From our own correspondent: play in practice in Northern Ireland primary schools: progress and pitfalls

ABSTRACT

Since the Education Reform Order in 1989, the majority of children in Northern Ireland have been obliged to commence primary schooling at the age of four, the earliest statutory school starting age in Europe and perhaps across the globe. Therefore, while their European counterparts have been enjoying a play-based experience and all of the benefits associated with it, young children in Northern Ireland pre-2007 were required to follow a Curriculum which focused too heavily on subject-content and much too early on academic achievement, detracting from the holistic learning opportunities that are most associated with a high quality playful pedagogy in practice. Concerns about the appropriateness of this formal curriculum for young children, led to the introduction of a more play-based curriculum, known as the Foundation Stage, which became statutory for all Year 1 children (4–5 year olds) in Northern Ireland in September 2007 and then all Year 2 children (5–6 year olds) in September 2008. It is against this backdrop that this paper has been written with the intention of detailing the journey of such a play-based curriculum in practice over the past 10/12 years, reporting not only on the progress made, but the pitfalls encountered along the way. The paper will end with key projections as to the way forward.

KEYWORDS:

• Play
• Learning
• Curriculum
• Professional Development
• Northern Ireland

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Glenda Walsh

Dr Glenda Walsh is Head of Early Years Education and Assistant Director of the Centre for Research in Educational Underachievement at Stranmillis University College, a College of Queen's University, Belfast. Her areas of expertise focus on play and playful pedagogies both in early childhood and primary education. She has been involved in many research studies such as the longitudinal evaluation of the Early Years Enriched Curriculum project which has guided the course of the Foundation Stage of the revised Northern Ireland Primary Curriculum and she also headed up a major project on examining pedagogy for the Department of Education in the Republic of Ireland. Her book, journal articles and book chapters reflect her interest in curriculum and pedagogy, focusing in particular on resolving the dilemmas associated with play as learning in practice.