There is considerable debate about what and how to teach young children. Some favour a teacher-led, academically-focused approach while others argue for a child-centric and developmental one.
Like many other countries, pre-school education in England borrows from both traditions. On the surface, the statutory Early Years Foundation Stage for nought to five-year-olds relies more on teacher-led and education-focused approaches. But practice around the country suggests a richer picture. Although the EYFS was only introduced in 2008, the new coalition Government has announced a review, re-opening the debate.
This debate is important. The quality of a child's pre-school education can impact on their educational, health and economic outcomes much later on in life. However, a recent evaluation of Sure Start showed that while the scheme is effective at improving health and social outcomes, there has been no significant impact on language development - an important precursor for success at school.
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