Previous edition: 2008.

Includes bibliographical references (pages 180-196) and indexes.

pt. 1. A short history of early childhood education. The legacy of history : Early childhood education in the UK: a brief history ; Foundation stones: some key figures whose work has influenced thinking and development of provision for young children -- Into the twenty-first century: twenty-five years of policy change : Understanding recent history: 1988-2013 ; Into the future, learning from the past -- pt. 2. The pioneers: their lives and works. Socrates -- Jan Amos Komensky (Comenius) -- Jean-Jacques Rousseau -- Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi -- Robert Owen -- Friedrich Froebel -- Charles Dickens -- Charlotte Mason -- Rudolf Steiner -- Sigmund Freud -- Rachel McMillan -- John Dewey -- Margaret McMillan -- Maria Montessori -- Alexander Sutherland Neill (A.S. Neill) -- Susan Sutherland Isaacs -- Louis Christian Schiller -- Lev Semyonovich Vygotsky -- Donald Woods Winnicott -- Jean Piaget -- Erik Erikson -- Carl Rogers -- Robin Tanner -- Burrhus Fredrick Skinner -- Sir Alexander Bradshaw Clegg (Alec Clegg) -- Loris Malaguzzi -- Chris Athey -- pt. 3. Talking of early childhood education: nine conversations. 1. So, who needs history? / Peter Clough and Cathy Nutbrown -- 2. Why early childhood education? / Robert Owen and Cathy Nutbrown -- 3. What motivates young children to learn? / Susan Sutherland Isaacs with Peter Clough -- 4. How do young children learn? / Johann Heinrich Pestolozzi, Jean Piaget and Friedrich Froebel -- 5. A policy of creativity / Alec Clegg with Peter Clough -- 6. Looking back to 'education' and 'care' ... challenging current policy through history / Susan Isaacs, Maria Montessori and Margaret McMillan -- 7. Literacy in the early years: a pedagogy of patience? / Rudolf Steiner with Cathy Nutbrown -- 8. Children's rights and early learning / Charlotte Mason with Cathy Nutbrown -- 9. From God and church to awe and wonder: spirituality and creativity in early childhood education / Cathy Nutbrown with Peter Clough -- pt. 4. Linking the past with the present. Children's rights -- The arts and creativity -- Literacy -- Play, learning and pedagogy -- Early intervention -- Home learning and parental involvement in early education -- Inclusion -- Professional development and training.