Nursery World - Editor's view (71)

Over the past ten days, the Government has issued three major documents, all of which are likely to cause controversy and unease across the sector. First up came the action plan for implementing the ten-year childcare strategy (see News, p4, and our At-a-glance guide, p24). Much of what is in the document isn't new, but it does spring some surprises, among them the announcement that the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) will be based around the Foundation Stage areas of learning. More detail will, of course, come with the EYFS consultation, due in May, but some early years experts who have seen confidential drafts of part of the framework have already dismissed the new approach as misguided. Surely, the shift to 'areas of learning' across the age range makes it more likely that the youngest children will be presented with lots of narrow, limited activities, to the detriment of their emotional well-being and physical development?

Over the past ten days, the Government has issued three major documents, all of which are likely to cause controversy and unease across the sector.

First up came the action plan for implementing the ten-year childcare strategy (see News, p4, and our At-a-glance guide, p24). Much of what is in the document isn't new, but it does spring some surprises, among them the announcement that the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) will be based around the Foundation Stage areas of learning. More detail will, of course, come with the EYFS consultation, due in May, but some early years experts who have seen confidential drafts of part of the framework have already dismissed the new approach as misguided. Surely, the shift to 'areas of learning' across the age range makes it more likely that the youngest children will be presented with lots of narrow, limited activities, to the detriment of their emotional well-being and physical development?

What is clear is that only a highly trained workforce will be able to see a way through such a curriculum and deliver what is appropriate for very young children. But the other two documents of the week - draft standards for the Early Years Professional and guidance for the Tranformation Fund - suggest the standards may be too low and funds too few to deliver the calibre of workforce that is needed (see News, pages4-5). We hope that you'll contact us to tell us what you think.