Having listened to the BBC R4 dramatisation of the novel (not available for download) , I was intrigued to get the book for Christmas – after some very heavy hints, of course!

And this link will take any readers to Jamila Gavin’s own website and her thoughts on risk, creativity and education.  She is at risk of being accused of elititism when she writes

“I’m asking that we are more selective with what we give our children in school. We should recognize that, for a vast majority, it may be the only opportunity to give them contact with the finest achievements of many civilizations. I think a fear of “elitism” has meant that generations of children aren’t hearing the finest music, reading the finest literature, or being given access to the best of human achievement.”

But she does have a point, and  I feel Coram Boy is a work that in its bravery and clarity gives her the authority to talk about ‘the finest literature.’

Better late than never, the interim report of the Independent Review of the Primary Curriculum is finally out. This link goes to the BBC’s reporting; this link to the page from which (until or unless DCFS move the URL)  the ipsissima verba of Jim Rose can be downloaded.
Provisional Recommendations 10 and 11 are the ones I was looking for most eagerly, especially after this morning’s reportage about key subjects &c &c. They are
Recommendation 10:
(i) Entry into reception class in the September immediately following a child’s fourth birthday should become the norm. The Review will explore how this might be achieved without unduly restricting parental choice, for example by allowing parents to choose a period of part-time attendance.
(ii) The DCSF should provide information for parents and local authorities about the optimum conditions and the benefits to children of entering reception class in the September immediately after their fourth birthday.
Recommendation 11: The Review will consider how best to support teachers and practitioners to provide effective play-based learning.
Hmmm. This seems to suggest that children will be in school – not nursery, where the quality may be seen to lie, but in Reception classes – when they are four and a bit. Le Roy le veult. So far, my mouth turns down.  However, unpacking recommendation 11 – “how..to support…effective play-based learning” is more encouraging. Into school with you, little child, and if your parents don’t like it, you don’t have to go all day, but there you will find play-based learning, as outlined by the best research.
I remain cynical about the will – and mostly the budgets -  of schools and the expertise of YR teachers  to implement this.  This isn’t to do down the commitment of teachers of young children, but to note that they continue to be faced with a continuing dynamic that looks to SATS looming (despite what the report has to say) and the demands for early, noticeable acquisition of secretarial and calculation skills, which simply raises the questions – deeply related – of funding, vision and qualifications…
And the question for us in ITT has to be: how do we train new entrants to the profession to bring this change about?  How do we help create EYFS teachers, rather than very early Primary teachers?

Now, this report is rather hidden in its efforts to prove its reliability. It is the “Scoping study” from Centre for Excellence and Outcomes in Children and Young People’s Services http://www.c4eo.org.uk/themes/earlyyears/scopingstudy01.aspx

The points (p16-17) on effective practice are worth examining:

The ten studies highlight some effective features of integrated practice. The main areas of practice are professional development of staff, links with parents and the home environment, collaboration between partners, and the involvement of a broad range of stakeholders.

The first aspect of effective practice identified is training and ongoing professional development for staff. Some studies suggested that there is a link between the qualifications and training of staff and positive outcomes for children in early years’ settings (Sylva et al 2004). Some studies suggest that shared training involving different professionals helps to build a common language and way of working and that this helps build effective integrated teams (Schneider et al 2007). Training focused on the skills needed for integrated working also facilitates the development of effective teams (Bertram et al 2002). The opportunity that staff from different agencies have to interact and build relationships during such staff development activity is also important (Bertram et al 2002).

The studies also demonstrate the importance of links with home activities to support the early years’ approaches in settings. In general, the quality of the home learning environment is shown to have an impact on outcomes for children (Sylva et al 2004). More specifically, outcomes can be improved where centres work closely with parents and they share educational aims, as this enables parents to support children at home with activities or materials that complement their experiences in early years’ settings (Sylva et al 2004).

The selected studies also highlight the importance of the nature of collaboration in integrated settings, and there are several key elements of effective collaboration identified:

• Effective and frequent communication between different professionals is important, and there are indications that bringing different professional groups under the same roof can aid communication and collaboration (Schneider et al 2007).
• Integrated teams need to have common aims, a shared philosophy and agreed working practices, along with an understanding of the roles of all team members. Within this context, it is important that individuals act as team players and are flexible in their approach, taking note of the needs and expertise of others (Smith et al 2004).
• The leadership and management of integrated centres and teams play a key role in developing and sustaining an effective team (Bertram et al 2002).
• Finally, the studies demonstrate that it is important to involve a broad range of stakeholders/constituents in integrated centres and teams. Children and their families benefit from having a wide range of agencies involved, as this works towards a ‘one-stop shop’ to meet all their needs directly or through referral (Schneider et al 2007). The involvement of parents in integrated centres also benefits the parents themselves, but also the services offered, as parents often have a clear idea of what they and their children need (Schneider et al 2007).

And from this I’ll pick out – without comment for now – just some key words:

• Effective and frequent communication
• common aims, a shared philosophy and agreed working practices
• sustaining an effective team