Govt sets early learning goals

TdaNews Direct
Published: 2 September, 2008

A new Government-led national curriculum set to assess the learning and development of under-fives has been launched this month, it has been reported.

The Guardian highlighted the 69 new "early learning goals" set down by the Government which hope to monitor children with the assistance of schools inspectorate Ofsted.

In a campaign launched by the Department for Children, Schools and Families, 13 scales of measurement will be used to measure skills that hope to place the child in a position to interact with others, recite the alphabet, write simple letters and count to ten before entering state education.

Children's secretary Ed Balls said in a letter with Beverley Hughes that the scheme would ensure a higher starting point for education, adding that it "will help make sure that all young children have the chance to engage in stimulating play and hear and respond to rich and varied language".

In an open letter to the Times last month, Mr Balls said that tests were tools to help teachers get the best out of students.