Having read Professor Peter Moss’ article in Nursery World’s August issue, I felt both delighted to have my views echoed, yet sad to be reminded that nothing seems to be changing in the political view of early childhood education.
Little Jungle is a school of early childhood, based in Peckham, South London. We have been running for more than ten years, and pride ourselves in providing children and their families an environment and culture that truly respects children as equal citizens of this world.
Our approach supports children to become strong and independent learners, because we believe wholeheartedly that this is the foundation they need to make their future world a better world. Investing in children’s education from the day they are born is key. Focusing on childcare alone is not only short-sighted, but, if one must look at the economics of it, pretty bad business.
All-party parliamentary group key note speakers have increasingly proven that ‘investments in early childhood education pay for themselves nine times over the long-term’, as ‘Childhood development at 22 months predicts educational attainment at eight, 26 and – incredibly – 53. Conversely, lack of investment stores up problems – e.g. 66-90 per cent of young offenders have low language skills’ (UsForThem, APPG, May 2022).
In June 22, Dr Julian Grenier presented research results proving that lack of quality education in the EYFS ‘doubles the gap between children eligible for free school meals and all children is 4.6 months. That gap doubles by the end of primary, and doubles again by the end of secondary schooling.’
Yet, despite this, our sector continues to fall in a deeper crisis. Working in the early years is highly rewarding, but very hard. Post Covid our sector was key to re-starting the economy, and we were working at full steam from the very beginning. This has meant increasing mental health issues, stress and exhaustion in the workforce. All the while, working in a sector that does not seem to be valued by the Government.
The reason, is that it is highly privatised and, ultimately, we are measured like businesses, not like public services providers. This has led to a recruitment crisis (it was already bad post-Brexit, given many staff in the early years sector in the UK come from Europe, where qualifications are much higher than the UK). At Little Jungle, we spend thousands per month on recruitment, and are still struggling to recruit.
We have had to increase fees for parents by 10 per cent since last April, taking a full-time space at our setting to £2,000 per child / per month. Who can afford that?
The issue is not demand for childcare (we have a waiting list of 500 parents wanting a space at Little Jungle). What keeps us up at night is the lack of talented early years educators in the market, how the Government views and supports providers and parents, and our running costs spiralling out of control.
As Professor Peter Moss quite rightly stated in last month’s critique of MP Will Quince’s visit to Sweden, ‘what early childhood in England needs now is a [outrageously] belated national commission to transform the system’. We believe that the way the early years sector is funded and supported needs a complete overhaul, a new strategy. I believe this strategy must have, at its heart, three things:
- Focus on quality. Creating a world class early years sector in the UK, that gives all children the best start in life
- A funding model for providers that promotes the delivery of high-quality early years education and care
- A funding model that supports parents of children aged one to pre-school, and makes early years education and care affordable and accessible for parents.
The Government should set-up a task force, work with early years experts from the UK, and Europe to work this out.
Long term, this will have a huge impact on children's chances, and the happiness and support that people living in the UK all need. When Finland was voted the happiest country in the world a few years ago, they put this largely down to how families and residents are supported by the Government. One of the key things that was called out was early years education. We have so much to learn!
This all means dedicating government time, energy and significant funds and resources to this. This will not even appear on the radar of the government as a priority, as there are always so many other pressing crises that take precedence. We have, as many other providers, unfortunately lost hope.
The only way that the Government will act, is when it's too late, children have suffered and early years providers have had to close. Very scary times for this country.
Caroline El-Semman, director of Little Jungle School of Early Childhood