Nursery World - All about... independence

Independence can mean self-care, seeking out learning and taking risks, says early years consultant Wendy Scott Western cultures value individuality highly, and our system of education and care can do much to promote personal independence. The recent national focus on citizenship emerges from a growing awareness of the need to educate an informed electorate, able to recognise and withstand pressures to conform. The sophistication of modern communications means that it is both more complex and more necessary for each of us to develop the ability to judge the merits of different arguments so that we can make a positive contribution to society, as advocated in Every Child Matters.

Western cultures value individuality highly, and our system of education and care can do much to promote personal independence. The recent national focus on citizenship emerges from a growing awareness of the need to educate an informed electorate, able to recognise and withstand pressures to conform. The sophistication of modern communications means that it is both more complex and more necessary for each of us to develop the ability to judge the merits of different arguments so that we can make a positive contribution to society, as advocated in Every Child Matters.

One of the principles underpinning the Foundation Stage emphasises enabling children to make independent choices as an aspect of equal opportunities.

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