Nursery World - Flexible training

As one of the people who objected to the proposals for Expert Support for the Foundation Stage (News, 22 August), and answered 'no' to all the questions, I am surprised at the apparently positive response to this consultation. I saw a number of responses written by others, which were very much in tune with my own, so I expected there to be more people who had doubts. In my view, there are likely to be problems recruiting suitable 'experts'

In my view, there are likely to be problems recruiting suitable 'experts'

to work in the regional teams, and the director would have to have credibility as a trainer. There is also a real fear that training will become standardised and lead to set training packages being produced.

As an experienced trainer myself, I am not prepared to deliver prescribed training packages and, if this were to be the outcome of this initiative, I would no longer be willing to work for LEAs (at present I work for quite a few running Foundation Stage training, which early years teams and I plan together in response to local needs). I suspect other well-established trainers will take the same view. Effective trainers have high expectations of practitioners, plan their courses carefully with the needs of participants in mind, and are able to work flexibly, in response to trainees' needs.

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