Rumbold (1990)

Notes on the text

Preliminary pages Correspondence, Contents, Membership

Part 1 Issues and proposals

Part 2 Material to aid practitioners

References

Annexes

The report of the Committee of Inquiry into the quality of the educational experience offered to 3 and 4 year olds, chaired by Mrs Angela Rumbold CBE MP

London: Her Majesty's Stationery Office 1990
© Crown copyright material is reproduced with the permission of the Controller of HMSO and the Queen's Printer for Scotland.

ISBN 0 11 270721 1

Part Two: Material to aid practitioners

13 Introduction
[page 35]

1. In Part 1 of this report we have outlined our analysis of the present position and of the issues which contribute to quality; Part 2 amplifies this with more discursive descriptions of particular aspects of philosophy and approach which are intended to help those who care for and work with young children to examine and improve their own practice.

2. We believe that it may be of help to practitioners to preface this part of the report with a brief general statement of those elements which we believe to be crucial, within any institution, to the achievement of high quality provision for the under fives.

3. In our view, each institution should have:

a. a policy outlining aims and objectives based on a clearly articulated philosophy shared by educators and parents. This should incorporate:

  i. a policy on equal opportunities for children and adults, encompassing sex, race, class and disability, which promotes an understanding of cultural and physical diversity and challenges stereotypes, and which is responsive to local needs;

  ii. a policy of partnership with parents which acknowledges their role as children's prime educators and which develops a shared understanding, mutual respect and dialogue;

  iii. a policy of liaison with other institutions involved in children's early education within the local community;

  iv. a policy on quality control, setting out arrangements for monitoring, evaluating and, as necessary, revising policies, procedures and practice;

b. a clear management structure responsible for devising and implementing policy;

c. an atmosphere in which every child and adult feels secure, valued and confident;

d. a broad, balanced and relevant curriculum which is appropriate to the social, emotional, spiritual and intellectual development of individual children, including those with special educational needs; which has the qualities of differentiation, continuity and progression; and which incorporates means of linking one form of provision to another;

e. an approach to learning, geared to the needs of young children, which emphasises first-hand experiences and which views play and talk as powerful mediums for learning; and which incorporates periods of time for sustained activity;

f. collaborative planning which is based upon systematic and regular observation-based assessment of children in all areas of development;

g. record-keeping which is built upon contributions from the educator, parent and child, and which feeds and supports children's learning;

h. appropriately trained and experienced educators with a knowledge of child development and curriculum, and the ability to structure and support young children's learning;

i. a staff development plan which assures educators of access to regular supervision, support and training, and enables the knowledge base of the team to be kept up to date;

j. a high ratio of educators to children;

k. a physical environment organised, with due regard to health and safety, to meet the needs of young children, with appropriate space, facilities and equipment.

14 The process of learning for the under fives
[pages 36 - 37]

4. Early years educators play a critical role in young children's learning. It is within their power to encourage feelings of fun and discovery in learning on the one hand, or of dull drudgery on the other. Attitudes and behaviour patterns established during the first years of life are central to future educational and social development. Particular attention has thus to be given in these early years to the process by which a child acquires the disposition to learn and necessary competencies for learning.

5. Those responsible for developing a curriculum for under fives therefore need to consider the skills, concepts and attitudes which will enable a child to make sense of what he or she knows about the world. It is evident that these are best nurtured through experience and practice. There is broad agreement among educators on what these elements comprise:

Skills may be described as the capacity or competency to perform a task or activity. The education of young children involves developing a wide range of skills. Many may be applied in a variety of contexts, and in learning to apply them children gain satisfaction and grow in confidence. Examples include social skills, practical and physical skills, communication skills, study skills and investigative skills.

Concepts are generalisations which help a child to classify, to organise knowledge and experiences, and to predict. Understanding and applying relevant concepts is an important part of the learning process. Examples of these include inside/outside, above/below, similar/different.

Attitudes are expressions of values and personal qualities which determine behaviour in a variety of situations. These include respect, tolerance, independence, perseverance and curiosity. Such may be fostered in the curriculum and in the general life of the school.

6. A sound curricular framework will allow for the interrelatedness of a child's varying experiences. Specifically it will emphasise what the child learns, how the child learns and with whose help, the progression of development, the context in which the learning takes place and the values and beliefs which are embedded within it.

7. In this light a series of propositions about the curriculum grouped into three areas are set out below.

a. Young children as learners:

• although all children follow sequential patterns of development, every child is unique;
• all children have competencies which need to be brought out and built upon;
• young children's learning should be embedded in what is familiar;
• play is an essential and rich part of the learning process;
• learning should be a pleasurable and rewarding experience;
• learning should be primarily first-hand, experiential and active. Young children need opportunities and space to explore and discover;
• young children are social beings and learning should take place in a social context;
• talk is central to the learning process. It should be reciprocal and often initiated and led by the child;
• children's independence and autonomy needs to be promoted. Children should be encouraged to take responsibility for their learning;
• self discipline should be encouraged;
• young children need the security of a daily routine which works for them;
• there should be opportunities to explore the unexpected;
• there should be opportunities for sustained engagement in an activity.

• young children need a broad, balanced and relevant curriculum;
• young children's development should be viewed as a whole and the curriculum should reflect an understanding of this;
• observation-based assessment is a key element in planning an appropriate curriculum for every child;
• the process of learning is as important as the content and needs careful consideration in curriculum planning;
• children need certain skills and concepts in order to make sense of, and apply, their knowledge and understanding;
• the development of positive attitudes to learning should be a specific aim;
• much knowledge can and should be presented in an integrated, cross-curricular way, depending on the children's experience;
• there should be continuity and progression; a coordinated approach to planning should be encouraged.

• for young children, every setting is a source of learning; the home is a particularly powerful learning environment;
• the content and setting of learning should as far as possible reflect the child's social and cultural background;
• the child should feel valued and a positive self-concept should be promoted which acknowledges the value of each child's cultural and religious life;
• the teaching environment should be open and accessible to the children;
• space for young children to move about and explore is essential;
• a variety of learning situations is important;
• certain facilities are essential for the education and care of young children, eg access to an outdoor play area, adjacent toilets, space;
• young children need equipment that is appropriate and promotes their learning;
• the learning environment should be 'user-friendly', secure, comfortable and stimulating;
• a child's growing social competence needs support;
• collaboration with parents in a child's learning is essential;
• all those involved in the learning process should be viewed as partners, and should collaborate in planning the curriculum;
• the role of the adult is highly significant in the learning process. A favourable ratio of adults to children is critical;
• all educators operate within the context of their own values, beliefs and attitudes. They should recognise that these may differ from those of the children they are educating;
• educators of young children need to be open-minded, evaluative, reflective and responsive.

15 Areas of learning and experience
[pages 37 - 46]

Constructing a curriculum for the under fives

9. In its report Educational Provision for the Under Fives ESAC reiterated the view of the White Paper Better Schools (1985) that the education of young children is founded in play. It also stated that 'although this principle for three and four year olds does not differ according to the form of provision that is being made, nor by the age of the children in the group, the perceptions of parents change'.

10. The introduction of the National Curriculum for children of statutory school age may affect considerably the perceptions of parents about the purposes of pre-school provision and the education of under fives in primary classes. Children from different settings embark on their compulsory schooling well prepared for the various requirements of the National Curriculum and may indeed have covered some of the early work. For example, most can listen attentively and respond to stories, and some can already read or write their names. It is clearly important to define, for parents and others, a curriculum for the under fives which enables children to develop their abilities, and also to set reasonable expectations of the different circumstances under which it is provided.

11. As ESAC also pointed out, 'it is not the form of provision alone which is likely to indicate its effectiveness but the degree to which it is set up and run in line with certain quality criteria'. Our purpose has been to focus upon such criteria for the curriculum for under fives. We consider that while some providers may be more able to offer better conditions for some things than others, all should be capable of offering a broad balanced curriculum which provides children with a successful bridge from home to school, promotes their all-round development and prepares them for later learning.

12. In Chapters 6 and 8 we draw attention to the importance of planning the curriculum for under fives and to the assessment and recording of children's achievements. All of this should be helpful to parents, serve the purposes of making activities responsive to the children's changing educational needs, and secure continuity and progression in the curriculum.

13. It is widely acknowledged that young children benefit from activities which bring together several areas of learning at the same time. This is apparent when they are learning from such activities as cooking, shopping and making things and in their indoor and outdoor play.

14. These integrated activities have a high value for promoting children's knowledge, skills and understanding in all aspects of the curriculum. Furthermore they engage children in cooperative and independent ways of working which help them to develop sound interpersonal skills and social relationships. Clearly, some activities have a higher value for integrated learning than others and some things may need to be taught more or less discretely for part of the time to help children acquire the particular skills and competence they need to accomplish a task. For example, adults often teach children how to use tools such as handsaw or scissors, or to mix colours to best effect, after an appropriate time has been given for them to write numbers or form letters and write their names.

15. Good practice owes much to the interplay between the effective planning of the educational activities and the informed judgements of the adults who function as teachers in responding to the children's learning. With young children, effective planning and teaching is also receptive to new interests and sufficiently flexible to cope with changes in both the pace and the direction of learning as they show what they can do and understand.

16. It is important, too, for the adults to ensure that girls and boys have a fair share of opportunities and access to all aspects of learning and experience throughout the curriculum irrespective of the type of provision through which it is made available.

17. What follows are some broad guidelines for informing planning for those involved in constructing a programme for the under fives. These cover the areas of learning and experience referred to in Chapter 5. In each case there are brief examples of work which illustrate some of the important skills, understanding and knowledge within an area; for example mathematics, and describe some cross-curricular elements within the activity.

Aesthetic and creative

18. Art, craft, design, music, dance and drama promote the development of young children's imagination and their ability to use media and materials creatively and to begin to appreciate beauty and fitness for purpose.

19. From an early age children enjoy and respond to sensory experience. They explore and experiment with materials, making patterns, pictures and models; they make sounds and music; they engage in role-play and drama; and make up mimes and movement sequences. They also listen to music, sometimes responding rhythmically, sometimes quietly entranced; they listen to poems, songs and rhymes learning to appreciate the sounds and rhythms of the words; they look at pictures and other works of art, at buildings and bridges and begin to develop their aesthetic awareness and understanding.

20. Children under 5 should have access to a wide variety of materials and activities and be encouraged to develop skills and to express their ideas and understanding in many ways. Adults play an important part in helping children to refine and extend their skills by:

• talking with them about their work;
• encouraging them to look and listen carefully and to observe detail;
• teaching them how to use tools skilfully and safely;
• encouraging them to experiment and, ultimately, to select appropriate media and materials for the work in hand;
• helping them combine materials to achieve a satisfactory outcome.

22. Young children's musical abilities will also develop when they have regular opportunities to learn a repertoire of rhymes and songs and listen to a range of music.

23. Some experiences offer rich opportunities for children to use and extend their aesthetic and creative abilities. The following example is from a nursery:

24. Experiences of this kind contribute to other areas of learning and experience, not least those of language and technology. They also help children to make judgements about the work of others and to learn more about the characteristics of various media such as paint and sound.

Human and social

25. For young children human and social learning and experience is concerned with people, both now and in the past, and how and where they live. It is the earliest stage in the development of skills and ideas necessary to the understanding of history and geography.

26. Young children are naturally interested in people, in their families and homes and the community in which they live. From an early age they are aware of the work that members of their families do and often reflect this in their role-play. Adults can help children to gain greater understanding of the lives of others by providing appropriate resources for such play. Learning through play, and through other experiences such as visits to various workplaces, about the lives of shopkeepers, nurses, doctors, police officers and others provides an important foundation for the later understanding of the interdependence of communities.

27. Many young children are curious about the past. They are interested in old objects; in what things were like when their parents, teachers and helpers were children; and in what they were like as babies.

28. Adults can help satisfy this curiosity, and in so doing help children to develop a sense of time and change, by providing collections of artefacts from bygone days; inviting older people to tell the children about their early lives; and by talking about events in their own lives and those of the children and their families. Experiences such as that described later in the section on spiritual and moral learning do much to help such understanding.

29. Carefully chosen poems and stories can also help children to develop an understanding of people and events in different times and places. Well-illustrated picture story books with text that is free from gender and racial stereotyping help children to appreciate and respect ethnic and cultural differences.

30. The following example is typical of the work that takes place on the theme of 'myself and my family' in many pre-school settings:

31. Children are deeply interested and gain great pleasure as well as increased understanding from such experiences that have their roots in the lives of their families, in their homes, in the community and in their own early life.

Language and literacy

32. For the purposes of planning language activities, this fundamentally important area of the curriculum for the under fives may be usefully sub-divided into four modes: speaking, listening, reading and writing.

33. Most children will be adept speakers and listeners by the time they enter pre-school provision. Many will be familiar with favourite stories read to them at home. They will have learned nursery rhymes and TV jingles. Some may be able to recognise their own name in print and be capable of writing it or making marks on paper which closely resemble words. A few children may be capable of reading and writing simple sentences.

34. By contrast some children may be less advanced in these respects on entry to pre-school provision. They may be reluctant to communicate with adults and, as yet, unable to listen attentively even for short periods of time. Their speech may be limited to far fewer words than many others of the same age. Some children will be competent speakers of a language other than English and they will need skilful help to master English while retaining their mother tongue language.

35. Given the wide range of differences in their performance on entry to pre-school provision those who teach them will need to assess the children's existing competence for the purpose of planning a language programme with continuity and progression in mind.

36. Adults working with under fives are well placed to observe and record their responses on a day to day basis and to judge their language needs accordingly. For children of this age the balance of language activities across the four modes is likely to be weighted in favour of speaking and listening. This is achieved on a one-to-one basis between a child and an adult, through language activities in small groups and sometimes between an adult and all, or nearly all, the children in a whole class or playgroup. For example, a good story read by an adult from a well illustrated book may engage the attention of a whole group or class. In these circumstances, although the children may be at very different levels of language competence, well chosen literature enables the adult to link the spoken and the written word in a context of high interest and to fire the children's imagination. In this way experience is shared and listening and speaking are intensified. Similar outcomes stem from common experiences provided, for example, in singing, moving to music or from visits to places of interest.

37. Effective groupwork is a powerful means of developing children's language. Children need to talk with adults and each other about their experiences. They need opportunities to plan, to question and to answer; to recall and to report, to reason and to reflect. They benefit greatly from experiencing how adults use language well as a stimulus and model for their own spoken language. They also need to extend their early knowledge of print in the home and elsewhere through seeing their speech recorded, through using writing materials and sharing books with adults and each other. In these ways they begin to understand that print has meaning and that reading is an important and pleasurable activity, and some will develop early writing skills.

38. The following example of effective language work with under fives is from a nursery class:

39. In work with under fives nearly all activities offer opportunities for developing children's language. Indeed, the development of children's language abilities at this age relies on making the most of opportunities and well-timed interventions in their play as well as planning activities which have more predictable language outcomes.

Mathematics

40. Young children's experiences provide a ready basis for learning mathematical ideas. Regular events such as climbing stairs, preparing meals, singing nursery rhymes, shopping, and travelling by bus or car, provide early opportunities for children to learn to count and use mathematical symbols. For example, some children aged two can answer 'How many fish fingers do you want?' with an appropriate response - 'Lots', 'None', 'Two'. Using words and other symbols to convey ideas of quantity is important to children's early mathematical experience. The gradual transition from the use of words such as 'lots', 'big', 'heavy' to more precise mathematical vocabulary in correct contexts 'we need 100 grams of flour' - is an important competence that young children begin to acquire in pre-school provision.

41. For the purposes of extending their mathematical experiences learning can be planned within five broad areas: shape; space and position; patterns and relationships; comparison (measures); and numeracy. The relationship between practical activity and the development of an appropriate language to support the understanding of mathematical ideas is central to this area of the curriculum.

42. All children need to learn a variety of mathematical concepts and processes if they are to understand and appreciate relationships and patterns in both shape and number; and to describe them clearly and precisely. An important element of young children's mathematical development is the exploration of everyday materials and equipment. Through using materials such as bricks, boxes and construction kits, children develop basic ideas of shape, space and position. When adults share and discuss these experiences using appropriate mathematical terminology, young children readily learn to refer confidently, for example, to edges, corners, surfaces and elevation.

43. In their play with toys such as cars, farm animals or pegboards, children often show a detailed awareness of order and pattern. They sort by colour, shape, size or other features, and often impose pattern and symmetry on their completed arrangements. By talking about the patterns the children make, the adults can help them to understand relationships such as longer and shorter, top and bottom, or right and left. The ability to seek and recognise patterns and relationships is important to mathematical competence.

44. As children refine their ideas of shape and size they inevitably learn to make comparisons, to appreciate simple measures and recognise the need for quantification. Common activities such as baking provide numerous opportunities for children to develop and use ideas of measurement. Similarly, sand and water play give children experiences of weight, length, capacity and area.

45. Many young children are very familiar with numbers and their symbols, often through learning nursery and number rhymes such as '1, 2, 3, 4, 5, once I caught a fish alive' or 'Five little speckled frogs'. They see numbers on buses, cars, doors, clocks and timers, in shops and supermarkets. They like to count stairs and steps. Adults help them to establish one to one correspondence by providing other opportunities for counting and matching such as setting the table or playing simple games such as dominoes and lotto.

46. The following is an example of effective mathematical activity with a group of under fives:

47. Thus a great deal of valuable experience and learning can be given to children before the age of five which establishes early confidence and competence in mathematics and provides a sound basis for progress.

Physical

48. The area of physical learning and experience for young children is concerned with developing manipulative and motor skills, physical control, coordination and mobility. It involves knowledge of how the body works and establishes positive attitudes towards a healthy and active way of life.

49. Young children usually show great interest in increasing their own physical skills and often exploit opportunities adventurously. Effective pre-school provision builds on these trends through indoor and outdoor activities that are safe while encouraging the children to respond confidently to physical challenges.

50. A successful programme for under fives provides opportunities for the development of:

• increasingly fine control through the use of large and small equipment; learning to use paint brushes, pens, pencils and other tools safely and with increasing precision, and modelling and construction materials with increasing dexterity and skill;
• control, coordination and mobility through opportunities to climb, run, jump, hop, skip, swing and balance; to manipulate large toys, building blocks, planks, steps, plastic crates and the like; and to respond physically to stimuli such as sounds, songs, music and stories;
• an understanding of how to keep healthy through, for example, eating sensibly, caring for teeth and hair and engaging in physical activity.

52. The following example of well planned and resourced play promoted physical learning and experience for under fives in a nursery class:

53. Opportunities to develop physical skills and understanding are inherent in most of the activities of young children. Adults need to see that the provision offers a good range and balance of physical demands. They also need to guard against certain resources for physical education, such as large scale climbing frames and craft tools, becoming the exclusive domain of boys. On the other hand they may need to ensure that activities such as home play are not dominated by girls.

Science

54. Well before the age of five, most children show interest in a wide range of biological and physical phenomena. For example, they are easily engaged in play with sand and water. They mix colours and investigate the properties of materials. They quickly learn that some materials are hard and others are soft, some are flexible and others are rigid. They notice that heat changes things, that ice melts and that light comes from different sources such as wax candles and electric bulbs. They take delight in caring for living things and watching how animals and plants behave. They watch the action of automatic washing machines and microwave cooking. Many will see their parents and older brothers and sisters using pocket calculators and home computers, and possibly be encouraged to do so themselves.

55. In short, for young children, as for others, the world of science and technology is inescapable. Successful pre-school provision builds upon children's early scientific interests and experiences by introducing practical activities which enable them to use all their senses to observe carefully, notice patterns, predict outcomes and test their ideas. Throughout these activities opportunities for discussion, questioning and recording by drawing, painting and modelling are crucially important for helping young children towards early understanding of science and to begin to work scientifically.

56. Much of the learning and experience in science in these early stages stems from helping children to observe and describe everyday events, to notice the sequences in which things occur and the effects that take place when one or more element in a situation is changed. Much valuable learning of this kind can be developed through the resources commonly found in good pre-school provision such as the materials available to the children in the example above. An effective programme will include a balance of physical and biological science activities.

Spiritual and moral

57. Most children have the support of caring families through which they are helped to develop self confidence and an understanding of right and wrong. Some, however, are less fortunate and will have undergone abnormally stressful, emotional and social experiences in their family lives that hinder their development.

58. Effective provision for the spiritual and moral areas of learning and experience is concerned with developing understanding about the significance and quality of human life and the formation of social and personal values. It secures an ethos in which under fives can reconcile social and emotional conflicts and build good interpersonal relationships.

59. By the age of three or four, most children will have taken part in celebrations and ceremonies such as birthdays and marriages. Some will have joined in religious celebrations such as Christmas, Divali, Eid-ul-Fitr or Hanukkah and be aware of the rituals or special foods associated with them. Some may come from homes where prayers and readings from religious literature are everyday events. Festivals often provide valuable opportunities for under fives to share celebrations with parents and other members of the community. Through these events children hear religious language, take part in role play and drama, and begin to gain some understanding of the importance of religion in people's lives.

60. Children's experiences in their immediate and extended families provide a basis from which the adults working with under fives can help them to explore ideas, for example of fairness, forgiveness, sharing, dependence and independence. Everyday educational activities, including the use of stories, rhymes and songs, enable children to work cooperatively and to take responsibility for their own actions.

61. Developing respect for others, for themselves, for other living things and for their surroundings are important basic elements in this area of the curriculum which good social relationships in pre-school provision can do much to establish.

62. Children's self esteem is profoundly influenced by the regard in which they are held by others and the way they are treated in day to day activities. A sense of personal worth can be encouraged through conversation or practical activities related for example to the use of the senses, or the expression of likes and dislikes which explore similarities and differences between the children themselves and others. Children are helped to understand how people and things change and influence their own and the lives of others. The way in which adults respond to the events in children's lives and help other children to benefit from them is illustrated in the following:

Technology

63. As with science, young children will meet technology in many forms before they enter pre-school provision. In their homes they are likely to have used the remote control to switch on the television or video; they may have seen microwave ovens, digital clocks and push-button telephones; and they may have played with calculators or used computers for games or even simple educational programs. Effective pre-school provision takes account of the children's interest in such equipment and develops it through the provision made for imaginative and investigative play including telephones, programmable toys and remote control cars. In some instances the children's experience of music is extended through the use of simple electronic keyboards. With careful guidance some children are able to use computers in their pre-school group. Some see their cakes baked in a microwave oven and help to set the controls. All of these experiences develop their physical dexterity and further their interest in, and understanding of, technology.

64. The closeness of science and many aspects of technology is only too obvious. However, the two essential elements of technology that ought to feature in the curriculum in the early years are designing and making activities. Wherever possible children should be encouraged to respond creatively to design problems and develop an interest in improving what they have made.

65. The aesthetic elements of designing need to be considered so that children are encouraged to make things which are not only functional but also artistically appealing and elegant within the scope of their capabilities.

66. Young children's play often involves them in designing and making things, some of which like sandcastles are short lived while others may be more permanent structures such as houses made from blocks or cars made from boxes. Much designing at this stage involves trial and error. For example, young children often construct things crudely from basic materials such as two sticks taped together to make an aeroplane that owes far more to imagination than precision engineering.

67. Development in this area of the curriculum relies heavily upon a wide range of appropriate resources being available so that the children can select materials according to purpose and experiment with different ways of solving design problems. Much can be achieved through the use of low-cost scrap materials. However, these alone are usually too limited and should be supplemented by more sophisticated materials which offer children the opportunities to fix together wheels and axles, join structures with large and small scale nuts and bolts and use simple gear arrangements and tools, as the following example illustrates.

68. In addition to refining their skills in designing and making the crane the children learned how to negotiate with each other, to reason and to think logically. Such activities will offer rich opportunities for children to develop skills, knowledge and understanding across many areas of learning and experience. It is important for adults to ensure through their planning and resourcing of a programme of integrated work, and through their involvement in it that children learn from these experiences.

16 Adults working with the under fives and their families
[page 47]

69. The extent to which adults working with the under fives and their families possess different areas of knowledge and understanding, skills and attitudes will vary according to the role of the worker and the training they have received. Given the differences in type, quality, level and aims of training courses, those working with under fives may be well-qualified in certain aspects but less familiar with others. The following set of summary statements outlines attributes which a group of adults working in an educational setting should possess in order to provide a high-quality educational experience:

Knowledge and understanding

• understanding of the way young children learn;
• understanding the range and importance of play in the education of the young child;
• understanding of the way children acquire language;
• understanding of what is necessary to ensure the provision of quality experiences;
• understanding of the varying roles of adults working with young children and the crucial nature of the role of parents as first educators;
• understanding of factors affecting ease of transition and continuity of experience and ability to employ strategies to avoid discontinuity;
• knowledge of the range of provision, services and contexts in which under fives may be educated;
• knowledge and understanding of the needs and characteristics of young children;
• knowledge of the earlier experiences of children, their home circumstances and any special educational needs;
• curriculum knowledge and understanding of appropriate experience for under fives and ability to relate this to National Curriculum requirements;
• knowledge of recent research and understanding of its implications in relation to the provision of quality experiences for young children.

• the development of particular skills, interest and expertise in a subject or curriculum area and awareness of appropriate strategies for work with young children;
• skill in planning and implementing the curriculum in order to ensure breadth, balance and continuity with the National Curriculum;
• organisational skills and strategies for effective learning;
• observational skills and effective recording, monitoring and assessment of the curriculum;
• interactive and communication skills - child/child, child/adult;
• management and leadership skills;
• skills in collaborative working, including working with parents and with other professionals;
• skill and ability to provide, or facilitate the provision of, equal opportunities for all under fives notwithstanding differences of race, gender and educational need.

• high expectations of children and self;
• genuine liking for, and sensitivity towards, children and readiness to value them as people in their own right;
• respect for, and appreciation of, the contribution of other adults - parents, colleagues and other professionals;
• a commitment to develop a partnership with parents - with a shared sense of purpose, mutual respect and a willingness to negotiate.