ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the policy, practice and provision for early years education. It outlines a brief history of early years education; considers the essential features of high quality practice and focuses on the learning areas within the Foundation Stage and transition to Key Stage 1. The chapter provides a historical overview of the key developments in policy and practice in early years education. It considers the role of adults in children's learning and explores the potential of the learning environment. The chapter provides an understanding of the planning and assessment cycle and also provides a brief overview some areas of learning. Analysis of narrative can help to understand why something has happened or why an idea is held and provide alternative explanations to events or ideas and help us, as a researcher, to look at a situation from other perspectives or points of view. Narrative analyses may also involve the identification of sequential data and contexts.
