The government has this afternoon announced the revised Early Learning Goals for the end of the Reception year.
This announcement has been keenly anticipated, especially among the early years community, who have rightly taken a very strong interest in the proposed changes.
Much of the discussion over the coming days, weeks and months will focus on the nature of the individual goals themselves. Understandably, people will want to scrutinise each of the new goals and consider what the changes will mean for children in the Reception year.
I suspect the inclusion of self-regulation will be welcomed by many, as will a renewed focus on children’s language and communication. A firm focus securing children’s understanding of numbers up to 10, rather than 20 may surprise some. On the other hand, I anticipate there will also be concerns expressed around some of the other changes, especially in the areas of reading and writing.
While this will inevitably be the main focus of the conversation, we shouldn’t underestimate the potential significance of another aspect of today’s announcement.
The government has made it very clear that these proposed changes will be subject to an initial pilot, which will be independently evaluated by the EEF.
Government ‘aware of teachers’ concerns’
This is something of an unexpected - and positive - development, and it perhaps suggests that the government are aware of the concerns that have been expressed by many about the nature of the proposed changes.
Crucially, it signifies that we are still at the start of the journey when it comes to these reforms, rather than the end point. It is not the fait accompli that many of us were expecting to be presented with.
This is incredibly important. All too often in the past these sorts of reforms have been foisted upon schools before they have been fully tested and their impact properly evaluated. The changes to key stage 1 and 2 assessments are a perfect example of this. One can’t help but feel that a rigorous independent evaluation of the writing framework would have identified some of the very issues we are still wrestling with three years on.
The fact that the pilot will be followed up with a public consultation is also important. It will provide an opportunity for people to give feedback on the proposed goals. Those who have concerns with some of the specific changes (and I include myself in that group) will be able to engage in that process and share their views.
It is vitally important that the government keeps an open mind, both in terms of the results of the pilot evaluation and the feedback it receives through the consultation process. If some of the new goals are found to be not appropriate, then the government must be prepared to revisit these and seek further advice from early years specialists and schools.
Ultimately, not proceeding with a national rollout following the pilot also has to be a genuine option.
The scope of the evaluation is important. It needs to go beyond simplistic questions such as whether or not the new goals are easier for teachers to assess (although this is clearly relevant). It should also carefully consider the suitability and appropriateness of the individual goals, as well as the potential impact on Reception class practice.
There are signs that the government could be taking a more considered and measured approach to assessment reform than we have been used to in the past. If that proves to be the case, it would represent a refreshing change in approach.
James Bowen is director of the NAHT Edge middle leaders’ union and a former head of an ‘outstanding’ primary. He tweets @JamesJkbowen
