A wealth of evidence demonstrates the fundamental role played by early years (EY) education in shaping a thriving and equitable society. The importance of valuing and nurturing skilled professionals in this sector is more evident than ever before. Years of underfunding, the devaluing of skills and qualifications and the post-pandemic recruitment and retention crisis has left their mark.
As researchers working with EY educators in England (and more recently across the UK), we understand the challenges they face in underfunded and understaffed educational settings. We also recognise the frustration experienced by some of our EY colleagues in coping with directives, initiatives and assessment practices which sometimes seem to have little relevance to their settings or the children within them and do little more than undervalue their professional judgement.
To address these issues, and to foster a culture of collaborative learning and professional growth, we initiated the Researchful Practice Toolkit in Early Years Settings. In this project we developed an online self-study toolkit and workshops, and we supported small communities of EY educators to access and evaluate research, to develop and conduct projects that addressed their interests and needs in their own settings, and to embed research within their everyday practice. We drew on ample evidence that practitioner inquiry energises teachers, building confidence and allowing them to gain insight into matters of importance to them and to continually develop their practices to ensure the best possible outcomes and experiences for their learners.
