Young children, we know, are all different, even when brought up in the same household and community. Their personalities are different; their approaches to life are different; their ways of learning and understanding are different; their physical, emotional, social and intellectual development differ. So why do policy-makers seem to believe that they can impose a ‘one-size-fits-all’ model on the early years?
That the new Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) enforced by the English government on early years pedagogy and curriculum is top-down and economically driven is a key factor in prompting the alternative model for children’s learning and development that is Unhurried Pathways: A New Framework for Early Childhood. This document encourages everyone to consider children in their own right as interested and interesting young citizens who have so much to give, and yet much still to experience and understand. It recognises that children are worthy of carefully considered early years education and care practices and practitioners who understand the processes of children’s learning and development. Moreover, children’s right to an early childhood that encompasses the importance of spontaneous play, in all its many manifestations and diversities,is emphasised in this new document in powerful and persuasive ways.