This response outlines the NUT’s concerns about proposed changes to Ofsted inspection arrangements for early years provision. It also considers Government proposals to extend Ofsted’s role in early years quality assurance and improvement work at the expense of local authorities’ existing support services.

This document provides the NUT’s critique of the DfE’s proposals to remove many of the existing local authority functions and responsibilities for early years provision.

The National Union of Teachers (NUT) welcomes the opportunity to respond to the DfE proposals on the arrangements for how staff should be deployed in early years settings. The NUT’s comments focus on its members’ experiences as both providers and users of early years provision.

This response critiques the Government’s proposals for reforming early education and care. It argues that quality of provision would be severely compromised if the Government implemented its proposals to deregulate and remove statutory requirements wherever possible, particularly in terms of ratios. It rejects the proposals to remove most support, monitoring and quality assurance functions from LAs and to make Ofsted the “sole arbiter of quality”. It also challenges the international evidence offered to justify the Government’s plans. A summary version of the response is also available.

This response welcomes the development of a new Level 3 early years qualification, which aims to replace the previous NNEB qualification. The NUT expresses some concerns about the proposed content of the training for the qualification and makes the case for further consideration to be given to those members of the early years workforce who hold Level 2 or below qualifications.

This response outlines the NUT’s concerns about the proposed introduction of Early Years Teacher Standards, which could potentially remove the requirement for Qualified Teacher Status in early education. It also highlights a number of aspects of the Standards which are inappropriate for the full birth to five year old age range.

This document provides advice and guidance for members on the changes to the Early Years Foundation Stage Profile.

Welcome to the Autumn primary bulletin for Union members.

We want to alert you to the issues and latest developments in primary education which may affect you. These issues may impact on your teaching and your classroom practice in the primary sector.

• Early Years Foundation Stage profile
• Year One Phonics Screening Check
  Find out the latest news on the Check results and the NUT/ATL/NAHT survey.
• Key Stage 2 SATs
  Changes to the science sample tests for 2013.
• National Curriculum
  Consultation to take place early in 2013
• Ofsted Inspection Arrangements
  Latest information on the new Ofsted inspection framework
  
• Child Protection in Primary Schools
  NSPCC and Youthworks report on best practice in primary schools
• Future Primary Bulletins
  Send us your ideas

 

Previous bulletins
Primary Bulletin Summer 2012
Primary Bulletin January 2012

The National Union of Teachers welcomes the opportunity to respond to the Department for Education’s Consultation on a Revised Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). The NUT supports the retention of the ‘Overarching Principles’ within the EYFS and believes that throughout the document the emphasis should continue to reflect the fourth principle which is ‘children develop and learn in different ways and at different rates’.

The purpose of this document is to provide further information and guidance on the Second Wave Pathfinder Local Authorities implementing the Early Years Single Funding Formula (EYSFF) from April 2010.

The NUT recommended in this submission that the Government should re-evaluate its policy on early Years Funding in order to ensure that high quality early years provision in maintained nursery schools was not lost.

This document provides information and advice on the extension of the free entitlement to early learning and childcare for two year olds for both NUT divisions and for members working in the early years.

Important changes are taking place to the provision of early years education in England. Free nursery entitlement for three and four year olds is being extended from 12.5 hours to 15 hours per week.

A survey on the extension of free entitlement to early education and care for three and four year olds was conducted in January and February 2009. The survey was sent to a random sample of 1000 NUT members who identified themselves as working in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). 259 questionnaires were returned, giving a response rate of 26 per cent.

This document provides up-dated professional advice and guidance to members who work in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS).