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Childcare experts dismayed by plans to cut funding to childcare that does not promote "fundamental British values"

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Author: 
Adams, Richard
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Article
Publication Date: 
8 Aug 2014

 

EXCERPTS

Childcare experts have reacted with dismay to new measures announced by the education secretary to withhold state funding for nurseries that fail to promote "fundamental British values".

Nicky Morgan's first policy announcement since taking over the role of education secretary was that young children should be protected from extremist views. In response, Beatrice Merrick, chief executive of the British Association for Early Childhood Education, said: "This is a surprising issue for the education secretary to pick for her first intervention in early years policy, given that there is no evidence as far as I am aware of extremist values being promoted in nurseries.

"The idea of distinctive British values is quite elusive for any age group and it would be hard to claim that there is a British monopoly on any values.

"Using such language is dangerous in implying we are morally superior to other nations and cultures. Surely that isn't the message we want to teach our youngest children."

Morgan announced details of the policy on Friday, when she outlined measures to remove government funding for nannies and nurseries that fail to actively promote what she described as British values, including democracy and liberty.

Neil Leitch, the chief executive of the Pre‑school Learning Alliance, which represents 14,000 childcare providers in England, said his organisation welcomed the spirit of the announcement but questioned the usefulness for young children.

"We cannot see how stipulating 'British values' or the state of 'Britishness' adds anything that could ever be meaningful to the experiences of young children. Practitioners are likely to struggle to think of anything that needs to be taught to young children to achieve British values specifically - their focus will always be on providing a rich and positive experience in all areas. Life values are more important to develop for a two-year-old, not a limited view of culture and life."

The DFE's statement said early years education providers "will be expected to teach children about fundamental British values in an age-appropriate way. For children in the early years this will be about learning right from wrong, learning to take turns and share, and challenging negative attitudes and stereotypes."

The new regulations, say local authorities will be empowered to cut off state funding - including the 15 hours of childcare funding a week for two- to four-year-olds - to any provider that "does not actively promote the fundamental British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs".

read online at The Guardian 

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