CONSULTATION

New EYFS consultation: an overview

We take a look at the key proposals in the new consultation on the Early Years Foundation Stage

The Department for Education has launched a new consultation on changes to the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Framework.

While some of the proposed changes simply seek to clarify existing guidance, the consultation also includes a number of other significant changes that form part of what the government describes as its efforts to “offer providers increased flexibility and alleviate known burdens”.

These changes include:

  • Removing the requirement for level 3 educators to hold a level 2 (GCSE or equivalent) maths qualification, and instead applying this requirement to managers, who would “be responsible for ensuring their staff have the right level of maths knowledge to deliver high-quality early years provision”.

  • Introducing an ‘experience-based route’ for educators to gain approved status to work within staff:child ratios, so that “otherwise suitable educators who don’t hold an approved level 3 qualification have a path to gaining ‘approved status’ without having to do a new qualification”, which would allow educators to count within the level 3 ratio but would not give them a formal qualification.

  • Where applicable, reducing the percentage of level 2 qualified staff required per ratio for children of all ages from ‘at least half’ to either 30% or 40%.

  • Changing the qualification requirements for ratios so that they would not apply outside of peak working hours (for example, 9am-5pm). This would mean that staff would not need to hold an approved qualification outside of peak hours, though staff:child ratios, DBS, paediatric first aid and safety requirements would remain in place at these times.

Other changes include:

  • Changing the requirement around how providers support children with English as an Additional Language to develop their home language from “must” to “should” or “may”.

  • Reviewing the requirement for childminders to undertake preregistration training in the EYFS (though understanding of the EYFS would continue to be assessed to the same level by Ofsted or a childminder agency prior to registration).

  • Allowing childminders’ assistant(s) to act as the key person.

These proposed changes are in addition to the previously-announced changes to two-year-old ratios and the rules around supervision while eating in early years settings, which will come into force in September 2023, subject to parliamentary procedure.

The new consultation will run until Wednesday 26 July 2023, with any changes expected to come into force in early 2024.

Commenting on the proposals, Neil Leitch, CEO of the Early Years Alliance, said:

“We’re clear that the needs of the child, and ensuring that the care and education being delivered to them is of high quality, must be at the heart of any changes to early years policy.

“But while we recognise that some of the proposals – such as changes to maths qualification requirements – announced today have been long called for by those working in the early years, it’s hard to shake the feeling that many of the proposals have nothing to do with quality, and everything to do with a desperate attempt to boost workforce numbers ahead of the extension of the 30-hours offer. Taken together, there is a real risk that they will result in a de-professionalisation of the workforce at a time when the need for quality care and education is as high as it’s ever been.

“What’s more, given the decision to push ahead with relaxing ratios for two-year-olds despite almost universal opposition, we remain concerned that the government’s desire to create more ‘free childcare’ will be prioritised over and above the need to deliver quality early education opportunities, regardless of how the sector responds to the consultation.

“We’re clear that any changes to qualifications requirements must not – and cannot – lead to a lowering of standards within the early years sector, and will fully oppose any attempts to do so.”

The consultation document, which includes the full proposals, is available here.