One of the students featured in our 2021 edition of FIELDS is Olivia Tumini from the School of Education and Professional Development. We asked Olivia to talk to her about her research:

This article focuses on the child’s perspectives of their preschool provision. Examining how the child’s voice is recognised and facilitated within their Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC). The 2017 Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) is the statutory framework which underpins early years practice, advocating for provision that is inclusive, child-centred and driven by the child’s best interests. However, increasing pressures on standards and results inflicted by educational polices, has led to the escalation of formal practices and adult-initiated learning within ECEC, disrespecting and disregarding the child’s voice. This study highlights the tensions between the incoherent styles of provision instructed by the frameworks and educational polices as well as how the child’s voice is considered and facilitated. The main findings of this research imply the areas of provision that are most significant to the children are; play and imagination, friendships and socialisation, and the home environment and role models. Which question if the increasing formal practices, dominating current early years provision, respect and value the child’s voice.

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