Our Early Years Principles
10 Principles of Early Years Education at the Ely and Caerau Integrated Children's Centre
Tina Bruce, Early Childhood Education, 2015 (5th edition), Hodder Education: London
![](/_site/data/files/users/4906FD22F8CB91F2169003BD5AF4B96F.jpg)
Principle 1
The best way to prepare children for adult life is to allow them to be children.
![](/_site/data/files/users/006778C646608D4D8B511CC29D5D55F0.jpg)
Principle 2
Children are whole people who have feelings, ideas and relationships with others and who need to be physically, mentally, morally and spiritually healthy.
![](/_site/data/files/users/51290A028BE313C21662848FEE21EF7F.jpg)
Principle 3
Subjects such as Mathematics and art cannot be separated; young children learn in integrated ways and not neat, tidy compartments.
![](/_site/data/files/users/AC61204BCBB898C0F98AE3FE6871DB7A.jpg)
Principle 4
Children learn best when they are given appropriate responsibility, allowed to make errors, decisions and choices, and respected as autonomous learners.
![](/_site/data/files/users/CE505E4E87B5E0FE525952FD3A7AF8E6.jpg)
Principle 5
Self-discipline is emphasised. Indeed, this is the only kind of discipline worth having. Reward systems are very short-term and do not work long-term. Children need their efforts to be valued.
![](/_site/data/files/users/E89ADBA5AADCE5A8F929A64F52617549.jpg)
Principle 6
There are times when children are especially able to learn particular things.
![](/_site/data/files/users/33828BA9A46BD564766D4EAC75AE7196.jpg)
Principle 7
What children can do (rather than what they cannot do) is the starting point of a child's education.
![](/_site/data/files/users/FC524F7CC64E145306C24ABE64FDD950.jpg)
Principle 8
Imagination, creativity and all kinds of symbolic behaviour (reading, writing, drawing, dancing, music, mathematical number, algebra, role play and talking) develop and emerge when conditions are favourable.
![](/_site/data/files/users/1C3DE1BB6FFA515F11757043B2CF525F.jpg)
Principle 9
Relationships with other people, both adults and children, are of central importance in a child's life.
![](/_site/data/files/users/5878712EC9CA8CDDF2A61214451DC659.jpg)
Principle 10
Quality education is about three things: the child, the context in which learning takes place and the knowledge and understanding which the child develops and learns.