Introduction

During the almost 12 years since the first edition of this book there have been enormous changes in this country politically, economically, socially and educationally. In terms of the changes for children, perhaps most dramatic has been the determination to measure them and their learning and development with an assumption that measuring or testing children will make them, in some way, better or better at whatever it is that is being measured. For example, we now have cohorts of children who have been defined as being gifted and talented at maths or literacy or physical education or art. The impact of this culture of testing on children has been dramatic and very often negative. Children assume that they will have tests on a regular basis and that their schools will be rated according to how well they and their peers perform on a particular day on a range of decontextualised tasks. For the youngest children, this culture of testing has led them to believe, very early on, that there are some things that they cannot do. A culture of failure has developed along with a culture which deprives children of independence and encourages them to be wary of others, to be reluctant to take risks and to spend a great deal of time watching screens of one type or another. There is a growing awareness that some things need to change so that childhood can be enjoyed rather than endured. But many feel there is still a long way to go before young children can be curious and investigative and able to express their thoughts and ideas, ask their questions, test their hypotheses, paint their dreams, and explore the world without continually being watched and tested.