“With care, and in partnership with others, it may yet be possible to overcome contemporary dilemmas and to provide the high quality, rounded and fulfilling education for all to which so many aspire. This book helps considerably in understanding contemporary problems and challenges in primary education – it is important, timely and deserves to be widely read.” Andrew Pollard, Institute of Education, London What is the impact of New Labour’s education policies on primary schools? What are the main lessons to be learned from recent research on primary schools? What are the implications for the future of primary education? In this topical book, leading academics in primary education evaluate New Labour’s Education policy. They draw on the findings of the latest research to discuss the impact of policies on primary school practice and on the views and experiences of primary school teachers and pupils. Current issues and initiatives are analysed to identify the extent to which policy is shaped by past events, trends and assumptions. The contributors consider the future of primary education, offer recommendations at school, LEA and national level, and make suggestions for future research. Changing Teaching and Learning in the Primary School emphasises the central importance of taking children’s perspectives into account when making changes in policy and practice. By focusing predominantly on teaching and learning at Key Stage 2, the book addresses the imbalance between the range and depth of information offered on pre-school and infant education and that available on junior teaching. This is key reading for students on primary initial teacher training programmes, Education Studies students, primary school teachers and classroom assistants, as well as education researchers and school leaders.

The book takes as its premise the argument that diverse learner groups are a fact of demographic change that should be considered foundational in the preparation of teachers rather than be problematized as a challenge. It promotes the idea of teacher education for inclusive education based on a consideration of what it means to educate all children together. Divided into four parts, the book considers key issues for teacher education, teacher agency, teacher education for diversity, and a research agenda for the future. In today’s world, the demographic profile of students in schools is more complex than ever before, and the increasing cultural, linguistic and developmental diversity of today’s classrooms, along with the pressure to achieve high academic standards for everybody has significant implications for how classroom teachers should be prepared to meet these demands. This book advances a new understanding of inclusive education that addresses the limitations inherent in current approaches that problematize differences between learner groups by promoting a view of difference as an aspect of human individuality. It considers the implications of the research evidence underpinning teacher education for diversity and makes suggestions for future research in the field.

This important and timely book provides an overview of climate change and highlights the importance of including climate change education in primary schools. It emphasises the importance of cross-curricular pedagogical approaches with a focus on climate justice, providing in-depth assistance for teaching children aged 3–13 years. Informed by up to date research, the book helps teachers to remain faithful to climate change science whilst not overwhelming children. Accompanied by online resources, this book includes practical and easy to follow ideas and lesson plans that will help teachers to include climate change education in their classrooms in a holistic, cross-curricular manner. Specific chapters address the following topics: • Inter-disciplinary approaches to climate change • Early childhood education • Pedagogies of hope • The importance of reflective practice • Ideas for including climate change education in curricular areas such as literacy, geography, science, history and the arts Designed to promote climate change education in primary schools, this resource will help primary teachers, student teachers, geography specialists and all those interested in climate change education develop their own conceptual knowledge and that of the children in their class.

It is now widely recognized that learners are more successful when they are active participants in the learning relationship. This book offers a general introduction to primary education and child development, using the learning relationship between teachers and children as its focus. Divided into two parts, the first looks at the child's contribution to the learning relationship, and the second examines that of the teacher.

"This is a timely book, enabling teachers to reflect critically upon their existing work-place practices, which have been so powerfully shaped by the target culture and the logic of performativity that has underpinned it for two decades. More importantly it will empower primary school teachers to play a more active role in effecting curriculum and pedagogical change in their schools and classrooms." Professor John Elliot, School of Education, University of East Anglia, UK This book encourages you to question the existing culture of schooling, its principles and practices. Current practices have been shaped and dominated by a target led and outcomes driven agenda. The book addresses some of the conflicts that arise in the demand for performance on the one hand and teachers' responsiveness to children and their learning on the other. Sue Cox sets out to show how change might be based on clear understandings of how children learn and how teachers contribute to that learning. She does this by providing frameworks for change and shows how, from these perspectives, participation is key to children's learning. She then goes on to explore the implications for teachers working collaboratively with children in areas such as interaction, curriculum and assessment. An underlying aim of the book is to provide the tools for teachers to develop a principled approach to what they do and how they think in order to challenge some entrenched practices and thinking. This book provides thoughtful reading and promotes reflective thinking for primary teachers, teachers in training and researchers with insight into new ways of thinking about and developing primary education.

Education has become one of our major concerns, at the heart of any strategy for prosperity and social cohesion. But young people are having more difficulty than ever before in adapting to the world they will enter as adults. Tom Bentley argues that if education is to meet the emerging challenges of the twenty-first century, we must recognise that learning takes place far beyond the formal education sector. We cannot rely solely on dedicated teachers to deliver the understanding and personal qualities young people will need. Instead we must connect what happens in schools to wider opportunities for learning. Drawing on a wide-ranging review of educational innovation and on contemporary analysis of economic, social and technological change, this book shows that creating an education revolution requires us to think far more radically about young people and the options for reform, and outlines a vision of education fit for the twenty-first century. Tom Bentley is a senior researcher at Demos, the independent think-tank. He was born and educated in East London and at Oxford University. His research areas include: young people, education, the future of work and combating of social exclusion.

This book provides a range of insights into pupils’ learning relevant to the use of information and communications technology (ICT) in primary science. The contributors, who are all experts in their field, draw on practical and theoretical perspectives and: Provide specific examples of software and hardware use in the classroom Consider innovative and creative uses of technology for pupils engaged in science activity in the primary and early years Indicate future possibilities for the use of computer-based technologies Key themes running through the book include: setting the use of ICT in primary science within theoretical perspectives on learning and on pedagogy; the importance of using ICT in developing talking and listening opportunities in the science classroom; and the potential of learning through ICT enhanced science investigations. Contemporary issues such as inclusion, creativity and collaborative learning are also examined, making Teaching and Learning Primary Science with ICT essential reading for students in science education, and for teachers who want to use new technology to improve learning in their science classrooms.