E Truss: if we care about poorest children, education must start early

[Simona]

The Minister has responded to the flurry of comments that started this morning over this letter

The Government should stop intervening in early education - Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/letters/10302844/The-Government-should-stop-intervening-in-early-education.html)

Unfortunately many agree she has missed the point...read her response here

If we care about the poorest children, education must start early - Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/10305030/If-we-care-about-the-poorest-children-education-must-start-early.html)

[lilac_dragon]

Elizabeth Truss miss the point?

Surely not!

[Simona]

Elizabeth Truss miss the point?

Surely not!

I don't think I have enjoyed Twitter so much as today...the whole of the EY sector was out replying and venting their ...don't know what to call it really! some of the tweets were rather...strong!
Great support though...all in tune!

[sarah707]

Wow Truss' reply is very strong and scathing!! Reading that you would think they had attacked her personally! :eek:

[Simona]

Wow Truss' reply is very strong and scathing!! Reading that you would think they had attacked her personally! :eek:

They were doing just so...she is Gove's right hand and jumped to his support when he said those who signed the article were basically ignorant...between Gove and Truss there is not an ounce of EY knowledge!

She is part of the reforms and got what she deserved...what goes around comes around Dear Minister!

[SammySplodger]

Wow Truss' reply is very strong and scathing!! Reading that you would think they had attacked her personally! :eek:

Yes I'm very much hoping that that long list of well respected, well educated EXPERTS are suitably upset and insulted by her response.

She really is a nasty piece of work.

[Stapleton83]

Frankly I think she got what she deserved she is clueless.

Sam x

[Ripeberry]

I just want to shake her and maybe stick her in a nursery to do some work for a day...

[Simona]

I just want to shake her and maybe stick her in a nursery to do some work for a day...

Watch her on Newsnight in a few minutes...

[SammySplodger]

Unbelievably snotty attitude about 'disadvantaged families'.

I cannot stand the way she smiles smugly when she is talking. Ridiculous odious woman.
Ugh!

[Simona]

Unbelievably snotty attitude about 'disadvantaged families'.

I cannot stand the way she smiles smugly when she is talking. Ridiculous odious woman.
Ugh!

She could only spew out her rhetoric ...where was Paxman to give her a good grilling?
He was reporting about Syria so understandable but again Truss was not made to face her opponent ...Mary Bousted knew her subject...Truss tried to introduce topics not remotely connected to the topic!!!

AARRGGHH...the woman is better off in another department with a portfolio she may know something about!!

[SammySplodger]

She could only spew out her rhetoric ...where was Paxman to give her a good grilling?
He was reporting about Syria so understandable but again Truss was not made to face her opponent ...Mary Bousted knew her subject...Truss tried to introduce topics not remotely connected to the topic!!!

AARRGGHH...the woman is better off in another department with a portfolio she may know something about!!

Yes - why start going on about Middle Class families and books? How patronising is her attitude about the 'less well off' parents. My other hat is a librarian and so I know how well-used children's libraries are.

Put me in a really bad mood last night.

[emma04]

I've been working in a reception class recently, well! I've done one day so far and I already know what needs to be changed and where we need to improve!!!!!!

1day and no pay and Truss is earning thousands!! To spout ballcocks in my opinion!!!

These children are babies! They're not ready, they're tired, they have been thrust into a 6hr structured day, with no time to rest properly and with needs that are shared with up to 30 others!

Four and five year olds looking like I did on my first day in employment, is disturbing and wrong!!

Why does Truss think that children need to begin structured, planned, observed and directed learning from birth????

If we concentrated and spent more on families and the way in which they can support and guide their own children for the first 6-7 years of their lives, then the country would be better able and more relaxed.

We need to stop dividing families in to groups!! Just because you have less cash, does not mean your children are going to be more academically challenged......who thought this???
It's true, some families with considerably low incomes seem to follow a trend of lower performing children, but this isn't due to money.....it's due to a lack of parenting support and guidance!!!! There are families from every class, race and religious group, that have children who struggle or "under perform" (I hate that term!!)

Throwing freebies at particular groups, won't work and won't solve anything, it will just fuel the divide and create an even worse "them and us" society!!

Money and people with proper experience and knowledge (not just a certificate) are needed to develop a structured support network for every family. Whom they will work with for the first 6-7 years of EVERY child's life!

[Simona]

I've been working in a reception class recently, well! I've done one day so far and I already know what needs to be changed and where we need to improve!!!!!!

1day and no pay and Truss is earning thousands!! To spout ballcocks in my opinion!!!

These children are babies! They're not ready, they're tired, they have been thrust into a 6hr structured day, with no time to rest properly and with needs that are shared with up to 30 others!

Four and five year olds looking like I did on my first day in employment, is disturbing and wrong!!

Why does Truss think that children need to begin structured, planned, observed and directed learning from birth????

If we concentrated and spent more on families and the way in which they can support and guide their own children for the first 6-7 years of their lives, then the country would be better able and more relaxed.

We need to stop dividing families in to groups!! Just because you have less cash, does not mean your children are going to be more academically challenged......who thought this???
It's true, some families with considerably low incomes seem to follow a trend of lower performing children, but this isn't due to money.....it's due to a lack of parenting support and guidance!!!! There are families from every class, race and religious group, that have children who struggle or "under perform" (I hate that term!!)

Throwing freebies at particular groups, won't work and won't solve anything, it will just fuel the divide and create an even worse "them and us" society!!

Money and people with proper experience and knowledge (not just a certificate) are needed to develop a structured support network for every family. Whom they will work with for the first 6-7 years of EVERY child's life!


You are so right...you hit all the buttons there!
If only teachers came out and supported what you have just said...these are babies in a classroom with 30 others, made to sit and stare at whiteboards, deprived of play based learning, learning by rote and I have seen many of them coming out in tears ...

Yes indeed why introduce the 'class' divide in the argument? poverty does not take away ability to learn ...

Of course the one thing she did not mention is that many many parents like their children in school early because it saves on childcare...
so from 0-3 they get it subsidised by providers and from then on it is free

I hear these parents outside of the classroom saying 'they are so young!' but the next sentence is 'I now have free time' for coffee mornings or the gym or shopping!

The less well off do not have those luxuries....enough said.

The sad thing about Truss is that she is not humble and willing to say sorry I got it wrong.. I assume she has a good role model in 'arrogance personified' Gove.
she came to the DfE with little knowledge of childcare and she may leave a trail of destruction behind...the one thing she achieved is for cms to be able to draw funding...hurray but look at the mess to get there!
Her goal was to look at the cost of childcare...she has barely scraped the surface...

Unfortunately many schools will be preparing to admit 2 year olds...I wonder what tales will come out of that

[emma04]

The childcare issues surrounding a later entry to school can be subsidised by the fact that we will no longer need £££££'s spent on learning frameworks that's change so often they're pointless anyway! Money can also be saved on removing preschool funding (it won't be needed!)

SO INSTEAD.....(excluding but not discontinuing any other benefit)

We give EVERY family £200 per month for the first child and £100 for the second child IN VOUCHERS (none for the rest!!!! Ok some people like to have 3 but a line needs drawing somewhere, human rights are not affected, just a families government cash provision!)

Every family gets upto £300 IN VOUCHERS to use however they choose from a list of 3 choices:

REGISTERED childcare
Supermarket shopping ( healthy groceries, baby goods or children's clothing ONLY - only certain barcodes accepted)
Gas and/or electricity bills

This way EVERY family is treated the same. (Those on very high incomes should be given the option to donate their share to a charity or cause of their choice.)

Those that don't have children should receive a yearly £300 tax refund providing they are employed and have been for 3 years or more.

I can dream!!