TCELT research seminar - May 2023

This research seminar will draw on Marion’s doctoral transitions study which explored Scotland’s Curriculum for Excellence, the ‘early level’ which was intentionally created to avoid a ‘fresh start’ approach for children starting school. Children transitioning to school have traditionally been expected to be ‘school ready’; preparing them for a culture where play has yet to be consistently and universally embraced as pedagogy.

Differences in culture, environments, and pedagogies between the two sectors of education: the early learning and childcare sector and the primary school sector prompted the title and focus of this IJELT article, ‘how ready or not are Scottish primary teachers to adopt a pedagogy of play for children starting school?

Marion found that realising a play-based curriculum while consistent with pedagogical practice in the two early learning and childcare settings, was not yet common practice in the three Primary 1 classes that were part of the original study.

Implications for policy makers and others, include empowering teachers to embrace playful pedagogy through cross sectoral collaboration, so that children starting school can benefit from a continuous play-based curriculum experience.

Biography

Dr Marion Burns HMI completed her doctoral degree at Strathclyde University in 2019, where her main research focus was children’s transitions to school.  Marion has travelled to New South Wales, New Zealand and Iceland to participate in a range of professional learning activities as part of the Pedagogies of Educational Transitions (POET) work package.  She is a co-author of the national guidance for early years in Scotland, Realising the Ambition: Being me. She is a member of the IJELT editorial board and is the non-executive chairperson of Early Years Scotland. Marion retired from Education Scotland in 2021.

Related publication

Burns, M. (2022). Ready or Not to Adopt a Pedagogy of Play for Children Starting School in Scottish Primary Schools: Is this a Major Transition for Teachers? International Journal of Educational and Life Transitions, 1(1): 5, pp. 1–16.