New edition of Birth to 5 Matters launched
The Early Years Coalition has launched the updated and expanded second edition of Birth to 5 Matters (Bto5M), non-statutory guidance for the Early Years Foundation
Five years after its publication, Birth to 5 Matters, non-statutory guidance for the Early Years Foundations Stage, is to be reviewed and relaunched to ensure it is up to date and best meets the needs of the sector. The Early Years Coalition (EYC), led by Early Education, has announced that over the next several months the EYFS non-statutory guidance will be revised and possibly extended to create an enhanced second edition of the guidance.
Early Education Chief Executive and EYC Chair, Beatrice Merrick, said:
“We know Birth to 5 Matters is widely used and valued across the early years sector. While a major rewrite is not planned, there is scope for some updating and extending of the current guidance to take account of new research as well as new priorities in today’s context.
“We are particularly pleased that this time round there are good lines of communication with the Department for Education and Ofsted about the ongoing review process and ensuring join-up between sources of guidance.”
As when developing the 2021 guidance, the Coalition is calling for people across the sector to get involved.
“We want to hear how Birth to 5 Matters is being used in practice, what works well, and what could be improved. We will be seeking a wide response from anyone interested in early years – including practitioners in all kinds of settings, researchers and training providers,” said Project Lead, Nancy Stewart.
An initial online survey in November will help guide priorities for the review. Specialist working groups will then respond to the findings to update the guidance and address any gaps. Once a draft of the revised guidance is compiled, a second online survey will give the sector a further opportunity to comment before the final versions are written.
Alongside updating existing sections of Birth to 5 Matters, the second edition may extend into new areas to meet current needs. For example, the extension of funding to early years places for babies from 9 months may trigger a need for more focused guidance on working with under-2s, and the rapid growth of digital technologies may bring a need for more guidance on the role of digital technology in supporting children’s learning and development.
The Early Years Coalition has launched the updated and expanded second edition of Birth to 5 Matters (Bto5M), non-statutory guidance for the Early Years Foundation
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