ABSTRACT
Historically, there has been little government intervention in Early Years education in England. This chapter will begin by briefly discussing the historical context of Early Years educational provision, followed by how Early Years education has changed in England through a series of progressive Acts and Reports. This chapter extends some of the discussions started in chapter four in relation to education for children with EAL namely, contested issues between key founders in terms of how young children learn best against a control approach advanced by the government in terms of curriculum and standards. Next, there is a deeper discussion of the discourses associated with the movement from no regulation in Early Years to regulation. A critical debate regarding the implications of the Early Years framework follows. The discussion then moves to what regulation in relation to the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) framework means for practitioners and their practice towards children with EAL. Finally, the discussion moves to suggested ways forward in an Early Years regulated climate for children with EAL to ensure they are not disadvantaged.
Key words: no regulation, government intervention, regulation, goal orientated curriculum, standards
