My research evolved from a desire to explore barriers to partnership working between childcare and education providers and seeks strategies to overcome these barriers. The research focuses on relationships between the various early years practitioners and settings, the extent to which they work in partnership, what promotes and inhibits this, and how this affects the educational experience of children. Particular attention is paid to the quality of transition from a pre-school setting into a reception class and a child’s first experience of school. Cross sector cluster networks were established as a strategy to enable partnership working to evolve. Management of change, change agents, reflective learning are all key threads and a mechanism for developing and enhancing practice linked to transition for children at age 5. My research is qualitative; my qualitative approach is concerned with producing meanings and understandings. It is a non-positivistic approach, seeking to illuminate a set of circumstances in order to find more effective policies for future action. Data collection methods within this large-scale action research included questionnaires, semi structured interviews, focus groups, vignettes of practice and interviews with children. The concept of a Community of Practice introduced by Lave and Wenger (1991) underpins collaborative networks. Central to this concept is the process of learning from others, that members have shared interests, are motivated to do something about them and that the communities of practice are self–generating. The action research identified impact through the introduction of a change agent to facilitate the networks; the ability to engage with the practitioners at grass roots level and to motivate practitioners to attend was the catalyst for success. My findings were that collaborative networks promoted reflective thinking in practitioners from all early years sectors leading to change in practice. Children as a result of strong and equal partnerships experienced an enhanced transition to school. My recommendations were for a common model based on the collaborative networks to be established to develop a culture of change and innovation within early years provision. The professional learning that took place in this research crossed sector and institutional boundaries as one sector on its own could not provide the answer.

South Korea has recently adopted a new national curriculum (the new NC, 2009 NC), emphasising the development of students’ creativity, their interest in learning, and self directed learning. However, it seems that some confusion exists in local schools as to how to follow the emphasised points of the new NC. This study started under the hypothesis that the adoption of drama and story would contribute to schools following the main ideas of the new NC, facilitating an enjoyable and effective curriculum in local Korean schools. To examine this hypothesis I created a workshop which actively adopted drama and story, with a focus on teaching selective parts of the new NC to year one classes. I wanted to intensively observe what happened during these workshops. I had a total of six or seven sessions to teach the workshop to five year one classes in two Korean schools. I adopted the case study as my research methodology, studying the five cases (the five year one classes) in depth with a mixed method approach, which allows the use of both qualitative and quantitative research methods. After the workshop those students, class teachers and head teachers who participated in the study provided positive responses regarding the adoption of drama and story within the new NC. It can be said that this study shows the possibility that adopting drama and story can be a way to teach the new NC in an enjoyable and stimulating manner. However, it has also found that the class and teacher require certain conditions in order for the effects of adopting drama and story to be fully realised. In particular, it is very important to develop school teachers’ understanding of drama in the classroom and to support them in their practice if they want to adopt drama in their teaching. Therefore individual schools, the Ministry of Education and the Local Ministry of Education need to cooperate to provide proper support for teachers. It is expected that this study will result in more active future research in this area, since there is still no published research about drama and story for both an integrated curriculum and, more specifically, for the new NC design in Korea.

This research project investigated the claim that any return to cross-curricular teaching and learning in primary schools should not be a return to the worst practice of topic work in the post-Plowden era. With a specific focus on history, the project’s aim was essentially explanatory to determine if integrated and thematic approaches to the curriculum could retain subject integrity. Beginning with the National Curriculum, a definition of the discipline of history that began with the elements that constituted integrity was attempted. This definition included organising concepts such as interpretation, chronology, significance, change, continuity and causality. It also encompassed the importance of enquiry including the use of historical evidence and experiential learning. The nature of historical understanding was also considered; this included attributes such as historical insight and imagination. Theoretical models of thematic or cross-curricular learning were also discussed. The research was carried out using a multiple case-study design involving three primary schools plus a pilot-study. The selection of schools was a form of purposive sampling enabled through the self-identification of successful and innovative schools. Several research instruments were used including formal observations, field notes, semi-structured interviews and analysis of documentation. The methodology involved empirical field work and critical analysis. The underpinning ontology and philosophy was based on critical realism, although elements of ethnography were incorporated in the research design. Data analysis, utilising coding techniques, indicated that integrated approaches to the curriculum could successfully combine history with other subjects whilst retaining disciplinary integrity. Three models were identified based around seven key categories. The most successful model, ‘controlled immersion’ supported the claim that history is particularly suited to act as the lead subject for curriculum integration. The remaining two models, ‘extended thematic integration’ and ‘disciplined thematic integration’ were judged to be less successful because of the tensions associated with managing an overarching theme and incorporating the concepts and elements associated with a range of subject disciplines. Four categories associated with weaker practice were further identified. The research also indicated that the National Curriculum has been a transformative experience for primary schools.

This research aimed to explore perceptions about the influences of child-related and situational/systemic factors on English as an Additional Language (EAL) children’s learning and language development. The research was carried out in three primary schools in Coventry in England, with a particular focus on year six (Y6) children with EAL. Through a case study approach, two phases of research were employed: the preliminary phase and the main phase. Via the preliminary phase, an exploration of EAL provision and practice was achieved, and decisions were made on the selection of methods and the recruitment of participants by using unstructured observations. By using a mixed method approach in the main phase, qualitative and quantitative data were collected to examine perceptions of EAL children, parents and school practitioners in terms of the influences of child-related and situational/systemic factors on EAL learners. Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems, namely the microsystem, the mesosystem, the exosystem and the macrosystem were used to structure the thesis along four major sections: child-related factors, the schools’ organisational structures of EAL, the wider social and cultural context of EAL and the policy context. The research has made a substantial contribution to knowledge in EAL by arguing that an ecological perspective is necessary to understand EAL children’s needs and to examine perceptions about factors influencing their learning and language development. Through the ecological perspective, it has become evident that gaps and inconsistencies in EAL exist at a number of systems, and that child-related and situational/systemic factors interact, overlap and complement each other, and neither perceptions of child-related nor of situational/systemic factors are sufficient on their own, but rather, a combination of both is necessary to explore the contributory influences on EAL children’s learning. A major contribution that emerged from the study was highlighting different perspectives emerged from different participants and methods which enabled a critical perspective on the participants’ contributions and the identification of different contradictions and inconsistencies in EAL policy, practice and provision. Specifically, the study uncovered different areas of discrepancies across perspectives on several issues such as the use of first language, EAL children’s cultural values, the distinction between EAL and SEN, inclusion and equality issues and the use of EAL materials and resources.

The study is situated within a feminist paradigm to consider the identity, experience, practice and understanding of art and design coordinators (also known as subject leaders) in primary schools across the South East of England. A postal survey was sent to the 550 primary schools involved in partnership work with a single university and yielded a return rate of 40.7% (n = 224). The survey included elements of common practice by coordinators of all curriculum subjects as identified by Fletcher and Bell (1999) to allow comparison. These were analysed using the Chi-Square Test to establish statistical differences in the recorded responses. The emergent themes were explored through individual interviews with 32 teachers, allowing deeper probing. A number of the interviewees took part in a further interview discussion which explored their understanding and attitudes towards artworks (n = 25) by looking at images based on the work of Downing and Watson (2004). Of these, 17 coordinators allowed close scrutiny of their paper files, folders and records for analysis. Additionally, 9 advisory personnel (including inspectors, advisors, ITE tutors and an author responsible for publishing a practical developmental guide for coordinators) were interviewed to provide a wider context for the study. The qualitative and quantitative data collected from these opportunities revealed issues which clearly link to factors of power, gender and knowledge within patriarchal structures. These are considered in some detail in an attempt to faithfully present the individuals and the situations encountered in the study. There is a strong sense that the primary teachers leading art and design have not been adequately heard before and that earlier attempts to record their views have been subdued, edited or even deleted by those with the power to make such choices. The research study concludes with a series of recommendations for further developing the role, particularly for those based in schools; the art coordinators themselves and the professionals involved in ITE/CPD work demonstrating how the understanding and application of the model of empowered leadership proposed by Thurber and Zimmerman (2002) might facilitate improvement.

This case study, based in one primary school in Gloucestershire, explores the experiences and perceptions of children, parents and teachers in relation to homework; innovative, discussion-based science homework tasks are trialled. A review of the existing literature reveals that primary homework is largely ineffective in enhancing children's learning, and can often cause or contribute to stress for children and parents; this stress often contributes to arguments in the home. A review of constructivist learning theory suggests that traditional models of homework take little account of children's learning needs, which can lead to task-oriented rather than learning-oriented approaches being adopted. Semi-structured interviews were utilised in order to explore the perceptions of four individual teachers, and six children and six parents. Each child was interviewed with their parent, creating an ethical, dynamic and revealing research context in which the researcher was able to explore issues in some depth; a diverse range of perceptions were identified, with many participants, including teachers, expressing mixed feelings about homework. 'Pencil-free', discussion-based science homework tasks were trialled for one half-term in two classes in Key Stage Two. The researcher observed two class-based feedback discussions following children's engagement with pencil-free homework tasks. Following the trial of innovative homework tasks, children and parents were once again interviewed to explore their experiences and perceptions of the pencil-free tasks. Analysis of the observation notes and the interview transcripts suggests that, for most but not all children, there were benefits associated with the innovative approaches in relation to learning and stress-levels. The research methods enabled the research objectives to be met. Further research in this area could explore the range of ways in which teachers are making homework more interesting and meaningful for children, whether this is positive in terms of the children's affective responses, and how teachers close the assessment loop on homework to provide meaningful feedback to children on their homework.

The starting point approach (spa) to design and technology education presented in this thesis, is intended to stimulate children’s ideas and to allow projects with different purposes to be designed and made in one class. The projects all originate from a common starting point. The approach is intended to promote creativity and individual choice whilst being manageable for the teacher. Data were collected during a spa session taught to a group of 10-11 year old children in London. They were introduced to the pressure pad switch that was to be the starting point for their designing. The activity was initiated by the group brainstorming existing uses for pressure pads and ways to operate the switch prior to making their own. Each child went on to develop a project with a purpose selected by them. A transcript derived from the video of the above was subjected to analysis by means of coding and a specially devised grid. Children were also observed working and data were gathered using questionnaires, video recording, Dictaphone, field notes, interviews and digital pictures of the final artefacts. The study was qualitative in nature and based on an interpretative paradigm. The data were considered in two phases. Phase 1 of the study examined whether the children could do what the spa required. Phase 2 concentrated on examining in more detail what occurred when the spa was used. The research showed that children following the spa were able to design and make products with different purposes within a single class. It is argued that an advantage of the spa is that it reconciles the often conflicting demands of teaching skills and knowledge with encouraging individual creativity. The starting point approach is a pedagogical tool and process that can be used to motivate children through allowing them to decide the purpose of their individual project as well as its design.

The European Union increased from 15 to 25 Member States in 2004. The UK government permitted unrestricted access to these new EU citizens, resulting in largescale immigration from Eastern and Central Europe. The unplanned arrival of large numbers of pupils from these new Member States challenged schools. Neither the magnitude nor the impact on schools of these migration flows was understood. It was against this background of a dearth of knowledge and increasing professional uncertainty in a complex and sensitive area of education that the research programme was developed. Its purpose was to provide a better understanding of migration flows and their impact on primary education. This migration inflow confusion dictated that a broad, exploratory approach, employing a multi-method process, be adopted. Methods ranged from the analysis of 27 million pupil registrations to gathering information from individual teachers and parents through interviews and questionnaires. A principal theme provided cohesion and coherence to the five distinct stages of study. Questions relevant to each stage encompassed international, national, LA, school, parent and pupil-level perspectives. The research findings show that the UK government intended to encourage large-scale EU immigration, resulting in Britain’s largest and fastest peacetime inward migration. The migration measuring systems employed were shown to be unfit for purpose. Confusion over ethnic categorisation undermining the accuracy of school census enumerations was discovered. The studies indicated that the WEEU pupil population increased at a faster rate than any other major category and that schools were illequipped to cope with the scale and professional demands of these arrivals. Furthermore, WEEU pupils reduced the average performance of case study schools. The thesis suggests the need for improvements to the national and school census systems. A review of educational procedures for managing unplanned EU migrant flows is also indicated, as is better training for teachers in EAL.

While school accountability continues to gain national prominence in the highly centralised Education System of the Seychelles, concerns have been raised as to how accountable school leaders and teachers are in the primary schools. Through a mixed methods approach using questionnaires, interviews, observations as well as documentary analysis in two case studies, the study uses a conceptual base to examine school leaders and teachers‟ accountability from the perspectives of five stakeholder groups: headteachers, subject coordinators, teachers, schools‟ PTA chairpersons and students. In the primary schools, job descriptions have a significant influence on the understanding of accountability, where it is mostly taken to mean responsibility. Accountability in the primary schools is problematic in many aspects, particularly in the use of reporting as an accountability mechanism, recording preceding account giving, consequences, responding to demands of accountability from stakeholders because of their various interests and the lack of reciprocal accountability from parents and students in decision making. The study also indicated some positive trends emerging in schools, including professional accountability where mechanisms in place enhance highly collaborative relationships among teachers and school leaders.

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