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Early childhood education – a unique and quasi-hidden curriculum.

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Title: Early childhood education – a unique and quasi-hidden curriculum.
Authors: Campbell-Barr, Verity1 (AUTHOR) verity.campbell-barr@plymouth.ac.uk
Source: European Early Childhood Education Research Journal. Aug2026, Vol. 34 Issue 4, p571-583. 13p.
Subject Terms: *Curriculum, *Early childhood education, *Play-based learning, *Child development, *Student-centered learning, *Curriculum change
Abstract: This paper considers the complexities and debates surrounding the concept of curriculum in Early Childhood Education (ECE). The paper highlights the tension between traditional, structured curriculum models found in schooling and the more flexible, child-centred and play-based approaches advocated in ECE. Starting from the premise that curriculum theory in ECE is underdeveloped, the discussion draws on Bernstein's Pedagogic Device to provide a theoretical framework with which to analyse how knowledge is produced and recontextualised in ECE in both the official (state) and pedagogic field. Central to the recontextualisation are theories of child development and how they provide an underlying course of study for ECE curriculum. While the official recontextualising field is critiqued for a focus on developmental goals, the child-centred philosophies of the pedagogic recontextualising field create a hidden curriculum, with implicit symbolic systems (e.g. language, resources, the environment) providing signals to children as to what is expected of them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of European Early Childhood Education Research Journal is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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  Data: Early childhood education – a unique and quasi-hidden curriculum.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Campbell-Barr%2C+Verity%22">Campbell-Barr, Verity</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> verity.campbell-barr@plymouth.ac.uk</i>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22European+Early+Childhood+Education+Research+Journal%22">European Early Childhood Education Research Journal</searchLink>. Aug2026, Vol. 34 Issue 4, p571-583. 13p.
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  Data: *<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Curriculum%22">Curriculum</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Early+childhood+education%22">Early childhood education</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Play-based+learning%22">Play-based learning</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Child+development%22">Child development</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Student-centered+learning%22">Student-centered learning</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Curriculum+change%22">Curriculum change</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
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  Data: This paper considers the complexities and debates surrounding the concept of curriculum in Early Childhood Education (ECE). The paper highlights the tension between traditional, structured curriculum models found in schooling and the more flexible, child-centred and play-based approaches advocated in ECE. Starting from the premise that curriculum theory in ECE is underdeveloped, the discussion draws on Bernstein's Pedagogic Device to provide a theoretical framework with which to analyse how knowledge is produced and recontextualised in ECE in both the official (state) and pedagogic field. Central to the recontextualisation are theories of child development and how they provide an underlying course of study for ECE curriculum. While the official recontextualising field is critiqued for a focus on developmental goals, the child-centred philosophies of the pedagogic recontextualising field create a hidden curriculum, with implicit symbolic systems (e.g. language, resources, the environment) providing signals to children as to what is expected of them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
– Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright
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  Data: <i>Copyright of European Early Childhood Education Research Journal is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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        Value: 10.1080/1350293X.2025.2532557
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        Text: English
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      – SubjectFull: Curriculum
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Early childhood education
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      – SubjectFull: Play-based learning
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      – SubjectFull: Child development
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      – SubjectFull: Student-centered learning
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              Text: Aug2026
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