Funnily enough it's actually quite tricky to create a suitable environment for very young children and staffing it can be difficult too. Parents and carers need and want flexibility. But then if they had listened to those of us with experience in the sector they would have known all that.
The outcome is not the same thing as the process. Just because learning results in changes in memory doesn't mean that retrieving information is all you focus on. Motivation matters! If you want children and young people to love learning you have to help them understand that it's joyful. ☺️ #EduSky
The idea that learners must never be momentarily distracted or lose impulse control or accidentally forget something seems very odd to me. I don't think that level of expectation of compliance is healthy and personally it would make me extremely anxious as a learner to be in that class. 😒
Well then don't bloody do it. Honestly these people. 🤦♀️
The problem with @ofstednews.bsky.social is that it has got so inextricably linked up with both competition between schools and with people's belief in themselves that any feedback can only be perceived in a negative way. A system where people focus so heavily on 'what Ofsted wants' is a broken one.
Probably the biggest difference between early years and a school class is the ratios though. When you're working with such high ratios you really get to know the individual children quickly. That's a real treat. ♥️
I've come to the conclusion that helping to lead a setting isn't really about focusing on the systems, it's more about finding and supporting the people who share your values. Relationships trump everything imho. ♥️
See it is possible to state the truth. 🤷♀️
To give you an example of what we're up against as teachers, Ofsted published a PPT slide claiming that toilet training is just a 'knowledge progression'. This is plainly nonsense. They published another slide saying babies had to 'know shapes' before using a shape sorter. This is clearly bollocks.
They're literally using all the same people to advise them as the Tories did so it's no surprise that nothing has changed but it is a big disappointment given the current situation.
Of course none of this is to deny the impact of these behaviours on teachers. You will often find me saying to the staff in our setting that it must be very difficult and draining for them when they're supporting children who struggle to behave appropriately. But we work as a team to find solutions.
It's becoming impossible to deny (a) the levels of needs we are seeing in settings and schools (b) the issues with attendance and exclusion rates and (c) that rigid approaches don't align with an inclusive system. Something has to change. We have to work with the children and families as they are.
We've got a new preschool leader starting soon and I was very happy to be able to tell her that we don't care what Ofsted say because our children are happy, well cared for and included. Focus on the important things.
'How can I help them want to understand this?' is always a more interesting question to me than how I can get them to memorise it.
'Apology statement' from the DfE about how brilliant they are with all their policies which obviously they have single handedly made happen. Sub Trump style 'jokey' sarcasm.
Apologies for bringing a twitter screenshot over here but I felt it was important for people to see how completely out of touch the DfE currently is. Sub Trumpian nonsense and an insult to all the educators doing the work, quite frankly.
Without asylum:
Marks and Spencer wouldn't exist
Queen would have been without a front man
The other queen wouldn't have had a husband
Judith Kerr would never have written The Tiger Who Came to Tea
And thousands of less famous people wouldn't have been teachers, politicians, neighbours, etc
Imo 'school readiness' is a ridiculous concept especially now that so many of the early learning goals (the measure they use) are not developmentally appropriate. Honestly you should see the self-regulation goals because quite a lot of *adults* wouldn't meet them.
"Be confident to try new activities and show independence, resilience and perseverance in the face of challenge."
"Show sensitivity to their own and to others’ needs."
*Looks around at all the adults singularly failing to do these.* 😒
A little thread about #play. 🧵☺️
For me 'discovery learning' is the very definition of early years. Create an enabling environment, give children the agency to discover things within caring relationships, build on their interests, help them learn skills and inspire them to want to understand more about their world! ☺️ #EduSky
✅ Move from "telling" to "asking."
✅ Empower their middle and senior leaders to become effective coaches.
✅ Build a culture of trust and professional growth.
Find out more about building a coaching culture that sticks: films.myattandco.com/programs/big...
What's interesting is how external bodies like Ofsted and the DfE also use high levels of control to make the case that there is a correct, scientised way to approach education. Hence the high levels of control we see over things like curriculum, pedagogy, testing and what new teachers are taught.
One of my favourite NHS quotes on the topic is this one. "Children under 5 should not be inactive for long periods, except when they're asleep." Evidence matters! ☺️ #EduSky
We don't tend to think about ergonomics very much in education but if we did the classrooms we and the children work in would look very different. Writing slopes and standing desks would be much healthier for our learners if we weren't always so focused on the cognitive over the physical. 🤷♀️
Good mini thread and link. As an adult, I appreciate being able to do some of my work admin at home where I can get up and down and fidget as much as I like and sit or stand - so 5 year olds must need those options even more!
The idea that yet another test is going to help anyone close gaps in outcomes is obviously ridiculous. The underlying message to the sector is that we're not trying hard enough while she wants to claim any improvements for herself. Very disappointing indeed.
I think if you ask parents and carers what they want from an education, a lot of them would prioritise their children being happy. Not to have fun all the time but just to feel good about going into the setting. We mustn't lose sight of that. ♥️
Imho there are way too many tests to 'prove' progression and any new curriculum needs to balance young people's wellbeing, development and learning ahead of rigour and 'driving up high standards'. Give children (and their educators) a bit of breathing space please. 🙏🏻
That ‘people are tired of experts’ quote from Gove a few years ago rattles around in my head a lot, because it’s SUCH a stupid attitude. Experts are brilliant. Let’s give them ALL the airtime.
My sense is that #inclusion is being misunderstood atm. It's not about expecting everyone to fit into a one size fits all system then adjusting when they don't. It's about creating an environment that includes everyone through making adjustments ahead of time. Start by thinking about the outliers. 🙏🏻
