Ten out of ten?

How do leading representatives of the early education and childcare world rate Labour's efforts - and what else would they like to see done?

Lesley Staggs, early years consultant and first-ever Foundation Stage director
Nationally, it has been a groundbreaking time for the early years. Young children have stopped being 'pre' everything and now enjoy their right to have their own particular needs and interests recognised and met, first in the Foundation Stage, then in Birth To Three Matters and finally in the Early Years Foundation Stage. There was finally a recognition - backed by research   that what happened to children in their earliest years made a real difference not just to academic outcomes but also to their social and emotional well-being and their dispositions to learn   all the things that are so important for life.
However, I'm sad that despite that recognition there is still a reluctance to invest in the highly trained and motivated workforce we need to make that a reality for all children. Too many young children are still missing out on the appropriate high-quality experiences we know can make such a difference to them - and so ultimately to society as a whole. It continues to be an unacceptable lottery. I'd like to see the next ten years focusing on ensuring that everyone is a winner and really putting into practice the principles that make the EYFS such a great document. But without the investment in training we'll continue to have practitioners who are unable to do that.