Chris Reading
Committee Clerk
Education and Life Long Learning Committee
The National Assembly for Wales
Cardiff bay
Cardiff CF99 1NA Dear Chris

Policy Review: School of the Future

Further to your request for contributions to the above review. Play Wales / Chwarae Cymru is the national organisation for children's play in Wales; an independent charity funded by the Welsh Assembly Government. Our aim is to increase awareness and understanding of the critical importance of play to children’s development. It our belief, that play which is freely chosen, personally directed and intrinsically motivated is vital in a child’s development. The detail of this concept, and how the playworker might facilitate the process of play, has been developed in "The First Claim . . . a framework for quality assessment" published by Play Wales in 2001. Our role is to influence the policy, strategic planning and practice of national and local government. We work with all agencies and organisations that have an interest in, and a responsibility for children's play, as well as those whose decisions have an impact on children’s play. We promote high quality play provision for all children, and provide support for all aspects of staffed playwork, playground development and maintenance, and the development of playwork education and training. Our services include advice and consultancy on training, playground design and playground management; seminars and conferences; support for the continued development of staffed adventure play provision; playground inspections and risk assessment; an expert witness service for playground-related issues; a newsletter for all involved in play in Wales; a website (www.playwales.org.uk); a play reference library and information service; practical support for organisations wishing to provide for children’s play needs; and developing pioneering materials to improve the quality and understanding of playwork theory and practice. In our work to promote play we encounter a wide range of responses from adults, including teachers, in the main determined, I believe by their respective childhood experiences of play. It appears that those who benefited from the widest range of opportunities for self-directed play are those who most recognise the importance and value of those experiences. Unfortunately with the changing environment those opportunities for play are diminishing at an ever-increasing rate and we would argue that there is an opportunity for schools in the early years to play a significant part in compensating for the reduction in this opportunity for play. Particularly given that schools are ‘about learning’. In a world that at present is shall we say, particularly outcome orientated a child at play might be seen as engaging in apparently aimless activity with no immediately identifiable outcome. However, on the contrary that child, as it plays is engaged in the most important learning of all; learning that is self directed and progressive and directly focused upon that child’s particular needs. Whilst recognising that effective early years teachers use the child’s desire to play as a vehicle for teaching, we are aware that the content and outcome of this process is determined by adults, government etc. to meet an external agenda – not the child’s. We believe that children, particularly in their early years need opportunities to pursue their personal agenda, and that by facilitating that process we can contribute to children’s development, as they grow to see themselves as successful learners, capable both intellectually, emotionally and physically. Thus in so far as schools are about learning we would argue that this should be viewed in the broadest context to include the self directed learning of children’s play. The Welsh Assembly Government in its Play Policy commits itself to delivery of "compensatory play". That is to say the provision of play opportunities that in some way compensate for the loss of a natural environment where children can play free from traffic and the constraints imposed by for example urban parks principally designed for adults. The present review provides an opportunity to consider how schools, particularly their play fields are most effectively utilised for children’s learning, and contribute to that process of compensatory play. Many school play fields whilst giving dedicated space for football, rugby, etc. pitches have much undeveloped flat space which is periodically mowed, that provides no additional play opportunities than the playing pitches. Were this space developed as for example in some of Norway’s schools to provide a range of opportunities for children to play and experience opportunities for appropriate risk and challenge, it would represent an increased investment in children’s learning needs. Similarly most school playgrounds are nothing short of barren wildernesses that in no way reflect the learning ethos of schools. There are many examples throughout Europe, of how playgrounds can be creatively developed to provide a wide range of play opportunities for children that provide opportunities for learning progression. Within the school itself, rather than teachers utilising the early years child’s innate drive to play, for external goals, it is essential that the child’s self directed learning is supported. This means, simply put that children in their early years in school should be provided with all the opportunities for play in order that they might learn and develop through play as they are genetically programmed to do. I might reflect on the reception class teacher who complained because the 4 year old boys would not sit down and pay attention. This is not because they don’t "want" to, it is because they "can’t". It is an inappropriate behaviour that does not meet their respective developmental needs - in fact we know that it actually inhibits their development. There are many children that are being failed by the current system because the process of didactic teaching employed in schools today, as it was 50 years ago, does not take account of the widely accepted theories of multiple intelligences and preferential learning styles. Rather than develop this argument at this point I would suggest that the Assembly Government consider exploring in detail how modern learning theories might improve the educational experience for all children at school contributing to the process of preparing them, appropriately for a modern world. In order that the above argument is better informed I have attached edited extract of a paper that provides the rationale for the Welsh Assembly Government’s Play Policy, which uses what scientific knowledge there is to make the argument for children’s play. I trust that if you need additional information or elaboration of any of the above, you will not hesitate to contact me. My apologies for tardiness of this response. Yours sincerely Mike Greenaway Director