Four in ten schools, nurseries and childminders are failing to deliver a good enough standard of communication, language and literacy teaching for toddlers, the education watchdog has said.

A new Ofsted report found that many children cared for by childminders and day nurseries in particular were developing better social than literacy skills because staff relied on daily routines rather than planning activities aimed at helping young children learn.

Two thirds of childcare providers failed to assess children’s learning and development to a high enough standard, with many regarding action planning as a box-ticking exercise rather than a means of improving children’s learning, the report found.

The report into the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) is based on visits to 68 schools, nurseries and childminders, a survey of parents and discussions with local authorities.

The EYFS, dubbed the “nappy curriculum”, was introduced in September 2008.

Under the EYFS reforms, every nursery, childminder and reception class in England has to monitor children’s progress towards centrally set “early learning goals” up to the age of five.

The report found that in the schools visited, children made similar levels of progress in both personal, social and emotional development and communication, language and literacy.

But while personal, social and emotional development was good or better at two-thirds of childminders or day nurseries, communication, language and literacy was good or better in less than half.

The report noted that as of the end of August, 68 per cent of early years providers were judged to be good or outstanding, compared with 59 per cent at the end of August 2008.

While many of those visited and questioned for the report were positive about the EYFS, other were negative, mainly childminders who had been judged as satisfactory in their last two inspections, and saw themselves more as carers than educators.

Ofsted Chief Inspector Christine Gilbert said: “Childcare in England has improved since the introduction of the Early Years Foundation Stage. Our evidence shows that all kinds of provider, from schools to childminders, can deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage well and that children are enjoying their time, whatever type of provision they attend.”

Does your setting plan regular activities to encourage child learning? Is it right to concentrate efforts on both social and literacy development in toddlers when at such a young age? Join the discussion by leaving your thoughts below.

Tags: Early Years Education

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