28 April 2022
Open Letter to Boris Johnson: Why Relaxing Nursery Ratios of Staff:Children would be Catastrophic for Children, Parents and the Sector

Dear Prime Minister,

We are writing to ask that you ensure high quality education and care for our youngest children is top of your agenda. Specifically, we believe it is crucial for the Government not to relax the nursery ratios of staff to children.

We have a raft of studies from world leading UK and international research institutes which demonstrate that the significance of high staff to children ratios is the quality of the provision. We also know that quality is essential if our youngest citizens, particularly those from more disadvantaged backgrounds, are to thrive and succeed in school.

Increasing the adult to child ratios will, without doubt, significantly reduce the time available for staff to spend with each child. This is particularly important for the youngest children – our little babies and toddlers whose welfare and social and cognitive development is closely linked to social interaction and forming secure attachment relationships with adults.

Furthermore, choosing to push a policy that effectively puts more pressure on staff who are quitting the sector in droves because of lack of respect for what they do, low status, poor salaries and lack of support, is simply foolish.

Our new Education Minister, Will Quince, must get to grips with why thoughtful ratios are critical for the wellbeing of children and the ability of staff to support their learning and development successfully. We have some of the best childcare in the world, yet cutting corners in such a demeaning and dispiriting way should not and cannot be an option.

We strongly urge you to make the right decision.

With all best wishes,

June O'Sullivan MBE

CEO of London Early Years Foundation (LEYF)

1,673
signatures
1,352 verified
  1. Aimee Wardrope, Nursery Manager, Ballyhoo Boutique Nursery, Carlisle
  2. paula moss, Manager, Nursery, Liverpool
  3. Samantha Creme, Director of Strategy & Business Development, London Early Years Foundation, London
  4. chelsea cowdery, nursery manager, leyf, London
  5. Elaine Kilkenny, London Early Years FOundation, London
  6. Francoise Fracas, Strategic Communications Manager, LEYF, London
  7. Naomi Marsden, Marketing Manager, London Early Years Foundation, London
  8. Marlene Terblanche, The London Early Years Foundation, London
  9. Sally Clark, Head of Marketing, London Early Years Foundation (LEYF), London
  10. Mark Cleere, Property and Facilities Manager, London Early Years Foundation, London
  11. Annie-Rose Fitzpatrick, Recruitment Manager, London Early years Foundation, London
  12. Mona Majed, Support Manager, London Early Years Foundation, London
  13. Thomas Abrams, Health and Food Lead, LEYF, London
  14. Sara Goncalves Brito, Parent Liasion Specialist, London Early Years Foundation, London
  15. Christel Brown, leyf
  16. Fatama Katun, Customer liaison officer, London Early years foundation, London
  17. Constance Tina Georgiou, nursery Manager, LONDON EARLY YEARS FOUNDATION, London
  18. Jodie Hutton, Customer Services Executive, LEYF, London
  19. Elizabeth Adeyemi, Manager, LEYF, London
  20. ENISA VEHABOVIC, MANAGER, LEYF, LONDON
...
1,312 more
verified signatures
  1. Elina Kanela, Marketing, London
  2. Benedicte Steinsrud, Media, London
  3. Carol Fuller, Manager, London Early Years Foundation, South Croydon
  4. Alena Beranzoni, Producer, London
  5. Anita Iannacchione, Editor, Self-Employed, London
  6. Livonia Griffiths, Occupational therapist, Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea Council, London
  7. Arrate, Marketing, Tilda Rice, London
  8. Ruth Seglow, Child & adolescent psychotherapist, Formerly Islington CAMHS, now retired, London
  9. Lindsey Fuller, Pre school teacher, Colchester
  10. Marvaret Baran, Nursery Director, Whitton Day Nursery, Twickenham
  11. Sim Alexander, Ruislip
  12. Natalia Agadzhanyan, Accountant, London
  13. Nidhaan, Project Manager, London
  14. Kamila Przybyszewska, Governance Manager, London
  15. Chris Heyn, Marketing, ABF, London
  16. Alexa Hawkins Bell, Charity worker, Battersea cats and dogs, Brighton
  17. Rosie Bellman, Self Employed, Hungerford
  18. Nicola Stone, forest school leader, roaming wild forest school, Woking
  19. Dobrinka Petrova, Finance manager, The Royal Marsden Hospital, London
  20. Holly Campbell, Preschool Room Manager, Nursery, Guildford
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