Nursery World - Caring is enough

In Mary Evans' report 'Put in the shade' (10 April), she asks, 'If we do not have teachers in the (Early Excellence) centres, how are they (presumably the children) going to relate to education?' She says that too much emphasis is placed on caring. What is wrong with caring for children? Don't we all need to feel valued and cared for? Why do pre-school children need to have an 'education'? My understanding of the Foundation Stage is that children are encouraged to play and will learn from their experiences.

What is wrong with caring for children? Don't we all need to feel valued and cared for? Why do pre-school children need to have an 'education'? My understanding of the Foundation Stage is that children are encouraged to play and will learn from their experiences.

Parents are seen as children's first educators, so do they now need a teaching qualification? Surely a good-quality establishment will provide children with enough stimulation through activities, resources, trips and visitors, that education and care will go hand-in-hand.

This feature appears to pour scorn on mere pre-school workers who are without a recognised teaching qualification. We may only have an NVQ or an NNEB, but we are still required to satisfy the requirements of Ofsted and the like. A degree is not the only way to gain knowledge. Personally I have an NVQ 3 and the new A1 Assessors award and I am working towards a degree.

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