I have been working with children with speech and language difficulties in my school for four years and really enjoyed the speech and language series in Nursery World.
Let us hope that the Government will continue to expand its speech and language funding so that the children who start school and find it hard to listen then stand a chance.
Alice Tims, Hove, Sussex
BOYS' PLAY APPROACH
The story 'Let boys play with guns, says DCSF' is wrong (News, 10 January). Our guidance encourages support for child-initiated imaginative play. It is a common-sense approach which recognises that young children, particularly boys, like boisterous, physical activity and pretending to be superheroes of one kind or another, such as Star Wars characters with their light sabres. Such play is good for their development as well as good fun, and it is not in the child's best interest to stop it.
In some circumstances it offers a good opportunity for professionals to teach children about issues such as taking risks, respecting one another and that harming another person in the real world is not acceptable. For instance, the guidance goes on to give a good example of how boys' interest in Spiderman was used creatively by staff in one children's centre to promote a wide range of learning and development. The guidance is also a reaffirmation of the importance of practitioners applying their professional judgement to ensure that children are safe and have the right physical and emotional environment.
I would like to point out that evidence shows boys are consistently falling behind girls in most measures of achievement, as early as the end of reception and extending into GCSEs. We have to find ways of addressing this at an early stage, including looking at practice in settings and classrooms to support boys' learning and development more effectively.
Beverley Hughes, children's minister
LETTER OF THE WEEK
WHAT STANDARDS MEAN
The impact of the EYFS should be no more and no less than any legislative or curricular framework. Its effects are likely to be necessarily far-reaching into every aspect of our early years practice. However, how we as individuals are supported and guided to deal with the changes (using effective and relevant training, hopefully!) and how we use our expertise and experience to interpret it, will determine how it affects our children and practice.
This may be especially so during the inspection process. Ofsted inspectors will also need to interpret the legislation and guidance to make judgements on how well the setting is adhering to the requirements.
Standard 6.2 - Security states, 'The premises, including any outside play area, are secure and children are not able to leave them unsupervised' and 6.4 states '... children can play safely outside' (DfES 2003 p.21 ref. code 0649). This current legislation demands that we make our premises 'safe and secure', but is open to much debate in its interpretation. Emphasis in the guidance (p.20) urges practitioners to 'Think about: Gates and fences in relation to the ages and abilities of the children.'
I have mainly considered this in terms of the security of outside exits where children cannot 'escape', as I always lock the doors to my house. From September the wording in the standard 'Safeguarding and promoting children's welfare - Premises and security' changes slightly to include, 'The premises, both indoors and outdoors, must be safe and secure ... Providers must take steps to prevent intruders entering the premises' (DfES 2007 p.24).
This is ambiguous. How can practitioners comply with this legal requirement? I seriously doubt that any setting can - even the Queen has trouble with intruders, despite armed security personnel!
I would welcome comments on this point and other practitioners' views on implementing the EYFS as part of my research project for the Foundation Degree in Early Years.
Janet Glew, childminder, Shropshire (janet@dglew.wanadoo.co.uk)
Letter of the Week wins £30 worth of children's books.
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