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Last year, it was announced that Dr Julian Grenier was leading the work on the new EYFS Development Matters.
The hugely influential, guidance is due to be released in the Summer, and few people could argue against the Department for Education’s (DfE) choice for lead author.
As Headteacher of the renowned Sheringham Nursery School and Children’s Centre, Julian and his team have been celebrated for running truly evidence-based practice that turns around the lives of children in one of London’s most disadvantaged boroughs
He is also a National Leader on Education, has advised on a number of DfE projects, and has authored several successful books on some of the biggest topics in early years.
Julian and I sat down to talk at the Nursery World Show 2020 about the upcoming changes to the Development Matters, what’s going to be in them, how his team will be consulting on them, and why we’re even making a change in the first place.
Watch snippets from the interview and read key takeaways below, or scroll to the bottom of the page to watch the full 19 minute interview.
It’s clear that the biggest reason for change is centred around practitioner workload. Although it was never the original intention, the existing document has been misused in a variety of ways that have led to too much documentation in settings.
Julian also explained to me why the disadvantage gap is still a huge priority and how the document is looking to address that. He also talks about the need to address any guidance to make sure it is up to date with current thinking, in particular highlighting developments in our understanding of self-regulation and executive function.
With last year’s election making it difficult to get anything done and the EYFS consultation having only just ended, it’s been a little tricky to get a clear understanding of when we might start to hear some details about the new EYFS Development Matters document.
At the start of the interview (around 1:29), Julian revealed to me that the first draft will be out for consultation with a number of people in the sector already by Spring, and that they’re hoping to have something published and available for everyone to see in Summer.
Check out what he says in the full interview below to also hear about how they plan to consult with the sector.
Is development matters meant to be structured guidance or a best-fit approach? Julian explains his thinking, and why any framework is there to guide, not replace, practitioner experience.
He also talks about what this means for continuous professional development, and how to focus on our best bets when it comes to training.
With the controversy over the new Early Learning Goals (ELGs) fresh in everyone’s mind, I asked Julian about whether the new Development Matters will filter down from the ELGs.
He explained why the changes were led by a desire to make assessment more simple, and why we shouldn’t confuse assessment for curriculum. He goes on to make a call for leaders and practitioners to establish their own curriculum that works for their community and children.
Many settings still use Development Matters as a way to tick off steps children have attained, and Julian explains why this is such an unecessary burden on practitioners.
He also discusses next steps (something we’ve covered before with Sue Allingham), and why trying to have formal next steps for every child is a “nightmare” and can stop us from looking at the big picture.
But next steps shouldn’t be forgotten altogether. Julian thinks that our attention should be drawn towards the handful of children who need our help the most, and why assessment can play such a valuable part in bridging that attainment gap.
Take a look at what he has to say about it in the video below, from around 16:00. He explains, for example, why deepening children’s knowledge of numbers up to ten can be more valuable than rushing some children to 50 before their peers have even got into double figures.
Enjoy the full 19-minute interview with Julian, where he and I discuss:
Guidance from the Danish Health Ministry, translated in full to English.
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The full recommendations from a working group of over 70 nursery chains in the UK.
Please note: here at Famly we love sharing creative activities for you to try with the children at your setting, but you know them best. Take the time to consider adaptions you might need to make so these activities are accessible and developmentally appropriate for the children you work with. Just as you ordinarily would, conduct risk assessments for your children and your setting before undertaking new activities, and ensure you and your staff are following your own health and safety guidelines.