To the point...

I was both interested and yet slightly disappointed to read Professor Helen Penn's column (Nursery World, 12 April).

Professor Penn has rightly deduced that the major positive changes claimed by New Labour in the childcare sector over the last ten years are largely, if not totally, illusory.

Government policy on childcare has been driven not by a desire to develop sustainable childcare, but rather by the need to enlarge the workforce in order to sustain economic growth.

The Government's policies - whether it be the Neighbourhood Nursery Initiative, Sure Start, and now even children's centres - are all fatally flawed for the following two reasons:

* A covert historic dogma precludes private sector involvement in education - notwithstanding the 3.5bn investment we have collectively made to cover what was a disgraceful lack of provision

* the lack of long-term financial sustainability in any of the the Government's childcare policies.

The great sadness is that it has irresponsibly raised the public's expectations regarding childcare provision - expectations which are totally incapable of fulfilment.

However, I believe Professor Penn is wrong in her view that nursery provision for pre-school children often produces 'second-rate' education.

In the corporate private sector, if we failed to deliver provision of the quality our parents require, then our occupancy levels would be even lower than they currently are.

For me, this is not the issue we should be discussing. One of the things I value most about my involvement in childcare is our ability to provide an environment which permits children to enjoy their first five years of childhood. I believe we need less formal education during this period, not more, and as few academic pressures as possible. Many of our European neighbours start formal education later than us, with no adverse effect upon later academic development.

I would welcome the involvement of educationalists such as Professor Penn in a much wider public debate. This would consider the broader issue of when should we start a child's formal education.

Alan Bentley is chairman of the Childcare Corporation