Early Years and Primary Education

An investigation

• Helena McVeigh

Helena McVeigh draws on extensive practice as an inspector and consultant, and on interviews with HMIs and primary teachers, to chart the development of Ofsted and investigate its influence on primary teaching in England.

Improving physical development through movement and physical activity

• Carol Archer
• Iram Siraj

Physical development is a key component of the curriculum but so far there has been no valid means of assessing the pedagogical or environmental quality of the child’s physical experience. The Movement Environment Rating Scale (MOVERS) does so, using the methodology established by the popular ECERS-E and SSTEW rating scales.

Possibility Thinking in the Early Years

• Linda McConnon

This book shows how using Possibility Thinking (PT) is at the heart of young children’s creativity. It traces the verbal and non-verbal communication, collaboration and identity development of a girl and two boys as they use PT in their art and crafts practice during their first three years in school.

Sustained Shared Thinking and Emotional Well-being (SSTEW) Scale for 2–5-year-olds provision

• Iram Siraj
• Denise Kingston
• Edward Melhuish

Based on high-quality pedagogy and developed for the use of teaching staff and managers, the Sustained Shared Thinking and Emotional Well-being (SSTEW) Scale can be used alongside other environment scales (including ECERS-E, ECERS-R or ITERS-R) to give a more complete picture of what high-quality early childhood education and care can look like.

Research into pedagogy and children’s learning

• Iram Siraj
• Brenda Taggart
• Pam Sammons
• Edward Melhuish
• Kathy Sylva
• Donna-Lynn Shepherd

Key elements of teaching in effective schools are revealed by the qualitative and quantitative research of leading researchers into primary school provision. Pedagogical strategies used in successful schools are brought to life through detailed observations, and the book offers multi-layered evidence for motivating children through better practice.

A professional learning resource

• Elaine Hallet

This book and DVD will support practitioners in reflecting upon leadership of learning in early years and practice, review their own leadership style and consider areas for development. The DVD provides examples of current professional leadership practice in a variety of early years settings.

• R. Goodyear

How do infant teachers spend their time in the classroom? In this book intended for infant teachers and parents there are myriad subjective answers to this question. It will help teachers to plan more effectively and alert parents and the community to the true nature of their workload.

• Babette Brown

This work challenges some of the preconceptions about early childhood development – for example that children cannot understand issues to do with fairness, or with colour or disability or homophobia – by explaining relevant theory and research and by giving examples of good practice.

Contemporary Research

• Kath Hirst
• Cathy Nutbrown

Focusing on early childhood experiences and the factors at work, this title examines the expanding field of early childhood education and care, highlighting the critical issues to be aware of and how this can affect the child in later life.

An international perspective

• David Brody

Few men work in day-care settings or nursery schools, yet they are acclaimed as gifted educators and excellent caregivers. These personal narratives of six unusually talented men from various countries who have worked with young children for years illustrate what attracts men to work with young children and how to retain them in early years’ work.