Early Learning Fights For Investment With Secondary Schools
Alistair Owens http://www.keen2learn.co.uk
Young children absorb information at a phenomenal rate. Their learning curve is at its steepest up to the age of five. This phase in their educational development nurtured through games and structured play needs more focus. The ability to learn and “learning to learn” is crucial throughout the learning journey. But investment in early learning is fighting for survival alongside rebuilding secondary schools.
The government cutbacks are inevitable in the current economic crisis. But if it comes to a choice between developing early learning or rebuilding secondary schools we need to get our priorities right. The £55bn allocated to Building Schools for the Future (BSF) to rebuild ageing secondary schools is therefore at risk, but equally is the investment in early learning. If we don’t get the foundation in place subsequent schooling will inevitably suffer. Its already happening. Primary school results are far from ideal with a significant proportion of children inadequately prepared for secondary level. There they either become a burden to the teacher or fail to thrive educationally.
Polly Curtis, Education Editor of the Guardian makes the point that the investment should be aimed at the very young. And too much cash is wasted on the contractors handling the BSF scheme. There are around 3300 secondary schools in the UK. Many are well past their sell by date having been designed and built to last 25 years and still going after 50 years. The problem is the vast number of shapes sizes and designs involved. Perhaps we should adopt the Cuban approach to secondary schools. Every one follows a common design. The vista of a national design would send many architects into spasm but would cut cost dramatically. One flexible national design, allowing minor adjustments for local variations, would remove the immense duplication and localised costs. It could reallocate savings to be spent in early learning.
National features may make life less interesting but a stylish school with a 30 year life span would make economic sense. Beyond that we might be able to afford the individual approach once more. If we follow this ideal through we could revolutionise other national operation’s. In the UK we have 60 different police forces. That’s 60 different specifications of police car, 60 buying departments, 60 contracts to administer. A national police car is bound to save a small fortune from duplication.
