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1. This government has no interest in supporting children and listening to those who know what they need. I attended an EYs consultation event earlier this year. The room was full of voices from across the sector. We shared the evidence about why these reforms are wrong...
2. We talked in subject specific groups. The dfe reps came to each table- listened to what we were saying- asked is questions. We took a day out of work and we completed forms for the dfe pointing to the direction we need to take if we truly want to support every child...
3. We repeatedly asked for the evidence behind these changes and received no answers...
4. So to be clear- we took a day out of work, we spoke in groups, we spoke to dfe reps, we wrote copious notes on forms for them to take back as part of consultation ... the voices from the sector in the room were unanimous. These reforms are wrong...
5. These events had been happening nationally- same format. Colleagues who had attended told me the message was the same at each one. The sector spoke up....
6. As the day drew to a close I asked the dfe rep- what happens now? As part of the EYs coalition- we provided 84 pages of research, and the resounding consensus from these national events was clear- these changes are wrong. And worse than that they are damaging....
7. The answer from the dfe rep was clear. The consultation responses would be coded by dfe folk, the feedback from these national events would be presented to the EYs minister...
8. ... but ultimately it was his call how to progress and he would be within his rights to ignore our input and continue with the plans for the EYs reforms...
9. Well we know what happened. That minister was Mr Gibb. Our feedback and our evidence was ignored. This is the man who defends baseline, and has an obsession with phonics. The reforms being pushed through ignore the sector and worse than that- they ignore children....
10. The A level and GCSE situation is a disgrace.
The disrespect and contempt shown to our young people and the teaching profession by the department who are meant of lead them is appalling....
The disrespect and contempt shown to our young people and the teaching profession by the department who are meant of lead them is appalling....
11. But this isn’t just about secondary children and secondary teachers.
From 2021 algorithms will be applied to how 4 year olds perform in abstract tasks.... this algorithm will judge schools and it’s all based on the replies of a 4 year old....
From 2021 algorithms will be applied to how 4 year olds perform in abstract tasks.... this algorithm will judge schools and it’s all based on the replies of a 4 year old....
... from 2021 we will have EYFS reforms focussed not on unique children and their development- but whether children can record facts learned from books and heard from teachers, whether they hold those pencil correctly and whether they can recite Number facts....
13. Do we want an early education experience based on sitting still, having heads filled with facts and drilling? That is what Mr Gibb wants... even though there’s no evidence to support this.... and that is why #GIBBMUSTGO
14. Williamson will probably end up going - but Mr Gibb has been in the dfe for 10 years. The path education is on- is truly terrifying. A nation going backwards in an era when we need to move forwards....
15.
We are the voices from the foundations.
We are the experts.
We are the advocates for those who cannot be their own advocates just yet.
And right now? They need us more than ever.
We are the voices from the foundations.
We are the experts.
We are the advocates for those who cannot be their own advocates just yet.
And right now? They need us more than ever.
16. Sign our petition. Watch our film. Tell the world. Enough is enough. Come and join the play-volution. https://www.change.org/p/department-for-education-revoke-the-high-pressure-eyfs-reforms-young-children-need-real-learning-not-rote-learning-rightfromthestart?utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=custom_url&recruited_by_id=7c52d090-c5eb-11ea-8161-c74531115876
