Ex CurriculaToday the think tank Demos has published Ex Curricula, described as "a major report on educational disengagement in the early years"; among the factors identified as having a negative impact on young children's development are a lack of spending at pre-school level and having parents with a low leve…
Children, Young People & AlcoholNew research from the DCSF investigates the links between the drinking habits of parents and their children. Among the conclusions are the suggestion that parents underestimate the influence that their own drinking habits have on their children's attitude to alcohol. The full report, entitled Childr…
Online WorkshopsNow that the new semester has started, the times and venues for Online Workshops have altered. These are sessions which students can attend to get help with using Athens, other online resources, and finding information for assignments. No appointment is necessary, just drop in on whatever day is bes…
Cognitive Development in the Early YearsThe latest report from the Millennium Cohort Study (see previous post for details) has just been released, with a focus on cognitive development from birth to five. A huge range of factors which can impact upon children's development have been examined, with social class and being read to by parents…
The History of Education in EnglandIt's been mentioned on the blog before, but The History of Education in England is a website which all students with an interest in schooling should visit. The pages are maintained by Derek Gillard, a retired headmaster who aims to provide students, teachers, lecturers and researchers with important…
Classroom ManagementIf you've been out on placement or are shortly starting one, then you may want to take a look at an article in yesterday's Guardian. Entitled How to Manage Behaviour in the Classroom, it's a simple list of ten practical tips for use when working with children. See how many you already know, and perh…
Healthy Kids Learn More!It is a known fact that healthy children are able to be better learners in a classroom setting. Recently, an Ultra Healthy Blog titled, “Top 50 Early Childhood Health Blogs" named the 50 top early childhood health blogs. Although my blog was named as part of the list, there are some great resources …
Safer Internet Day24 hours late, but yesterday was Safer Internet Day, an event aimed at promoting "safer and more responsible use of online technology and mobile phones, especially amongst children and young people." In the UK, the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP) took the lead by producing an …
KidulthoodThe Action for Children charity has been busy lately, with the publication of several research projects. A couple should be of particular interest to our students:Kidulthood: Life as a Pre-Teen in the UK Today is a detailed study of what life is like for pre-teens in the UK today, and howpolicy can …
New DCSF ResearchThe latest batch of research reports from the DCSF have just been published; here are two which may interest our readers:If you're interested in Religious Education, a new report entitled Materials used to Teach about World Religions in Schools in England takes an in-depth look at the topic, as well…
Being KidsI sometimes worry that children in this century are not allowed to really be kids. They are constantly surrounded by adult commentary and much of the television programing contains adult humor. We all laugh when a child on TV says something sarcastic or profound. Statements that in the real world us…
Disadvantage and ChildcareNew research from the DCSF has found that disadvantaged families in the UK are failing to access childcare even when it is offered to them for free. The report, entitled Families Experiencing Multiple Disadvantage: Their Use of and Views on Childcare Provision, also highlights issues surrounding lac…