In his book, 'All I Really Need to Know I Learned In Kindergarten', Robert Fulghum says that wisdom is not at the top of the graduate school but there in the sandpit. Everything about how to live and what to do he says he learned in the early years. It's funny but my colleague Linda Sibbons sent me this reminder of the things that are important and I wanted to share it with you...

"I had a special conversation with my grandson Max, aged 3 years and 8 months, who started 'big' Nursery School yesterday. His perspective on what was really good about school..... and learning..... was refreshing! His highlights included:

• finding his own coat peg, milk tag and photograph already there and waiting for him;
• digging 'huge' holes in the outdoor learning area for workmen to put 'giant trees' in;
• finding a lobster (!) in the wet area;
• meeting two good friends from Playgroup, Otis and Esme, who had also just started at Nursery;
• discovering that his mummy had included a 'tasty pudding' in his lunch box (2 mini Jaffa cakes!);
• managing to get the lid off his yoghurt all by himself without it going everywhere (the practice definitely paid off!);
• eating in a 'normous' room with great big girls and boys (the dining hall with the Reception children!).

His day was exciting and everything seemed 'super-sized' to him. It was underpinned by reassurance and meeting friends. The five key outcomes from Every Child Matters certainly tick all the right boxes for Max."

Life is certainly interesting in early years.

Chris