Your Opinion: Letters

THUMBS UP, OFSTED

After reading many negative letters about the Ofsted inspection process, I felt that I must take time to put pen to paper. We had our first combined inspection at our latest, newly opened, full daycare setting a few weeks ago.

The inspector was excellent. She put everyone at ease, had fun with the children, spoke easily and openly with parents and carers, and made staff feel so relaxed that she saw the setting and team at its best - working normally.

We received a couple of suggestions that we agreed with, we have the EYFS in place and will implement the changes.

So, a big thumbs up and thanks to our inspector for such a positive and valuable experience, and the confidence and reassurance that it gave my excellent team.

Linda Lukies, director, Start Right Nursery, Grantham, Lincs

Letter of the Week wins £30 worth of books

WHO NEEDS PARENTS?

I was delighted to read that we at Westminster Children's Society are not the only organisation willing to take young children on holiday without their parents (Away days, 31 July/7 August).

Like Pen Green, we think this has many benefits. For the past 20 years we have been taking the children for a week's holiday to Paddington Farm, in Glastonbury, and have our own special 'Glastnost'. The children mature in the week away and we have seen some great developments in shy and quiet children, or those with speech delay, who benefit enormously from one-to-one contact, and the quiet and calm of the country. Having our minibus means we also explore the nearby seaside - and trips for ice-cream treats are always popular.

We recommend doing such a holiday, and if you are worried by health and safety, don't be. It is one of the more interesting risk assessments we do!

June O'Sullivan, chief executive, Westminster Children's Society

BAD BIOMETRIC SIGNS

I am writing in response to 'Chain goes for fingerprints' (News, 24 July). I read with grave concern that we live in a society that feels the need to take such extreme measures to protect our children.

We have a duty of care to ensure children are safe and secure within any setting, as one of the five outcomes of the Every Child Matters Agenda. But isn't biometrics taking it a step too far?

Maybe I have misconstrued the point and biometrics is simply a way of letting parents in and out of settings without having to interact with them. Call me old-fashioned, but what has happened to a 'meet and greet' by a member of staff?

The EYFS is supposed to promote parent partnership, yet we seem to be introducing measures that mean we actually interact with parents less.

I believe the introduction of biometrics reflects a great sadness in our society.

Pauline Milsted, student, University of Wolverhampton

FATHERS ON BOARD

I was very pleased to see your feature 'Let's explore ships and boats' (24 July), although it overlooked one important element: the opportunities for family learning that the topic offers.

At the Pre-school Learning Alliance, we stress the importance of family inclusion in supporting children in their development. We looked at areas that may appeal to fathers and developed a family learning programme called Floating Boats. Bearing in mind the evidence that shows that children's outcomes are greatly improved when fathers, too, are involved in their upbringing, we believe that all opportunities to involve fathers should be fully optimised.

For this reason the Alliance is launching a project to encourage greater involvement by fathers in early years settings. In particular, we would like to encourage the 'mainstreaming' of father inclusion, so that fathers are involved in the core activity of settings.

Thus, for example, it is expected that both fathers and mothers attend introductory sessions before every child joins an early years group, and all settings offer activities that are attractive to fathers as well as mothers.

Tim Kahn, inclusion officer, Pre-school Learning Alliance

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