Video training for understanding what the new ‘Early Learning Goals’ can look like.

With the new Early Years Foundation Stage statutory framework now fully in place for its first year, we have put together a specific library of clips to support the changes to the assessment and reporting arrangements for the Early Years Foundation Stage Profile.

In a recent article for Nursery world, early years consultant and author Dr. Sue Allingham commented:

“The changes to the Early Learning Goals mean that the exemplification materials that had been so useful have become obsolete…the pictures and examples in each document are actually still really valuable, as they demonstrate informed practice and provision, but the accompanying information is not up to date. As time went on I began to become very concerned about the discussions I was reading on social media. There were far too many misunderstandings of the revised Educational Programmes, and several ill informed opinions about the requirements of the revised Early Learning Goals.

Words and phrases were being taken out of context and people were becoming further confused by the fact that there are no longer three judgements for the Early Years Foundation Stage Profile, as ‘Exceeding’ has been dropped. Whether or not this was a good decision I’m not so sure, and I remain to be convinced. The effect the removal has had this year is to compound the issue around what an Early Learning Goal ‘looks like’.  Understanding the breadth and depth of each ELG is very important as it is possible for one child to be ‘just in’ achieving one, while his friend is securely within it.  Thus both children have the ELG.

With all this in mind I approached my friends at Siren Films with an idea for a project to fill the gap with real examples of practice and provision that would demonstrate children working within each ELG.”

After lots of discussion with Sue about what was needed the resulting project we’ve embarked on is a package of clips and materials to support early assessment. Eventually this will support work with children from birth to five, but we started with the Early Learning Goals that form the ‘good level of development (GLD)’.

We spent a long time really getting to know the Educational Programmes and the Early Learning Goals. Then we went through the existing Clip Library to see what we could use. We have also filmed new clips showing informed practice and provision demonstrating children working within the ELGs and adults supporting this through their teaching and interactions.

Each video has accompanying notes and questions for reflection so it can be used individually, across a school, or by a Local Authority for training. It is well worth taking out an annual subscription to the Early Years Clip Library as this package will continue to build.

 

• Read the full nursery world article – Gaining a picture of what the ‘Early Learning Goals’ look like by Dr Sue Allingham, early years consultant and author

• Find out more about Sue Allingham’s work and what she offers at her website Early Years Out of the Box Consultancy