The letter from the Independent Schools Council (ISC), which represents 1,280 fee-paying schools, educating more than 500,000 children, was sent to Ms Hughes last month and leaked to the media last week.
The ISC wrote, 'This clumsy intrusion into the early years curriculum of independent schools is both unjustified and unnecessary. More importantly, this interference conflicts with the rights of parents to privacy in their home life, which includes the freedom to choose how they educate their children and to educate them free from the control of the state.'
The letter, signed by Chris Parry, the ISC's chief executive, also criticised the lack of consistent advice from local authorities on how the EYFS should be implemented and said that some had not been given any advice at all. It said that, given the lack of consultation, there should be a 12-month transition period for implementation of the framework.
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