Are childminders to be approached as a ‘parent’ or as another practitioner continuing the Early Years Foundation Stage provision. If it is the latter how is this put into practise in a manageable way for all concerned? Also ditto for other agencies e.g. after school clubs.
Childminders and other providers should be approached professionally as fellow practitioners implementing the Early Years Foundation Stage. Initial training for childminders took place during the Autumn term 2007. The Early Years Foundation Stage is introducing a new level of partnership between practitioners and fellow professionals. The purpose of this is to focus on meeting the needs of the child as a unique individual. It will be important for us to explore the implications arising from this together.

As a SpecialSchoolwe are currently using the ‘Which step am I on?’ assessment document. What should we do now?
The Birth to Five Service is currently working on the development of a comprehensive assessment and record keeping system for children from birth to five. A Special School cluster workshop is being arranged for the Autumn term 2008 during which we will explore this issue further.

Currently our Early Years Foundation Stage class is run by a Higher Level Teaching Assistant although I oversee the class/planning. How will this be able to work once the Early Years Foundation Stage becomes statutory in September 2008?
Guidance on staffing ratios for reception classes in maintained schools is available on page fifty of the statutory guidance. Early Years Foundation Stage reception children must be taught in classes of no more than 30 children to one class teacher. Higher Level Teaching Assistants are not classified as school teachers. Where a Higher Level Teaching Assistant supports a class teacher within the class it would be expected that the class teacher had some responsibility for direct teaching and observation of early years children.