Nursery World - The north and south divided

By Professor Tina Bruce, visiting professor at the University of North London Major differences are still apparent in the approaches to education and care in England and in Scotland, as various recent documents show.

Major differences are still apparent in the approaches to education and care in England and in Scotland, as various recent documents show.

The national standards for under-eights daycare in England now begin with the listing of the 14 standards. The introduction states that the Government is determined 'that all childcare services, be they new or established, provide a secure and safe environment for children, not least so that parents can have confidence that their children are well looked after'.

In contrast, Scotland's draft standards for early education and childcare invite discussion by asking 'Do the standards properly address key issues for people who use services, their families and carers?' Those who respond are not forced to reply, as they were in the English consultation exercise, in compartmentalised sections and tick boxes, which separate provision out, and make it difficult to make a principled, coherent response.

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