Dear <<First Name>>

We'll continue to lobby politicians, appear on public platforms and develop media contacts. But we also need supporters around Scotland to spread the word about play's central role, not only in 'raising attainment and closing the gap' but in ensuring children's long-term health and well-being. So please pass on the Upstart message via personal contacts and social media, write to newspapers or contribute to their online debate, talk to local politicians and MSPs ... and take every opportunity to help reinstate play (especially outdoor play) at the heart of early childhood.

Scottish government

8th July: Sue met with Donna Bell, who leads on Education for the Scottish government, Lisa McLean (Curriculum lead) and Sam Anson (representing Childcare and Early Years).  While agreeing that Upstart's educational aims are consistent with Curriculum for Excellence, and that at present these principles are not being translated into practice in the majority of schools, the government representatives did not see the need for a kindergarten stage. They were sympathetic to our suggestion that children in P1/2 should spend more time outdoors but unconvinced by the evidence that testing at P1 will increase 'schoolification' of early years.

16th July: John Swinney MSP published details of a international committee of expert advisers who will monitor the government's educational policies. We immediately sent a letter querying why no early years specialists are included, but have as yet had no reply.  

12th August: Sue and Kate met with Joe Griffin, who leads for the Scottish government on Childcare and Early Years. He was more sympathetic to the Upstart cause than government officers for education, particularly our points about increasing outdoor time and ensuring that all teachers/practitioners working with the under-sevens should have specific early years qualifications.
 

Common Weal

21st July: Professor John Davis met with Marion McLeod of Children in Scotland, Maggie Simpson of the Scottish Childminding Association and Sue Palmer of Upstart to discuss the outline of a coherent policy for pre-birth to seven. He will prepare a paper for Common Weal, which intends to make Early Years one of their three key policy areas in the coming months. Upstart has also been invited to contribute to the Common Weal Village of Ideas at the SNP Conference in October. 

12th August: Article in Common Space about the inadequacies of the free childcare pledge, with Upstart comment.

 

SPTC survey

 

I’m a literacy specialist. Over the last forty years, along with battalions of other literacy specialists, I’ve earnestly researched the way children learn to read and helped devise teaching methods and materials for use in primary classrooms. You’d think that, with all this applied brain power, we’d have found ways to turn the majority of children into enthusiastic readers.

Unfortunately, we haven’t. As standardised testing proliferated in primary schools, we certainly got better at teaching children how to pass literacy tests – although, even in this limited field, quite a few still don’t make the grade.  But sadly, in the twilight of my career, I'm forced to conclude that children’s chances of becoming fluent, committed readers are significantly lower than they were fifty years ago... Read More

8th October: Froebel Conference, Edinburgh.

'It is during the early years, ages four to seven, when children’s basic attitudes toward themselves as students and toward learning and school are established.

       
David Elkind, Emeritus Professor of Child Development at Tufts University

Please keep spreading the word about Upstart Scotland!