If you have received this in error or no longer wish to subscribe, you can remove yourself from our mailing list by clicking on the link at the bottom of this mail.
 

This week

1. Did you know
2. Website of the Week
3. Under5s Download Centre
4. Date for your Diary
5. News
6. International News 
7. More Educational Sites
 
 
 

1. DID YOU KNOW

EARLY YEARS' SPECIALIST GETS OBE

One of the Government's leading advisers on childcare has received an honorary OBE. Early years specialist Professor Kathy Sylva was awarded for services to children and families today, for her 30 years of commitment to the field of early years education.
 

Professor Sylva is Professor of Educational Psychology, at the Department of Educational Studies, at Oxford University. She has been the leading academic on many influential research and evaluation studies in the early childhood arena.

The award was presented by Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, Ed Balls, on behalf of the Queen. 

Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families Ed Balls, said: 

"Professor Sylva has made a huge contribution to our understanding of how critical a child's early years are to their future life chances. Through her work she has shown that providing a good early years education for all is key to making sure our children get the best possible start in life. I'd like to congratulate Professor Sylva whose work has been so important in helping us shape our ambition to ensure all children are happy, confident and ready to learn by the time they start school."

Professor Sylva said: "I am delighted to receive this award because it recognises the importance of the early years in children's development. I'd like to celebrate especially the valuable work of early years educators and those fortunate enough to carry out research in Foundation Stage settings."
 

2. WEBSITE OF THE WEEK

NURSEY RHYMES TO SING AND SEE - SCOPE AUSTRALIA

Nursery Rhymes to Sing See and Sign are FREE downloadable, web-based communication resources for ALL young children. It includes resources for 14 favourite Nursery Rhymes.

It has a particular focus on communication strategies known to help communication and language development in children with communication difficulties

http://www.scopevic.org.au/therapy_crc_r&p_nrsss.htm
 
 

3. UNDER5S DOWNLOAD CENTRE

DON'T FORGET - you can find 24 different plans in the Download Centre and  all of our planning is available to download today. 

Don't miss the fantastic Let's Sign signing resources. 

Childminders - if you are struggling with Birth to Three, take a look at the Birth to Three Planning Guidance. 

http://cnb-host4.clickandbuild.com/cnb/shop/under5s?op=catalogue-categories-null

EARLY LEARNING FORUMS 

Join Us ! 

To discuss early years issues. To find support and advice on early years education. To relax and chat amongst friends. Come on in and have a look... 

http://www.earlylearningforums.co.uk 
 
 

6th AUGUST 2008

Playday 2008 - Give us a go!

Playday is the annual celebration of children's right to play - a national campaign which is now in its 21st year. On Playday and throughout the summer of 2008, thousands of children, young people and communities will get out and play at hundreds of locally organised events across the UK.

The theme for this year's Playday is Give us a go! The campaign promotes the benefits of allowing children to manage their own risks whilst playing and aims to counter the risk-averse 'cotton wool' culture that can limit children's play.

The Playday website has lots of information, advice and Playday resources available, including the Get organised! guide to planning a Playday event, and searchable event listings. If you would like to organise a local Playday event or find out more, visit 

http://www.playday.org.uk
 
 

5. NEWS

EARLY LITERACY PROGRAMMES ARE WORKING
 

Independent reports show:
 

. children up to 1 year ahead;
. gender gap reduced;
. 30,000 children per year to get intensive support by 2011.

Children who receive 'Reading Recovery' support through the Every Child a Reader (ECaR) programme are getting higher than average results for their age, research published today by the Institute of Education shows. 

In the second evaluation of the programme, researchers found that the same children are roughly one year ahead of children in schools where the programme is not available, and able to write twice as many words.

The gender gap that is normally noticeable between low achieving boys and girls is not evident in schools where ECaR is available. 

The findings come as Schools Minster Andrew Adonis announces that the Government is on track to ensuring that 30,000 children struggling with basic literacy receive intensive support through ECaR by 2010/11. 

A second report published today by Ofsted shows that children are enjoying regular phonic lessons and gaining satisfaction from putting their learning into practice.

The small scale survey finds that teachers have been "surprised by the joy'' shown by children as they master phonic skills which has led to higher expectations from teachers about how quickly children can learn to read and write. 

Schools Minister, Andrew Adonis said:

"It's really good news that the Every Child a Reader programme is having such a positive impact, especially in raising standards in boys' reading. Through our literacy programmes we are making huge strides in getting those children who are really struggling up to the same standard as their peers by the time they are seven years old, in some cases doing even better. The results are particularly striking given that children on the programme are in the bottom 5% nationally for reading when they start.

"We are on course to ensuring all children who need intensive literacy support receive it. By 2009, 13,600 children will have access to the Every Child a Reader programme, rising to our target of 30,000 by 2010/11. And 82 teachers will have received Masters level training to help class teachers implement the programme in their schools. 

"Getting literacy right in the early years of primary schools is vital to long term educational success, that's why I asked Ofsted to look at how schools are implementing phonics teaching, which became a requirement last September. It's encouraging to hear that children are enjoying the pace and challenge of regular phonics lessons, leading to higher expectations from teachers. 

"As part of the National Year of Reading we want as many people to sign up and use their local libraries as possible, a great way for parents and families to support children's learning at home."

Referring to the Ofsted report, Jim Rose, who led the review into early reading, said:

"This report is testimony to a high quality professional response to phonic work from teachers who are clearly determined to equip all children with the key skills of reading. It is particularly gratifying to see that children's good progress and achievement are matched to their enjoyment and pride in learning to read."

6. INTERNATIONAL NEWS

MOTHER'S DAY REPORT CARD: THE BEST AND WORST COUNTRIES TO BE A MOTHER

Sweden Tops List, Niger Ranks Last, United States Ranks 27th

Save the Children, a U.S.-based independent global humanitarian organization, has released its ninth annual Mothers' Index that ranks the best - and worst - places to be a mother and a child. The Mother's Index, highlighted in the organization's State of the World's Mothers 2008 report, compares the well-being of mothers and children in 146 countries, more than in any previous year. 

Nordic countries sweep the top rankings of the best places to be a mother, while countries in sub-Saharan Africa dominate the bottom tier. Sweden tops the list, while Niger ranks last among countries surveyed. The United States places 27th this year, one slot down from last year's ranking.

The top-10 countries, in general, have very high scores for mothers' and children's health, educational and economic status, while the 10 bottom-ranked countries are a reverse image, performing poorly on all indicators.  

Conditions for mothers and their children in countries at the bottom of the Index are bleak. On average, 1 in 21 mothers will die in her lifetime from pregnancy-related causes. More than 1 child in 6 dies before her fifth birthday, and roughly 1 in 3 suffers from malnutrition, and only 3 girls for every 4 boys are enrolled in primary school.

"A mother's well-being is connected to her children's well-being," said Charles MacCormack, president and CEO of Save the Children. "It is not surprising, then, that in the worst places to be a mom, both women and children die young." 

"There is a great divide between the status of mothers' health and well-being in rich and poor countries," added MacCormack, referring to the Mother's Index rankings. "In rich nations, where women have access to basic health care, giving birth is usually a time of joy. But in poor countries, where there is little or no access to skilled health workers, it is typically tragic. Every woman in the 10 worst countries is likely to suffer the unbearable loss of a child in her lifetime."

The gap in availability of maternal and child health services is especially striking when comparing Sweden, at the top of the list, and Niger, at the bottom. Skilled health personnel are present at virtually every birth in Sweden, while only 33 percent of births are attended in Niger. A typical Swedish woman has almost 17 years of formal education and will live to be 83. Meanwhile, 72 percent of Swedish women use some modern method of contraception, and only 1 in 185 will lose a child before his or her fifth birthday. In stark contrast, in Niger, a typical woman has less than three years of education and the life expectancy of a girl born today is only 45. Only 4 percent of Nigerian women use modern contraception, and 1 child in 4 never sees a fifth birthday. At this rate, every mother is likely to suffer the loss of a child during her lifetime. 

"To close the gap and improve conditions for mothers and children, especially among the poorest, the global community needs to do a better job of providing mothers with access to education, income-earning opportunities, and basic health care - for mothers and their children," said MacCormack.

Zeroing in on the children's well-being portion of the Mothers' Index, Italy finishes first and Niger finishes last out of 168 countries. While nearly every Italian child ─ girl and boy alike ─ enjoys good health and education, children in Niger face a 1 in 4 risk of dying before age 5. In Niger, 44 percent of children are malnourished, and less than half of children are enrolled in primary school.   

Country Comparisons: 

The Mothers' Index presents individual country comparisons for poor countries that are especially startling when one considers the human suffering behind the statistics: 

1 child in 4 does not reach his or her fifth birthday in Afghanistan, Angola, Niger and Sierra Leone. In 
Sweden, only 1 child in 333 dies before age 5. 

Fewer than 15 percent of births are attended by skilled health personnel in Afghanistan and Chad; 96 percent of births are attended by skilled health personnel in Sri Lanka. 

Over the course of her lifetime, 1 woman in 8 will die in pregnancy or childbirth in Afghanistan. Compare that to 1 in more than 47,000 in Ireland. 

A typical woman in Angola, Dijbouti and Niger has less than four years of schooling versus a typical woman in Australia or New Zealand who receives over 20 years of formal education. 

A girl born in Swaziland will not live to see her 30th birthday. Compare that to a girl born in Japan who will live to 86 years old. 

Key Indicators:

The status of mothers was compared in 146 countries based on the following indicators of women's and children's well-being: 

Lifetime risk of maternal mortality 

Percentage of women using modern contraception 

Skilled attendant at delivery 

Female life expectancy 

Expected number of years of formal schooling for females 

Ratio of estimated female-to-male earned income 

Maternity leave benefits 

Participation of women in national government 

Under-5 mortality rate 

Percentage of children under age 5 moderately or 
severely underweight 

School enrollment ratios 

Ratio of girls to boys enrolled in primary school 
Percentage of population with access to safe water 

Click here to enter the 2008 State of the World's Mothers Multimedia Presentation

http://www.savethechildren.org/campaigns/state-of-the-worlds-mothers-report/

AUSTRALIA

MOBILE PRESCHOOLS CLOSING THE GAP 

Education Minister Marion Scrymgour said about 40 young children in several remote parts of Central Australia would get a flying start to their education next week following the establishment of three mobile preschools. 
Ms Scrymgour said the three new mobile preschools, promised as part of a group of six under the Government's Closing the Gap package, would be operating from next week in the Barkly, Tanami and Lasseter Group Schools.

"A strong focus on early childhood programs will give our children the best possible chance to become literate and numerate," Ms Scrymgour said.
"This of course leads to more education and employment opportunities later in life and helps close the gap on Indigenous disadvantage." 

Ms Scrymgour said the mobile preschools would operate on the 'hub and spoke' model.

"Each preschool hub will be staffed by a teacher who will make regular trips to five remote community sites to provide support to local assistant teachers who deliver daily preschool activities," she said.
Learning materials in each community preschool site are supplemented regularly with resources and equipment such as puzzles, books, bikes, and puppets which are rotated between sites using off-road vehicles or light aircraft.  

Ms Scrymgour said this model of preschool delivery had produced encouraging outcomes in East Arnhem Land, Katherine and Central Australia's Sandover Group School during the past six years.

"We know that the earlier we begin to lay the foundations for formal schooling in a child's life, the better chance that child will have of maximising his or her education," Ms Scrymgour said.

Plans for a further three mobile preschools are well advanced with two to begin operating in the Top End later this year.
 
 

7. MORE EDUCATIONAL SITES 

For more educational sites visit 

Sites for Teachers 

http://www.sitesforteachers.com/perl/rankem.pcgi?id=under5s
 

Kind regards 
 

The Under5s Team 
Http://www.under5s.co.uk