Click on the following links. Please note these will open in a new window.

UNICEF
This website offers an abundance of information relevant to childhood across the globe.

OECD – Starting Strong III – A Quality Toolbox for Early Childhood Education and Care
An excellent insight into what types of support help children in their early years.

Activity

View the YouTube video, Early Years Education: Sweden Versus the UK Part 1 (of 3): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ecinNaR32Qs and then consider the following:

1. What are the key differences between early years education in the UK and Sweden?
    
2. Why might so many parents and policy decision makers in the UK feel that their children need to start learning to read and write before starting school?
    
3. Do parents feel they put their children at a disadvantage if they do not have them reading by the time they start school at age 5?
    
4. Do teachers in primary schools judge intelligence by children’s ability to read and if so, is this an accurate way of judging children’s intellectual functioning?