Kathy Sylva
Biographic Data
| ID | 4221432 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Kathy Sylva |
| GIVEN NAMES | Kathy |
| FAMILY NAME | Sylva |
| SIGNATURE | SYLVA K |
| AFFILIATIONS | University of Oxford |
| VERIFIED | No |
| TOTAL WORKS | 20 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 96 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 19 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 1 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 1985 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 5 |
Developing a questionnaire to assess confidence of early years educators in using language support strategies
The drivers of academic success for ‘bright’ but disadvantaged students
The long-term role of the home learning environment in shaping students’ academic attainment in secondary school
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the relationships between the characteristics of the home learning environment (HLE) and students’ academic attainments in secondary school in England at age 14 and 16. Design/methodology/approach – This research study uses multilevel statistical models to investigate the strength and significance of relationships between various measures of the HLE at ages three, six, 11 and 14, and students’ aca…
Supporting early learning for children under three
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to review the literature on young children's learning at home and in early childhood settings, in order to identify key caregiving practices which support the learning and development of children under three. Design/methodology/approach – Starting with well-known reviews carried out in England, the USA, Australia and New Zealand, the authors searched the literature for evidence of the developmental needs of …
Seeking to Engage ‘Hard‐to‐Reach’ Families
This paper describes an exploratory evaluation of the Peers Early Education Partnership ‘Room to Play’, an innovative and experimental ‘drop‐in’ service seeking to attract and engage ‘hard‐to‐reach’ families in one of the most deprived areas of a Midlands city. Located in a shop unit of a busy community shopping centre, it offers play and learning activities for children, and provides opportunities for parents to talk to practitioners in a neutra…
The relative importance of two different mathematical abilities to mathematical achievement
Background. Two distinct abilities, mathematical reasoning and arithmetic skill, might make separate and specific contributions to mathematical achievement. However, there is little evidence to inform theory and educational practice on this matter.Aims. The aims of this study were (1) to assess whether mathematical reasoning and arithmetic make independent contributions to the longitudinal prediction of mathematical achievement over 5 years and (…
Pre-school quality and educational outcomes at age 11
This article reports the effects of pre-school quality on children’s cognitive and behavioural outcomes at age 11 using a large-scale longitudinal study of 3000+ children in England (EPPE/EPPSE). The ECERS-R and a curricular extension to it (ECERS-E) were used to assess the quality of provision in 141 pre-school settings attended by the children. The quality measures were derived from observations throughout the day of interactions and resources …
The influence of child, family, home factors and pre‐school education on the identification of special educational needs at age 10
The early identification of young children's special educational needs (SEN), as well as the development of specific strategies to support those children identified with special needs, are increasingly recognised as crucial to facilitating good adjustment to school and to ensuring that such children are helped to reach their full potential in education. Using a large national sample of young children in England whose developmental progress was fo…
Early Childhood Matters
Book synopsis: Early Childhood Matters documents the rapid development of early years education and care from the late 1990s into the new millennium. It chronicles the unique contribution of the EPPE research to our understanding of the importance of pre-school. The Effective Pre-school and Primary Education (EPPE) project is the largest European study of the impact of early years education and care on children’s developmental outcomes. Through t…
Effects of the Home Learning Environment and Preschool Center Experience upon Literacy and Numeracy Development in Early Primary School
This study investigates the influence of aspects of home and preschool environments upon literacy and numeracy achievement at school entry and at the end of the 3rd year of school. Individuals with unexpected performance pathways (by forming demographically adjusted groups: overachieving, average, and underachieving) were identified in order to explore the effects of the home learning environment and preschool variables on child development. Mult…
Training parents to help their children read
Background. Low levels of literacy and high levels of behaviour problems in middle childhood often co-occur. These persistent difficulties pose a risk to academic and social development, leading to social exclusion in adulthood. Although parent-training programmes have been shown to be effective in enabling parents to support their children's development, very few parent interventions offer a combination of behavioural and literacy training.Aims.…
Changing models of research to inform educational policy
This contribution explores changes in the way that educational researchers engage with policy‐makers in England. The traditional relationship between research and policy was linear, with funders supporting the efforts of researchers, who carried out research and then disseminated it to those responsible for shaping and implementing policy. This model of ‘knowledge transfer’ is fast being supplemented and sometimes replaced by one of ‘knowledge ex…
The Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment Revisited
This review describes the Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment (HOME). After describing the structure of the instrument, it shows how it has been used successfully in studies on normally developing children and on samples drawn from high‐risk populations. These are followed by studies showing how the HOME has been used to evaluate interventions. Although most interventions are not designed primarily on the basis of the HOME outcome…
Researching pedagogy in English pre‐schools
This article summarizes and reflects on the findings related to pedagogy of two closely associated Department for Education and Skills (DfES) funded research projects: the Effective Provision of Pre-school Education (EPPE) and the Researching Effective Pedagogy in the Early Years (REPEY) projects. 1 The EPPE research project was a five-year longitudinal study funded by the DfES to follow the progress of approximately 3000 children, aged three plu…
The impact of pre‐school on young children's cognitive attainments at entry to reception
This article explores the impact of pre‐school experience on young children's cognitive attainments at entry to primary school and analyses data collected as part of a wider longitudinal study, the Effective Provision of Pre‐school Education (EPPE) project, which followed a large sample of young children attending 141 pre‐school centres drawn from six types of provider in five English regions. The article compares the characteristics and attainme…
Preventing failure at school
This paper considers early educational interventions aimed at preventing school failure. It begins with a typology of prevention and intervention, then goes on to consider four specific examples of preventive interventions all aimed at avoiding or alleviating academic failure at school. (1) The High Scope pre‐school programme for disadvantaged children aimed at providing a ‘better start at school'. (2) Reading Recovery, a targeted intervention ai…
Evaluation of a Focused Literacy Teaching Programme in Reception and Year 1 Classes
Systematic observation was carried out in 12 classrooms (six in an innovative literacy programme which was a precursor to the Literacy Hour and six comparison classes) to explore teaching and learning which occurred after an intensive in‐service programme for reception teachers. Altogether 216 children were observed in an inner‐city authority, each for 15 minutes according to a schedule of time‐sampled and event‐sampled categories. Teaching behav…
Evaluation of a Focused Literacy Teaching Programme in Reception and Year 1 classes
This study investigated the effectiveness of a focused literacy teaching programme for children in Reception and Year 1 classes. The literacy programme combines a whole language approach to literacy with a structured classroom organisation, including a relatively high level of direct teacher instruction. It has been influential in the design of the National Literacy Strategy, which has adopted several of its organisational features. The children …
Raising Basic Education Levels in Rural Bangladesh
The What and Wherefore of Nursery Record‐keeping
Nursery headteachers and nursery class teachers in two LEAs with official records participated in a study of record‐keeping practices. One LEA offers a checklist form and the other a structured narrative. Although the two different formats are well liked, staff in both authorities extend the official records and often add items in a format different from the official one. Regardless of format, the purpose to which records are put in similar in bo…
Effects of the Home Learning Environment and Preschool Center Experience upon Literacy and Numeracy Development in Early Primary School
This study investigates the influence of aspects of home and preschool environments upon literacy and numeracy achievement at school entry and at the end of the 3rd year of school. Individuals with unexpected performance pathways (by forming demographically adjusted groups: overachieving, average, and underachieving) were identified in order to explore the effects of the home learning environment and preschool variables on child development. Mult…
The impact of pre‐school on young children's cognitive attainments at entry to reception
This article explores the impact of pre‐school experience on young children's cognitive attainments at entry to primary school and analyses data collected as part of a wider longitudinal study, the Effective Provision of Pre‐school Education (EPPE) project, which followed a large sample of young children attending 141 pre‐school centres drawn from six types of provider in five English regions. The article compares the characteristics and attainme…
Researching pedagogy in English pre‐schools
This article summarizes and reflects on the findings related to pedagogy of two closely associated Department for Education and Skills (DfES) funded research projects: the Effective Provision of Pre-school Education (EPPE) and the Researching Effective Pedagogy in the Early Years (REPEY) projects. 1 The EPPE research project was a five-year longitudinal study funded by the DfES to follow the progress of approximately 3000 children, aged three plu…
Raising Basic Education Levels in Rural Bangladesh
The influence of child, family, home factors and pre‐school education on the identification of special educational needs at age 10
The early identification of young children's special educational needs (SEN), as well as the development of specific strategies to support those children identified with special needs, are increasingly recognised as crucial to facilitating good adjustment to school and to ensuring that such children are helped to reach their full potential in education. Using a large national sample of young children in England whose developmental progress was fo…
The long-term role of the home learning environment in shaping students’ academic attainment in secondary school
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the relationships between the characteristics of the home learning environment (HLE) and students’ academic attainments in secondary school in England at age 14 and 16. Design/methodology/approach – This research study uses multilevel statistical models to investigate the strength and significance of relationships between various measures of the HLE at ages three, six, 11 and 14, and students’ aca…
The relative importance of two different mathematical abilities to mathematical achievement
Background. Two distinct abilities, mathematical reasoning and arithmetic skill, might make separate and specific contributions to mathematical achievement. However, there is little evidence to inform theory and educational practice on this matter.Aims. The aims of this study were (1) to assess whether mathematical reasoning and arithmetic make independent contributions to the longitudinal prediction of mathematical achievement over 5 years and (…
Pre-school quality and educational outcomes at age 11
This article reports the effects of pre-school quality on children’s cognitive and behavioural outcomes at age 11 using a large-scale longitudinal study of 3000+ children in England (EPPE/EPPSE). The ECERS-R and a curricular extension to it (ECERS-E) were used to assess the quality of provision in 141 pre-school settings attended by the children. The quality measures were derived from observations throughout the day of interactions and resources …
Evaluation of a Focused Literacy Teaching Programme in Reception and Year 1 Classes
Systematic observation was carried out in 12 classrooms (six in an innovative literacy programme which was a precursor to the Literacy Hour and six comparison classes) to explore teaching and learning which occurred after an intensive in‐service programme for reception teachers. Altogether 216 children were observed in an inner‐city authority, each for 15 minutes according to a schedule of time‐sampled and event‐sampled categories. Teaching behav…
Training parents to help their children read
Background. Low levels of literacy and high levels of behaviour problems in middle childhood often co-occur. These persistent difficulties pose a risk to academic and social development, leading to social exclusion in adulthood. Although parent-training programmes have been shown to be effective in enabling parents to support their children's development, very few parent interventions offer a combination of behavioural and literacy training.Aims.…
Changing models of research to inform educational policy
This contribution explores changes in the way that educational researchers engage with policy‐makers in England. The traditional relationship between research and policy was linear, with funders supporting the efforts of researchers, who carried out research and then disseminated it to those responsible for shaping and implementing policy. This model of ‘knowledge transfer’ is fast being supplemented and sometimes replaced by one of ‘knowledge ex…
Supporting early learning for children under three
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to review the literature on young children's learning at home and in early childhood settings, in order to identify key caregiving practices which support the learning and development of children under three. Design/methodology/approach – Starting with well-known reviews carried out in England, the USA, Australia and New Zealand, the authors searched the literature for evidence of the developmental needs of …
Evaluation of a Focused Literacy Teaching Programme in Reception and Year 1 classes
This study investigated the effectiveness of a focused literacy teaching programme for children in Reception and Year 1 classes. The literacy programme combines a whole language approach to literacy with a structured classroom organisation, including a relatively high level of direct teacher instruction. It has been influential in the design of the National Literacy Strategy, which has adopted several of its organisational features. The children …
The What and Wherefore of Nursery Record‐keeping
Nursery headteachers and nursery class teachers in two LEAs with official records participated in a study of record‐keeping practices. One LEA offers a checklist form and the other a structured narrative. Although the two different formats are well liked, staff in both authorities extend the official records and often add items in a format different from the official one. Regardless of format, the purpose to which records are put in similar in bo…
Preventing failure at school
This paper considers early educational interventions aimed at preventing school failure. It begins with a typology of prevention and intervention, then goes on to consider four specific examples of preventive interventions all aimed at avoiding or alleviating academic failure at school. (1) The High Scope pre‐school programme for disadvantaged children aimed at providing a ‘better start at school'. (2) Reading Recovery, a targeted intervention ai…
Evaluation of a Focused Literacy Teaching Programme in Reception and Year 1 Classes
Systematic observation was carried out in 12 classrooms (six in an innovative literacy programme which was a precursor to the Literacy Hour and six comparison classes) to explore teaching and learning which occurred after an intensive in‐service programme for reception teachers. Altogether 216 children were observed in an inner‐city authority, each for 15 minutes according to a schedule of time‐sampled and event‐sampled categories. Teaching behav…
Evaluation of a Focused Literacy Teaching Programme in Reception and Year 1 classes
This study investigated the effectiveness of a focused literacy teaching programme for children in Reception and Year 1 classes. The literacy programme combines a whole language approach to literacy with a structured classroom organisation, including a relatively high level of direct teacher instruction. It has been influential in the design of the National Literacy Strategy, which has adopted several of its organisational features. The children …
Raising Basic Education Levels in Rural Bangladesh
The Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment Revisited
This review describes the Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment (HOME). After describing the structure of the instrument, it shows how it has been used successfully in studies on normally developing children and on samples drawn from high‐risk populations. These are followed by studies showing how the HOME has been used to evaluate interventions. Although most interventions are not designed primarily on the basis of the HOME outcome…
Researching pedagogy in English pre‐schools
This article summarizes and reflects on the findings related to pedagogy of two closely associated Department for Education and Skills (DfES) funded research projects: the Effective Provision of Pre-school Education (EPPE) and the Researching Effective Pedagogy in the Early Years (REPEY) projects. 1 The EPPE research project was a five-year longitudinal study funded by the DfES to follow the progress of approximately 3000 children, aged three plu…
The impact of pre‐school on young children's cognitive attainments at entry to reception
This article explores the impact of pre‐school experience on young children's cognitive attainments at entry to primary school and analyses data collected as part of a wider longitudinal study, the Effective Provision of Pre‐school Education (EPPE) project, which followed a large sample of young children attending 141 pre‐school centres drawn from six types of provider in five English regions. The article compares the characteristics and attainme…
Changing models of research to inform educational policy
This contribution explores changes in the way that educational researchers engage with policy‐makers in England. The traditional relationship between research and policy was linear, with funders supporting the efforts of researchers, who carried out research and then disseminated it to those responsible for shaping and implementing policy. This model of ‘knowledge transfer’ is fast being supplemented and sometimes replaced by one of ‘knowledge ex…
Effects of the Home Learning Environment and Preschool Center Experience upon Literacy and Numeracy Development in Early Primary School
This study investigates the influence of aspects of home and preschool environments upon literacy and numeracy achievement at school entry and at the end of the 3rd year of school. Individuals with unexpected performance pathways (by forming demographically adjusted groups: overachieving, average, and underachieving) were identified in order to explore the effects of the home learning environment and preschool variables on child development. Mult…
Training parents to help their children read
Background. Low levels of literacy and high levels of behaviour problems in middle childhood often co-occur. These persistent difficulties pose a risk to academic and social development, leading to social exclusion in adulthood. Although parent-training programmes have been shown to be effective in enabling parents to support their children's development, very few parent interventions offer a combination of behavioural and literacy training.Aims.…
Early Childhood Matters
Book synopsis: Early Childhood Matters documents the rapid development of early years education and care from the late 1990s into the new millennium. It chronicles the unique contribution of the EPPE research to our understanding of the importance of pre-school. The Effective Pre-school and Primary Education (EPPE) project is the largest European study of the impact of early years education and care on children’s developmental outcomes. Through t…
Pre-school quality and educational outcomes at age 11
This article reports the effects of pre-school quality on children’s cognitive and behavioural outcomes at age 11 using a large-scale longitudinal study of 3000+ children in England (EPPE/EPPSE). The ECERS-R and a curricular extension to it (ECERS-E) were used to assess the quality of provision in 141 pre-school settings attended by the children. The quality measures were derived from observations throughout the day of interactions and resources …
The influence of child, family, home factors and pre‐school education on the identification of special educational needs at age 10
The early identification of young children's special educational needs (SEN), as well as the development of specific strategies to support those children identified with special needs, are increasingly recognised as crucial to facilitating good adjustment to school and to ensuring that such children are helped to reach their full potential in education. Using a large national sample of young children in England whose developmental progress was fo…
The relative importance of two different mathematical abilities to mathematical achievement
Background. Two distinct abilities, mathematical reasoning and arithmetic skill, might make separate and specific contributions to mathematical achievement. However, there is little evidence to inform theory and educational practice on this matter.Aims. The aims of this study were (1) to assess whether mathematical reasoning and arithmetic make independent contributions to the longitudinal prediction of mathematical achievement over 5 years and (…
Seeking to Engage ‘Hard‐to‐Reach’ Families
This paper describes an exploratory evaluation of the Peers Early Education Partnership ‘Room to Play’, an innovative and experimental ‘drop‐in’ service seeking to attract and engage ‘hard‐to‐reach’ families in one of the most deprived areas of a Midlands city. Located in a shop unit of a busy community shopping centre, it offers play and learning activities for children, and provides opportunities for parents to talk to practitioners in a neutra…
Supporting early learning for children under three
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to review the literature on young children's learning at home and in early childhood settings, in order to identify key caregiving practices which support the learning and development of children under three. Design/methodology/approach – Starting with well-known reviews carried out in England, the USA, Australia and New Zealand, the authors searched the literature for evidence of the developmental needs of …
The long-term role of the home learning environment in shaping students’ academic attainment in secondary school
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the relationships between the characteristics of the home learning environment (HLE) and students’ academic attainments in secondary school in England at age 14 and 16. Design/methodology/approach – This research study uses multilevel statistical models to investigate the strength and significance of relationships between various measures of the HLE at ages three, six, 11 and 14, and students’ aca…
The drivers of academic success for ‘bright’ but disadvantaged students
Developing a questionnaire to assess confidence of early years educators in using language support strategies
Psychology (19 works) · Early Childhood Education and Development (14 works) · Political science (10 works) · Developmental psychology (8 works) · Medicine (8 works) · Parental Involvement in Education (8 works) · Pedagogy (8 works) · Mathematics education (7 works) · Literacy (6 works) · Reading and Literacy Development (6 works)