A survey of settings for three- and four-year-olds, carried out at Manchester University for the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority, asked practitioners to comment on factors affecting their ability to deliver the curriculum. Of 358 respondents, 230 (64 per cent) were in the private, voluntary and independent sector and 128 (36 per cent) in the maintained sector.
More than 45 per cent of practitioners said they spent too much time filling in forms. Inadequate outdoor space was a problem for 29 per cent of settings.
A separate survey by the research team of 400 reception class teachers found they perceived a greater number of challenges to delivering 'a broad, balanced Foundation Stage curriculum' than practitioners working with three- to four-year-olds. Seventy-four per cent of the reception teachers said there were challenges to teaching the six areas of learning, compared with between 54 and 65 per cent of practitioners working with the younger group.
Among the three- to four-year-olds, 60 per cent of maintained settings put increased emphasis on specific areas of learning, compared with only 30 per cent of non-maintained settings.
Senior researcher at the Centre for Formative Assessment Studies at Manchester University, Joanna Bragg, said, 'There was a difference in emphasis on the early learning goals in the maintained and non-maintained sectors. The question is whether children are having unequal learning experiences.'
While 72 per cent of maintained settings focused on communication, language and literacy, only 53 per cent of non-maintained settings did so. But all settings placed an equal emphasis (63 per cent) on personal, social and emotional development.