Opinion: Letters

As owners of non-purpose-built PVI settings, we were disappointed to read 'A Danish lesson' (Letters, 18 February), which claimed that PVI settings focused on profits, compromised on quality, and struggled to achieve EYFS standards in non-purpose-built premises.

Like most PVI settings, we are passionate about quality and engage in partnership with parents, colleagues and agencies for the benefit of the children in our care. Of course, we want to raise levels of pay and training, but are we saying that there is only one valid state-funded solution?

It is unhelpful for any of us to be viewed as money-grabbers or second best. As a sector, we already have enough critics. It's time we valued each other's contributions and fought together for the highest quality of care for children.

Anna and David Wright, owners, Paint Pots Nurseries, Southampton

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EYFS EXEMPTIONS

In 'Exempt Steiner school "Outstanding"' (News, 21 January), Janni Nicol, early childhood representative for Steiner Waldorf Schools Fellowship, indicates that some schools' applications to the Qualification and Curriculum Development Agency (QCDA) for exemption from the learning and development requirements of the EYFS were taking over a year to be processed. It is my view that this was misleading. No applications that have come through the QCDA have taken more than 20 weeks.

There is a robust application process in place for exemption from EYFS. We aim for a start-to-end timeframe of just 12 weeks for any application. However, some applications are highly complex and may require additional information to support the evaluation process.

The decision whether to grant exemption or modification is made by the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, with QCDA responsible for the application process and providing advice. Further detailed guidance on the application process is available to all providers on the QCDA website.

The article also quoted Ken Power, a teacher at the Wynstones Steiner school, indicating that a school is exempt from the EYFS while their application is being processed and without the formal decision from the Secretary of State. The DCSF policy is clear; an applicant is only exempt from its EYFS learning and developments or modification requests once a decision is made by the Secretary of State. Once granted, it applies retrospectively to the date of the application.

As the newly appointed Director for dealing with these applications, I am keen to learn from the experience of those at the sharp end. I shall be inviting Janni Nichol and the head of the school to meet with me to explore what, if any, improvements we can make to this process in the interests of our young children

David McVean, director of Curriculum Development, QCDA

READINESS TO READ

Why is there so much debate about when a child should learn to read ('Early reading age disputed', News, 14 January)? The best time for each child is when he is ready - he will begin to read and ask for help to do more. A child learns to sit, walk and talk when he is ready and at his own speed, as long as he has good examples to follow, support and encouragement. Why should other skills be different?

All of my four children read fluently by the age of four - before school - because they wanted to learn. But many children attending my drama workshops now cannot read fluently by the ages of six and seven, which affects their ability to enjoy and achieve on stage and in group work, and can spoil the experience for the children who read well.

I am not suggesting that all children should start learning to read before they are four, but I hope that practitioners and parents won't try to prevent children who are ready from doing so, because these children will miss out on a lot of constructive language development, social confidence and maturity and years of pleasure.

Debbie Chalmers, Primary Theatre Workshop, Cambridge

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