Blog Special Issues
Early childhood education and care (ECEC) has developed to meet different aims to encourage children’s holistic development; embed attitudes consistent with lifelong learning; facilitate preparation for and efficient transition into school; enable children to fulfil their rights to education; and support parents to find and engage in employment. It is shaped by the different discourses associated with these different aims – which are sometimes competing, sometimes mutually compatible.Ìý
Between May 2019 and February 2020, the research team of the Â鶹ÒùÔº Research Commission 2019–2020 set up a series of one-day seminars in the four nations of the UK to explore discourses in play in the discussion of topical ECEC issues. Key questions were developed in consultation with local stakeholders to focus discussions and presentations, and analysis of the data generated during the events has now been published in the final report of the research commission.
Each event benefited from the work of an earlyÌýcareer researcherÌý(ECR) who contributed to the organisation of the events, analysis of the data, writing the report and sharing their research. This special issue of the Â鶹ÒùÔº Blog brings together five blog posts written by these ECRs to foreground their research in ECEC, with the aim of catalysing efforts towards resolving tensions and moving forward with hope, resistance and creativity.
Early childhood education and care (ECEC) has developed to meet different aims to encourage children’s holistic development; embed attitudes consistent with lifelong learning; facilitate...
Earlier this year the University of Manchester’s Institute of Education hosted the first of four events to support Â鶹ÒùԺ’s research commission into competing discourses in early childhood...
In my doctoral research I focus on alternative outdoor early childhood provision in Scotland. I foreground a sociomaterial approach to understand how young children’s subjectivity, related to...
In 2022, the Foundation Phase in Wales will be replaced by the new Curriculum for Wales (CfW), a national framework for children aged between three and 16. One of its aims is to provide...
Imagine a classroom of four-to-five-year-old children designing and co-creating their classroom spaces. They are not passive recipients of the spaces created for them, but architects, product...
Northern Ireland has an established early childhood education and care (ECEC) system with some strengths, such as near-universal participation in pre-school education. However, for children under...
Associate Professor at Plymouth University
Dr Jan Georgeson is Associate Professor of Education at University of Plymouth with a professional background as teacher of young children with special educational needs. She has also worked and volunteered as a Portage worker supporting parents...
Associate Professor at Institute of Education
Guy Roberts-Holmes was awarded the 2016 Â鶹ÒùÔº Public Engagement and Impact Award for his work in challenging the goals set out for Baseline Assessment for assessing and tracking the progress of 4-5 year olds within the primary system, which led to...
Associate Professor in Early Childhood Studies at Plymouth University
Verity Campbell-Barr is an Associate Professor in Early Childhood Studies and Associate Director for Research at Plymouth Institute of Education, University of Plymouth. Verity has over 15 years of experience researching early childhood education...
Independent Researcher at Independent Researcher
Nathan Archer is an independent researcher.
Postdoc Researcher at Institute of Education
Siew Fung Lee is a Research Fellow at the UCL Social Research Institute, working on the Healthier Wealthier Families in East London project. The project supports families in Newham and Tower Hamlets by co-locating money advice services within...
Lecturer and Researcher at Plymouth University
Katherine Gulliver is a Lecturer and Researcher in Education and Early Childhood Studies at the University of Plymouth. Her research focus draws on innovative methodological approaches for young children and children with additional learning...
Senior Research Associate at Manchester Metropolitan University
A former early years locality lead for Manchester City Council, Martina Street has recently been seconded to Manchester Metropolitan University to take up the role of senior research associate. Building on her previous work of co-ordinating...
Head of Early Years Education at Stranmillis University College
Dr Glenda Walsh is an international expert in the field of play and playful pedagogies. Major research projects include the longitudinal evaluation of the Early Years Enriched Curriculum Project that informed the Northern Ireland Primary...
Associate Professor at University of Wales Trinity Saint David
Jane Waters is an associate professor in the Athrofa: Institute of Education at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David. She worked as a classroom teacher before joining higher education to lecture in Early Childhood Studies and Initial...
In 2022, the Foundation Phase in Wales will be replaced by the new Curriculum for Wales (CfW), a national framework for children aged between three and 16. One of its aims is to provide...
Continue reading blog postNorthern Ireland has an established early childhood education and care (ECEC) system with some strengths, such as near-universal participation in pre-school education. However, for children under...
Continue reading blog postImagine a classroom of four-to-five-year-old children designing and co-creating their classroom spaces. They are not passive recipients of the spaces created for them, but architects, product...
Continue reading blog postEarly childhood education and care (ECEC) has developed to meet different aims to encourage children’s holistic development; embed attitudes consistent with lifelong learning; facilitate...
Continue reading blog postIn my doctoral research I focus on alternative outdoor early childhood provision in Scotland. I foreground a sociomaterial approach to understand how young children’s subjectivity, related to...
Continue reading blog postEarlier this year the University of Manchester’s Institute of Education hosted the first of four events to support Â鶹ÒùԺ’s research commission into competing discourses in early childhood...
Continue reading blog post
