Open Letter to the Telegraph
12th September, 2013
We, the undersigned, are deeply concerned about the impact of the government’s early years policies on the health and wellbeing of our youngest children. The early years of life are when children establish the values and mindsets that underpin their sense of self, their attitude to later learning, and their communicative skills and natural creativity.
Though early childhood is recognised world-wide as a crucial stage in its own right, Ministers in England persist in viewing it simply as a preparation for school. The term ‘school readiness’ is now dominating policy pronouncements, despite considerable criticism from the sector.
The role of play is being down-valued in England's nurseries. For many children today, nursery education provides their only opportunity for the active, creative and outdoor play which is recognised by psychologists as vital for physical, social, emotional and cognitive development. However, two key qualifications currently being drawn up for nursery teachers and child carers no longer require training in how children learn through play. Indeed current policy suggestions would mean that the tests and targets which dominate primary education will soon be foisted upon 4 year olds.
Research does not support an early start to testing and quasi-formal teaching, but provides considerable evidence to challenge it. Very few countries have a school starting age as young as 4, as we do in England. Children who enter school at 6 or 7 – after several years of high quality nursery education – consistently achieve better educational results as well as higher levels of wellbeing. The success of Scandinavian systems suggests that many intractable problems in English education – such as the widening gap in achievement between rich and poor, problems with boys’ literacy, and the ‘summerborns’ issue – could be addressed by fundamentally re-thinking our early years policies.
Instead of pursuing an enlightened approach informed by global best practice, successive Ministers have prescribed an ever-earlier start to formal learning. This can only cause profound damage to the self-image and learning dispositions of a generation of children. We as a sector are now uniting to demand a stop to such inappropriate intervention and that early years policy-making be put in the hands of those who truly understand the developmental needs and potential of young children.
The Save Childhood Movement (SCM) Early Years Education Advisory Group
LETTER SIGNATORIES (128)
Wendy Ellyatt, Chief Executive, Save Childhood Movement
Professor Sir Al Aynsley-Green, former first Children's Commissioner for England, Professor Emeritus of Child Health University College London
Prof. Lord Richard Layard, Director, Well-Being Programme, Centre for Economic Performance, London School of Economics
Professor Guy Claxton, Co-Director of the Centre for Real-World Learning and Professor of the Learning Sciences, at the University of Winchester.
John Freeman CBE, Past Joint President, Association of Directors of Children's Services
Dr David Whitebread, Senior Lecturer in Developmental Psychology and Early Education, University of Cambridge
Barry Sheerman, MP, Chair of The Skills Commission; Chair, Labour Party Commission on School to Work; Co Chair, All-Party Group on Bullying; Co-Chair, Westminster Children's Commission
Penelope Leach, Psychologist and Director, Mindful Policy Group
Susie Orbach, Psychoanalyst, writer and social critic
Christine Blower, General Secretary, National Union of Teachers (NUT)
Dr Mary Bousted: General Secretary, Association of Teachers and Lecturers
Chris Keates, General Secretary, NASUWT
Deborah Lawson, General Secretary, VOICE, The Union for Education Professionals
Ben Thomas, National Officer, UNISON Children’s Services
Brian Strutton, General Secretary, GMB Union
Neal Lawson, Chair of Compass
Melian Mansfield, Chair, Early Childhood Forum (ECF)
Sue Palmer, independent writer, consultant and presenter
Purnima Tanuku OBE, Chief Executive, National Day Nurseries Association
Neil Leitch, Chief Executive, Pre-School Learning Alliance
Liz Bayram, Chief Executive, PACEY
Wendy Scott - President, TACTYC
Margaret Morrissey, Founder, Parents Outloud
Emeritus Professor Philip Gammage PhD, D Phil, FRSA, former Chair TACTYC; former President BAECE; Foundation de Lissa Chair in EC, South Australia, former Dean University of Nottingham)
Professor Emerita Janet Moyles, Early Years Consultant
Dr Richard House – Senior Lecturer in Education (Early Childhood), University of Winchester and Chair, Early Childhood Action (ECA)
Annette Brooke, MP, Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Children, Young People and Families 2004 – 2010
Melanie Gill, Founder of the Mindful Policy Group
Patrick Holford, CEO, Food for the Brain Foundation
Professor Kevin J. Brehony, Froebel Professor of Early Childhood Studies, Froebel College, Roehampton University
Ben Hasan, Chair of the National Campaign for Real Nursery Education (NCRNE)
Adrian Voce - Independent writer and consultant, Founder of Play England
Catherine Prisk, Director, Play England
Marguerite Hunter Blair, Chief Executive, Play Scotland
Mike Greenaway, Director, Play Wales
Professor Michael Patte, Co-editor, The International Journal of Play
David Lorimer, Chief Executive, Character Scotland
Tanith Carey, parenting journalist, author of Where Has My Little Girl Gone? How to Protect Your Daughter from Growing Up Too Soon
Margaret Edgington, Independent Early Years Education Consultant
Janni Nicol - Early Childhood Representative for Steiner Waldorf Schools Fellowship UK
Kim Simpson, Nursery Head Teacher and Founding Director, Save Childhood Movement
Penny Webb - Childminder, Founder of the One Voice Site
June O’Sullivan MBE, CEO, London Early Years Foundation
Titus Alexander - Convenor, Democracy Matters
Sally Goddard Blythe MSc, Director, The Institute for Neuro-Physiological Psychology (INPP Ltd)
Professor Barry Carpenter O.B.E., PhD, Professor, Early Childhood Intervention, University of Worcester
Professor Colin Richards HMI (retired) Emeritus Professor University of Cumbria
Dr Barbara Taylor - General Secretary, National Association for Small Schools
Grethe Hooper-Hansen – Independent Consultant
Anne Nelson, early years specialist, former chief executive of the British Association for Early Childhood Education (BAECE)
Professor J. David Ingleby, Centre for Social Science and Global Health, University of Amsterdam
Professor Rita Jordan, BSc.MSc.MA.PhD.C.Psychol.AFBPsS.OBE, Emeritus Professor in Autism Studies, University of Birmingham
Dr Ana Marjanovic-Shane, Professor, Chestnut Hill College, Philadelphia, USA
Richard Masters, Manager, Hermes Trust
Tobin Hart, Ph.D., Professor of Psychology, University of West Georgia, USA
Jane Joyce
Dr Jennifer Patterson, Senior Lecturer in Education, Principle Investigator Natural Learning and Environments, University of Greenwich
Pat Petrie, Professor Emeritus, Institute of Education, University of London
Dr Bronwen Rees, former Director, Centre for Transformational Management Practice, Anglia Ruskin University
Professor Andrew Samuels
Pippa Smith, Co-Chairman, Safermedia
Miranda Suit, Co-Chairman, Safermedia
Brian Thorne, Emeritus Professor, University of East Anglia (Norwich)
Annie Davy - Early Years Adviser, Author and Consultant
Jo White - Head of Portman Early Childhood Centre
Dr. Carolyn Morris - Senior Lecturer Early childhood Studies, Middlesex University
Laura Henry – Managing Director, Childcare Consultancy, UK representative for the World Forum in Early Care and Education
Edwina Mitchell – Independent Researcher
Elizabeth Jarman - Managing Director, The Elizabeth Jarman® Group
Maggie Fisher - representative for Community Practitioners' and Health Visitors' Association (CPHVA)
Juno Hollyhock - Executive Director, Learning through Landscapes
Barbara Isaacs, DIrector of National Strategies, Montessori St. Nicholas Charity
Pauline Trudell - Vice President, The National Campaign for Real Nursery Education
Dr Carole Ulanowsky - Social Researcher
Dr Helen Prochazka, Director, the Montessori Partnership
Lydia Keyte - Chair, What about the Children
Leigh-Anne Stradeski - CEO, Eureka National Children’s Museum
Marie Peacock - EYPS, Mothers At Home Matter
Helen Ruffles - Head teacher/Head of Centre, Netherton Park Nursery School and Children's Centre
Barbara Patterson, author of "Beyond the Rainbow Bridge - nurturing our children from birth to seven years"
Fiona Carnie, Vice President, European Forum for Freedom in Education
Gabriel Millar, Teacher and Therapist
Professor Fraser Brown PhD, Playwork Team, Faculty of Health & Social Sciences
Leeds Metropolitan University
Adrian Ramsay, Green Party Home Affairs spokesperson
Rod Parker-Rees, Coordinator of Early Childhood Studies. Plymouth University
Mary Macomber Leue, MA, Founder and Director-emeritus of The Albany Free School, NY
Vincent Nolan, ex Trustee, Synectics Education Initiative
Sue Cox, Senior Lecturer, School of Education and Lifelong Learning, University of East Anglia
Julie Fisher, Independent Early Years Adviser & Visiting Professor Early Childhood Education at Oxford Brooke's University
Rosa Collins, Early Years Consultant
Marie-Louise Charlton, Early Years Education Consultant
Aonghus Gordon, Founder and Executive Chair, Ruskin Mill Trust
Catriona Nason, Managing Director, Daycare Doctor
Elizabeth Steinthal, Head Teacher, Educare Small School
Shirley Brooks, Senior Lecturer in Early Years Care & Education, University of Winchester
Professor Del Loewenthal, University of Roehampton
Dr Simon Boxley, Undergraduate Programme Leader, Dept Education Studies, University of Winchester
Derek Bunyard, Senior Lecturer in Education Studies & Liberal Arts, University of Winchester
Jess Edwards, Charter for Primary Education coordinator and Lambeth National Union of Teachers
Dr Bridget Egan, Senior Lecturer, Education, Health and Social Care, University of Winchester
Dr Richard Eke, School of Education, University of the West of England
Sue Gerhardt, author of Why Love Matters
Dr Gillian Proctor, Clinical Psychologist and author
Dr Sebastian Suggate, lecturer in education, University of Regensburg
Kathryn Solly, Early Years Specialist, Former maintained nursery school head, a member of ECF, NET, NCRNE, Early Education, and NAHT
Barbara Bedingfield, Founding Director, Suncoast School, Florida
Nancy Blanning, Early Childhood Developmental specialist, Denver, Col., USA
Richard Brinton, Educator, former Principal, Hawkwood College, Stroud
Katharine Brown, Early Childhood Educator, Middleton, Mass., USA
Dr Julia Cayne, Psychotherapist and Visiting Lecturer, Centre for Therapeutic Education, University of Roehampton
Peggy Day-Hakker B.A., M.Ed., Lead Writer, Australian Steiner Curriculum Preschool Director, Sydney, Australia
Betty Jane Enno, WECAN (Waldorf Early Childhood Association of North America) Regional Representative
Eric Gidseg, Ph.D., Department of Elementary Education, State University of New York
Lavinia Gomez, MA (Cantab), MA (Essex), writer and researcher
Sherry Jennings, early childhood educator
Yvonne LaMontagne, RN, early childhood educator
Dr Jane Payler, Senior Lecturer in Early Years Education, University of Winchester
Dawn McCoy, former Waldorf kindergarten assistant, Potomac Crescent School, Arlington, Virg., USA
Pearse B. O Shiel, MA in Ed., Ireland
Heidi Anne Porter, Waldorf Kindergarten Teacher
Sylvie Hétu, Early years educator, international Trainer for IAIM and MISA
Rosemeire Laviano, Maiana Educacional - Brazil
Denise Sachs, Davina Muse Simplicity Parenting
David Adams, Ph.D., Sierra College, Grass Valley, Calif, USA
Vicki Kingsbury, Early Childhood Teacher, Pewaukee, WI
Manali Mehta, Director, Shrishti Pre-Kindergarten, Mumbai. India
Margaret Shams, M.Sc.(Steiner Educ.), Italy
Though early childhood is recognised world-wide as a crucial stage in its own right, Ministers in England persist in viewing it simply as a preparation for school. The term ‘school readiness’ is now dominating policy pronouncements, despite considerable criticism from the sector.
The role of play is being down-valued in England's nurseries. For many children today, nursery education provides their only opportunity for the active, creative and outdoor play which is recognised by psychologists as vital for physical, social, emotional and cognitive development. However, two key qualifications currently being drawn up for nursery teachers and child carers no longer require training in how children learn through play. Indeed current policy suggestions would mean that the tests and targets which dominate primary education will soon be foisted upon 4 year olds.
Research does not support an early start to testing and quasi-formal teaching, but provides considerable evidence to challenge it. Very few countries have a school starting age as young as 4, as we do in England. Children who enter school at 6 or 7 – after several years of high quality nursery education – consistently achieve better educational results as well as higher levels of wellbeing. The success of Scandinavian systems suggests that many intractable problems in English education – such as the widening gap in achievement between rich and poor, problems with boys’ literacy, and the ‘summerborns’ issue – could be addressed by fundamentally re-thinking our early years policies.
Instead of pursuing an enlightened approach informed by global best practice, successive Ministers have prescribed an ever-earlier start to formal learning. This can only cause profound damage to the self-image and learning dispositions of a generation of children. We as a sector are now uniting to demand a stop to such inappropriate intervention and that early years policy-making be put in the hands of those who truly understand the developmental needs and potential of young children.
The Save Childhood Movement (SCM) Early Years Education Advisory Group
LETTER SIGNATORIES (128)
Wendy Ellyatt, Chief Executive, Save Childhood Movement
Professor Sir Al Aynsley-Green, former first Children's Commissioner for England, Professor Emeritus of Child Health University College London
Prof. Lord Richard Layard, Director, Well-Being Programme, Centre for Economic Performance, London School of Economics
Professor Guy Claxton, Co-Director of the Centre for Real-World Learning and Professor of the Learning Sciences, at the University of Winchester.
John Freeman CBE, Past Joint President, Association of Directors of Children's Services
Dr David Whitebread, Senior Lecturer in Developmental Psychology and Early Education, University of Cambridge
Barry Sheerman, MP, Chair of The Skills Commission; Chair, Labour Party Commission on School to Work; Co Chair, All-Party Group on Bullying; Co-Chair, Westminster Children's Commission
Penelope Leach, Psychologist and Director, Mindful Policy Group
Susie Orbach, Psychoanalyst, writer and social critic
Christine Blower, General Secretary, National Union of Teachers (NUT)
Dr Mary Bousted: General Secretary, Association of Teachers and Lecturers
Chris Keates, General Secretary, NASUWT
Deborah Lawson, General Secretary, VOICE, The Union for Education Professionals
Ben Thomas, National Officer, UNISON Children’s Services
Brian Strutton, General Secretary, GMB Union
Neal Lawson, Chair of Compass
Melian Mansfield, Chair, Early Childhood Forum (ECF)
Sue Palmer, independent writer, consultant and presenter
Purnima Tanuku OBE, Chief Executive, National Day Nurseries Association
Neil Leitch, Chief Executive, Pre-School Learning Alliance
Liz Bayram, Chief Executive, PACEY
Wendy Scott - President, TACTYC
Margaret Morrissey, Founder, Parents Outloud
Emeritus Professor Philip Gammage PhD, D Phil, FRSA, former Chair TACTYC; former President BAECE; Foundation de Lissa Chair in EC, South Australia, former Dean University of Nottingham)
Professor Emerita Janet Moyles, Early Years Consultant
Dr Richard House – Senior Lecturer in Education (Early Childhood), University of Winchester and Chair, Early Childhood Action (ECA)
Annette Brooke, MP, Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Children, Young People and Families 2004 – 2010
Melanie Gill, Founder of the Mindful Policy Group
Patrick Holford, CEO, Food for the Brain Foundation
Professor Kevin J. Brehony, Froebel Professor of Early Childhood Studies, Froebel College, Roehampton University
Ben Hasan, Chair of the National Campaign for Real Nursery Education (NCRNE)
Adrian Voce - Independent writer and consultant, Founder of Play England
Catherine Prisk, Director, Play England
Marguerite Hunter Blair, Chief Executive, Play Scotland
Mike Greenaway, Director, Play Wales
Professor Michael Patte, Co-editor, The International Journal of Play
David Lorimer, Chief Executive, Character Scotland
Tanith Carey, parenting journalist, author of Where Has My Little Girl Gone? How to Protect Your Daughter from Growing Up Too Soon
Margaret Edgington, Independent Early Years Education Consultant
Janni Nicol - Early Childhood Representative for Steiner Waldorf Schools Fellowship UK
Kim Simpson, Nursery Head Teacher and Founding Director, Save Childhood Movement
Penny Webb - Childminder, Founder of the One Voice Site
June O’Sullivan MBE, CEO, London Early Years Foundation
Titus Alexander - Convenor, Democracy Matters
Sally Goddard Blythe MSc, Director, The Institute for Neuro-Physiological Psychology (INPP Ltd)
Professor Barry Carpenter O.B.E., PhD, Professor, Early Childhood Intervention, University of Worcester
Professor Colin Richards HMI (retired) Emeritus Professor University of Cumbria
Dr Barbara Taylor - General Secretary, National Association for Small Schools
Grethe Hooper-Hansen – Independent Consultant
Anne Nelson, early years specialist, former chief executive of the British Association for Early Childhood Education (BAECE)
Professor J. David Ingleby, Centre for Social Science and Global Health, University of Amsterdam
Professor Rita Jordan, BSc.MSc.MA.PhD.C.Psychol.AFBPsS.OBE, Emeritus Professor in Autism Studies, University of Birmingham
Dr Ana Marjanovic-Shane, Professor, Chestnut Hill College, Philadelphia, USA
Richard Masters, Manager, Hermes Trust
Tobin Hart, Ph.D., Professor of Psychology, University of West Georgia, USA
Jane Joyce
Dr Jennifer Patterson, Senior Lecturer in Education, Principle Investigator Natural Learning and Environments, University of Greenwich
Pat Petrie, Professor Emeritus, Institute of Education, University of London
Dr Bronwen Rees, former Director, Centre for Transformational Management Practice, Anglia Ruskin University
Professor Andrew Samuels
Pippa Smith, Co-Chairman, Safermedia
Miranda Suit, Co-Chairman, Safermedia
Brian Thorne, Emeritus Professor, University of East Anglia (Norwich)
Annie Davy - Early Years Adviser, Author and Consultant
Jo White - Head of Portman Early Childhood Centre
Dr. Carolyn Morris - Senior Lecturer Early childhood Studies, Middlesex University
Laura Henry – Managing Director, Childcare Consultancy, UK representative for the World Forum in Early Care and Education
Edwina Mitchell – Independent Researcher
Elizabeth Jarman - Managing Director, The Elizabeth Jarman® Group
Maggie Fisher - representative for Community Practitioners' and Health Visitors' Association (CPHVA)
Juno Hollyhock - Executive Director, Learning through Landscapes
Barbara Isaacs, DIrector of National Strategies, Montessori St. Nicholas Charity
Pauline Trudell - Vice President, The National Campaign for Real Nursery Education
Dr Carole Ulanowsky - Social Researcher
Dr Helen Prochazka, Director, the Montessori Partnership
Lydia Keyte - Chair, What about the Children
Leigh-Anne Stradeski - CEO, Eureka National Children’s Museum
Marie Peacock - EYPS, Mothers At Home Matter
Helen Ruffles - Head teacher/Head of Centre, Netherton Park Nursery School and Children's Centre
Barbara Patterson, author of "Beyond the Rainbow Bridge - nurturing our children from birth to seven years"
Fiona Carnie, Vice President, European Forum for Freedom in Education
Gabriel Millar, Teacher and Therapist
Professor Fraser Brown PhD, Playwork Team, Faculty of Health & Social Sciences
Leeds Metropolitan University
Adrian Ramsay, Green Party Home Affairs spokesperson
Rod Parker-Rees, Coordinator of Early Childhood Studies. Plymouth University
Mary Macomber Leue, MA, Founder and Director-emeritus of The Albany Free School, NY
Vincent Nolan, ex Trustee, Synectics Education Initiative
Sue Cox, Senior Lecturer, School of Education and Lifelong Learning, University of East Anglia
Julie Fisher, Independent Early Years Adviser & Visiting Professor Early Childhood Education at Oxford Brooke's University
Rosa Collins, Early Years Consultant
Marie-Louise Charlton, Early Years Education Consultant
Aonghus Gordon, Founder and Executive Chair, Ruskin Mill Trust
Catriona Nason, Managing Director, Daycare Doctor
Elizabeth Steinthal, Head Teacher, Educare Small School
Shirley Brooks, Senior Lecturer in Early Years Care & Education, University of Winchester
Professor Del Loewenthal, University of Roehampton
Dr Simon Boxley, Undergraduate Programme Leader, Dept Education Studies, University of Winchester
Derek Bunyard, Senior Lecturer in Education Studies & Liberal Arts, University of Winchester
Jess Edwards, Charter for Primary Education coordinator and Lambeth National Union of Teachers
Dr Bridget Egan, Senior Lecturer, Education, Health and Social Care, University of Winchester
Dr Richard Eke, School of Education, University of the West of England
Sue Gerhardt, author of Why Love Matters
Dr Gillian Proctor, Clinical Psychologist and author
Dr Sebastian Suggate, lecturer in education, University of Regensburg
Kathryn Solly, Early Years Specialist, Former maintained nursery school head, a member of ECF, NET, NCRNE, Early Education, and NAHT
Barbara Bedingfield, Founding Director, Suncoast School, Florida
Nancy Blanning, Early Childhood Developmental specialist, Denver, Col., USA
Richard Brinton, Educator, former Principal, Hawkwood College, Stroud
Katharine Brown, Early Childhood Educator, Middleton, Mass., USA
Dr Julia Cayne, Psychotherapist and Visiting Lecturer, Centre for Therapeutic Education, University of Roehampton
Peggy Day-Hakker B.A., M.Ed., Lead Writer, Australian Steiner Curriculum Preschool Director, Sydney, Australia
Betty Jane Enno, WECAN (Waldorf Early Childhood Association of North America) Regional Representative
Eric Gidseg, Ph.D., Department of Elementary Education, State University of New York
Lavinia Gomez, MA (Cantab), MA (Essex), writer and researcher
Sherry Jennings, early childhood educator
Yvonne LaMontagne, RN, early childhood educator
Dr Jane Payler, Senior Lecturer in Early Years Education, University of Winchester
Dawn McCoy, former Waldorf kindergarten assistant, Potomac Crescent School, Arlington, Virg., USA
Pearse B. O Shiel, MA in Ed., Ireland
Heidi Anne Porter, Waldorf Kindergarten Teacher
Sylvie Hétu, Early years educator, international Trainer for IAIM and MISA
Rosemeire Laviano, Maiana Educacional - Brazil
Denise Sachs, Davina Muse Simplicity Parenting
David Adams, Ph.D., Sierra College, Grass Valley, Calif, USA
Vicki Kingsbury, Early Childhood Teacher, Pewaukee, WI
Manali Mehta, Director, Shrishti Pre-Kindergarten, Mumbai. India
Margaret Shams, M.Sc.(Steiner Educ.), Italy