Starting from the child?

Publication date

30 May 2024

Author

Professor Julie Fisher
Early years adviser and visiting Professor at Oxford Brookes University

Professor Julie Fisher tells us all about her seminal text; Starting from the child? This episode marks an exciting time as Julie publishes the 5th edition of her book. Julie explains how Starting from the child? began in the 1990's, and how it responds to policy and practice, and follows the history of early childhood education in England.

Starting from the child?

This special podcast episode celebrates the 5th edition of Starting from the child? by Professor Julie Fisher.

Episode break down:

00:00 – How did Starting from the child begin?
05:05 – Your job as an educator is to inspire children
06:45 – Back when early years had money!…
12:44 – Children and educators are crying
16:47 – The constantly evolving sector
20:13 – Every headteacher needs early years training
24:35 – We need to focus on future educators
31:09 – Julie’s advice for new educators
38:08 – Book launch announcement

Book launch and conference
Starting from the child?

Date: 7 June 2024

Time: 9.30-5.00

Location: Coram, 41 Brunswick Square London WC1N 1AZ

Join the early years community for a critically important conference at Coram campus in London to start from the child and explore the continuum of learning and development from birth to 7.

This special Hempsall’s Early Years (hey!) conference will launch the 5th Edition of Professor Julie Fisher’s Starting from the Child? in conjunction with Open University Press. A fantastic opportunity to celebrate Julie’s work, the review of this seminal text, and her immeasurable contribution to the early years landscape.

Throughout the day there will be a brilliant line-up of speakers coming together to analyse and investigate the nature of effective, appropriate, and responsible early education practice.

The conference day will conclude with Julie in conversation with hey! programme director Jan Dubiel, with a question time, book signing, and drinks reception.

Starting from the child?
5th Edition

The fifth edition of Starting from the Child? reintroduces a question mark in its title. It explores whether, in light of increasing pressures from inspection, assessment and government reforms, it is still possible to plan a curriculum and pedagogy ‘starting from the child’. Julie Fisher’s overwhelming message is positive. Whilst acknowledging the challenges, she demonstrates in highly practical, principled and realistic ways how and why the young child must always be at the centre of good early years practice.

A message from Jan Dubiel

“Prof Julie Fisher has consistently been one of the clearest, most thoughtful and informed voices in the early years profession.

Her principled and considered perspective has both inspired and enabled generation of early years educators to review and refine their craft.

It is, therefore, apposite, and timely that that ‘Starting from the Child’, has been updated to re-contribute to the important debate regarding how we understand and frame the best quality education for children in the early years.

I sincerely hope that its impact will continue to enlighten and challenge all those concerned with ensuring that children experience the most effective provision.”

– Jan Dubiel, programme director, hey!

What to expect

The speakers will be examining how key principles are embedded in children’s experiences of early education provision and how these progresses from birth to seven years of age. The conference will pose and reflect upon the key questions of:

How do we maintain a consistency of principles and practices that effectively support and empower learners in a seamless continuum from birth to 7?
How could and should each age and phase build on and learn from each other?
How do we define and sustain exemplary practice in early education and the EYFS?
How do we continue to draw from research and evidence to innovate and enhance provision in line with principles?

Conference speakers

Ruth Sharp and Oliver Jermyn exploring how we empower children’s learning and development from birth to 2.
Alison Whelan discussing the pedagogical landscape for 3 to 5-year-olds.
Dr Sue Allingham examining how we extend appropriate approaches and the understanding of Curriculum to age 7.
Jan Dubiel with an overview of the hey! mission, our achievements to date and future project work and plans.
Prof Julie Fisher launching the 5^th edition of ‘Starting from the Child’ by reviewing the principles and challenges of effective early years practice, and how this is continually evolving. Followed by a question-and-answer session in discussion with Jan Dubiel.

For more information and tickets click below:

About the author

Professor Julie Fisher
Early years adviser and visiting Professor at Oxford Brookes University

Julie Fisher is an independent Early Years Adviser and Visiting Professor of Early Childhood Education at Oxford Brookes University. She held the post of Early Years Adviser in Oxfordshire for 11 years, before which she was lecturer in early childhood education at the University of Reading. She has taught children from 3 to 12 years and has been headteacher of two urban, multi-cultural schools. To underpin her consultancy work, Julie draws on her own research projects which engage her in constant contact with practitioners and children in both schools and settings. She is author of numerous articles on early childhood education as well as her books ‘Starting from the Child?’ (2024: 5th edition); ‘The Foundations of Learning’ (2002); ‘Moving On to Key Stage One’ (2020: 2nd edition) and her best-selling book ‘Interacting or Interfering?’ (2016).

Julie has achieved a doctorate for her research into the changing role of early childhood educators. She is also a recipient of the Nursery World Lifetime Achievement Award for her contribution to early childhood education. Julie is currently offering training and conference presentations on all aspects of Adult-Child Interaction; Leadership of the EYFS; Balancing adult-led and child-led learning; Transition from EYFS to KS1; and Curriculum Planning in the FS. In all her training she is able to draw on extensive DVD footage gathered during her research projects, to exemplify effective practice with children from 6 months to 6 years.

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