End of the naughty step as nurseries say they no longer use the term due to 'negative connotations'

 It was once a popular way for nursery teachers to discipline misbehaving toddlers.  But the “naughty step” is becoming a thing of the past, with nurseries saying that they no longer use the term due to its “negative connotations”. 

The majority (60 per cent) of nurseries said they do not agree with having a “naughty step”, according to a poll of 1,000 owners, managers and staff conducted by the review sit daynurseries.co.uk. 

The survey found that 74 per cent rejected the use of the“naughty step” – where children are asked to sit in a particular place and reflect on their actions - as a method for controlling bad behaviour. 

Almost all (95 per cent) of nursery teachers said they are not even allowed to call a child “naughty” in their nursery.

Danielle Butler, a director at Tommies Childcare which runs nurseries in  Coventry, Derby, Kenilworth and Nuneaton, said they adopt a “holistic” approach to managing behaviour.

 “The term ‘naughty’ is one that has held negative connotations particularly in an Early Years context,” she said.

“There is the potential for children to be labelled with this term, without them being able to understand why their behaviour is unacceptable.”  

Ms Butler said that word “naughty” is not used her nursery, adding that she discourages any words “that label children’s behaviour in a negative way”. 

Matthew Byrne, director of Crafty Wizards pre-School in south-east London, said that they do not call children “naughty” on the basis that “it can negatively impact on how others see that child, from their peers to the adults around them”.

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