What matters most to children?

A national well being report focused on Measuring What Matters to people in terms of their well-being has been published this week. Can you guess what mattered most to children?

Children who contributed to the debate through events in schools said eating breakfast in the morning, playing on computer games, playing with dolls and push-chairs, celebrating Christmas and birthdays were some of the things that mattered most to them. Read the report.

Government Vision:

The Government’s vision published today (18th July 2011) sets out the importance of the Foundation Years from pregnancy to when children reach the age of 5. At last – pre-birth to five is being recognised as the most significant time to support children’s life chances! We applaud the vision which has brought together many of the recommendations in documents we have referred to since this website started: Frank Field’s Review; Graham Allen’s Review; Dame Clare Tickell’s review; the Marmot Review and the Munro Report!

The vision talks about the ‘foundation years’ and their importance in underpinning later achievement and social and emotional well-being. In its website Families in the Foundation Years it sets out its vision for the services that should be on offer for parents, children and families – what a great start – let’s hope this is matched by real support for families and young children especially for the most disadvantaged.

EYFS Review

The EYFS consultation document was published on 6^th July – is it what we expected after Dame Clare Tickell’s excellent review and is it what parents, teachers, practitioners and the sector want? Read our response.

To read the consultation document and to have your say about this important document click here.

To read more opinions on the EYFS Consultation click here.

Catch up with the Tickell Review Recommendations.

Sure Start Core Offer

The Government also published a discussion document on the core purpose of Sure Start Children’s Centres, developed by the Department for Education and its co-production partners in local authorities, children’s centres and the wider early years sector. The document is said to do does three things:

• sets out what the Government see as the core purpose of children’s centres in terms of outcomes for children and families
• explains (based on discussion with the children’s centre sector) the approaches that successful children’s centres adopt in delivering that core purpose
• sets out the principles that sector leaders have developed to underpin the core purpose.

Read more about the Core Purpose 

Ofsted report on Nurture Groups

Read ‘Supporting children with challenging behaviour through a nurture group approach’ Ofsted’s latest report about Nurture Groups in infant, primary and first schools.