Driving to the Early Years ( EY ) conference this morning I couldn’t help being inspired by the colours of Autumn here in Argyll, around the shores of Loch Fyne. Ironically, Sheena Easton was singing ‘For Your Eyes Only’. This was certainly not a sight for my eyes only but one that would be shared with every driver and passenger lucky to drive this road at this time. Similarly the Early Years conference was not ‘For Your Eyes Only’ but for everyone who was there to share in the fantastic work our Early Years practitioners do on a day-to-day basis.
Our Government quite rightly wishes to close the attainment gap of our poorest, most vulnerable children, however testing them is not going to achieve this. Investing in Early Years will help. We all witnessed the positive steps our practitioners were taking to address the development of the child.
One example:
We offer a hand to parents and ask ‘How can we help you help your child?’
Parents reported back and said they were not confident with their own literacy skills. What do we do? Put in place a vehicle to support parents. Yes, and it was fully endorsed by parents.
Just one example of exemplary work happening in Argyll.
There were many more fantastic examples of how families are being engaged in the development of their youngsters. Investing in quality practitioners and quality practice will pay dividends in the long run. Dylan William quoted the financial gain to a country per child for this intervention in Early Years. I’m not going to quote the amount as he rapped my knuckles on Twitter before for getting the amount wrong but let me tell you it is a six figure sum.
So as our Executive Director asked today in his closing address, ‘why are the Scottish Government not paying heed to this research.’
In Argyll and Bute we are getting it right. Not quite there yet, but at least we’re on the right track.
If the Scottish Government take us down the other track of high stakes testing they’re missing a trick and it’s our most vulnerable children that will suffer. Ms Sturgeon and Ms Constance want to get this right as we all do, but for me they’re listening to the wrong people and not reading the research.
Today was such an inspiring day. The Developmental Milestones tool kit for me is leading the way in Scottish Education.
Why don’t we all jump on this train, because if we get this right from EY’s we will have a more prosperous, innovative, entrepreneurial nation.
I’m already on the train. Come join me.
Sheena will be singing for ‘For all our eyes’.
Thank you Argyll and Bute Early Year’s team.