Open doors, open minds all start with great teachers

For parents it's juggling the delicate balance of letting go and providing a secure safety net of love and encouragement.

At the centre of all this is the teacher — and particularly the teacher surrounded by a sea of nervous, excited little faces.

It is to them we entrust our children on the next stage of their life journey — and it is to them, as trusting citizens, we must pay respect and honour for their dedication and commitment.

Early years teachers must build the solid foundations of knowledge which will equip young minds to deal with the complexities of dealing with the shifting landscape of 21st century jobs, careers and families. So early years teachers begin the building blocks of maths and science, technology and communication using words and ideas.

But as well as this, early years teachers must begin an even deeper process which will have lasting effects on their charges: the process of moulding young minds to work together with respect and tolerance so they can take their place in human society with understanding and skill.

This enormous responsibility often falls on the shoulders of people with their own family commitments and sometimes difficulties. Sometimes they are young and fresh out of college, more often they bring years of maturity and warmth. They will all have the best training and investment that our society can offer to equip them in their task.

As parents the best we can do is wave our children off with love and encouragement each day, then provide a safe and secure home when they return.

This will provide the best support for our early years teachers in their enormous task.

We wish them well, and we look forward to recording the milestones of their achievements within these pages for many years to come.