Where next, in the womb?

The ever-extending tentacles of Government targets and control is now reaching nursery schools, playgroups and registered child-minders.

All children are to be given a good start in their education, in fact all are to "have the same start" in the "nappy curriculum" laid down. This will affect children as young as three, if their parents make use of such pre-school activities.

The object is laudable - that all children should master a wide range of writing, counting and problem solving skills before they leave reception class at primary school. This will include ability to write in sentences, using punctuation.

This will include no less than 69 targets to be met for each child. Oh dear, - it is not difficult to see child minders and nursery teachers feeling that the burden has at last reached them. On top of all the requirements of teaching and childcare will be the form filling and administration.

That primary education is failing is obvious, and has been for many years. Wasn't it Prime Minister Callaghan who determined to do something about it. The Tories tried, and Blairites had endless policy changes, - a tradition now taken up by the Brownites.

Why is it necessary? People of my generation remember going to school aged five with some ability in reading and writing, to be taught in very large classes (- I remember aged 7 being in a class of 45 in a room so crowded that present day fire regulations would all have been broken.) Yet there was virtually universal literacy, even among those of apparently less academic ability.

Two things were different.Firstly, our parents had time to introduce us to the wonder of books, and help us to spot words and spell. Present day parents, both working if there are two, lack the time and energy. Secondly television didn't exist or had limited hours, and there were no video recorders or DVD players to keep children quiet. We played outside in ways now thought risky, and indoors we developed a love of reading.

The problem, as in the broken society, is parents who are not entirely literate themselves and who lack the time and energy to help their children in this area. Parents with a greater vision already read with their children and support what schools are doing for them.

This is surely where the Government should start. Children of parents like mine will tick all the 69 boxes easily, but there will be others who because of circumstances will fail in this parental duty. The Government's bureaucratic, top-down imposition runs the risk of failing both groups.

Perhaps it is parents who need to pass, and be helped to pass, the 69 tests!