The experience of pupils of central importance to teachers, even if there is not enough research that makes their voices central. This paper outlines some of the salient features of young children's experience, and demonstrates the way in which one can detect patterns of thought and feeling by using a case study.

This article considers the important part that practitioner research can play in the professional development of teachers. The case study illustrates how a teacher's interests encouraged her to investigate particular areas of her practice. She read literature about emotional intelligence and devised strategies to enhance her classroom teaching.…

Reporting on a piece of small-scale research, this article considers the notion of a community of enquiry within the context of a Year 2 class. It suggests that the community of enquiry approach can provide a framework to support young children, comprehension in literacy and also has clear benefits in regard to young children's citizenship…

As part of citizenship education, school councils have been set up in primary schools based on adult models of democratic committees. This article looks at children's and teachers' perspectives on their school councils and goes on to analyse the ways in which alternative strategies for addressing the constraints identified were developed in three…

This paper describes a research project currently running in Cambridgeshire Foundation Stage settings exploring the development of independent learning in young children. In the first year the project has explored the work of 16 practitioners working with 3-5 year old children, using a range of methodologies including questionnaires, interviews…

This paper describes a community's attempts to raise the knowledge and awareness of environmental issues of early years pupils through the use of "Environmental Story Sacks". The results of the small scale evaluation, using a pre and post activity oral "cloze" exercise, showed that reception year pupils' response scores to…

This paper considers the contemporary debate about inclusion and inclusive education as this affects children with special educational needs/disabilities. It addresses the continuing question of the relative contributions of value and evidence based considerations in making policies and developing practices. The main point of the paper is to argue…

This paper is intended to describe the roles and responsibilities of the small school head and is based on the personal experiences of a serving headteacher. It seems an accepted element of academic discourse that recent governmental initiatives have impacted on the leadership and management of educational institutions in such a way that they have…

The importance of continuing professional development (CPD) is increasingly recognised as an important contributor to school improvement. Successful CPD involves gaining the commitment of teachers to the process, and to sustaining and supporting their involvement in activities that are beneficial to both their professional growth and the…

This paper examines the use of "league tables", based upon "performance data", by the Government to distinguish between primary schools. Data concerning one Northern Local Education Authority, were analysed. It was found that the position of a school in the League Tables of unadjusted scores tended to reflect the background…

There may be forces at work that recently have created barriers and restrictions within primary education. Indeed it could be argued that those forces have reduced the children's education to a more rigid and limiting primary schooling. This article explores the influence of target setting and testing, literacy and numeracy hours, American and…

Pupils transferring to secondary school are positive about science and look forward to practical work. The research reported here explored Y6 and Y7 pupils' perceptions of practical science in school and the world of work. Pupils at both ages saw practical work as a natural and enjoyable consequence of scientific endeavour and of use to society.…

This paper uses information obtained from a group of primary teachers during their first year as teachers. It uses illustrations from their experience of induction to suggest some strategies that teachers and schools might consider if they wish to make the induction period one of opportunities to learn as well as to survive. (Contains 1 figure.)

In recent years, the DfES, 2003 has pushed schools to try and integrate more interactive teaching methods into everyday teaching and learning. This push in technology has lead to an increased call for the use of interactive software to support reading. This study looks at whether talking stories benefit the children who use them. It is a…

Many schools experience playtime and lunchtime disputes in the playground. Some schools employ games or activities in an attempt to improve discipline. This article gives consideration to the extent that a playground ethos can be improved, and the number of less-severe disputes reduced, through the introduction of playground games.