I must reply to your Media Watch item on a school banning pupils giving Christmas cards (News, 22 November). A couple of years ago our pre-school looked at what cards meant both to the child and to the environment. We found that while this was a good opportunity to give and share, some children were excluded from this practice for a variety of reasons. We also discussed the implications for a child's emerging skills in sitting and writing their name or mark-making on 30 cards. We thought we were being hypocritical to promote recycling and then receive cards that wasted a lot of paper.
So, we introduced 'Card for All'. Each child took home a blank card and we asked parents to encourage and share creativity to create a unique design which the child could bring back and display.
These cards are a colourful addition to our room and the children love seeing their art displayed. Each child is given the opportunity to 'show and tell' their card to the group.
We also asked parents to invite family and friends to sponsor the child's efforts and donate the cost of purchasing commercial cards to pre-school to cover the cost of the children's Christmas activities. Our room is adorned with the children's creations and valuable funds have been raised.
Wendy Hocking, pre-school manager, Holmhirst Pre-school, Sheffield
- Letter of the Week wins £40 worth of children's books
A WORLD VIEW
As a secondary teacher from New Zealand, in my second year of teaching in the UK, I support the Open Eye group in their protestations about the inappropriateness of the formal early years practice in this country (News, 6 December). The majority of secondary pupils whom I teach are disillusioned and demotivated and lack creative thinking. They have internalised the concept of failure and I can only imagine this process started long ago.
Putting young children into a formal learning situation for which they are not ready and in which they are likely to experience failure lowers confidence and self-esteem. Children take on board that they are inadequate and somehow worthless. We know from the success of countries where formal educational practices are delayed, such as New Zealand and in Scandinavia, that this practice pays great dividends at later stages. With such well-tested practice giving such strong messages, what is it that the Government does not understand? Is there a political will to disempower a large percentage of children? Is this the social engineering of society that will best serve the needs of any country?
Latitia South, Manchester
TELL THE GOVERNMENT
Consultations can seem difficult to complete, but they can and do change the way we work.
NDNA would like to highlight two key consultations by Ofsted - 'Inspections of early years provision from September 2008' and 'Future approach to fees and subsidies'. These explore changes to the inspection process and the costs to childcare providers in being regulated and registered. NDNA believes it is critical that as many people as possible respond to both consultations.
Self-evaluations via internet, key judgement forms, the question of whether 'outstanding' settings should be given recommendations and reduced inspections for well-performing settings are all being explored.
As a day nursery, will you be able to afford almost treble registration fees by 2010, or do you think that a key judgements sheet from an inspection report will be a reliable way to inform parents' childcare choices?
These are all questions that these two new consultations ask - and getting these proposals right is all down to you.
NDNA will be responding on behalf of the sector and holding meetings with bodies involved, including the DCSF and Ofsted. We will be working with members to ensure they are heard. Of course, not all views lead to changes. But a strong view coming across can help shape reform, and those voiced at the beginning can lead to changes further down the line. So set aside a little time to be involved in the consultation process, and get your views heard. Visit www.dfes.gov.uk/consultations.
Purnima Tanuku, chief executive, National Day Nurseries Association
Send your letters to... The Editor, Nursery World, 174 Hammersmith Road, London W6 7JP; letter.nw@haymarket.com; 020 8267 8402.
