Dear <<First Name>>
 Everyone in early years knows that Scotland’s poverty-related attainment gap is, at root, developmental – educational success is built on physical, emotional, social and cognitive development. Our AGM presentation (18-6-22) by Dr Megan Watson, who led the COVID-19 early years research for Public Health Scotland, was therefore very disturbing. The pandemic has greatly exacerbated problems for disadvantaged children and their families which will have a knock-effect for development.
Add in a growing cost-of-living crisis and – unless Scotland soon prioritises early childhood care and education – the gap may well become unbridgeable. Quite apart from potential learning difficulties, STV reports that last year saw a 22% increase in children referred to the mental health services. (See also 'Social Distance' [below] and our A4 summary about plans from the National Improvement Strategy.)
 Fortunately, the AGM presentation by Dr Lynn McNair, of Froebelian Futures, gave reason to be cheerful. She showed how a rights-based, relationship-centred approach can enhance social, emotional and language development, and thus develop children's sense of agency. If, as part of the UNCRC incorporation, Scottish policy-makers were to prioritise young children's right to developmentally-appropriate education, we could make real progress towards closing the gap.
There's enormous enthusiasm for relationship-centred, play-based pedagogy in Scottish nurseries and early primary classes – the response to our webinar by Prof Julie Fisher was overwhelmingly positive, with around 320 practitioners logging on at the end of a long day, despite COVID  and end-of-term exhaustion. As we learned in our Book Group PLUS session on 31-5-22, there's also some amazing pre-service training our there. So Scotland's EY sector (for 3- to 7-year-olds) is on the way to making a real difference, as long as the policy-makers support us...
As well as the links above, please check out Public Health Scotland's COVID-19 EY research summary and accompanying infographic. VItal information for future planning.
|
|
Social Distance....
  The Social Distance Between Us, Darren McGarvey’s latest book, has been all over the media this month (e.g. this review in the Guardian). It has quite a bit to say about education, including this insightful quote: “British education selects for those children who possess the capacity, first & foremost, to emotionally regulate.”
When age-related standards of attainment are imposed before children are developmentally capable of self-regulation, teachers often adopt ‘behaviour management systems’. So, as McGarvey points out, all too often “belts have just been replaced with time-outs, naughty steps and shame culture”.
This recent piece from Psychology Today clearly explains the long-term damage this can cause.
The case for a kindergarten stage isn't just about child development, health/wellbeing and children's right to enjoyable lifelong learning, it's also about social justice. It is now well-established that self-regulation is a vital factor in successful school-based learning. All children – especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds – need time and high-quality support to develop this and other essential foundations for education and life.
|
|
|
Early years research round-up
 PEDAL (the Cambridge centre for Play, Education and Development in Learning) published an interesting paper this month on peer play – a topic that, in Upstart’s opinion, doesn’t get enough attention. Until the introduction of compulsory schooling, children in the three to seven age group played together, the little ones learning from the big ones and the big ones learning to take responsibility. Coincidentally, a study has also appeared on composite classes in Scotland, which showed positive effects for the younger children and no adverse effects on attainment for the older ones.
Research from the British Medical Council echoed the Gift of Time study from the USA in finding that younger children in Scottish schools are more likely to get a diagnosis of ADHD, which suggests that their attention problems are linked to immaturity. Four- and five-year-olds need active, social play, preferably outdoors, not desk-based classroom work.
 A report about early years from the EIS (Playing for a Better Future) points out that without the necessary development of core foundation skills by the age of seven, children will struggle to progress at school and are more likely to have social and behavioural difficulties in adolescence and later life. It references an excellent article from 2020 on why ages two to seven matter so much for brain development.
And in a month when Upstart is urging our supporters to respond to the Scottish government’s consultation on Enhanced Data Collection to close the attainment gap (see our summary here!), we found this well-argued research review in the Early Childhood Education Journal on developmentally-appropriate assessment in early childhood education.
|
|
|
How can Scotland realise our ambition for EY?
 A survey on Realising the Ambition was launched last month and we urge every Upstart supporter in the EY workforce to fill it in and pass on the link to colleagues. A national conversation on education will start this autumn and our government needs to know how much people who work with young children appreciate RtA's developmentally-appropriate practice guidance.
Scotland is now way ahead of the rest of the UK in terms of outdoor learning, guidance on play-based pedagogy and recognition that four-year-olds should not be in school (thanks to the Give Them Time campaign, from 2023 parents have the right to automatic deferral for four-year-olds, with another funded year in nursery). But there’s still a long way to achieve the developmentally-appropriate, high-quality provision the under-sevens need for lifelong learning and well-being.
As reported in last month’s newsletter, there’s serious concern about inequitable funding arrangements for the 1140 hours nursery expansion which could lead to the whole project imploding. This topic was addressed again in this month's meeting of the Finance and Public Affairs Committee.
A  UK-wide report from the Times Education Commission echoes these concerns. Until policy-makers recognise the critical importance of the care and education of three to seven age group for children’s health, well-being and success in the school system. As illustrated in this STV report on nursery teachers, EY is still not taken seriously in Scotland.
The Times Education Report also points out that schools need information on children’s developmental ‘readiness’, giving us another opportunity to refer readers to our A4 summary about the Scottish consultation that closes on 18th July.
|
|
|
Upstart news
 We've already mentioned Megan Watson and Lynn McNair's AGM talks, Julie Fisher's wonderful webinar and the second Play is the Way Book Group Plus meeting. We hope these events were helpful to our supporters.
A few of us also manned a stall at the two-day Mind Be Kind Festival in Princes Street Gardens where, when not busy talking to visitors, we had a lovely view of Edinburgh Castle. 
In the next couple of weeks Kate will be speaking about Upstart to the UK-wide Early Years Forum and Sue is booked to be part of Common Weal's 'Douniversity' at the Doune the Rabbit Hole Festival near Stirling. Please get in touch if you know of any other events to which Upstart can contribute.
However, after seven years of campaigning, we also need a Big Think about the best way forward in future years. As an organisation run entirely by volunteers (apart from a few hours admin help a week) we're proud of our positive influence on EY policy so far but it's time for a rethink. With very many thanks to the Cattanach Trust, we've recently had an independent assessment of our future potential. As a result, the Board of Trustees is planning a special meeting during the summer and if you've any suggestions as to the best way forwards for Upstart (including how to increase funds so we can employ a campaign manager!) please let us know via info@upstart.scot.
|
|
|
QUOTE OF THE MONTH
What better way to round off this newsletter than this lovely quote about learning to self-regulate? It's by a member of the Upstart Board, Dawn Ewan, and illustrated by Bryony Date, creator of the Play is the Way Little Book of Quotes.
Thank you, everyone, for your support during this very challenging school year ... and have a really great summer break!
Onwards and upwards,
Upstart Scotland is a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation (SC047775).
Its principal contact address is The Old Police Station, Isleornsay, Isle of Skye IV43 8QR.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Professor Walter Humes argues in the Herald that 'too many people of modest talent in Scottish education are awarded senior roles' 
