How to bring up children
Updated on 11 December 2007
'We'll make this country the best place in the world to bring up children' - the government unveils its latest big intervention in the running of our schools and nurseries.
After years of education statements leading on new types of schools, more tests and targets the Schools Secretary today announced it's playtime. 3,500 playgrounds in England will get around £60,000 each.
There will be some brand new adventure playgrounds for older children, and advice centres on school campuses to help parents out with issues like housing benefit and parenting skills. That may seem odd only a couple of years after the government was claiming primary education as its major achievement.
Balls' 10-year children's plan
Plans for foreign language lessons in all primary schools, fewer exams, and a new 'play strategy' were unveiled by government today.
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But there's concern that literacy and maths attainment is not good enough and that foreign languages are not being taught - so other subjects may be squeezed to make more space for them.
And the exams regime is being relaxed - there will still be national tests for all children aged 11 and 14 but children will sit them when the teachers think they're ready.
Gordon Brown visited the museum of childhood in east London with the Schools Secretary today, Mr Brown said education was his passion but much of the children's strategy is about trying to make sure the most disadvantaged children are helped outside school.
There's free childcare for some of the poorest two-year-olds, attempts to involve both parents with school contacts where possible - and one of the 12 reviews announced will look at the impact of commercials on children .
With a report only last week suggesting that English schools were slipping down the international league inn reading skills - the opposition parties accused the government of ducking the big issues.
