1st Edition

Early Years Policy The impact on practice

Edited By Zenna Kingdon, Jan Gourd Copyright 2014
    240 Pages 1 B/W Illustrations
    by Routledge

    240 Pages 1 B/W Illustrations
    by Routledge

    How does early years policy impact on practitioners, children, settings and families?

    What are the implications of current policy for the future?

    How can early years professionals shape and craft practice in ways that genuinely focus on the needs of children and families, rather than the interests of policy makers?

    This exciting new text explores the changing context and increasing importance of early years policy. It takes a broad look at policy developments and shows how these have affected children, settings, parents and the early years workforce.

    Divided into two parts, the first examines theoretical perspectives and sets out the early years policy context, looking at issues surrounding accountability, international influences on policy and the Early Years Foundation Stage. The second half of the book directly shows how policy has influenced practice, and considers:

    • the upskilling of the workforce and the impact of this on practitioners;
    • the development of the learning environment including outdoor provision;
    • sustained shared thinking and its link to high quality learning and teaching;
    • the impact of policy on parents.

    Offering a fresh perspective on early years policy, this timely textbook will be essential reading for students on undergraduate and postgraduate Early Years and Childhood Studies courses and those working towards Early Years Teacher status.

    Introduction  1. Early Years Work, Professionalism and the Translation of Policy into Practice Sue Lea  2. Accountability’: Tensions and Challenges Lisa Spencer-Woodley  3. The influence of international policy Jan Gourd  4. The EYFS: Tickell and beyond: a critical perspective Zenna Kingdon  5. Future Policy In Early Years Jan Gourd  6. Up-skilling the workforce – managing change in practice Jan Gourd  7. The impact of Foundation degrees on practitioners Zenna Kingdon  8. Policy and the change in the Early Years learning environment Zenna Kingdon  9. Research informed policy myth or reality: Sustained Shared Thinking Zenna Kingdon  10. How policy has impacted on parents Michael Gasper  Conclusion

    Biography

    Zenna Kingdon is Senior Lecturer in Children, Young People and Communities Studies and is Education Studies Framework Leader at the University of St Mark & St John, Plymouth, UK.

    Jan Gourd is Senior Lecturer in Children, Young People and Communities Studies at the University of St Mark & St John, Plymouth, UK.