A PARENT teacher group fears new proposals for a national curriculum in pre-schools could lead to league tables for under-fives.

Spokesman for the Kent-based National Confederation of Parent Teacher Associations, Margaret Morrissey, says the Childcare Bill, unveiled last week, runs the risk of turning nurseries into classrooms.

If approved, the legislation will have a set curriculum and will be enforced by Ofsted-style inspectors.

It will see pre-school-age children being taught the three Rs in the same way nationwide.

Ms Morrissey says while nursery staff are already teaching children basic skills, they are able to do this in a non-formalised environment, educating mainly through play.

She said: "These new proposals would make things official in pre-schools and it means Ofsted will be regulating the curriculum.

"With Ofsted involved we are in the realms of league tables for children under five.

"Infants may be put under pressure to perform.

"By the time they have finished pre-school, they will be burnt out and won't want to go to school.

"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 of Education.

"It's absolute madness and the Government should keep their hands off our kids. This has gone too far.

"The framework for this curriculum must be kept flexible.

"Measuring, say, one three-year-old against another is ridiculous as children develop at different rates at this age."

Ms Morrissey's comments follow proposals put forward by Children's Minister Beverley Hughes.

Introducing the curriculum, called the Early Years Foundation stage, Ms Hughes says research shows good-quality childcare helps children develop faster socially and intellectually.

Pre-school teacher Jacquie Pickering works at Sunflower Nursery, Old Road, Gravesend, where there are 80 children aged between two and five.

She said: "We do education through play, in a non- formalised environment.

"We do things such as singing with the children to learn numbers.

"If this bill is too formal it will put children off learning and I think some nurseries will go the wrong way and be too rigid."

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