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The Effective Provision of Pre-school Education (EPPE) project led by Edward Melhuish produced major government policy changes since 2008. EPPE is a longitudinal study focussing on the impact of early childhood education and the home learning environment on educational and social development. The government's recent decision to extend free early years provision for disadvantaged children was based on EPPE's finding (highlighted in several government reviews) that good quality early education has long-term benefits, in particular for disadvantaged children. EPPE also demonstrated the critical role of better-qualified early years staff, which has led to new policy recommendations on staff training.
The large-scale, longitudinal research on early years education, in particular the Effective Provision of Pre-School Education study, led from Oxford by Sylva and Sammons, has shaped the design, funding and implementation of policy at local, national, and international levels, and has contributed to major shifts in public discourse, and changes in early years practice over the past 15 years. The wide-ranging policy changes shaped by this research have transformed the landscape of early years education, and include: 15 hours/week of free early years education for 3-4 year olds; free early years places for disadvantaged 2 year olds (Two Year Old Offer); the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Curriculum; and major funding (the Graduate Leader Fund) to upgrade the qualifications of preschool staff.
Young Lives is identifying major influences on children's development, from infancy to adulthood, by carrying out a pioneering longitudinal study across four developing countries over 15 years. Young Lives gathers and analyses data on how childhood is changing in diverse communities, especially through the impact of economic, cultural and policy shifts, by studying two age cohorts in each country. UNICEF, the World Bank, Plan International, and Save the Children International, among others, are using Young Lives research to design childhood poverty-reduction policies in the Post-2015 Development Agenda. The research also underpins the re-visioning of global child protection work by UNICEF, Save the Children Canada, and World Vision UK.
EPPSE is a Government-funded, high profile, longitudinal study with a multi-disciplinary design and numerous outputs, almost unprecedented in the UK in terms of its scale and scope. It has become a seminal study of the influence of early education on children's later development. Findings have been used in the UK and internationally for:
The two Principal Investigators at the IOE have taken lead roles in all of the above.
The Millennium Cohort Study (MCS) has influenced health policy and practice at local, national and international levels. Breastfeeding research based on MCS data has made a particularly important contribution to health education, and important insights have been provided on immunisation and obesity. The study has also helped to shape policy thinking and public discussion on issues such as social mobility, family poverty and child development. The MCS has not only created an invaluable resource for researchers in the UK and other countries, it has also served as a model for other cohort studies. Leading researchers around the world say it sets the benchmark against which other child cohort studies will be measured.
Looked after children (children in public care) generally have poorer outcomes in educational achievement and mental health than the wider population. The `Letterbox Club' improves the educational attainment and well-being of looked after children in the UK, and now involves nearly 6,000 children and 130 supporting organisations each year. Each child is sent a parcel of books, number games and stationery once a month for six months, addressed to them at their home. Evaluation consistently demonstrates above-predicted average gains in reading and number skills, high levels of enjoyment, and improvements in educational support provided by foster carers. The scheme has led to changes in policy and practice at local and national levels.
The case study addresses the impact of the project `Children Decide: power, participation and purpose in the primary classroom' (2004-6) regarding its two aims: developing collaborative approaches to decision-making in schools, and advancing methodological understanding of children as action researchers. The project made a subsequent methodological contribution (children as researchers) to educational evaluation and policy in two international organisations. Since 2008, the project has had a direct and significant impact on children's participation in decision-making in Norfolk schools, as reported by the teachers and those who attended dissemination conferences and professional development initiatives, and nationally by educators who used the published report.
Research led by Professor Roger Mackett of the Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering at UCL on children's physical activity has been used by central and local government, other public bodies and various advocacy groups to encourage children to be more active. It has been used to support policy documents and proposals aimed at improving children's health and wellbeing. It has led to improvements in the health, welfare and quality of life of many UK communities through, for example, their greater use of walking buses, which also contributes to reduced CO2 emissions.
Dr Brocklehurst's research has provided a challenge to conventional wisdom on the school age teaching of global politics through critiques of approaches that under-estimate children as political bodies. Her research has subsequently influenced a global provider of education, the International Baccaleurate organisation, in the planning of a service, namely a new Global Politics curriculum. Her research has also stimulated practitioner debate among stakeholders in the publication and provision of global politics texts for children to review them for risks posed by bias, inaccuracies, insensitivity and militarism. Her research has provided resources to enhance professional practice among stakeholders to help them to interpret problems in existing texts, and her research has led to her delivering training for stakeholders and teachers. Her research has also changed practice among stakeholders towards the adoption of a review culture to identify problems and improve children's literature in these sensitive subject areas.
Cardiff University has established the world's largest single cohort of children and young adults with Down's syndrome in which visual deficits have been characterised. Cardiff research studies over 20 years have informed evidence-based guidelines published by the Department of Health and national practitioner bodies for the recognition and practical management of common visual problems in children with Down's syndrome. Consequently, eye care specialists now recommend bifocals for these children. The Cardiff research has also supported changes to teaching methods and resources for children with Down's syndrome. Collectively these children are now benefiting from better eye care and improved learning and educational opportunities.