The definitive guide to developing leadership skills in early years settings, this book will help you to develop a leadership style tailored to your early years setting. Designed to support existing, new and aspiring leaders, it spans all levels of leadership, from organisational and team leadership to practice. It presents key theories of leadership with relevant examples and strategies and is illustrated throughout with case studies, reflective exercises and recommended reading. Once you have read this book, you will be able to plan, implement, sustain, review and evaluate your own and your workplace's improvements to ensure effective leadership, continuous quality improvement and better outcomes for children and families.

Do you need good leaders to achieve good quality or does good quality create good leadership? Quality is a term frequently used to describe early years provision without any further explanation of exactly what this ′quality provision′ looks like or how it can be achieved. This book not only unpicks what is meant by the term ′quality′ in England, across the UK, and beyond, but it does so in the context of how to lead in order to develop and achieve quality. In exploring quality and leadership and the ways in which both terms have been conceptualised from a range of different perspectives you will be able to find a meaning that is right for you and your practice. With chapters covering: · The global interest in quality · The broad nature of early childhood leadership · Reflective evaluation and practice This book will be of interest to setting and room leaders across the early years as well as students studying early childhood or in early years teacher training.

Ensure your students link theory with practice with this updated version of the authoritative and accessible series from Jennie Lindon Linking Theory and Practice has helped thousands of students make the right connections between their lectures and the real settings that they go on to work in. This latest edition of Leadership in Early Years provides a useful overview of the subject in straightforward language that allows novices to access the more complicated concepts. Jennie Lindon's trademark approach provides a trusted and authoritative voice for a wide range of courses, including undergraduate and foundation degrees in Early Years and Early Childhood, PGCEs and BEd programmes. · Provides detailed references for further reading with descriptions of 'key texts' for each chapter · 'Pause for reflection' feature provides numerous opportunities to think about the impact of their own role. - Examines how the latest thinking and research should inform the role of an early years leader

For all those working in Early Years, improving quality experiences for all young children is a priority. By examining issues surrounding quality improvement, the importance of reflective practice and the attributes required in the workplace to effect change and leadership, this book provides a contemporary view of practice. Chapters focus on how settings can improve quality experiences for young children and how to implement strategies that lead to quality improvement. Issues covered include: - multi-disciplinary working - evaluating impact through reflective practice - creativity, digital technologies and play - safeguarding young children - leading practice and leading change - working with parents - improving the quality of student experience This text allows students and practitioners to examine and reflect on practises that lead to creative Quality Improvement Strategies (QIS) in Early Years settings. Michael Reed is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Worcester, Institute of Education: Centre for Early Childhood Natalie Canning is a Lecturer in Early Years at The Open University.

Leadership in Early Childhood is a practical resource for early childhood practitioners who want to understand how to create successful childcare and early education settings. Leadership in the early years has moved on in the way it is organised, and this fourth edition has been fully revised and updated to reflect the changes affecting leaders in early childhood. This rapid change in the field over the past few years includes moves to professionalise the workforce generally, and this edition recognizes the implications of these developments and revisits some of the concepts and messages. Praised for its excellent overview of early years leadership, accessible writing style and clear links between theory and practice, the fourth edition also includes: Thorough discussion of the leader’s role in moving towards leading/best practice. Reconceptualised coverage of team building to consider working collaboratively as a team at service level, multi disciplinary teams and integrated service provision through multi agency working. A chapter which considers the essential characteristics of leadership in terms of personal qualities, skills and timing related to effective leadership.

The new edition of this best selling book looks critically at the 2012 Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum and draws attention to issues that underlie the EYFS and the implications for children from birth to five. With its questions for reflection and discussion, further reading and useful websites, Early Years Foundations is essential and informative reading for students studying any early years or early childhood course, or working towards Early Years Teacher Status. Among the many challenges facing early years professionals, there are continual dilemmas arising between perceptions of good practice, the practicalities of provision and meeting OfSTED requirements. This exciting and innovative new edition supports practitioners in thinking through their responsibilities in tackling some of the many challenges they encounter, for example, that children are still perceived as 'deficit' in some way and in need of 'being school ready' rather than as developing individuals who have a right to a childhood and appropriate early education. Chapters explore the rationale behind early years practice based on theory and research, covering important topics including: Prime and specific areas of learning and development Observation and assessment Pedagogy Working with parents Difference and diversity Contributors: Sue Bingham, Gill Boag-Munroe, Liz Brooker, Helen Clarke, Anne Cockburn, Rosie Flewitt, Jan Georgeson, Michael Jones, Lilian G. Katz, Caroline Leeson, Paulette Luff, Jayne Osgood, John Parry, Jane Payler, Karen Phethean, Linda Pound, Anne Rawlings, Jonathan Rix, Sue Rogers, Anita Soni, Suzy Tutchell, Judith Twani, Jane Waters, David Whitebread "Early Years Foundations: Critical issues is a timely and valuable edition for the early childhood bookshelf, offering high quality scholarship combined with deep understanding of early childhood practice. This is a book that values early childhood practitioners as critical partners and experts in young children's learning and development. At a time of fluctuating policy, the authors remind us of the need to advocate for what matters in early childhood and they suggest ways that we can provide excellent experiences for young children with potential to enhance their lives for the long term." Jane Murray PhD, Senior Lecturer, University of Northampton, UK "There seems to be a proliferation of publications currently in the field of early years education and care but this book stands out amongst the crowd for a number of reasons. In particular, the status of the three editing authors means that the content of the book is to be trusted to be both informed and thorough in its attention to detail, and this second edition has been carefully updated to incorporate recent reforms and initiatives. The editing authors' insistence on the creation of an early years text that centres on a critically reflective review of contemporary policy and research can only help to build the argument for a better future for young children's care and education. This is a book in which there are many chapters worthy of recommendation and which will form the basis for future debates and publications but Rogers' scholarly work on Enabling Pedagogy encapsulates some core research, essential to our understanding of our work with children, and is a strong and refreshing contribution, while Katz' notion of 'standards of experiences' for young children should give us all food for thought." Dr Kathy Goouch, Reader in Education, Canterbury Christ Church University, UK "This book is not another bland 'how to do it' manual to accompany the EYFS, it goes much further in offering a truly challenging critique. Helpfully contextualised within the changing policy and political context, each chapter focuses on a different aspect of the curriculum framework and is written by someone with recognised expertise in the field. The strengths of the current EYFS are recognised but the issues and tensions are also made explicit with arguments backed up by theory and research evidence. This should be essential reading for experienced practitioners as well as Early Childhood Studies students." Denise Hevey, Professor of Early Years, University of Northampton, UK.

In this accessible and informative step-by-step guide, early years consultant Debbie Garvey provides leaders and managers with best practice tips and advice for developing their performance management skills in early years settings. Drawing on current research and the author's wealth of experience in the field, each chapter sets out effective performance management techniques that leaders can apply to their workplaces, on topics such as staff development, recruitment, appraisals, conflict management, feedback and evaluation, mentoring and coaching and health and wellbeing. Grounded in an understanding of neuroscience and brain development, this practical book provides advice on how to ensure a safe and motivational environment for both children and staff to develop, whatever their needs. Designed to support new and existing managers, the book includes reflective exercises, key theories and case studies to enable leaders to develop a style suited to their team and setting, ensuring children are given the best possible support during their first and most crucial development stage.

A go-to guide for early years professionals, this book will help you to enhance your leadership skills. How to Be a Great Leader in Early Years enables you to reflect on your approach to leadership. In doing so it allows you to identify the qualities that make you a good leader and to think about ways to improve. Drawing on insights gained from founding her own award-winning childcare service, Jennie Johnson offers a range of practical strategies to help you become a better leader, inspire others and maintain a first-rate service. This book is for anyone with an interest in how outstanding childcare settings are led, including nursery owners, nursery managers, unit/room leaders and early years practitioners.

This book explores the realities of leadership in the early years, examining the challenges and opportunities of the profession.

There is a growing interest in understanding how early years care and education is organised and experienced internationally. This book examines key influential approaches to early years care as well as some less well-known systems from around the world. In particular the book aims to: Inform those studying early years about perspectives in other countries Encourage critical thinking about issues, influences and the complexities of early years provision around the world Promote critical reflection on students’ own provision and the current context of that provision Each chapter provides an overview of early years provision and explores historical and current influences in context, as well as offering insights into daily life through short vignettes, longer case studies and commentary from practitioners. Whilst many approaches - such as Reggio Emilia, Te Whariki and Head Start - are widely admired, it is important for reflective practitioners to understand the motivation which gave rise to these influential approaches in their original context. Additionally, broadening understanding through information on less widely known systems, the book provides students with a good grounding in the international context of early years, the provenance of different early years approaches and principles, and the influences on their own countries’ provision. Written in a straightforward and accessible style, the book is designed to meet the needs of students studying modules related to international perspectives on a range of foundation, bachelor and master’s degrees in early years. Contributors: Verity Campbell-Barr, Federica Caruso, Carmen Dalli, Rebecca Carter Dillon, Annie Davy, Chandrika Devarakonda, Alena Drzalová, Hasina Banu Ebrahim, Susan Edwards, Dora Ho, Valerie Huggins, Anne Hunt, Kerstin Kööp, Éva Kovácsné Bakoski, Caroline Leeson, Beth Marshall, Nancy McDermott, Julia Morgan, Joce Nutall, Elin Eriksen Ødegaard, Philip Selbie, Paolo Sorzio, Manabu Sumida, Keang-ieng (Peggy) Vong, Karen Wickett “The book rightly challenges common assumptions about the value of Western perspectives of ECEC and skilfully enables the reader to recognize the various social, political and economic drivers and processes that have shaped early years pedagogy on a global level.” Dr Janet Rose, Early Years Education Award Leader, Bath Spa University, UK “Given the ever increasing interest and importance of global early childhood education and care, this critically informed book offers valuable and challenging internationalised comparative arguments for students and academics at all levels.” Dr Guy Roberts-Holmes, Senior Lecturer, Early Years and Primary Education Department, University of London, UK