Analysis: National Director for Early Years - What's in store for Ruth Pimentel's successor?

Stormy times' await Ruth Pimentel's successor as national director for early years at National Strategies. The role, which necessitates balancing the specific needs of the early years sector with the demands of Government, is set to get tougher with the economic recession and a general election approaching, Peter Elfer senior lecturer in Early Childhood Studies at Roehampton University, has predicted (see below).

Last week's announcement that Ms Pimentel had resigned (News, 13 November) was met with surprise that she was leaving at such a crucial time for the sector. Ms Pimentel worked on the development of the Early Years Foundation Stage for the past five years and oversaw its implementation in September. Her successor will be tasked with continuing to lead on the framework's delivery and its evaluation. They will also be in charge of the implementation of the DCSF's Communication, Language and Literacy Development and Every Child a Talker programmes.

Early years representatives expressed their feelings about Ms Pimentel's upcoming departure in the new year.

'It is hard to imagine many roles that are as challenging as being on the border with the early childhood profession and all its diversity on one side, and politicians and Government on the other. However, a new national director will have an even tougher job. The economic situation and the gradual approach of a general election make for stormy times ahead. The new director must manage to hold a steady course in implementing the EYFS and the evaluation of its strengths and weaknesses in a considered way. Within this, what I hope for most is that while the emotional well-being of children must remain the priority as the precondition of all other aspects of their development, the precondition of children's well-being is staff emotional well-being. The emotional demands of working closely with babies and young children has not been well recognised by Governments. The new director could build on Ruth's work to make a difference to that.'

- PETER ELFER, senior lecturer in Early Childhood Studies, Roehampton University

'Ruth has been a committed and passionate advocate for quality early years services and supportive of registered childminding as part of the development and implementation of the EYFS. The challenge for her successor will be to ensure that providers continue to get appropriate support from local authorities with the delivery of EYFS to ensure parents have a choice of high-quality education and care.'

- ANDREW FLETCHER, director of communications, National Childminding Association

'I did not share some of Ruth Pimentel's views on child development. I hope her replacement will be someone with good and sound knowledge of early years and child development, with the ability to listen to the real concerns about the EYFS, the willingness to steer the review of the EYFS in 2010 in the right direction, the understanding that it can only be delivered by a workforce that has been able to access the appropriate training and able to address the discrepancy in the training opportunities offered by local authorities.'

- SIMONA MCKENZIE, registered childminder, Twickenham, Middlesex

'The Government will need to work hard to find a replacement as open-minded, perceptive and warm as Ruth Pimentel. The face of central Government is too often inflexible and unresponsive. In the early years especially, where we are regarded as the poor relation of other education sectors, we need people like Ruth who can reach out to the wide family of people who need Government recognition and support. Ruth gave Montessori both of these and far more. Central to her style was a sense of humour and this too is sadly lacking in far too many Government departments. We will miss her.'

- PHILIP BUJAK, chief executive, the Montessori St Nicholas Charity and Montessori Schools Association

'Ruth has become a recognised figure within the sector for her passion for the EYFS and she will be missed by many. The challenge for Ruth's successor will be ensuring that the sector embeds the EYFS and uses it to develop improved outcomes for children. We would like to wish Ruth all the best in her future plans and on behalf of our members, thank her for all her work in helping to make sure that a range of support, resources and training was available to help them work to the EYFS.'

- PURNIMA TANUKU, chief executive, National Day Nurseries Association

'I am sorry Ruth Pimentel is leaving this important work at this crucial time. Reinstating play across the Foundation Stage continues to be a hard-fought battle at every level of politics and policymaking. While researchers and practitioners have welcomed this fundamental shift in policy, we all know that bringing it to life for children requires evidence-based and research-informed practice along with a deep understanding of the relationship between play and learning in educational settings. I hope Ruth's successor will continue these dialogues and discussions with her energy and commitment.'

- PAT BROADHEAD, Professor of Playful Learning at Leeds Metropolitan University and chair of TACTYC

'We have always found Ruth Pimentel to be open to diversity of approach, with the ability to think broadly. She has been supportive in trying to find a way for Steiner kindergartens to work within the EYFS without compromising the Steiner curriculum. She has a warm, friendly and empathetic approach, while being clear about her aims for the implementation of the EYFS.

'For the future, it is vital that the support given to embed the EYFS practice is as simple and straightforward as possible, and is deeply embedded in focusing on how children learn and develop. This will require experience of working with children and a knowledge of child development, as well as a clear understanding of the constraints that the "duty to comply" puts on practitioners.'

- JANNI NICOL, early childhood representative, Steiner Waldorf Schools Fellowship

'Ruth's an incredibly hard working and thoroughly decent person and her lasting achievement will be the big themes and commitments in the EYFS, especially on the importance of play and the central role of the key person in nursery education and care.'

- JULIAN GRENIER, head of Kate Greenaway Nursery School and Children's Centre, London

'Ruth's commitment to partnership working will leave a legacy that can only benefit thousands of children and families. Ruth recognised that if the EYFS is to truly herald a step change in the quality of early years provision, then inclusive and effective partnership working across all types of provision is essential. The Alliance is confident the EYFS in implementation will evidence real gains in children's development and will prove to be a successful policy development.'

- STEVE ALEXANDER, chief executive, Pre-school Learning Alliance

'Ruth Pimentel's departure leaves a challenge for anyone replacing her to fully address 'what matters to children' and to reduce the pressure on them. I recommend they apply and promote the principles that underpin the work of the 'What Matters to Children' team in their role:

- first-hand experience as a necessary and significant element of childhood

- children as powerful learners who learn from each other and learn together

- children as active learners who think and feel for themselves and who use their hands, eyes, ears and their whole bodies to explore the world and everything and everyone in it

- intellectual engagement and emotional involvement

- adult involvement in learning: what educators can do to provide, organise and value what learners do

- educators who think for themselves, making choices that will ensure worthwhile learning, learning that matters to children

- children and educators working together to build a harmonious learning community.

'The new director can work at empowering educators at all levels to think about what matters to children, and respond to this through what they provide for children, how they organise for worthwhile learning and how they value what learners do.'

- DIANE RICH, co-ordinator of the What Matters to Children team and director, Rich Learning Opportunities

- Nursery World spoke to Ruth Pimentel about her resignation and plans for the future:

NW: Why have you chosen to resign at this time?

RP: I have been with the Strategies for five years, and three years as national director. During that time we have achieved a huge amount and this year's results were very pleasing. It felt that now was the right time to move on.

NW: What are you most proud of achieving during your time as national director?

RP: I think I will look back and be proud of a lot of things that have happened, but by far the most significant aspect has been our involvement in the development and promotion of the Early Years Foundation Stage. I am also proud of the increased profile we have given to early years, particularly a focus on children's early language development.

NW: Did you find it a tough role juggling the split concerns of the early years and Government policy?

RP I don't see it as being a split - we have worked very closely with the DCSF as we work to put policy into practice. It is all about children and improving outcomes for them - 21,000 more children in 2008 moved into Key Stage 1 achieving a good level of development, and this is a great achievement.

NW: What are your plans when you leave in the new year?

RP: My immediate plans will be to catch up with family and friends, as well as tidying my study! I still intend to continue contributing to the development of early years, as it is something I have worked so hard for over my career. I will let you know of any developments as my plans emerge.

NW: What do you think the challenges are that are awaiting your successor?

RP: There is still a lot to do to ensure that EYFS becomes embedded. It is still early days for the new statutory framework, but all the signs are that people are really welcoming it. The challenge will always be to ensure that more and more children experience high-quality early years experiences and get the best possible start in life.