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Nationally Prescribed Curricula and Early Childhood Education: The English Experience and Australian Comparisons—Identifying the Rhetoric and the Reality!

Working in Australia for a short period enabled the writer to make a number of comparisons between the National Curriculum established in England since 1989 and the statements contained within the National Agenda for Curriculum Reform in Australia. The impact of such curriculum reform upon well respected early childhood practices has caused much concern in the UK with many experienced people speaking out strongly against the perceived downward pressures upon under five's practitioners. Areas of particular concern have been those associated with a heavily subject-dominated curriculum and highly formalised assessment arrangements beginning with seven-year-olds. This paper considers some of the rhetoric and reality which underpins both country's curriculum reforms and offers suggestions to Australian early childhood educators as to the issues which are likely to require from them, over the next few months and years, a clear and sound articulation of quality early childhood practice.