The Parent TrapYesterday saw the publication of The Parent Trap: Illustrating the Growing Cost of Childcare. This report from the Social Market Foundation examines the different forms of childcare support which are available, and how the amount that families have to pay for formal childcare is likely to change ove…
Digital Education Resource Archive (DERA)Following several recent requests about obtaining official documents, today's post is a reminder about the Digital Education Resource Archive (DERA). This site is hosted by the Institute of Education at the University of London, and offers free access to governmental reports. As a lot of government …
Ofsted Annual ReportThe latest Ofsted annual report has been published today, and contains information on schools, children's centres, teacher education and more. Press reaction to the report has been mixed; the BBC highlights some points about coasting schools, while Children & Young People Now has chosen to focus on …
Children Who are Read To Just Know More!We were discussing in our reading class this week how research indicates that children who are read to on a regular basis simply know more when they get to school. Besides preparing the child to be a reader, being read to increases vocabulary and allows for more discussion and conversation. Combine…
Sowing The SeedsReaders with an interest in outdoor learning may want to take notice of a new publication from Tim Gill. The report, entitled Sowing the Seeds, examines the amount of opportunities that children from London have to spend time in natural green spaces, and argues that regular exposure to such environm…
Safeguarding Children Across ServicesSafeguarding Children Across Services: Messages from Research is a recent publication from the Department of Education. The report provides an overview of 15 separate studies carried out within England, and is aimed at professionals who engage with child protection in their everyday work.…
Anti-Bullying WeekToday is the beginning of Anti-Bullying Week, an annual event supported by various charities and other organisations to raise awareness of the problems that bullying can cause. So it's with good timing that the NFER has just published Sticks and Stones May Break my Bones but Being Left on my Own is …
Missing OutToday the Children's Society has published Missing Out: a Child Centred Analysis of Material Deprivation and Subjective Well-Being. This is a study of what items and experiences children themselves think are necessary for a ‘normal kind of life’, whether lacking these items and experiences is relate…
Investing in High-Quality Early Childhood Education and CareThe OECD has just published Investing in High-Quality Early Childhood Education and Care. This is a briefing document which outlines the benefits of quality provision in the early years, and provides some comparisons between different social groups and countries.…
Apps for ChildrenToday's post isn't really about new research, but there's an interesting article on the Guardian website which talks about the growing market for iPad and mobile apps which are aimed at children. Most of the high profile apps to date contain a mixture of fun and educational content - speaking as som…
Does When You Are Born Matter?The issue of summer-born children is in the news again, with new research from the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) which claims that children born in the summer in England are at an academic disadvantage throughout school. By contrast, babies born in September are more than three times less likel…
It's All BonesI was helping in my grandchildren's classrooms recently and was struck by the thought of how easily children will take control of their learning if given a chance. One of the components of the HighScope curriculum, which I think is the most child-friendly approach to early learning, gives the child…
