- Who needs fat camp?
I was saddened to read the story about the 'fat camp' for under-fives, being planned in Bradford (News, 1 November).
I applaud Professor Gately's stated aim concerning parental education. However, I believe that the fact that such a facility is seen to be necessary points to the urgent need for the messages of the National Healthy Schools Programme (NHSP) to be extended, in a non-bureaucratic way, to the early years sector.
Many nurseries are working hard to engage children and families in eating healthily and in being active. On a national level, however, the wealth of expertise of the healthcare professionals who work within the NHSP cannot routinely be accessed by nurseries.
Similarly, much nutritional information, such as that contained in the NHS booklet Why your child's weight matters, is simply not being disseminated widely enough to practitioners and families in early years settings. This is where children are at their most receptive to positive messages, as are their parents, who want to do their best for their children's well-being.
If there were a Government-backed health promotion campaign for the early years, then fat camps for the under-fives would surely not be necessary.
Linda Mort, educational director, Child's Eye Media, Manchester
Letter of the Week wins £40 worth of children's books
- Give them time
As a young mother with no teaching experience I managed to teach my three children to read before they were five and started school. I had no idea that they were learning phonics - I'd never heard of the word. I just knew that c-a-t spelled cat and continued to break down the sounds with them.
With the Ladybirds key words scheme I would play games with my children until they knew the next set and then buy the books that used those words until they reached the 'Read it yourself' level. I labelled everything in the house - television, chair, door, etc - and the children memorised the spellings.
I have spent the past ten years working in a primary school, the last six in a reception class. As each year ended I feared for the children who struggled. I have seen time and again how a small but significant group of children fail to grasp the 'learning objective' during a given activity and are not allowed time because of the curriculum.
This September I left the Foundation Stage years and took up a post in a Year 5 class. Many of the children were known to me, as I had been with them in reception. What I couldn't believe when I started working with them was that the same group of children who failed to learn their phonics five years ago were still finding it impossible to 'sound out' words. Yes, they could read, but they couldn't spell. The basic, high frequency words were still beyond their reach.
I was fascinated to watch the programme 'Last Chance Kids' on Channel 4. A group of 'delinquents' were being given time. I can only hope that this realisation - that some children need more time - is taken on board in all schools. Moving on at the current fast pace only results in there being some children who just never 'get it'.
Irene Russell, teaching assistant, Cheriton Primary School, Kent
- Interactive humans
I was heartened to read the Editor's View, 'Technology can't replace human contact when it comes to childcare' (15 November). I too am shocked by the idea of providing young children with robots to relate to. I react like Jennie Lindon, 'what has happened to personal interaction, if we need a project with robots to show that toddlers need touch, responsiveness and child-friendly timing?' Young children need interactive teachers and carers a lot more than interactive robots, whiteboards, or computers.
We cannot let ourselves be driven by what technology can do (and then have marketing make us think we need). We need to ask what the child needs. A child needs other children and caring adults.
Keep sticking up for real childhood!
Martin Huleatt, Community Playthings, East Sussex.
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The Editor, Nursery World, 174 Hammersmith Road, London W6 7JP; letter.nw@haymarket.com; 020 8267 5000.