Anyone heard about the alternative curriculum from 'Early childhood Action?'

[jumpinjen]

As I said - anyone heard about it? ECA is a group of leading professionals drawing up an early years curriculum to put up as an alternative to the EYFS that is apparently going to be solely based on research evidence and what is best for the child rather than getting ready for school and an early emphasis on academic attainment.

Here's a link with some more information on:
http://www.earlychildhoodaction.com/

jen x

[sarah707]

Yes I saw that... I wondered if it was too little too late??

The fuss over the Eyfs when it first came out was an ideal opportunity to present an alternative which could then have been considered over the 3 years the Eyfs has been with us.

This seems almost like a last ditch attempt to be 'different' and I wonder if anyone in authority will pay it the slightest attention?

It'll be interesting to see what they come up with though!

[The Juggler]

there was a very small article on it in nursery world. think I'll stick with EYFS, just got used to it

[jumpinjen]

I'm interested too Sarah - I suppose they left it this long because they finally got sick of the EYFS after the revised version didn't take much notice of the Dame Tickell review. One of the main players in the ECA group said that the EYFS requires practitioners to use evidence based practise but then the EYFS ignores a lot of evidence so it is contradicting itself.

I can't see any of the big ones like pre-school alliance and NCMA alligning themselves with it as it is all so political and they receive government funding directly so aren't likely to speak out too strongly against them.

I would personally welcome something that removes so much of the academics from things!

Jen x

[catminder]

I look forward to reading the curriculum.

[lottieslittlelambs]

Yes I saw that... I wondered if it was too little too late??

The fuss over the Eyfs when it first came out was an ideal opportunity to present an alternative which could then have been considered over the 3 years the Eyfs has been with us.

This seems almost like a last ditch attempt to be 'different' and I wonder if anyone in authority will pay it the slightest attention?

It'll be interesting to see what they come up with though!

I do agree however is it ever too late for changing people's minds about Early years education?

Hopefully with enough support they may be able to empower early years professionals to do something about it now and improve early childhood education for good. I for one will be supporting them if they are going to allow us to educate children without an emphasis on putting children in 'boxes' :-)

[francinejayne]

I have emailed them with my details to be added to their list of supporters!

[rickysmiths]

I agree with Sarah it is too late after all to all intent and purpose the new EYFS is in print and they won't change anything now.

[lottieslittlelambs]

It may be to late to implement a new EYFS, but it is never too late to change people's attitudes towards early learning.
I've joined the supporters too

[Kimmy050983]

I hope with all my heart that this will be heard. It is hard for me to work against all my beliefs about what childhood is all about!! Sure some aspects of the EYFS are great but there's just far too much that bothers me.

[Penny1959]

Yes I have heard of them - andI have joined

This is the thread form when I posted about it

http://childmindinghelp.co.uk/forum/...ad.php?t=99831


ECA are not just about the EYFS - there are other starands as well

And although may well be too late to stop the EYFS (2012) - it is not too early to start raising awareness or when this one gets reviewed.


Also as has been said - the are many different ways of implementing the EYFS (both the current one and the revised one for Sept) - and in some ways we can be our own worse enemy - by looking 'too' deep into things and thinking that x, y and z are required when in fact they are not.


Penny