The Same... or Different? 'Comparing Early Years Practice in China and England'

This paper looks at similarities and difference in early years policy and practices in China and England. The work of Tobin et al (1989; 2009) is the most significant study into early years provision in China. My research is more recent and the result of several visits over four years; the range and time scale of the research resulting in greater confidence in reviewing the consistency of practice. Campbell-Barr has researched extensively into the impact of human capital and neo-liberal policy on the early years. An anthropological framework is used to explore the response of two very different cultures to the emerging early years market. An ethno-methodological approach is adopted resulting from a phenomenological/interpretist perspective. It is significantly based on observed practice; semi-structured interviews and informal discussions explored through discourse analysis. Data was collected during 25 separate visits to 18 different Chinese settings. The resulting Case Study provided a detailed comparison of two settings of a similar size; one from the UK and one from China. It was important to ensure that informed consent was gained from all participants/gatekeepers and translation of data was accurate/fair. Written permission was gained from staff; parents received information sheets with the right to withdraw being articulated. ‘Happy’ and ‘Sad’ posters were used to reflect children’s consent/voice for filming/photographs. Confidentiality protocols were followed and early years practitioners translated written documents/interview transcripts into Chinese/English. Possible implications of this research will be; the effect of changing demographics and parental expectations as a result of China’s one child policy, challenges facing both countries in developing a well-trained early years workforce; The effectiveness of different practices on children’s long-term achievement.