ABSTRACT
The Guardian reported on 23 June 1999, on the review of the curriculum guidance for three to six year olds by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (1999a) under the headline ‘Play is out, early learning is in’ (Carvel 1999). This illustrates the dichotomy which exists in the debate regarding the role of play in young children's learning. The article goes on to quote the education minister at that time who argued that play should be ‘purposeful’ and that the days of toddlers ‘colouring, cutting and pasting are over’. In contrast, the same article reports that 16 of the 18 nursery settings designated as ‘centres of excellence’ by the government, had protested that the proposed curriculum guidance, which sets out Early Learning Goals for three to six year olds, is unsuitable and that children under six should learn through play. It is encouraging to note that the final guidance includes a section on the value of both planned and spontaneous play (QCA 1999b). This chapter explores the play/learning divide through the use of case studies, in particular in two early years settings, using literacy learning as an example.
