The myth of objective assessment — An analysis in relation to primary education

This article focuses on the recent growth and development of the field of Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) in England and discusses the issue of ‘quality’ in relation to the diversity of provision on which these developments are based. In particular the article discusses the ways in which cultural constructions of childhood and the theories of child development and learning espoused by stakeholders impact on assessments of ‘quality’.