Setting the Scene
Primary school leadership and its evolving nature has been the subject of much scrutiny, research, and debate; with reflections on what makes a successful leader, and what their role is in developing high quality, impactful teaching and learning. A significant challenge for those taking on the role of head teacher is that their own teaching and early leadership experiences may not have encompassed the whole Primary School cohort, which in England could potentially include children aged from nine months to eleven years old.
It is widely recognised that the Early Years (EY) component of the education sector in England plays a critical role in providing quality care and provision for children aged 0–5 years. There are two large-scale longitudinal studies that have had a strong influence on government Early Childhood Education (ECE) policy since 2000. These are the Effective Provision of Pre-School Education project1 (EPPE, later EPPSE) and the National Evaluation of Sure Start impact study2 (NESS).
More recently there has been an increasing amount of evidence being generated which examines Early Years practice and suggests which strategies or interventions may be more effective to improve outcomes. A significant source of this guidance for schools in England is the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF). Producing a range of evidence pertaining to the likely success of interventions or activities, the EEF stresses that these should be used strategically alongside the experience and expertise of those working in schools, as well as considering the context of the school. If the head teacher has limited experience of Early Years, there is a potential risk that they may choose poorly.
At the time of writing there was currently no data set available to identify how many primary school leaders in England have had significant teaching and leadership experience in the Early Years. However, my current research suggests that the pattern is very mixed, alongside their understanding of Early Years.
The National Headteachers Standards established by the DfE set out clear expectations regarding quality of teaching, assessment, and curriculum. These require that those in a school leadership position ensure that these are monitored, developed, embedded, and sustained. It is implied therefore, that to fulfil these requirements successfully a level of knowledge and expertise that encompasses all range of ages within a school setting is needed.
Although schools may use a distributed leadership model, with the responsibility for day-to-day leadership and management of early years delegated to another, the Headteacher Standards act as a salient reminder that those in that position retain overall responsibility and accountability. Therefore, knowing what to look for in terms of quality practice, understanding how a curriculum appropriate for younger children may be designed, and arguably knowing what questions to ask to ensure the above is in place, all require an informed knowledge base.
“At the time of writing there was currently no data set available to identify how many primary school leaders in England have had significant teaching and leadership experience in the Early Years. However, my current research suggests that the pattern is very mixed, alongside their understanding of Early Years.”
Government Focus on the Early Years and Impact on Leaders
At a government level in England there is a persistent push to raise the quality and status of Early Years practice and provision, which has seen additional funding since the COVID pandemic in the form of the Early Years Education Recovery Programme. During 2025 the DfE further raised the focus on outcomes at the end of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) by setting a highly ambitious national attainment target of 75% of Reception aged children reaching a Good Level of Development (GLD) by 2028. This is a significant increase on the current results, with local authorities being set targets of 9% above outcomes achieved in 2023/24.
As reported by Professor Catherine Davies at the Education Committee, ‘Inquiry into Early Years: Improving support for children and parents’3; achieving this ambitious target requires that 40,000-45,000 more children reach a Good Level of Development.
Amongst the recommendations to achieve this were:
- Sustain investment and attention throughout nursery and reception years to reinforce learning gains;
- Promote early education as critical to children’s development and a key mechanism to narrow attainment gaps;
- Sustain investment and attention throughout nursery and reception years to reinforce learning gains.
Since this new focus on the Reception year in England and the drive to raise standards, the DfE, in partnership with the Education Endowment Foundation and selected school leaders, has provided continuing professional development for head teachers in the form of face to face-to-face events and online webinars. These have included a range of themes, such as early writing, mathematics, adult interactions with children and attendance. Although encouraged, accessing such training is not a statutory requirement for head teachers. What should also be noted is that this spotlight on Good Level of Development represents a significant shift it what the purpose of assessment at the end of the Reception year is for. The Early Years Foundation Stage states that its purpose is to inform the parents and the child’s next teacher, not – as it appears increasingly to be used for – as an accountability measure for schools and school leaders.
Significantly, as part of the new inspection toolkit for schools, to achieve the above expected standard (Strong Standard) for Early Years, it states that:
- Relevant leaders, including the headteacher, are highly knowledgeable about the early years. They make astute decisions about how the curriculum and teaching should adapt and evolve, based on their evidence and insight about how well children have learned what was intended;
- Leaders are highly effective in quality assuringthe impact of education and care in the early years, which allows them to make rapid and sustained improvements when necessary.
I would argue that crucial to making any progress on narrowing the attainment gap in the Early Years, using appropriate pedagogy, is ensuring that all school leaders have a deep understanding of this phase of education, with training and ongoing expert support related to which age groups their school includes.
“This spotlight on Good Level of Development represents a significant shift it what the purpose of assessment at the end of the Reception year is for. The Early Years Foundation Stage states that its purpose is to inform the parents and the child’s next teacher, not – as it appears increasingly to be used for – as an accountability measure for schools and school leaders.”
Primary School Leadership Knowledge of Early Years Pedagogy
There is a growing body of literature exploring the relationship between what is perceived to be quality early years pedagogy, and the specific role school leadership has in facilitating this.
Research in the US which was related to the expansion of Early Years provision in schools found that less than 20% of elementary school leaders had any form of Early Childhood Education professional background. Furthermore, many were found to not have had any specific early year’s pedagogical content as part of their teaching training programmes. Consequently, they may not have seen developmentally appropriate practice or understand what early years staff should know about child development, or know how to strengthen early childhood practices in their school4.
Such evidence raises significant concerns for all involved in school leadership given the critical role high quality early years practice has on learning outcomes, with the risk of poor practice potentially being introduced by leaders directly, or as an indirect consequence of the recruitment of early years staff.
In England the research picture pertaining to school leader knowledge and perceptions of the early years is currently less rich. However, some common themes relating to leadership knowledge do appear, suggesting that those less confident when reviewing the early years practice within their schools, may be drawn towards a pedagogical model they find professionally more familiar based on their own teaching experience with older children, e.g. using a more structured adult-led approach, rather than play-based or child-initiated pedagogy5.
There an increasingly large body of evidence supporting the vital role of play in children’s learning and development. However, misunderstandings about play and cynicism as to its place in schools persist. Amongst these are that, as play lacks predefined outcomes, it is of lower status and that for learning to be of value it needs to be adult-led and goal driven; there are also those who argue against the use of play because it lowers standards. Evidence suggests the contrary, and such scepticism in school head teachers may be a reflection of their own lack of professional expertise in Early Years6.
Arguably, it may also be the case that the ever-evolving scrutiny on schools and attainment targets has, for many head teachers, resulted in school leaders being increasingly unsure as to whether they are doing enough or doing the right thing. A potential risk these factors create is that teachers working in the early years will continue to be susceptible to ‘top-down’ pressures which may further compromise the provision of appropriate practice.
This resonates with the national and international debate about the potential formalisation of early childhood education, which is part of the discourse surrounding the concept of ‘school readiness’ and the role primary school head teachers have in defining what this looks like in their school7). Within England, ‘School Readiness’ until recently was widely accepted as children being ready to start the National Curriculum as they leave the Early Years Foundation Stage; this was connected with children achieving Good Level of Development. However, more recently this has shifted to a concept of children being ‘Reception Ready’, with a range of guidance to support schools, early years settings and parents with unpicking what this means.
There is a growing body of literature exploring the relationship between what is perceived to be quality early years pedagogy, and the specific role school leadership has in facilitating this. Research in the US found that less than 20% of elementary school leaders had any form of Early Childhood Education professional background and many did not have any specific early year’s pedagogical content as part of their teaching training.
Pedagogical knowledge is critical when evaluating teachers and their chosen methodologies of classroom practice, and a consistent trend over the last twenty years shows an educational leader’s indirect influence upon the pedagogical choices made by teachers in their schools. It would appear that what shapes the different views of school leaders relating to pedagogy and the importance of Early Childhood Education is complex and fluid; with the evidence suggesting that their knowledge and perceptions of quality Early Childhood Education predominantly relate to personal experiences, education, and any specific training they may have had.
This is not to necessarily imply that leaders must have the same level of expertise or depth of pedagogical content knowledge as specialist early years teachers. An alternative perspective, and arguably more achievable, is the concept of ‘secure leadership pedagogical knowledge’8. This reduces the focus on leaders knowing curriculum content, and instead has at its core, a requirement for leaders to understand how all the children in their school learn and the best instructional methods to serve all those children’s needs.
To conclude, given the increasingly recognised importance of learning in the early years on life-long outcomes and the ambitious expectations at a national level, the evidence strongly suggests primary school head teachers must have a clear understanding of developmentally appropriate teaching practices for the Early Years children in their school.
Recommendations to strengthen the quality of school leadership of the Early Years
- A thorough review of the current understanding of existing head teachers with regards to Early Years pedagogy and their understanding of quality practice and provision;
- A strategic approach to ongoing professional development which does not just focus on Good Level of Development, but more broadly on strengthening pedagogical understanding of Early Childhood Education;
- An examination of the current preparation for headship of prospective head teachers who may go on to lead schools which include Early Years departments.
ENDNOTES
1. ‘A Study of the Long-Term Influence of Early Childhood Education and Care on the Risk for Developing Special Educational Needs’, Melhuish, E., Barnes, J., Gardiner, J., Siraj, I., Sammons, P., Sylva, K., & Taggart, B., Exceptionality education international (2020),29(3), 22-41.
2. ‘A review of research on the effects of early childhood education and care (ECEC) on child development’, Melhuish, E., Ereky-Stevens, K., Petrogiannis, K., Ariescu, A., Penderi, E., Rentzou, K., Tawell, A., Slot, P., Broekhuizen, M., & Leserman, P., 2015.
3. Written evidence by Professor Catherine Davies (EYS0028) to the House of Commons Education Committee ‘Inquiry into Early Years: Improving support for children and parents’.
4. ‘Elementary School Principals’ Perceptions Regarding Early Childhood Education’, Cunningham, D. D., Mowrey, S., & Baker, S. J., Critical Questions in Education,(2023) 14(1), 54-71; ‘An Examination of Principals’ Leadership and its Impact on Early Elementary Grades’, Hallissey, M., Ph.D. Dissertation, Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, 2017, ProQuest Dissertations Publishing.
5. ‘To play or not to play: teachers’ and headteachers’ perspectives on play-based approaches in transition from the Early Years Foundation Stage to Key Stage 1 in England’, Fisher, J., 2022, Education 3-13,50(6), 803-815.
6. Ibid.
7. ‘School readiness – what does this mean? Educators’ perceptions using a cross sector comparison’, Rouse, E., Nicholas, M., & Garner, R., 2020, International Journal of Early Years Education,31(1), 185-199.
8. ‘An Examination of Principals’ Leadership and its Impact on Early Elementary Grades’, Hallissey, M., 2017.
