Campaigners urge re-think of pre-school plans
4 Dec 2007
Plans to teach pre-school children in England to read and write have come under attack today from campaigners, who claim that formal lessons could harm young children.
The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), which sets out a framework for what is expected from under-fives, becomes a legal requirement next autumn. The guidelines include advice on teaching toddlers aged three upwards to write simple sentences, interpret phonic methods to read complex words and use mathematical ideas to solve practical problems.
Leading academics including the author of Toxic Childhood, Sue Palmer, childcare expert Penelope Leach, former London schools commissioner Tim Brighouse, psychologist Dorothy Rowe and author and child psychologist Richard House have formed the ‘Open Eye’ campaign, to point out what they believe are serious flaws in the document. In an open letter to the Times Educational Supplement, they point out that: “An early head start in literacy is now known to precipitate unforeseen difficulties later on, sometimes including unpredictable emotional and behavioural problems.”
The new curriculum is compulsory and will affect all nurseries and kindergartens in England – state, private and voluntary. Campaigners also argue that to impose compulsory education on a non-compulsory sector of the education system is a breach of civil rights liberties.
The government says the new model has been developed in consultation with early years education experts.
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- Posted by: Scholastic
at 05 December 2007 - 07:00Plans to teach pre-school children in England to read and write have come under attack today from campaigners, who claim that formal lessons could harm young children.
