C. Meehan

Trainee teachers’ perceptions about parent partnerships: are parents partners?

ABSTRACT Children’s life chances are enhanced when relationships between home and educational settings are strong. This original piece of research involved second-year trainee teachers who were surveyed about their perceptions about parents and the nature of the partnership relationship. Research suggests that teachers act in accordance with their beliefs when their knowledge, understanding and confidence is high. Using this assumption, this small scale study was contextualized utilized a set of open-ended questions. The study consider the participants’ own experiences of families and parenting. Contextual discourse analysis was employed to analyse the policy-based data for this project. The initial findings suggest that the challenge for new teachers is their confidence in potential relationships with parents in relation to their feelings of being qualified but a novice. This is a timely paper, given the current developments in education policy in England which may impact on future teacher training.

What really matters to freshers? An evaluation of first year student experience of transition into university

Abstract Measuring student experience in terms of satisfaction is a national measure used by prospective students when considering their higher education choices. Increasingly league tables are used as a means to rank universities with a limited interrogation of the reality of students’ experiences. This study explored the question ‘What really matters to freshers?’ during their transition into higher education through to completion. Students on an academic undergraduate Early Childhood Studies degree (n = 530) over a five-year period completed a Student Experience Evaluation in their first term and this data was correlated with the National Student Survey data collected about their cohorts in the final term of their degree. During the five year period, a number of interventions were undertaken by the academic staff to develop a learning community, based on the values linked to ‘being, belonging, and becoming’. The results of this study suggest that three things matter to students about their experience, that is, the academic staff they work with, the nature of their academic study and feeling like they belong. A model is proposed which aims to demonstrate the impact of academic staff, studies and the learning community that develops through social and academic experiences at University.

In search of the feeling of ‘belonging’ in Higher Education: undergraduate students transition into Higher Education

ABSTRACT Previous research that evaluated first year students’ transition into university found that the values of ‘being, belonging and becoming’ were important in particular within the first few months and within the first year of university. From our previous work, we reported that three things matter to students: the academic staff they work with, the nature of their academic study and the feeling of belonging. This paper provides a further illumination to our work by reporting on the qualitative data collected in the same study. The study included 530 students from five cohorts over a five-year period. As part of the Student Experience Evaluation instrument, open-ended questions probed students about their early experiences of belonging and transition into university. This original research uses rich data to illuminate the scales and items from previous quantitative data analysis to explore ‘belonging’, triangulated with research from the field. This paper is timely due to increased emphasis placed on learning and teaching with the introduction of the Teaching Excellence Framework. Student satisfaction is not a simplistic measure and this study articulates the complexity of student belonging in Higher Education.

Walking the talk? Teachers’ and early years’ practitioners’ perceptions and confidence in delivering the UK Physical Activity Guidelines within the curriculum for young children

ABSTRACT This study explored early years’ practitioners’ and teachers’ attitudes and confidence in delivering the UK Physical Activity guidelines [National Health Service (NHS). (2013). Physical activity guidelines for children and young people. Retrieved July 15, 2015, from www.nhs.uk/Livewell/fitness/Pages/physical-activity-guidelines-for-young-peopole.aspx] within the curriculum for young children [Department for Education (DfE). (2013). The national curriculum in England. Key stages 1 and 2 framework document. London: Department for Education, Crown; Department for Education (DfE). (2014). Statutory framework for the early years’ foundation stage. Setting the standards for learning, development and care for children from birth to five. London: Department for Education, Crown]. Using an online questionnaire, data were analysed using thematic framework and statistically. Fifty-nine respondents came from early years’ settings, including nurseries, pre-schools and primary schools. The findings suggest that there is a lack of confidence in knowing what to do to support and sustain physical activity. Further research is needed to identify if this is a national trend; this is the next steps of our research, as is the development of resources to help support confidence and the delivery of physical activity for young children.

Exploring the role of ‘RE’ in early childhood education and care as a response to the PREVENT agenda in England

ABSTRACT By the time children are 8 years of age, their attitudes, values, identities and beliefs are shaped and becoming solidly formed. Early childhood educators are uniquely positioned in children’s lives to promote positive values and beliefs and to foster authentic appreciation of difference. This important work is challenged by a discourse in wider society, based on fears of certain groups of people linked to extremism and terrorism. Recent policy and law changes in England require teachers to be gatekeepers and report concerns to authorities. Contextual discourse analysis was used as the methodology to identify themes within the policy and curriculum documents reviewed in paper. This paper presents a case for early childhood academics and educators to consider a rationale for how they can promote values of tolerance and compassion and highlight and celebrate a range of religious and cultural traditions, and in order to promote a deeper respect and understanding.

New Leaders in Early Years

Launched in late 2010, the New Leaders in Early Years programme forms part of the CWDCs reform of the childcare workforce, that aims to invest in, develop and professionalise the early years sector.