KEY POINTS:
Children in Britain will face their first assessment before their first birthday under a new national curriculum for the under-fives published today.
Childminders and nursery staff are being told to look at the different ways babies communicate "such as gurgling while happy" between birth and 11 months.
The new foundation stage curriculum for the nought to fives will then continue with regular checks on each child's progress up to the age of four or five - when staff must assess all children on 117 points covering reading, writing, maths and communication skills.
The aim is to keep a continuous check on all children as they develop and then build up a profile to pass on to primary school.
Parents' leaders and Conservative opposition MPs claimed the proposals were "too prescriptive".
Margaret Morrissey, from the National Confederation of Parent Teacher Associations, said: "I think it's really sad that we have reached the point now where instead of reducing children's stress we have increased it.
"Will nurseries be worrying more about children reaching these targets than caring for our children?" It worries me that we are expecting children to reach these targets when they have not even had their first birthday."
Anne McIntosh, Conservative Shadow Minister for Children, Young People and Families, added: "It is inappropriate to set such detailed targets for children this young.
"These new targets mark an unprecedented supervision of children from birth to primary school and I do not think that they are necessary or will work. "This is formalised learning for very small children."
However, ministers argued that the framework would assure parents that all early years provision was of high quality.
Beverley Hughes, the Children's Minister, said: "The Government is committed to giving every child the best start in life."
The Early Years Foundation Stage will help practitioners plan stimulating, age appropriate based on what they know about the child's interests in discussion with parents and other relevant professionals.
The new framework will come into force for every child care setting from September 2008. On children from birth to 11 months, it says they should be assessed and recorded for "the different ways babies communicate - such as gurgling while happy".
Staff should also note "how babies being to explore their own movements", mimic facial expressions and "gaze" at things that interest them.
"Ongoing assessment is an integral part of the learning and development process," says the framework.
"Providers must ensure that practitioners are observing children and responding appropriately to help them make progress from birth to early learning goals.
By the time they are ready to transfer to full-time schooling at age four or five, a profile should have been prepared which assesses them on a nine point scale in thirteen different assessment areas".
The strategy was welcomed by leaders of the National Day Nurseries Association last night. Purnima Tanuku, its chief executive, said: "We especially welcome how the key principles of the framework promote the importance of ensuring that children are cared for in a loving and secure environment where they can enjoy developing at their own pace."
However, she added: "It will be important that inspectors and local authorities receive the right training and support so that they avoid a tick box culture where they assess a provider by checking where children are meeting the individual early learning goals the framework sets out."
- INDEPENDENT