New understandings can be bought to bear on ever-improving early years practice. The new opportunities at Glyndwr University ('Nursery on site for study', 24 March) to do this will no doubt become a valued resource.
However, did an ethical explanation get lost in the writing of the report? It explains that parents have been involved and the setting is nationally regulated. but what about the children? Is this move to observe children through a glass panel as if they were animals in a zoo perhaps a step too far?
There's always a debate surrounding research with children - one which involves consent and their competence. There's also a connected ongoing discussion about obse
rving children. The rights agenda has moved some way over the past two decades and young children now, where humanly possible, have an entitlement to be 'in the know' and asked.
There seems to be no mention of this critical element, especially as children will be unknowingly studied through 'three one-way vision panels'. The justification for this, when aligned with children's rights, seems weak. One reason given is that children 'tend to respond differently when they know they are being watched'. Any early years practitioner will relate to the privileged position one has when observing children. Being among the children allows you to get to the heart of the their play. Part of the joy is sharing this with children and answering their questions as they peer at your writings.
Observing children is at the centre of highquality early years practice, using observations to improve practice, is vital - but not more so than making children feel valued and included. To do this, children need to be made fully aware of and involved in the process.
