Editor's view

The next two months is the high season for festivals, with Divali, Eid-ul-Fitr, Hanukkah and Christmas all jostling for space in the nursery celebrations programme - there'll be cards, claypots and candles galore. But the atrocities of 11 September have led to increased racial tensions, which may affect what is done. Early years professionals need to think carefully about how and why different religious festivals are incorporated into their settings. Are these celebrations the best way to promote an anti-bias approach and to raise awareness of cultural diversity? Or are the kinds of activities involved a token gesture that avoids the much wider issues of non-discriminatory practice in the early years? Our Special Report 'Cause for celebration?' (pages 10-11) this week looks at how nursery practitioners in different areas are responding to the issues raised by festival celebrations, especially in the light of recent world events. Bringing festivals into the nursery can undoubtedly be a valuable process as well as lots of fun, but it needs to be very carefully thought through. This is an area in which every setting should re-examine its practice on a regular basis.