Your Opinion: Letters

I enjoyed 'Observation, Assessment and Planning in the EYFS' (29 January). It emphasised the importance of having a system that works and doesn't take staff away from playing, listening and interacting with the children in their care.

Even as an experienced manager, I still find my assessment system a huge learning curve, especially taking into account the guidance and direction I am given from above, which can leave one feeling pushed and pulled in every direction.

When Ofsted first took over nursery inspections, the expectation was that settings provided adult-directed activities and curriculum group work. After research showed that free play and child-led activities were essential to good provision, views changed and practice improved. The early years and childcare service supported settings and introduced action plans, evaluation forms and advice. Although this was a positive move, it caused a dilemma because the paperwork sometimes differed or was additional to Ofsted requirements.

I was pleased to read Beverley Hughes saying that the EYFS 'will not require endless bureaucracy. The only written record that is required is the EYFS Profile ... and that is no change on what happens already' (The Minister's View, 4 September 2008). However, my local early years and childcare service has issued a new 'Learning and Development' document in which staff make a judgement termly on where every child is working on the EYFS for every aspect.

The EYFS has been a very positive move, encouraging more reflective practice and the discontinuation of tick boxes ('stepping stones'). However, we are now being asked to do this in a different way which could lead to inappropriate targets for children and staff trying to move children up to the next level when they are not ready. This Learning and Development record is to be completed and held by the child's main setting, but it should be shared and have contributions from other settings if involved, requiring huge amounts of paperwork and confidentially procedures. I have not managed to find this requirement in the EYFS information, apart from during the final year of the EYFS. Where does it come from?

Extra paperwork does not necessarily improve practice; in fact, it can have a detrimental effect. Staff who understand the importance of observing children at play, seeing what they are doing and extending their learning will have a much greater impact on children's outcomes than form-filling.

Name and address supplied

- Letter of the Week wins £30 worth of books

HIGH PRICED SKILLS

I was impressed by the breadth and depth of skills and abilities which Janet Moyles, professor emeritus and early years research/play consultant, believes should be expected of today's childcare graduates (Letters, 12 February).

'Advanced level, in-depth knowledge, skills and understanding ... to analyse, evaluate and reflect on their own practices (to) significantly benefit the children they teach and their colleagues ... who understand deeply the learning capabilities and overall development potential of young children (both) from a research and theory base ... to employ a pedagogy and curriculum experiences that they have analysed and evaluated as being suitable for children's individual and collective learning needs' etcetera.

All nurseries will of course require such an early years professional by 2015 at the latest, but, ideally, they should be looking to fill such a position now.

Being in an area where nursery fees are up to (and in some cases more than) 25 per cent below the national average, we consider it to our credit that, unlike many settings, we are able to pay our Level 3 staff more than the National Minimum Wage.

Our nursery should be in a position to offer the person described above an annual salary of £16,000.

I wonder whether Janet Moyles considers that this represents a fair remuneration for the time, money and effort which the individual has invested in achieving this high-level skill set?

Brian Cooper, owner, Meir Park Day Nursery, Stoke-on-Trent

Send your letters to: The Editor, Nursery World, 174 Hammersmith Road, London W6 7JP, letter.nw@haymarket.com, 020 8267 8401