Nursery teachers face prospect of assessment by three-year-olds

Children will be asked to assess their nursery teachers before they have learnt to read under a pilot scheme to be introduced by the Government's schools watchdog.

Children will be asked to assess their nursery teachers before they have learnt to read under a pilot scheme to be introduced by the Government's schools watchdog.

Ofsted admitted yesterday that children as young as three would be required to judge their teaching by ticking a picture of a smiley, sad or straight face.

The pilot scheme will be introduced to nine primary schools next term. If successful, the children might influence the results of Ofsted inspections across the country.

But critics said it was ridiculous to expect toddlers to make a fair assessment and that the scheme would put teachers under unnecessary extra pressure. Teachers unions urged schools to boycott the plan.

The National Association of Schoolmasters and Union of Women described the idea as "completely flawed". Chris Keates, its deputy general secretary, said: "Teachers are going to feel that everybody is now monitoring them; inspectors, governors, parents and even children."

The move is an ambitious extension of the assessment culture. At the moment, only sixth-formers are asked to complete forms giving feedback on their lessons.

A spokeswoman for Ofsted confirmed that the schools involved in the pilot scheme might include some pupils who were three years old and said the questionnaires would have to be adapted for those who had not learned to read. "Given the young age of the children, [the faces] are the images that are going to be tried. We couldn't expect them to write," the spokeswoman said.