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Editor's view

It seems that getting the language of early years education and childcare right is a struggle for Government speech writers. Take education secretary Ruth Kelly's words to the IPPR last week (see News, page 4). Aware that play and child development are important themes, references to these are liberally sprinkled around the speech - 'Early years childcare must be built around play', providing 'the opportunity for kids to have fun and develop'. Indeed, there is a slight air of paranoia about the complete avoidance of the word 'education' in connection with early years.

Aware that play and child development are important themes, references to these are liberally sprinkled around the speech - 'Early years childcare must be built around play', providing 'the opportunity for kids to have fun and develop'. Indeed, there is a slight air of paranoia about the complete avoidance of the word 'education' in connection with early years.

And this leads to the worst faux pas - the several references to 'children being ready to learn at five', as if no learning takes place before this age, and as if readiness for school is the sole purpose of experiences in the early years rather than recognising this stage as hugely important in its own right.

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