This article presents the experiences of nursery and primary head teachers (n = 12) on the English Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) after its first year of implementation in 2010. Findings are drawn from a subset of data (head teachers of primary and nursery schools) which forms part of a larger Department for Children, Schools and Families…

A case study approach was adopted to investigate two thinking skills programmes for a maximum variation sample of five- to six-year-olds in four schools, in two local authorities (LAs), in England and Wales, using multiple methods. School staff interviewed felt that thinking skills programmes enhanced critical thinking skills and improved use of…

Current English curriculum documents, namely the "Practice Guidance for the Early Years Foundation Stage" and "Key Stage 1 of the National Curriculum," contain mixed messages about the role and value of drawing in early education. The documents state that children should be encouraged to explore their ideas, feelings and…

Examined early childhood teachers' understanding of progression and continuity in learning and their interpretations of England's National Curriculum policies. Found that teachers engage in a process of resistance, adaptation, and mediation to reconcile tensions between curriculum-centered and learner-centered approaches; they are thus active…

Norway recently adopted a National Framework Plan for Preschools. In this study, the central questions are: (1) What does a Framework Plan for one to five year olds mean to the preschool teachers and their educational work with children? (2) What are preschool teachers' understandings of the concept of learning in their educational planning and…