Sir Michael Wilshaw, the head of Ofsted, says nurseries, preschools and childminders are failing disadvantaged children and the best place for such children is school. The press have reported that he is recommending that schools teach numeracy, literacy and pen control to two year olds.

Is there really evidence to support this, knowing as we do that many other countries, for example those in Scandinavia which start formal education later, fare much better with literacy and numeracy than we do.

Do schools have the capacity to cater for the needs of two year olds, which are emotionally and developmentally very different to the needs of four year olds? Would it not be better to focus upon supporting and developing the existing preschools, nurseries and childminders who do a very good job?

It is widely agreed by educationalists that children in the early years learn best through play. Their first educational experiences should be managed carefully to foster a lifelong love of learning.