Ofsted has been warned over its “concerning” exclusion of Reception teaching in the watchdog’s early years curriculum review, in an open letter sent to the chief inspector today.
Early years education leaders have also urged Ofsted “to review the current document and ensure future parts of the review are better balanced and grounded in the evidence”.
A strongly critical letter to chief Amanda Spielman claims that the inspectorate’s review has a “number of concerning deficiencies and does not position Ofsted as an expert voice on early years pedagogy and curriculum”.
Earlier this week, the watchdog published the first of a series of reviews into the early years, stressing the value of play and the ongoing impact of Covid.
The review came after Ms Spielman said she wanted early years education to be a “specific strategic focus” over the next five years.
Now, a letter, which has gained more than 100 signatures, has voiced concern over Ofsted’s “coverage” of the early years foundation stage (EYFS) provision.
The authors of the letter said the “decision to state that this document is focused on birth to four”, and instead including the Reception year in school research reviews”, is “concerning as the EYFS principles cover the full birth to five age range, including the Reception year”.
They also added that it could include any children in Year 1 “who need ongoing EYFS provision to reach the Early Learning Goals”.
Ofsted urged to ‘trial’ future reviews
The letter said it would “urge” the watchdog to “trial” the future reviews “with knowledgeable and experienced practitioners and researchers and engage with sector representative bodies”.
The open letter, co-ordinated by early years sector body Early Education, claims the Ofsted report “relied solely on a small and incomplete review of the literature, not the rich and extensive peer-reviewed research evidence available”.
And it suggests that the Ofsted document “fails to reflect the wealth of excellent practice in the sector, which inspectors must be regularly encountering”.
Concern over the influence of Ofsted findings
Early years educators also raise a concern that while “the principles do not specify what must be taught or how”, they said: “The implicit threat of being downgraded for not complying with what is set out in the report will inevitably influence what and how settings and schools teach.”
Other concerns listed in the letter are that the review does “not sufficiently reflect the vision of every child as a unique child who is constantly learning and who can be resilient, capable, confident and self-assured” and the fact that the “principles underpinning the review need to reflect the underpinning principles of the EYFS itself”.
The letter also said Ofsted’s definition of curriculum is “unsatisfactory” and the “non-linear nature of learning and development in the early years is also at odds” with the watchdog’s “focus on progression”.
“Ofsted’s language needs to recognise the fluid and flexible processes of learning and development and how practitioners develop curricula accordingly.”
Ofsted is to carry out further reviews, to be published at a later date, which will explore the early years foundation stage’s seven areas of learning and will focus on children aged 0-4 years.
Early Education’s chief executive, Beatrice Merrick, said the review had “the potential to be an important and influential piece of work” but had “unfortunately” fallen “short on many counts”.
“With a further seven instalments to come to cover each of the areas of learning in the EYFS, it is vital that any principles or guidelines Ofsted produced are based on the evidence and on a sound understanding of the EYFS,” she added.
Ms Merrick said she invited Ms Spielman and her colleagues to “engage in dialogue with the sector to co-produce coherent and credible documents that set the principles for high quality early childhood education across the sector”.
Ofsted has been approached for a comment.
