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The Three Models of Playwork: A Critique of Current Playwork Theory that informs Playwork National Occupational Standards and Professional Practice.

Peter King

Advanced Journal of Professional Practice, Volume: 6, Issue: 1, Pages: 1 - 19

Swansea University Author: Peter King

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DOI (Published version): 10.22024/UniKent/03/ajpp.1433

Abstract

Backgound: Playwork knowledge and understanding, as represented within the current Playwork National Occupational Standards (NOS) and within the eight Playwork Principles, are supported by the ‘three models of playwork’. These are (1) Evolutionary Playwork developed by Bob Hughes, (2) Compound Flexi...

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Published in: Advanced Journal of Professional Practice
ISSN: 2059-3198
Published: University of Kent 2026
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URI: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa71852
first_indexed 2026-05-05T16:18:43Z
last_indexed 2026-06-04T08:37:26Z
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spelling 2026-06-03T13:33:17.1633201 v2 71852 2026-05-05 The Three Models of Playwork: A Critique of Current Playwork Theory that informs Playwork National Occupational Standards and Professional Practice. b51f47c6c82135914b7612fdbc84f94b Peter King Peter King true false 2026-05-05 SOSS Backgound: Playwork knowledge and understanding, as represented within the current Playwork National Occupational Standards (NOS) and within the eight Playwork Principles, are supported by the ‘three models of playwork’. These are (1) Evolutionary Playwork developed by Bob Hughes, (2) Compound Flexibility developed by Fraser Brown, and (3) Psycholudics proposed by Gordon Sturrock and Perry Else. The current Playwork NOS is under review, and this will include potential revision of the knowledge and understanding playworkers are required to know and have whilst being educated, trained, or in their practice. However, the empirical evidence to support each playwork theory is lacking, and this has implications for how playwork is implemented in professional practice. Method: This paper is theory-based and offers a critique of the ‘three models of playwork’, an exercise that has not been undertaken before, and considers whether they are playwork theories, or conglomerates of other play theories. Results: The critique questions how the lack of empirical evidence supports the current playwork theories of Evolutionary Playwork and Compound Flexibility. However, the theory of Psycholudics, more specifically of the Play Cycle, does have more merit to be considered as a theory to support professional playwork practice. Conclusions: The conclusion from the critique has implications for what is evidence-based to support and develop the revision of the Playwork NOS. Journal Article Advanced Journal of Professional Practice 6 1 1 19 University of Kent 2059-3198 Playwork Theory, National Occupational Standards (NOS), Evolutionary Playwork, Compound Flexibility, Psycholudics, Evidence-based 5 5 2026 2026-05-05 10.22024/UniKent/03/ajpp.1433 COLLEGE NANME Social Sciences School COLLEGE CODE SOSS Swansea University Not Required 2026-06-03T13:33:17.1633201 2026-05-05T17:15:19.6234137 Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences School of Social Sciences - Education and Childhood Studies Peter King 1 71852__36851__7d2a1ab1764f4c658fc69e8a1f2c4b80.pdf 71852.VOR.pdf 2026-06-03T13:30:37.3858899 Output 456596 application/pdf Version of Record true © The Author(s) 2026. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. true eng https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
title The Three Models of Playwork: A Critique of Current Playwork Theory that informs Playwork National Occupational Standards and Professional Practice.
spellingShingle The Three Models of Playwork: A Critique of Current Playwork Theory that informs Playwork National Occupational Standards and Professional Practice.
Peter King
title_short The Three Models of Playwork: A Critique of Current Playwork Theory that informs Playwork National Occupational Standards and Professional Practice.
title_full The Three Models of Playwork: A Critique of Current Playwork Theory that informs Playwork National Occupational Standards and Professional Practice.
title_fullStr The Three Models of Playwork: A Critique of Current Playwork Theory that informs Playwork National Occupational Standards and Professional Practice.
title_full_unstemmed The Three Models of Playwork: A Critique of Current Playwork Theory that informs Playwork National Occupational Standards and Professional Practice.
title_sort The Three Models of Playwork: A Critique of Current Playwork Theory that informs Playwork National Occupational Standards and Professional Practice.
author_id_str_mv b51f47c6c82135914b7612fdbc84f94b
author_id_fullname_str_mv b51f47c6c82135914b7612fdbc84f94b_***_Peter King
author Peter King
author2 Peter King
format Journal article
container_title Advanced Journal of Professional Practice
container_volume 6
container_issue 1
container_start_page 1
publishDate 2026
institution Swansea University
issn 2059-3198
doi_str_mv 10.22024/UniKent/03/ajpp.1433
publisher University of Kent
college_str Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
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hierarchy_top_id facultyofhumanitiesandsocialsciences
hierarchy_top_title Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
hierarchy_parent_id facultyofhumanitiesandsocialsciences
hierarchy_parent_title Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
department_str School of Social Sciences - Education and Childhood Studies{{{_:::_}}}Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences{{{_:::_}}}School of Social Sciences - Education and Childhood Studies
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description Backgound: Playwork knowledge and understanding, as represented within the current Playwork National Occupational Standards (NOS) and within the eight Playwork Principles, are supported by the ‘three models of playwork’. These are (1) Evolutionary Playwork developed by Bob Hughes, (2) Compound Flexibility developed by Fraser Brown, and (3) Psycholudics proposed by Gordon Sturrock and Perry Else. The current Playwork NOS is under review, and this will include potential revision of the knowledge and understanding playworkers are required to know and have whilst being educated, trained, or in their practice. However, the empirical evidence to support each playwork theory is lacking, and this has implications for how playwork is implemented in professional practice. Method: This paper is theory-based and offers a critique of the ‘three models of playwork’, an exercise that has not been undertaken before, and considers whether they are playwork theories, or conglomerates of other play theories. Results: The critique questions how the lack of empirical evidence supports the current playwork theories of Evolutionary Playwork and Compound Flexibility. However, the theory of Psycholudics, more specifically of the Play Cycle, does have more merit to be considered as a theory to support professional playwork practice. Conclusions: The conclusion from the critique has implications for what is evidence-based to support and develop the revision of the Playwork NOS.
published_date 2026-05-05T06:02:15Z
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