The people of Wybourn are being badly treated in terms of nursery education according to tonights Star. They are to have nursery hours per child cut to the same rate as in the rest of the city.

If you live on Wybourn your pre-schooler gets 5 full days nursery provision. If you live elsewhere you get 5 half days. How unfair is that.

Apparently,children from Wybourn have a vocabulary of around 50 words as compared to 300 elsewhere in the city. Well I wonder why that might be????

Could it be something to do with the fact that their parents never speak to them. So much easier to stuff a dummy in and sit the kid in front of the telly.

Or maybe its because they never read them a story or take them to the library where books can be borrowed for free.

I'm sick and tired of this b****y government falling over backwards to help those who won't help themselves.

You know what... this is the first time I've EVER let a post get to me like yours has, Mo! What gives you the right to say that about people?? I went to that nursery years ago, infact, the teacher on the Star front page tonight is the same one I had. My niece now goes there, as have all my families kids.
You're tarring everyone on that area with the same brush. I know my sister and her fiance have to work all hours God sends to look after their kids. They have 2 bright children who have a range of more than 300 words in their vocab! You saying they just "sit them infront of the TV with a dummy" well yes, maybe some do, but the majority don't, and I think you should take your head right out of your backside and jon the real world!!
Having to pay for your child to go to nursery full time is disgusting.. especially when it's council run!
My parent's worked hard to get us where we are now, and we're working hard as well as, and you saying what you have is an offence to not only us but our parents as well!
You should be ashamed of yourself.
Chloe

The point that I'm trying to make Chloe is that this problem is not about money. It is about parents investing time in their children.

The greatest thing any parent can do for their offspring is to talk and read to them. This is how they learn and their language develops and best of all it costs NOTHING.

Parents who deprive their kids of this are neglecting them IMHO and then expect somebody else (in this case the state) to pick up the pieces.

I'm afraid that I think it very unfair that children in Wybourn get twice the education and therefore funding than children anywhere else in Sheffield.

And whats all this about paying for nursery education. Thats the point Chloe you don't pay for it as everybody is entitled to 5 x half days per week for free unless you live on Wybourn.

I just think it's ridiculous to change a nursery that's been running so well for so long, into something it's never going to be!
Chloé

A few things spring to mind in response to Mo's comments, which s/he is indeed entitled to, primarily, it's that someone i.e. the government has got to try to level out the playing field (isn't that what equal opportunities is about? Not treating people the same, but giving them an equal chance?)

I also think that people who are fortunate to have a decent salary which far exceeds the minimum wage will have the luxury of being able to spend time with their children (as opposed to working several hours/shifts in order to bring home a reasonable wage). In the main, those people who will occupy manual/unskilled, unstable jobs will not be walking around with degrees/wouldn't have faired well educationally.So, if I'm not that well educated, you're maybe going to have to give me some parenting skills/Surestart? and educate me about the importance of reading with my child and maybe once we've addressed the other socio-economic factors and deprivation, we can lessen the rich / poor divide?

I don't want to muscle in here because i have not read the article but i can see both points of view here.

BUT

Mo is right that parents should take more time with there children reading and talking to them instead of plonking them in front of the TV.
Its better for the child and bonds them together more.

Regarding the cut backs well I have no problem with Wybourn infants getting a full day instead of half and although nursery seems to be free it actually is'nt and is paid by the tax payer.

I'd rather my taxes pay for 'free' nursery places now than have to pay for those kids when they later become individuals who are on benefits due to a number of factors, one of which will be the poor start in life they've had. I'm not suggesting that all people from a poor/deprived background will remain in the same social group, but the odds are stacked against them