Toddler education plans criticised

Government plans to extend the national curriculum to include babies and toddlers have been slammed as “absolute madness”.

The Childcare Bill, announced yesterday, proposes that childminders, nurseries and playgroups should teach the new curriculum to the nought-to-fives.

It also proposes that children should learn rudimentary maths, language and literacy from the age of three.

The government said that research had shown that earlier education helped children to develop faster both socially and intellectually.

However, the National Confederation of Parent Teacher Associations called the proposals “absolute madness”.

Spokesperson Margaret Morrissey said: “We are now in danger of taking away children’s childhood when they leave the maternity ward.

“From the minute you are born and your parents go back to work, as the government has encouraged them to do, you are going to be ruled by the Department for Education. It is absolute madness.”

The early years foundation stage would have the same legal force as the schools national curriculum.

Children’s Minister Beverley Hughes said that the curriculum was intended to be flexible. She said that it would establish a “coherent framework”, which would define progression for the under-fives.

Ms Hughes said: “We are not talking about sitting very young children in chairs and making them learn numbers and letters where that is inappropriate.”

However, the Conservatives branded the proposals "ridiculous". Shadow Family Minister Theresa May said: "It is time that government stood back and allowed children to enjoy their childhood and grow up at their own pace, rather than forcing them into formalised learning. It is ridiculous to impose a national curriculum for children from birth. Whatever next - testing for two year olds?"

(KMcA/SP)