Morning:
13°c
It’s Day’s night, and no one is going to spoil her story
Hopes of avoiding seven days of devasating strikes fade as talks between British Airways boss Willie Walsh and union leaders end without agreement
More...
Experts savage new national curriculum for under-fives
Last updated at 15:52pm on 30.11.07The new national curriculum for under-5s was savaged by a powerful lobby of experts last night.
The academics said the highly prescriptive regime, which will come into force next year, would cause untold damage to pre-school children.
They claimed it has been brought in by stealth, will cause unnecessary stress for youngsters and will flatten their interest in learning.
Scroll down for more ...
Lessons: The National Curriculam is being extended through primary schools to the under fives
Although the details of the Early Years Foundation Stage Network (EYFS) have already been published, the group of academics are anxious the public have not grasped its severity.
Nor do they feel people realise it applies to around 25,000 nurseries across both private and state sectors, plus all childminders.
The group includes leading child psychologists Richard House, Dorothy Rowe, Penelope Leach and Sue Palmer, author of Toxic Childhood, an analysis of how children develop in today's society.
Dr House, senior lecturer in psychotherapy and counselling at Roehampton University, said: "What is most objectionable is that the framework is compulsory.
"The central State is defining what child development is.
"It means that a pre-school would have to pursue the Government's defined view of healthy child development, even if it contradicts with their own view.
"There would be a very strong case for mounting a legal challenge under the human rights act."
EYFS, dubbed the "nappy curriculum", is the first legislation to give the State a say in the raising of children under five.
The 114-page curriculum sets out 69 "early learning goals" that every child should reach by the end of their first year of primary school.
The goals range from being able to write simple words to knowing the difference between right and wrong and "understanding people have different needs, views, cultures and beliefs".
Toddlers should be able to "rub a rusk around their feeding tray" to show that they are interested in making marks.
More controversially they will have to show they "enjoy babbling".
The group of experts, however, claim the programme will risk an array of behavioural and educational problems.
They say free play and movement instead of formal teaching yields the best results.
In a letter they write: "An overall formal, academic and/or cognitively biased 'curriculum', however carefully camouflaged, distorts this learning experience.
"An early 'head-start' in literacy is now known to precipitate unforeseen difficulties later on - sometimes including unpredictable emotional and behavioural problems."
Along with the criticism, they have also launched a campaign called Open Eye to promote less dogmatic learning methods.
EYFS, which comes into force in September next year, has already been harshly criticised by teachers, parents and politicians.
At the time of its launch Margaret Morrissey, from the National Confederation of Parent Teacher Associations, said: "I think it's really sad that we have reached the point now where instead of reducing children's stress we have increased it.
"Will nurseries be worrying more about children reaching these targets than caring for our children?"
Reader views (4)
I sent my daughter to a private nursery at a cost of £9000 a year so that I can work. I do not expect the government to interfere in the curriculum. Childhood is short and should be enjoyed, I expect a little educational content through play but I will not allow details of her progress to be passed to anyone other than her parents. It is intollerable to think of toddlers being examined and monitored for government statistics. This new curriculum for nurseries does not simply aim to get children literate and numerate before school a lot of it is to do with teaching equality and respecting cultural and religious differences. The current school curriculum focuses on too much non-academic nonsense with an apparent aim to brainwash our youth into a uniform politically correct mindset. Freedom of speech and thought has been replaced with Nu-Labour thinking and this must not be allowed to start from the age of three.
- Steph, Ilford
As the partner of a inner-city school teacher, I am aware of a large number of young children (6-7 years) who are still unable to read, identify the most simple of words and have little success with basic numeracy skills. IMHO, it doesn't seem to matter what kind of curriculum you have in place or how early you start – if the child lacks a basic creative environment that promotes the enjoyment of learning and discovery, you're fighting a losing battle. Children should be allowed to be children, and not subjected to today's 'target-driven culture of success' at such an early age.
- Jim, London
For goodness sake let children be children - and they are all different. All the national curriculum seems to do is stifle a child's natural inquisitiveness so they are taught to pass exams but not to learn anything for themselves. I am dubious about the benefits of nursery education. The people, amongst those I know, that ultimately did best academically never went to nursery school. At the end of the day it is a rather unnatural feminised environment, particularly so for young boys who need male role models. Basic reading and mathematical skills should come from the parents.
- Michael, London
Raising the standards of reading and writing is very important as many parents (not all) do not support their children enough across these areas. It is, however rich that a failing Government particularly across education seems to think this is the way forward. Yet more benchmarks and stats for us to be measured and pigeon holed against. All our kids need is the ability to mark a ballot paper with a cross and to vote Labour out!
- Fly , London
