Nursery World - We need a little mutual respect

I remember Sir Michael Wilshaw was furious when the Government dared to criticise his department. Lack of respect for your work degrades your self esteem, leading to poor outcomes, I feel his pain.

What a pity then that he had to behave in the same disrespectful way to childminders and nursery workers when he blamed them for thousands of young children entering school without the skills they need to learn as he showed his ignorance of how young children learn through play.

But maybe a better way would be if I told him a story. Matilda is a little girl I care for, she is only two but already she knows some number names. I noticed that when she helped me count out her pieces of fruit at snack time, or play dough shapes she had cut out, she consistently recited, 2,3,2,4.

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