We have to give homework??

[Taleasoldastime]

My cominder when to play group today and another childminder told her to meet the requirements of the eyfs (working in partnership with parents), we now have to provide weekly homework to each child?? This childminder was told this at the last local forum meeting (that we weren't told about - don't get me started!!) can anybody shed some light on this?

[moggy]

Goodness me, how things can be misinterpreted!

We need to work together with parents to support their child. Read EYFS 1.11... it says 'engage and support'... so suggesting an activity to help a child who is struggling with something, recommending fun place to go that you know the child loves and the parent hasn't thought of, if a parent hates messy activities in the house you might suggest some less messy sensory activities, talk with parents about how they are approaching weaning or potty training etc, let child take a book home to share at bedtime if parents do not read to child usually etc etc. You probably do it anyway. As usual, it is pretty much common sense. It also covers working with parents to get support if specialist help is needed, like suggesting a speech and language drop-in at the Family Centre.

[Bluebell]

hmm - I think maybe this is another way of saying to be effective at working with parents and suggesting learning opportunities at home -next steps. Like we really enjoyed singing this song / reading this book - passing book home so parent can share too.
One of the pre-schools my little one goes to apparently set home work for the parents but I really don't like the term 'homework when talking about lo's
I'm not sure it specifically says it in the EYFS? I can't remember seeing it but perhaps I haven;'t interpreted it correctly! Maybe Sarah or someone else with a little more knowledge will clarify!

[FussyElmo]

I think your cm friend may have since a document that was sent out by am la who said that homework should go out. It said a lot of other things too but it not stated anywhere in the eyfs (which is law) that we have to send homework home. Like the others have said you may on a firday night tell a parent that that they have really enjoyed playing with playdoh so the parent follows it at home.

[Maza]

Sorry, but this makes me so MAD! He/she has totally misinterpreted things. Sorry, (I'm in a bad mood so forgive me) but how can someone misinterpret things to that extent? Where on earth does the EYFS state that we must provide weekly homework??? It doesn't. Does this childminder enjoy sensationalism?

[Taleasoldastime]

thank you for your replies, i feel we are already working well with parents (and ofsted agreed a couple of weeks ago at last inspection), so i am no overly concerned about this - it just seems very unnecessary work, when what we already have in place works well!! i thought i had missed another new document or something

[Taleasoldastime]

i didnt speak to her personally, it was my cominder, but from how i understood it, it was how it was explained to her at the LA forum meeting Maza, rather than her coming up with it herself. i have our ey consultant coming at the end of the month - i hope she doesnt suggest it!

[Maza]

Maybe she has misinterpreted the word 'homework' as this conjures up images of worksheets which then need to be marked. Of course we should be offering suggestions of how to take the child's learning further or how to consolidate something, but I don't do this on a weekly basis. x

[Simona]

My cominder when to play group today and another childminder told her to meet the requirements of the eyfs (working in partnership with parents), we now have to provide weekly homework to each child?? This childminder was told this at the last local forum meeting (that we weren't told about - don't get me started!!) can anybody shed some light on this?

Oh yes ...I give homework to all my under 5's each day and put it in the diary so that parents can do it and return it in the morning
I send at least 5 worksheets home for numeracy, literacy and handwriting!!!!

Tell you cominder to understand it must have been a joke and we are nowhere near April 1st......what next I wonder??

[FussyElmo]

Oh yes ...I give homework to all my under 5's each day and put it in the diary so that parents can do it and return it in the morning
I send at least 5 worksheets home for numeracy, literacy and handwriting!!!!

Tell you cominder to understand it must have been a joke and we are nowhere near April 1st......what next I wonder??

Its not a joke Simona a la has produced a document saying that homework should be given. A lot of other recommendations was on there too . Perhaps this member and her cominder come from that la as it caused quite a stir over on fb

[Simona]

Its not a joke Simona a la has produced a document saying that homework should be given. A lot of other recommendations was on there too . Perhaps this member and her cominder come from that la as it caused quite a stir over on fb

It has caused a stir on FB? that maybe so but it makes it no less a joke.
Any LA that suggests we give under 5's children homework has, in my view, lost sight of what EY practice is about, child development and early learning

Has anyone challenged this LA? has anyone named the LA and discussed this ridiculous suggestion in the open and not just FB?

I criticise my LA for giving ridiculous paperwork to cms and if they told me to give homework to my children I would go a bit further than go on FB...utterly ridiculous....sorry my view!

[FussyElmo]

It has caused a stir on FB? that maybe so but it makes it no less a joke.
Any LA that suggests we give under 5's children homework has, in my view, lost sight of what EY practice is about, child development and early learning

Has anyone challenged this LA? has anyone named the LA and discussed this ridiculous suggestion in the open and not just FB?

I criticise my LA for giving ridiculous paperwork to cms and if they told me to give homework to my children I would go a bit further than go on FB...utterly ridiculous....sorry my view!

That's alright to the people who would challenge their la. However not everyone is confident in themselves to do so.

Its not a joke to the childminders who are being told this information and yes Sarah as usual wrote an piece to put members mind at rest.

[Simona]

That's alright to the people who would challenge their la. However not everyone is confident in themselves to do so.

Its not a joke to the childminders who are being told this information and yes Sarah as usual wrote an piece to put members mind at rest.

I do understand that some cms may not be confident... or challenge but this request is nowhere in the EYFS so why even consider it?

I am sure that Sarah will have written about it but it makes no difference if the LA will be left to continue with what I call inappropriate practice and left unchallenged?

There is a huge need for cms to understand that when it comes to being inspected no one is going to be there to hold their hand or guide them or speak for them...we need to learn to be 'assertive' and positively challenge and not accept anything that some 'bodies' throw our way

For as long as it remains on FB and not discussed in the open and reported the problem will stay there and the LA will continue to push what it totally 'unacceptable'...once again my view but I wonder how many disagree?

[bunyip]

I have 'home activity' pages bound into my daily diaries - about one a month. They describe an activity to try at home and it's usually linked to the current 'next steps' goals for the child. The sheet also includes space for parental feedback on how it went, how it might be made better, and space for them to update me on the child's current interests. I make up some of the activities and take other ideas from books. Some parents love this, others don't bother - but at least it's evidence that I'm making the effort to fulfil my side of partnership with parents and extending the learning at home.

I do lend resources, but do so judiciously, depending on whether I think a child will lose small pieces, or has a dog at home to chew stuff, etc. I've always had things returned, possibly because I promise to add the cost to the invoice if it goes missing (said with a friendly smile, but I think they know I mean it. )

IMHO the problem is that EYFS regulates for something that may already be happening, and Ofsted apply judgments/sanctions if you're not improving all the time. To explain. Some parents are already highly proactive in their child's learning and development, and thus need little if any support in this. Some CMs, nannies, nurseries, etc. already do support home learning and have good systems to talk, review, share ideas and discuss L&D with clients.

OTOH, some parents just can't be bothered, whilst others have made a conscious decision to steer clear of anything 'educational' in the early years and just let their lo "have a childhood." Despite all the lip-service paid to 'diversity' and 'parental choice' this latter position is one that is not tolerated by the authorities.

There are also CMs and other settings who've never done much to communicate or support the idea of home learning. Their L&D responsibility begins when the lo arrives a the door (preferably on time to the last second) and ends with them being propelled back through that doorway, shoes and coat on at the ready, and again bang on the dot of pick-up time. Information sharing with the parent is limited to the bare minimum: "he's been fine" or maybe push the boat and and say "she's getting really good at walking now."

I have no problem with DoE's desire to see practitioners working with parents to extend and support L&D at home.

But when this is coupled with DoE's and Ofsted's obsession with 'continuous improvement' it is quite likely to reach the level of 'overkill'. It is no longer enough to be doing enough, because the inspectors demand that you do more. Political soundbites about "raising the bar" are all very well, but they forget that some providers are already clearing the bar, whilst other can barely be bothered to get their trainers off the tarmac.

The regulation is:-

(Taken from EYFS Statutory Framework 1.11) The key person must seek to engage and support parents and/or carers in guiding their child’s development at home.

The problem is that inspectors don't seem to understand that a CM may indeed "seek to engage" only to run up against a brick wall of parents who do not reciprocate in that engagement. Or s/he may already have a perfectly good way of working that isn't broken, doesn't need fixing, and yet isn't good enough to meet Ofsted's obsessive demand for 'continuous improvement'. One can only assume that should Truss ever be packed off to the Dept of Transport, she will be seeking 'continuous improvement by looking for motor manufacturers to quite literally re-invent the wheel.

[Mouse]

I do send 'work' home with my funded children each week.

It's all linked to what the children have been doing here and what their interests are. Each child takes home a folder of 'resources' that I make. It might be a colouring sheet I've printed out, or laminated sheets with a whiteboard pen so they can write on the sheet then wipe it off. That's good for handwriting practice, learning their name etc. I've also sent resources home to help with counting, number, letter and colour recognition etc. I also print off and laminate pictures from the books we've been reading so the children can use them to help talk about the story at home. I put in a list of suggested games they can play, websites they might want to look at etc.

One mum insists on calling it homework, while I insist that it's not. More often than not the children are really keen to go through their folder, but I stress that parents mustn't make them sit down and work.

For the younger children I send colouring sheets or picture cards that I've made, again with a list of suggested activities.

The majority of my parents are very happy with what I send home. For one child in particular it has made a massive difference to he learning & development. He has very young parents who didn't really know how to help him, so it's been very useful to them.
One mum isn't so interested, but the child loves taking their little bag home each week and often comes back with their picture cards all scribbled on. She'll tell me all about them & what she's drawn on them. Mum is starting to take notice, especially when she's realised that her child is naming colours, shapes etc & telling a story.

I can see a lot of benefit in sending activities home, but I never see it as homework.

[bunyip]

As Fussy says, a lot of CMs don't have the confidence to challenge their LA - or don't have the time to "go round in ever increasing [sic] circles" trying.

There's also the problem of what do you do if your LA is quite dictatorial and simply refuses to deal with you if you don't do things their way? eg. Ours will only accept their own pro-forma All About Me form for communication between settings.

Add to that, all the CMs whose idea of training and personal development is based on the "Mushroom Theory of Learning". ie. They're happy to be kept in the dark and occasionally fed on BS by their LA, DO, and the gossip grapevine, cos that's so much easier than taking responsibility for oneself.

[Tazmin68]

Hi
I was inspected in September and one of my recommendations was that I promote home learning in that on a regular basis I send children home with some form of homework such as a story sack with book and activities or sensory bag and this also applies to the children under 1 year.

Deb

[munch149]

Hi I was inspected in September and one of my recommendations was that I promote home learning in that on a regular basis I send children home with some form of homework such as a story sack with book and activities or sensory bag and this also applies to the children under 1 year. Deb

If I sent my resources home I would never get them back. At least not in one piece x

[rickysmiths]

I have lost count of the number of resources I have sent home and never seen again!

I am seriously thinking of charging a £25 Deposit when parents sign a Contract to cover the cost of them.

[FussyElmo]

I give my parents homework every Friday - no really you non doubters.

I tell them to enjoy their weekend