Reclaiming agency in the early years: a close-to-practice study of outdoor play and risk

This article reports on a Close-to-Practice research project between Nottingham Trent University and a primary school in the Ashfield district, exploring how young children experience agency in outdoor learning environments amid their marginalisation in current Early Years policy. Using child-led inquiry and practitioner-researcher collaboration, the study examined how adult discourse around risk shapes children’s engagement with outdoor spaces. Findings highlighted tensions between adult-defined boundaries and children’s desire for autonomy, with children expressing both enthusiasm and uncertainty in outdoor play. Children’s voices informed each stage of the process, with iterative cycles of inquiry developed in response to their feedback. Working within a ‘third space’ of shared expertise, the partnership disrupted traditional hierarchies between academic and practitioner knowledge, modelling transformative collaboration. The study contributes to debates on outdoor provision in the EYFS and underscores the value of practitioner-led research in creating inclusive, responsive environments where children’s agency can thrive.