment and with others. Although errors may be made during these interactions, they are considered just another part of the learning process.Although both Constructivism and the Montessori Method involve learning by doing, there are significant differences. In Montessori, for instance, the didactic, self-correcting materials are specifically designed to help prevent errors. Children learn by repetition, instead of by trial and error. The role of pretend play is also different in the two methods. In High/Scope, childrens creative exploration is encouraged, and this sometimes leads to pretend play, while in Montessori, practical life work that relates to the real world is stressed.Although Constructivism is a theory of learning, as opposed to a theory of teaching, High/Scope has exemplified an approach of teaching that supports Constructivist beliefs. Thus, children learn through active involvement with people, materials, events, and ideas. What Are High/Scopes Main Components? Social One of the fundamental points in the High/Scope approach is that children are encouraged to be active in their learning through supportive adult interactions. The High/Scope approach includes times for various grouping experiences in the classroom.There are specific periods in each day for small group times, large group times, and for children to play independently in learning centres throughout the classroom. Children are encouraged to share their mentation with teachers and peers. Social interactions in the classroom community are e ncouraged. Teachers facilitate work on problem resolution with children as conflicts arise. When a child talks, the teachers listen and subscribe open-ended questions they seek to ask questions that encourage children to express their thoughts and be creative rather than a closed question that would elicit more of a yes/no or simplistic answer. Each day the High/Scope teacher observes and records what the children are doing. During the year, teachers complete a High/Scope Child Observation commemorate from the daily observations they have collected. Curriculum Key experiences were designed specifically for this approach. The following is a brief summary of key experiences taken from Kostelnik, Soderman, & Whiren (1999, p. 32). The key experiences for preschool children are -Creative government agency -Classification -Language and literacy -Seriation -Initiative and social relation -Number -Movement -Space -Music -Time. Plan-do-review is another major component of the High/Scope framework. Children are encouraged to 1) plan the area, materials, and methods they are going to work with 2) do, actually learn out their plan and 3) review, articulate with the class-room community what they actually did during work time. The review time helps children bring closure to their work and link their actual work to their plan. violent death time is a natural part of plan-do-review. Children are given a sense of control by cleaning up. Representative labels help children return materials to appropriate places (Roopnarine & Johnson, 1993). The High/Scope classroom has a consistent routine. The purpose of the resulting predictability is to help children understand what will happen next and encourage them to have more control in their classroom. Environmental Set-Up The High/Scope classroom is a materials-rich learning environment. Usually, the locations for classroom materials are labelled to help children learn organizational skills. Materials are set-up so that the y are easily accessible at a childs level. This helps facilitate childrens active exploration. Teachers set up the classroom areas purposefully for children to search and build social relationships, often with well-defined areas for different activities. Reggio Emilia Approach Reggio Emilia is a small town of northern Italy. The approach has become so popular in the early childhood field because it offers many unique curriculum ideas, because of the strong infrastructure for the Reggio schools, and because of the attention to co-construction. What Are the Reggio Emilia Approachs Main Components? Social Cooperation and collaborationism are terms that stress the value of revisiting social learning.First, children must become members of a community that is working together (cooperation). in one case there is a foundation of trust between the children and adults, constructive conflict may be helpful in gaining new insights (collaboration). Co-construction refers to the fact that the meaning of an experience often is built in a social context. An atelierista is a teacher who has a special training that supports the curriculum development of the children and other faculty members. There is an atelierista in each of the Reggio Emilia pre-primary schools. Pedagogistas are built in as part of the carefully planned support system of the Reggio Emilia schools. The word pedagogista is difficult to translate into English. They are educational consultants that strive to implement the philosophy of the system and advocate for seeing children as the competent and capable people they are.They also make critical connections between families, schools, and community. Curriculum One of the special features of the Reggio Emilia approach is called documentation. enfranchisement is a sophisticated approach to purposefully using the environment to inform the history of projects and the school community.It does not simply refer to the beautiful classroom artwork commonly found throughout schools following Reggio Emilia Approach. And, even though it often incorporates concrete examples of both the processes and products that are part of a childs education, it is more than just that. It is a fundamental way of building connections. Documentation is discussed in more detail in the next section that describes the uniqueness of the Reggio Emilia Approach. Co-construction increases the level of knowledge being developed. This occurs when active learning happens in company with working with others (e. g.having opportunities for work to be discussed, questioned, and explored). Having to explain ideas to someone else clarifies these ideas. In addition, conflicts and questions facilitate more connections and extensions. There is an opportunity to bring in different expertise.Thus, to facilitate co-construction, teachers need to aggressively listen and foster collaboration between all the members of the community whenever possible. Real learning takes place when t hey check, evaluate, and then possibly add to each others work. Long-term projects are studies that encompass the explorations of teachers and children. Flowcharts are an organized system of recording curriculum planning and assessment based on ongoing collaboration and careful review. Portfolios are a collection of a childs work that demonstrates the childs efforts, progress, and achievements over time. Environmental Set-Up In Reggio Emilia, the environment is homogeneous to that found in Montessori schools. However, the environmental set-up as a third teacher has been enhanced and extended in the Reggio Emilia approach. Like Montessori, it is believed beauty helps with concentration the setting is aesthetically pleasing. Reggio Emilia schools create homelike environments. In Reggio, the homelike atmosphere is designed to help make children feel comfortable and learn practical life issues. Each child is provided a place to keep her own belongings. Documentation is a major pa rt of the environmental set-up. Documentation illustrates both the process and the product. In documentation, the child is seen as an individual but also in relation to a group, with various possibilities for the individual. Question An explanation of how different approaches to work with children in early years have affected current provision.1. 3 Early years frameworks emphasize a personal and individual approach to learning and development because every child is unique and they develop and learn in different ways and at different rates, for this reason all areas of learning and development are equally important and inter-connected. Another reason is that experiences during the early years strongly influence a childs future development. This means that the care and education that babies and young children receive to support their growth, development and learning must be of high quality and appropriate to their individual needs.Therefore, all practitioners should look carefully at the children in their care, consider their needs, their interests, and their stage of development and use all this information to help plan a challenging and enjoyable experience across all the areas of learning and development. In fact EYFSs aim is to reflect the rich and personalised experience that many parents give their children at home. Like parents, providers should deliver individualised learning, development and care that enhances the development of the children in their care and gives those children the best possible start in life.Every child should be supported individually to make progress at their own pace and children who need extra support to fulfil their potential should receive special consideration. All providers have an equally important role to play in childrens early years experiences and they have to ensure that the provision they deliver is both appropriate to children needs. Question An explanation of the Partnership mannequin of working with carers 3. 1 Wor king with children means have a lot of responsibilities and one of the main ones is to have a positive partnership within the child settings faculty and parents/carers.For this reason every child setting has its own policy to regulate relations between carers and carers and families. Positive partnership calls for coarse respect and trust a recognition of equality between parents and professionals awareness of cultural and ethnic diversity partners to share information and skills. This means that good communication is essential to working with children, young people, families and carers. It helps build trust, and encourages them to seek advice and use services.It is key to establishing and maintaining relationships, and is an active process that involves listening, questioning, understanding and responding. an acknowledgement and sharing of feelings all parties to play a role in the decision making process. Question A review of the Potential barriers to participation for car ers, and an explanations of how these barriers may be overcome 3. 2 Barriers to partnership working There are many potential barriers to establishing a working partnership with parents, which can apply to both parties. Here are some of them Time and availability. conclusion a mutually convenient time and venue to meet Other demands from family and work Access and transport for some parents Language, culture and religion Cultural and/or religious attitudes towards disability Language barriers (there are no words for Downs syndrome in Punjabi or Urdu) What is culturally acceptable Parents own education ostracize feelings towards school and authority Feelings of inadequacy Fear of being judged Communication Poor communication channels (e. g. through the child only) Poor information sharing (what does go on in school? ) Automatic use of jargon. Shyness lack of confidence School and staff Personal relationships between teacher and parent limit facilities for meeting with parents lack of empathy with the role of parent Lack of staff skills and confidence Access to relevant information An unwelcoming environment Parent and school Who to talk to? Lack of acceptance or awareness of childs difficulties The value placed on education Young people not wanting parents involved Lack of information around transition periods (from one school to the next) Disinterest/lack of clear responsibility. Lack of consensus between parents Previous experience Negative previous experience Feelings of being judged Lack of action or follow up Being patronised Some ideas for overcoming barriers Communication Use regular newsletters to improve information mix Have a central information point e. g. regularly updated notice board Have a central contact point Exploit applied science web sites, email, blogs, text messaging Provide up to date information and a jargon buster.Create regular meeting slots Create opportunities for informal as well as formal con tact e.g. parents assemblies, social events Collect parents views e. g. suggestion box, parent forum, parents spokesperson Involve parents in school activities Use home/school books and diaries Use email or phone if there is sensitivity about keeping a written record School and staff Develop staff skills in communication and listening Increase availability of staff and head teacher e. g. regular meeting slots, surgery times for 1-1 meetings Improve the range of activities in which parents can participate Make direct personal contact with parents Provide creche.