Joined-up thinking needed on nursery schools

The feature on nursery schools ('In need of repair', 1 March) was very welcome. While the Department for Education and Employment may now recognise the value of nursery schools, we need to have local education authorities and Early Years Development and Childcare Partnerships recognise this too. Very little about the approach taken in some areas strikes me as being in line with the Government view of nursery schools, contrary to what some might be claiming. In her column 'Let's vote for excellence of nursery schools', 8 March, Professor Tina Bruce was correct to state that 'nursery schools have a huge contribution to make'. One LEA which is replacing nursery schools with nursery classes is now advertising for new teachers under a banner about excellence. Surely a better way to achieve such an aspiration is to develop nursery schools into integrated centres led by headteachers and providing multi-agency, multi-disciplinary services for children aged nought to five and their families. This is a way that some LEAs and EYDCPs are reshaping and extending excellence rather than disseminating it.