We share a profound concern about the Early Years Foundation Stage legislation, which becomes law next autumn. We believe the EYFS to be fundamentally flawed in conception, with net harm likely to be done to young children due to the framework's contestable assumptions and unintended consequences.
Young children learn most naturally and effectively through a subtle balance of free play, movement, rhythm, repetition and imitation. An overly formal, academic and/or cognitively biased 'curriculum', however carefully camouflaged, distorts this learning experience; and an early 'head start' in literacy is now known to precipitate unforeseen difficulties later on - sometimes unpredictable emotional and behavioural problems.
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