Nursery World - EYFS best practice in schools

Assessment and progress data matter, but they must not detract from the real purpose of teaching, while teachers should be better trained to deliver the ethos of the EYFS, explains Dr Julian Grenier

Learning through play’ has become the place where some of the fiercest conflicts about early years are taking place. In 2009, when the most recent review of the EYFS happened, the Department for Education’s Literature Review stated that ‘play is a prime context for development’ and then added, slightly wearily, ‘again, this is not new’. Yet this conclusion, reinforced by research year after year, does not seem to be translating into action. In fact, some schools appear to be expressing a full-scale rejection of ‘learning through play’, especially during the Reception year.

When professionals go against mountains of research evidence, something odd must be happening. Anecdotally, many early years practitioners blame head teachers and senior leaders who have not themselves taught in the early years and are tightly focused on outcomes at the end of Key Stages 1 and 2. If writing is a problem in Year 6, best get cracking early and give handwriting worksheets to nursery children.

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