Editor's view - A patchwork of quality

That's one of the biggest questions facing the early years sector at the moment. Chief inspector of schools Sir Michael Wilshaw made clear his preference for schools when launching Ofsted's first early years report earlier this month and, in the process, unleashed a barrage of controversy that is ongoing.

The topic is up for reflection in our Analysis this week (pages 16-17). In the piece, Dr Julian Grenier reminds us that 'school-based provision' and 'teaching' do not necessarily equate to 'formal' education. I was reminded of that very fact at last month's Education Show in Birmingham when a variety of 'academy' professionals visited our stand.

An early years lecturer told me of working with four - hopefully soon to be 16 - academies interested in developing a play-based curriculum from nursery into Key Stage 1. A supplier reported a rise in enquiries from academies for their 'early years' products. A secondary teacher from an 'all-through' academy stopped to say his school too was rethinking its early years curriculum.

At one level, I found the conversations reassuring - after all, the drive towards academies and free schools coupled with pronouncements from both the DfE and Ofsted have hardly inspired confidence in the future of early years best practice in deregulated schools.

But it was also yet another reminder of the patchwork of quality across the whole PVI and maintained sectors - a quality that may deteriorate further in some settings in the face of more deregulation and can only be remedied by adequate and equitable funding, robust training - and a united voice?

Meantime, our editor, Liz Roberts, is on the Nursery World tour in China. Read all about it at www.nurseryworld.co.uk/blog.