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The Helen Hamlyn Centre for Pedagogy (0-11 years)'s research aims to transform the lives of children through exemplary pedagogy.

Research themesÌý

• Children’s agency
• Curriculum
• Social justiceÌý

Children’s agency

Agency is defined as a socially situated capacity to act. This capacity is central to children’s development, and their ability to lead happy, successful lives.ÌýEvidence demonstrates that having a sense of agency and being able to exercise agency to shape learning experience contributes to children’s academic achievement and socio-emotional wellbeing.Ìý

Our research on children’s agency aims to develop a better understanding of the impact of educational policies, practices, and environments on children’s agency and its role in helping children to succeed in school and beyond.Ìý

Our research on children’s agency:

• Children’s Agency in the National Curriculum (CHANT)
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• Leverhulme Trust: Children’s Agency and the National Curriculum
• Living and Learning During a Pandemic
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Curriculum

The curriculum is what children experience every day in their early years settings and primary schools.ÌýNational curricula reflect society’s aspirations for their children and young people, and assessments is an important part of curricula.

Our research provides evidence on better ways to understand and create curriculum and assessment systems, at national levels in policy, and in schools and classrooms.Ìý

We work on curricula holistically but also in relation to curriculum areas such as language and literacy, creativity, and the arts. Children’s and teachers’ agency, through curriculum, pedagogy and assessment, are a vital focus for our work.Ìý

Our research on the curriculum includes: 

Curriculum design

• Rethinking Curriculum
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• Watch: What if we took play more seriously in the schools system?

Language and literacy

• The Grammar and Writing Research Project
• Phonics and the teaching of reading
• Impact of the phonics screening check on Year 2
• The Grammar and Writing Research Project
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• The Balancing Act: An evidence-based approach to teaching phonics, reading and writing

Assessment

• Separating primary school children in preparation for SATs could be ‘damaging’.

Creativity and the arts

• All is not lost in the art of creative writing
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Children’s and teachers’ agency

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Social justice

Our research focuses on how pedagogy can be improved for all children but particularly those living in disadvantaged circumstances.ÌýHHCP research seeks to address inequalities and injustices that may prevent children’s progress in education, including those related to the disparities in experience arising from the Covid-19 pandemic.Ìý

Our research on social justice:

• Food banks in early years settings
• Food banks in schools: exploring the impact on children’s learning
• Supporting primary learning during the COVID-19 outbreak - IOE coffee break
• Why nursery schools are essential
• Primary school testing will do more harm than good
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• The role of teaching/classroom assistants during the COVID crisis
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