Nursery World - We need all the parents we can get

In an answer to a query in the Sunday Times on 7 April, Chris Woodhead, the former chief inspector of schools at Ofsted, said, 'There is an unfortunate tendency to believe that early years education is a difficult, intellectually challenging business that requires a PhD in child development and must only be attempted by trained professionals; parents need not apply. This is arrogant twaddle.' For once, to my great surprise, I agree with him. The 29-year-old pre-school I work for will be marked down in Ofsted inspections and the Investors in Children accreditation scheme because the majority of workers here are parents who are untrained and uninterested in the continual courses being offered by the Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership. My deputy only works here two mornings a week - she has taken a post in a local school for the other three mornings because it pays her more money, she has less work to do and there is no more of me asking her to do the NVQ 3.

For once, to my great surprise, I agree with him. The 29-year-old pre-school I work for will be marked down in Ofsted inspections and the Investors in Children accreditation scheme because the majority of workers here are parents who are untrained and uninterested in the continual courses being offered by the Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership. My deputy only works here two mornings a week - she has taken a post in a local school for the other three mornings because it pays her more money, she has less work to do and there is no more of me asking her to do the NVQ 3.

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