This article has been brought to you by Slough Borough Council's Early Years Advisory Teacher, Karen Loft, for the attention of all Early Years and Childcare Practitioners.
How The Reception Year Can Be More Inclusive For Children With SEND
Early Education was recently asked to review the special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) provision in the early years within one local authority, and this article picks out some findings which are of national significance in relation to inclusion in the Reception year.
The early years has a rich history of play-based, child-centred practice, which lends itself to an inclusive curriculum that values every child as unique (DfE, 2021). Because the Reception year in England is part of the early years foundation stage (EYFS), it should be accessible to any child. The EYFS uses a strength-based view of children, which can help to position children with SEND away from the traditional deficit model that focusses on what they cannot do in comparison to “typically developing” peers (Gulliver, 2023). Furthermore, the EYFS promotes a relational, pedagogic approach where practitioners are able to watch closely and build a responsive relationship with children, by tuning into children’s own learning paces and priorities (Clark, 2022).
However, top-down pressure from schools can create a culture that priorities formal learning, especially in Reception. Despite the inclusive nature of early years, a recent study from the London School of Economics found that increasing numbers of pupils with SEND were missing some or all of reception and joining school in Year 1 (Martin, 2023).
To read the full article please follow this link: How the Reception Year can be more inclusive for children with SEND - Early Education (early-education.org.uk)