Birth to 5 Matters to be updated in a second edition
Five years after its publication, Birth to 5 Matters (Bto5M) – Guidance by the sector, for the sector is to be reviewed to create an enhanced second edition.
Beatrice Merrick, Chair of the Early Years Coalition (EYC) who developed the guidance back in 2021 said: “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.”
Call to help shape priorities for a new edition
An online survey has been launched to hear views from across the early years sector to guide the review of Birth to 5 Matters.
“As ‘guidance by the sector, for the sector’, Birth to 5 Matters depends on hearing directly from people who implement the Early Years Foundation Stage,” said Nancy Stewart who is leading the Bto5M Review. The Coalition calls out to anyone interested in early years, be it practitioners, researchers, students or training providers, to share views on how Birth to 5 Matters is being used in practice. “We’d like to hear from people who are not using Bto5M too, to understand their views and needs.”, adds Nancy.
‘Bring a friend’ campaign
As part of the survey launch, the Coalition is asking for the survey respondents as well as the wider sector to share the survey with a friend - a fellow professional or a work colleague who could also give their views and/or a different perspective, to support a wider response and facilitate a more thorough review.
The survey, which will run until 24 November, asks how well Bto5M provides support across the full range of EYFS practice, as well as for priorities for improvements and whether there are gaps where new guidance sections would be useful.
In addition to the survey, the initial consultation may include opportunities for people to get involved in a focus group or a setting visit to explain their experiences and views in more detail than a survey allows.
Chris Pascal who was a member of the Birth to 5 Matters 2021 Steering Group said: “Professional practice, pedagogic knowledge and the lived reality of children’s daily lives have moved on significantly since the first edition of the B25M guidance was created and published. I believe it is important to review and revise the guidance to ensure its relevance to contemporary life. The revisions will ensure the B25M guidance can continue to act as an anchor document for early years practice which is again to be produced for the sector and by the sector. ”
The Early Years Coalition came together in 2020 to produce Bto5M non-statutory guidance to support practitioners with implementing the EYFS as revised in 2021. The guidance was published on 31 March 2021.
EYC members are established Early Years sector organisations which represent the interests of those working and studying in the Early Years. The EYC was established and is led by Early Education (the British Association for Early Childhood Education).
