An exploratory case study: children’s comparative play access in English and Welsh classrooms

ABSTRACT

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989) stipulates children's right to play. General Comment No. 17 (2013) also emphasises the importance of play as a medium for learning. This comparative case study explored children's experiences of accessing play through curriculum delivery in two United Kingdom countries, England and Wales, where curricula place comparative emphasis on play. The study used observations of sixteen five- to seven-year-olds and interviews with two teachers. Both teachers valued play for enjoyment and engagement, and reflected on the experiences and beliefs impacting their teaching. Implications are discussed in relation to factors that facilitate or inhibit children's access to play within curricula. The study calls for further research on the impact of recent Welsh policy and legislation on children's opportunities for play in school, and what could be learnt from this in terms of pedagogy and playfulness in an English or other context.

KEYWORDS:

• Children’s rights
• right to play
• curriculum
• pedagogy

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1 An independent, non-ministerial government department, responsible for inspecting and regulating education, training and care settings for children and young people in England.

2 Eligibility for free school meals is widely used as a proxy for socio-economic status amongst academic research and within Government policy in England and Wales.

Additional information

Funding

This research was supported by the Department for Education, UK Government ITEP award 2015-2018.

Notes on contributors

Natasha Goodhall

Natasha Goodhall trained as an educational psychologist on the Doctorate in Educational and Child Psychology programme at the University of Manchester, UK, and is now employed by Salford City Council.

Cathy Atkinson

Cathy Atkinson is Curriculum Director of the Doctorate in Educational and Child Psychology programme at the University of Manchester, UK and a practising educational psychologist. Other research interests include motivation, adolescent literacy, therapeutic approaches and professional supervision.