Letters

SUPER HEROES, SUPER ISSUE

Congratulations on yet another great, thought-provoking issue of NurseryWorld (20 September-3 October). Julian Grenier's article helped tocrystallize so many thoughts I have had recently about how to engage theactive and articulate children in the small (very well-resourced)pre-school where I have taken over as manager. Giving children the timeand resources to explore their interests in depth, and so expand theirknowledge and understanding, seems so much more satisfying for allconcerned, rather than taking them off to an 'adult-led activity' withan adult-led agenda. And it is still possible to meet all of yourlearning objectives and cover the whole of the EYFS.

Then the best-practice pull-out about superhero play had me saying tomyself, 'Yes! This is what some of the children are playing, and this ishow we can support them!' It also brought back memories of my sister andI playing 'doll wars' many years ago. We had a blue bedroom carpet and adoll's cot each, which were transformed into boats and filled with dollsand cuddly toys. The toys shot each other across the sea and fought withswords; dolls drowned and boats were blown up!

It often helps me to remember how I felt and what I played as a childwhen I reflect on what I observe children doing and saying in thepre-school.

Allison Aves, pre-school manager, Warwickshire

Our star letter wins 30 worth of books

SPEAK OUT NOW ON THE EYFS

In the EYFS review Dame Tickell states that the EYFS is a framework 'forall children'. But according to the draft, birth to 24 months has beenremoved alongside the 48-60 months development matters.

In the first instance, practitioners will be unable to assess children'sachievements at 24-36 months in order to produce a progress report ontheir development.

The omission of 48-60 months means this age group has effectively beentaken out of the framework. While many summer-born four year-olds willbe in reception, others will remain in registered settings.

How can practitioners provide a record of achievements for transition toreception without the development guidelines towards the early learninggoals?

If the new EYFS framework is to be universal, why is childhood broken upand all to do with 'school readiness'? The EYFS was implemented in 2008with the promise that it would be reviewed.

Various pressure groups were formed and many petitions signed. Butlittle has changed.

Where is the opposition to the omission of Every Child Matters in thedraft? Are we resigned that the draft will go ahead and be implementedin 2012 regardless of our concerns?

The framework's publication in April 2012 means we will have four monthsfor training in preparation for delivery in September.

For the sake of our children and to uphold their right to enjoychildhood, we need to speak up - there is little precious time left!

Simona McKenzie, registered childminder, Twickenham

A POOR DEAL FOR EVERYONE?

I write from a setting that has for 25 years provided full day care formainly working families.

In Sheffield the schools' 'single point of entry' is now a reality andcommenced this September. As a consequence every single child of fouryears of age left our setting, including a child of three with abirthday in late August.

Families who advised our nursery that they wished to retain theirnursery place and would delay their child's entry to school, lostconfidence in their decisionmaking in the lead-up to the Septemberschool year.

The annual loss of income for this setting is about 80,000, someof which we hope can gradually be replaced over the year. A loss hasalways been the case, but it was spread more evenly when there were twoor three points of school entry.

We are facing a number of concerns shared, I'm sure, by many othersettings. At what point are the staff put on short time or redundanciesdeclared, due to reduced work? Do staff - many of whom are wellqualified - enter a career in childcare with this shadow hanging overtheir careers?

Whatever EYFS skills a child has acquired in the pre-school, leaving therigidly monitored ratios of daycare, to be placed in a school classroomwith a ratio of 30:1, may not be seen as putting their interestsfirst.

The early years provider, the family, the nation and above all thechild, all have a poor deal from the present administration and wepractising childcare professionals have a duty to speak out.

Roger Bell, Chantreyland Nursery, Sheffield

Send your letters to ... The Editor, Nursery World, 174 HammersmithRoad, London W6 7JP, letter.nw@haymarket.com, 020 8267 8401.