Evaluation or reflection – how are these different and what are the implications for Early Years practice?

This is a question which came up during a European research project (EYE on Practice – Observation and Reflection in Childcare and Education) which I led and reported upon in 2012. The Oxford dictionary defines evaluation as “the making of a judgement about the amount, number or value of something; assessment: the evaluation of each…

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Considering research papers

In many years working in early years settings I have heard a number of practitioners quoting theories, perceived truths and research about the value or otherwise of early childhood services. It’s a highly charged debate with parents, practitioners, researchers and pundits taking differing standpoints. The debates are often fuelled by tabloid headlines which distil poorly…

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Finding out

It can sometimes be difficult to find informed comment backed by clearly cited research which sets out the data behind the big news stories. So I was pleased to find the website of The Conversation, a not for profit organisation which launched in Australia in March 2011 and in the UK in May 2013.  …

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Children meeting the needs of the Early Years Foundation Stage?

A research report from Royal Holloway, University of London, published on 4 June 2015 has recommend that the government should rewrite the early years’ curriculum to concentrate on developing the oral language skills that many younger children were found to lack. The report led by Professor Courtenay Norbury states that: “Our results question whether many…

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