More than 900 childminders, former childminders and parents who use childminders to care for their children have signed a petition calling for childminders in England to be made exempt from the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS).

The petition, which closes on 20 September, was posted on the 10 Downing Street website by Sally Jones of Disley, Cheshire, whose childminder quit due to the pressure of paperwork associated with the EYFS.

Mrs Jones said she launched the petition because she felt “sympathy with childminders for their increased workload” and was concerned that the EYFS is denying parental choice of childcare. “The EYFS states a need for consistency between early years settings. This blurs the boundaries between the settings and removes choice for parents,” she explained.

“I did not want a formal/educational setting for my child, but nevertheless that is what I have got.”

Her petition states, “Most principles of EYFS are easily achieved, but the paperwork needed to prove this is staggering. The same rules apply to childminders as to nurseries.

“These significantly different settings should have separate rules. Childminders' homes are not educational establishments, there is no need for assessments to be made on the children.

“Until a child attends school it should be their parents' job to assess them," Mrs Jones said, “I do not want my childminder to be distracted by thoughts of paperwork or having the paperwork dictate the daily routine. I just want my child to play and have fun like he does at home when I am not in work.

“I do not feel that a childminder needs to assess my child's development. Until he starts school that is my job.When he starts school he will be assessed for at least 12 years!”

As of 3 September, 938 people have signed the petition, which can be found at http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/anti-EYFS.