Prof Kathy Sylva[back]

After earning a PhD at Harvard University Kathy moved to Oxford where she taught Psychology while serving on the Oxford Pre-school Research Group which was led by Jerome Bruner. Her book Childwatching at Playgroup and Nursery School broke new ground by questioning an unbridled ‘free play' ideology. In the 1980s she evaluated the High/Scope pre-school programme with its emphasis on ‘plan, do, review' in each session. In this work she began to explore the notion of ‘structure' in Early Education.

In 1990 Kathy moved to London to carry out research on assessment and curriculum in primary education. In Early Intervention in Children with Reading Difficulties she and Jane Hurry showed that Reading Recovery is a successful intervention and cost-effective as well. During this period she was co-director of the Royal Society of Arts Enquiry into Early Years Education (Start Right Report, 1994).

In 1997 Kathy returned to Oxford as Professor of Educational Psychology. She is one of the leaders of the DCSF research on effective provision of pre-school and primary education and on the evaluations of the Transformation Fund and the Early Learning Partnership Project.  She has also investigated programmes to support parents as educators of their own children. A dominant theme throughout her research is the impact of education not only on ‘subject knowledge' but on children's problem-solving, social skills and disposition to learn. A related theme in her research is the impact of early intervention on combating social disadvantage and exclusion.

She was Specialist Advisor to the House of Commons Select Committee on Education and Employment during their Inquiry into Early Education (2001). She serves on Government advisory committees concerned with national assessment, evaluation of programmes such as Sure Start, and curriculum for children 0-7 years (2003, 2005-6, 2008). She advised the Scottish Parliament in 2005-6 on Early Years; and in 2006 she advised the Government on the teaching of phonics She has been given honorary doctorates by the Open University and Oxford Brookes University.  She is an Elected Fellow of the British Psychological Society and in 2008 she was awarded an OBE for services to children and families.

Research topics

• Early childhood curriculum, pedagogy and assessment
• 'Effectiveness' of education in the pre-school and primary phases
• Contribution of parents to children's learning
• Primary curriculum and pedagogy
• Supporting parents in child management and learning
• Reading Recovery and other literacy interventions
• Special needs assessment and planning
• Families, children and child care

Research grants awarded since 2000

• Sylva, K., Melhuish, E., Sammons, P., Siraj-Blatchford, I., & Taggart, B. Effective Pre-school, Primary and Secondary Education 3-14 (EPPSE 3-14), Department for Children, Schools and Families/ESRC (TLRP Project), 2007-2011 (£2,121,083)
• Nabuco, M., Evangelou, M., & Sylva, K. Evaluation of PEEP in Portugal (APAR). Portuguese Science Council, 2007-2010 (€192,800.00)
• Mathers, S. Sylva, K., & Evangelou, M. Evaluation of the Transformation Fund, sub-grant to main grant held by NatCen. Department for Children, Schools and Families, 2007-2009 (£1,244,794)
• Evangelou, M., Sylva, K., Edwards, A., & Smith, T. National Evaluation of the Early Learning Partnership Project. Department for Children, Schools and Families, 2007-2009 (£449,584)
• Mathers, S., Sylva, K., & Evangelou, M. Evaluation of the Two-Year-Olds Pilot, sub-grant to main grant held by NatCen. Department for Children, Schools and Families, 2007-2008 (£1,278,126)
• Evangelou, M. & Sylva, K. Sutton Trust Evaluation Project (STEP). Sutton Trust, 2006-2008 (£60,165)
• Goodman, A., Dearden, L., Feinstein, L., Gregg, P., & Sylva, K. Intergenerational Transmission of ‘soft skills', sub-grant to main grant held by the IFS. Joseph Rowntree Foundation, 2006-2008 (£450,000)
• Sylva, K., Melhuish, E., Sammons, P., Siraj-Blatchford, I. & Taggart, B. Effective Provision of Pre-school & Primary Education 3-11 (EPPE 3-11), Department for Education & Skills/ESRC (TLRP Project), 2003-2008 (£2,731,620)
• Taggart, B., Sammons, P., Siraj-Blatchford, I., Melhuish, E., & Sylva, K. Equalities and Inequalities: Effective Pre-School and Primary Education 3-11 (EPPE 3-11). The Cabinet Office, 2006 (£54,473)
• Sylva, K., Mathers, S., Joshi, H., Siraj-Blatchford, I., Melhuish, E., Sammons, P. & Taggart, B. Quality of Childcare in the Millennium Cohort Study (MCS). Department for Education & Skills, 2005-2006 (£232,645)
• Siraj-Blatchford, I., Laugharne, J., & Sylva, K. Monitoring and Evaluation of the Effective Implementation of the Foundation Phase. National Assembly for Wales, 2004-2006 (£96,722)
• Smith, T., Smith, G. Sylva, K., & Dearden, L. Evaluation of Neighbourhood Nurseries Initiative, Department for Education and Skills, 2002-2006 (£832,926)
• Sylva, K., Stein, A. & Leach, P. Families, Children and Child Care, Tedworth and Glasshouse Trusts (Sainsbury), 1997-2005 (£1,738,200)
• Sylva, K., Evangelou, M. & Brooks, G. Enabling Parents: an evaluation of parent early education programme (PEEP), Learning and Skills Council, 2002-2004 (£104,000)
• Smith, T., Sylva, K., Smith, G. & Dearden, L. Evaluation of Pilot Wrap-around care programme, Department for Education and Skills, 2002-2003 (£216,850)
• Sylva, K., Sammons, P., Siraj-Blatchford, I., Melhuish, E. & Taggart, B. The EPPE Project: Second Parent Survey, Department for Education and Skills, 2001-2003 (£47,453)
• Sylva, K., Sammons, P., Siraj-Blatchford, I. Melhuish, E. & Taggart, B. The Early Years Transition and Special Educational Needs, Department for Education and Skills, 2001-2003 (£56,765)
• Melhuish, E., Sylva, K., Sammons, P. & Siraj-Blatchford, I. Effective Pre-School Provision in Northern Ireland: Extension to Northern Ireland of Effective Provision of Pre-school Education Research Project, Department for Education and Employment, 1998-2003 (£468,527)
• Gardner, F. & Sylva, K. Educating Parents of Hard-to-Manage Children: An Evaluation of Community Parenting Programmes, Esmée Fairbairn Charitable Trust, 1999-2002 (£148,960)
• Sylva, K., Sammons, P., Siraj-Blatchford, I., Melhuish, E. & Taggart, B. Early Analysis of Multi-Level Model.  Department for Education and Skills, 2001 (£18,000)
• Siraj-Blatchford, I., & Sylva, K. Effective Pedagogy in the Early Years, Department for Education and Employment, 2000-2001 (£139,621)
• Evangelou, M. & Sylva, K. An Evaluation of Nursery-level PEEP, Department for Education and Employment, 2000-2001 (£42,982)
• Scott, S. & Sylva, K. Enabling Parents: Supporting Specific Parenting Skills with a Community Programme, Department of Health, 1998-2001 (£457,854)
• Sylva, K., Melhuish, E., Sammons, P. & Siraj-Blatchford, I. Effective provision of pre-school education (EPPE), Department for Education and Employment, 1996-2001 (£1,756,875)
• Scott, S. & Sylva, K.  Enabling parents: an RCT parental programme to enhance children's behaviour and literacy skills at the start of school. Department of Health 1996-2001 (478,000)
• Kwan, C., May Ling, Q., & Sylva, K. Day care study in Singapore: Quality, staff, family and children's creativity, Ministry of Education, Singapore, 1999-2000 ($20,000 Singapore)

Books

• Sylva, K., Siraj-Blatchford, I. & Taggart, B. (2003, revised 2006). Assessing quality in the early years. Trentham Books
• Sylva, K. & Stevenson, J. (Eds.) (1997). Assessing children's social behaviour and competence. NFER Nelson
• Sylva, K. & Lunt, I. (1982). Child Development: A First Course. Oxford: Blackwell
• Sylva, K., Roy, D. & Painter, M. (1980). Childwatching at Playgroup and Nursery School. Oxford: Blackwell
• Bruner, J., Jolly, A. & Sylva, K. (Eds.) (1976). Play: Its Role in Development and Evolution. London: Penguin. Republished by Basic Books, 1980

Monographs (2000-2007)

• Sylva, K., Melhuish, E., Sammons, P., Siraj-Blatchford, I., & Taggart, B. (2004).  Effective Pre-school Education. Technical Paper 12.  DfES/London Institute of Education.
• Sammons, P., Sylva, K., Melhuish, E., Siraj-Blatchford, I., Taggart, B., Elliot, K., & Marsh, A. (2004).  The Continuing Effects of Pre-school Education at age 7 Years.  Technical Paper 11. DfES/London Institute of Education.
•  Sammons, P., Sylva, K., Melhuish, E., Siraj-Blatchford, I., Taggart, B., Elliot, K. & Marsh, A (2004).  Report on Year 6 Assessments.  Technical Paper 9. DfES/London Institute of Education.
• Sammons, B., Taggart, B., Smees, R., Sylva, K., Melhuish, E., Siraj-Blatchford, I., & Elliot, K. (2004). The Early Years Transition & Special Educational Needs (EYTSEN) Project. DfES.
• Evangelou, M., Sylva, K. (2004) ‘The Effects of the Peers Early Educational Partnership (PEEP) on Children's Developmental Progress'. DfES.
• Sammons, P., Smees, R., Taggart, B., Sylva, K.,  Melhuish, E., Siraj-Blatchford, I., & Elliot, K. (2004).  Special Educational Needs in the Early Primary Years: Primary School entry up to the end of year 1. DfES.
• Siraj-Blatchford, I., Sylva, K., Taggart, B., Melhuish, E., Sammons, P. & Elliot, K. (2003). Intensive Case Studies of Practice across the Foundation Stage: Technical Paper 10. DfES/London Institute of Education.
• Sammons, P., Sylva, K., Melhuish, E., Siraj-Blatchford, I., Taggart, B. & Elliot, K. (2002). Measuring the impact of pre-school on children's social development over the pre-school period. Technical paper 8b: Social and emotional outcomes. DfES/London Institute of Education.
• Sammons, P., Sylva, K., Melhuish, E., Siraj-Blatchford, I., Taggart, B. & Elliot, K. (2002). Measuring the impact of pre-school on children's cognitive development over the pre-school period. Technical paper 8a: Cognitive outcomes. DfES/London Institute of Education.
• Siraj-Blatchford, I., Sylva, K., Muttock, S., Gilden, R. & Bell, D. (2002). Researching Effective Pedagogy in the Early Years. DfES: London.
• Melhuish, E., Sylva, K., Sammons, P., Siraj-Blatchford, I. & Taggart, B. (2001). Technical Paper 7, Social Behavioural and Cognitive Development at 3-4 years in relation to family background. DfEE/London Institute of Education

Refereed journal articles (2000-2007)

• Sylva, K., Scott, S., Totsika, V., Ereky-Stevens, K., & Crook, C. (2008). Training parents to help their children read: A randomised control trial. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 78, 435-455.
• Siraj-Blatchford, I., Sylva, K., Taggart, B., Sammons, P. and Melhuish, E. (2008). Towards the Transformation of Practice in Early Childhood Education: The Effective Provision of Pre-school Education (EPPE) project'. Cambridge Journal of Education, 38, 23-36.
  
• Melhuish, E, Sylva, K., Siraj-Blatchford, I., Taggart, B. and Phan, M. (2008). Effects of the Home Learning Environment and preschool center experience upon literacy and numeracy development in early primary school'. Journal of Social Issues, 64, 95-114.
  
• Lubans, D. R., Sylva, K., & Osborn, Z. (2008). Convergent validity and test-retest reliability of the Oxford Physical Activity Questionnaire for secondary school students. Behaviour Change, 25, 23-34.
  
• Mathers S., Linskey F., Seddon J. & Sylva K. (2007) Using quality rating scales for professional development: experiences from the UK. International Journal of Early years Education, 15, 261-274.
• Nath, S. and Sylva, K. (2007). Children's access to pre-school education in Bangladesh. International Journal of Early Years Education, 15, 275-295.
• Sylva, K., Taggart, B., Siraj-Blatchford, I., Totsika, V., Ereky-Stevens, K., Gilden, R., & Bell, D. (2007). Curricular quality and day-to-day learning activities in pre-school. International Journal of Early Years Education, 15, 49-65.
• Malmberg, L.E., Stein, A., West, A., Lewis, S., Barnes, J., Leach, P. & Sylva, K. (2007). Parent-infant interaction: a growth model approach. Infant Behaviour and Development, 30 (4), 615-630.
• Siraj-Blatchford, I., Milton, E., Sylva, K., Laugharne, J. and Charles, F. (2007). Developing the Foundation Phase for 3-7 year-olds in Wales. The Welsh Journal of Education, 14  (1) 43-68.
• Evangelou, M. and Sylva, K. (2007). Evidence on Effective Early Childhood Interventions from the United Kingdom: An Evaluation of the Peers Early Education Partnership (PEEP). Early Childhood Research and Practice. 9 (1).
• Hurry, J. & Sylva, K Journal. (2007). Long term outcomes of reading interventions. Journal of  Research in Reading, 30, (2), 1-22.
• Lubans, D. & Sylva, K. (2007). Mediators of change in physical activity following a senior school exercise intervention. Journal of Applied Sport Psychology.
• Sylva, K., Stein, A., Leach, P., Barnes, J., Malmberg, L-E. & FCCC team (2007). Family and Child Factors Related to the Use of Infant Care: an English study. Early Childhood Research Quarterly. 22, p118-136.
• Sylva, K., Taggart, B., Melhuish, E., Sammons, P. & Siraj-Blatchford, I. (2007). Changing Models of Research to Inform Educational Policy. Research Papers in Education. 22 (2), 155-168.
• Lubans, D. & Sylva, K. (2007). Assessing the physical activity patterns of secondary school students: Reliability and validity of the Oxford Physical Activity Questionnaire (OPAQ). Health Education Research.
• Barnes, J., Altmann, L., Ram, B., Stein, A., Leach, P., Sylva, K., Malmberg, L-E. & the FCCC team.(2006).  Factors associated with negative emotional expression: A study of mothers of young infants. Journal of Reproductive and Infant Psychology, 25 (2), 122-138.
• Siraj-Blatchford, I., Sammons, P., Sylva, K., Melhuish, E., & Taggart, B. (2006). Educational Research and Evidence-based Policy: The Mixed Method Approach of the EPPE project.  Evaluation and Research in Education, 19 (2), 63-82.
• Leach, P., Barnes, J., Nichols, M., Goldin, J., Stein, A., Sylva, K., Malmberg, L-E. & the FCCC team (2006).  Child care before 6 months of age: A qualitative study of mothers' decisions and feelings about employment and non-maternal care.  Infant and Child Development, 15, 471-502.
• Lubans, D. & Sylva, K. (2006).  Controlled evaluation of a physical activity intervention for senior school students: Effects of the Lifetime Activity Program.  Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 28, 252-268.
• Barnes, J., Leach, P., Sylva, K., Stein, A., Malmberg, L-E. & the FCCC team (2006).  Infant care in England: Mothers' aspirations, experiences, satisfaction and caregiver relationships.  Early Child Development and Care, 176 (5), 553-573.
• Sylva, K., Siraj-Blatchford, I., Taggart, B., Sammons, P., Melhuish, E., Elliot, K. & Totsika, V. (2006). Capturing Quality in Early Childhood through Environmental Rating Scales. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 21(1), 76-92.
• Taggart, B., Sammons, P., Smees, R., Sylva, K., Melhuish, E., Siraj-Blatchford, I., Elliot, K., & Lunt, I. (2006).  Early identification of special educational needs and the definition of ‘at risk': The Early Years Transition and Special Education Needs (EYTSEN) Project.  British Journal of Special Education, 33 (1), 40-45.
• Sammons, P., Siraj-Blatchford, I., Sylva, K., Melhuish, E., Taggart, B., & Elliot, K. (2005). Investigating the Effects of Pre-school Provision: Using Mixed methods in the EPPE Research. International Journal of Social Research Methodology, 8 (3), 207-224.
• Sylva, K. & Pugh, G. (2005). Transforming the early years in England. Oxford Review of Education, 31 (1), 11-27.
• Sammons, P., Elliot, K., Sylva, K., Melhuish, M., Siraj-Blatchford, & Taggart, B. (2004). The impact of pre-school on young children's cognitive attainments at entry to reception.  British Education Research Journal, 30 (5), 691-712.
• Siraj-Blatchford, I. & Sylva, K. (2004). Researching Pedagogy in English Pre-Schools. British Educational Research Journal, 30 (5), 713-730.
• Siraj-Blatchford, I., Taggart, B., Sylva, K., Melhuish, E., & Sammons, P. (2004). Effective Pre-School and Primary Education (EPPE 3-11). Primary Practice, 37, 28-30.
• Totsika, V. & Sylva, K. (2004). The Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment Revisited. Child & Adolescent Mental Health Journal, 9 (1), 25-35.
• MacPherson, K. & Sylva, K. (2002). Parents and parenting in the early years: Research evidence. Education Research Digest, 13-20.
• Kwan, C. & Sylva, K. (2001). Observations of Child Behaviours as Indicators of Child Care Quality in Singapore. Canadian Journal of Research in Early Childhood Education, 8 (4), 23-37.
• Sylva, K. (2001). Quality Matters, after all: findings from the Effective Provision of Pre-school Education. Early Childhood Review, 8, 2-11.
• Sylva, K. (2000). An overview of educational research. Oxford Review of Education, 26, 293-297.

Book chapters (2000-2007)

• Sylva, K. & Taylor, H. (2006). Effective settings: evidence from research. In Pugh, G. (Ed.) Contemporary Issues in the Early Years (4^th Edition). London: SAGE.
• Sylva, K., Melhuish, E., Sammons, P., Siraj-Blatchford, I., & Taggart, B. (2006). The Effective Provision of Preschool Education (EPPE) Project. In J. J. van Kuyk (Ed.), The Quality of Early Childhood Education: Report of a Scientific Conference 2006. Arnhem, The Netherlands: Cito.
• Sylva, K. & Pugh, G. (2006). Transforming the Early Years in England.  In Walford, G. (Ed.) Education and the Labour Government: An evaluation of two terms.  Abingdon, England: Routledge, 9-25.
• Sylva, K. (2004). Interventions that work. In Fox, N. (Ed.) Social and Moral Development: emerging evidence in the Toddler Years. Princeton: Johnson & Johnson.
• Siraj-Blatchford, I., Sylva, K., Taggart, B., Melhuish, E. and Sammons, P. (2005). The Effective Provision of Pre-School Education Project: Findings from the pre-school period. In E. Hammes-Di Bernardo and S. Hebenstreit-Mulkler (eds), Innovationsprojekt Fruhpadagogik. Professionalitat im Verbund von Praxis, Forschung, Aus-und Weiterbildung (Vol. PFV Jahrbuch 10., pp. 72 - 86). Baltmannsweiler, Germany: Shcneider Verlag Hohengebren GmbH. Baltmannsweiler.
• Siraj-Blatchford, I., Sylva, K., Taggart, B., Melhuish, E., Sammons, P. and Elliot, K. (2004). The Effective Provision of Pre-School Education Project: Findings from the pre-school period. In M. Gaspar (ed.), Revista Portuguesa de Pedagogia. Infancia. Familia, communidade e educacao (Vol. Ano 38 - 1, 2 e 3, pp. 203 - 219). Coimbra, Portugal: Faculdade de Psicologia e de Ciencias da Educacao, Universidade De Coimbra.
• Sylva, K., Melhuish, E., Sammons, P., Siraj-Blatchford, I., Taggart, B. & Elliot, K., (2004). The Effective Provision of Pre-school Education Project - Zu den Auswirkungen vorschulischer Einrichtungen in England. In Faust, G., Gotz, M., Hacker, H., Rossbach (Hrsg.) (Eds.) Anschlussfahige Bildungsprozesse im Elementar- und Primarbereich.
• Sylva, K. (2003). Adapting the Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale (ECERS) to other countries and cultures. In Copple, C. (Ed.) A World of Difference: readings on teaching young children in a diverse society. Washington DC: National Association for the Education of Young Children.
• Walker-Hall, J. & Sylva, K., (2001). What works for families with children with behaviour problems? Evidence from Research. In Pugh, G. (Ed.) Contemporary Issues in the Early Years (3^rd Edition). London: SAGE.
• Ballie, C., Sylva, K. & Evans, E. (2000). Do intervention programmes for parents, aimed at improving children's literacy, really work?  In Buchanan, A. & Hudson, B. (Eds.) Promoting Children's Emotional Well-being. Oxford University Press.

Advice to Government (2000-2007)

• Specialist Advisor to House of Commons Select Committee on Children, Schools and Families, 2007-2008
• Briefing for the Minister of State for Children, Young People and Families, Oct 2007 (RT HON Beverley Hughes MP)
• Advice to Prime Minister's Strategy Unit, No. 10, Sept 2007
• Participated in ‘Breakfast Seminar' with Chancellor, The Treasury, June 2007
• Specialist Adviser to House of Commons Select Committee on "Integration of Services and SEN", 2005/2006
• Advice to Prime Minister's Strategy Unit and The Treasury, August 2005
• Specialist Adviser on Early Years to the Scottish Parliament, 2005
• Member of National Educational Research Forum (NERF), 2004 - 2007
• Specialist Adviser to House of Commons Select Committee on Education and Skills (‘The Teaching of Reading') 2005
• Specialist Adviser to House of Commons Select Committee on Education and Skills (‘Every Child Matters Enquiry') 2004-2005
• Led Seminar on Reducing Child Poverty at No. 11 Downing Street, November 2004
• Participated in Seminar on Ten Year Childcare strategy at HM Treasury, October 2004
• Seminar on 10 Year Strategy for Early Education and Childcare at No. 11 Downing Street, October 2004
• Briefing for Minister (Mrs Hodge) on 2004 Spending Review, DfES, July, November, December 2003, January and April 2004
• Briefing for ministers ‘Transition: pre-school to primary' (Mrs Morris, Mrs Hodge), DfES, 2001
• Specialist Advisor to House of Commons Select Committee on Education and Employment (‘Early Years Enquiry') 2000-2001, reappointed 2004 for ‘Children's Bill Enquiry'
• Briefing to Cabinet Office, September & November 2001
• 1:1 Briefing to Secretary of State for Education (Mr Blunkett) November 2000

Independent inquiries

• Education ‘Lead Member', The Children's Society Inquiry on "A Good Childhood" (2007/08)
• Co-director of Royal Society of the Arts Inquiry into Early Education (1992-1994) Start Right Report

Current membership of editorial boards

• Member of Editorial Board, International Journal of Early Years Education, since 2004
• Associate Editor of Child and Adolescent Mental Health, since 1996
• Member of Editorial Board, Oxford Review of Education, since 1984

Grant and journal refereeing

• Kathy regularly referees grant applicants for the ESRC, DfES and Nuffield Foundation.  Journals for which she acts as referee include: Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, Child and Adolescent Mental Health, European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, British Educational Research Journal, and Oxford Review of Education.
• 2001 to present: Assessor for ESRC post-graduate studentships (Education)

Recent PhD and other examining

• 2007 University of Sydney, Faculty of Education and Social Work
• 2007 University of London, Birkbeck College, Department of Psychology
• 2006 University of Surrey, Department of Education
• 2005 University of Oxford, Department of Psychiatry
• 2005 University of Oxford, Department of Social Policy and Social Work
• 2005 Roehampton University, Department of Education
• 2004 University of Oxford, Centre for Criminology
• 2004 Oxford Brookes University
• 2004 University of Oxford Social Sciences Division: Psychology
• 2004 University of Oxford, Medical Sciences Division: Psychology
• 2003 Oxford Brookes University, Psychology
• 2003 University of Oxford, Medical Sciences Division: Psychology
• 2003 University of Oxford, Department of Experimental Psychology
• 2002 Cardiff University
• 2002 Queen's University, Dublin
• 2001 University of Oxford, Department of Educational Studies
• 2000 The Open University
• 2000 University of Oxford, Department of Experimental Psychology

Graduate research supervision

• Successful completion of 30 PhD/DPhil students at University of Oxford, University of London and two as sole supervisor at the Open University.

Awards and distinctions

• OBE for services to children and families, 2008
• Elected Fellow, British Psychological Society, 2006
• Honorary Doctorate in Education, Oxford Brookes University, 2005
• Academician, Academy of Social Sciences, October 2004
• Honorary Doctorate, Open University, April 2002
• National Science Foundation (U.S.A.) Undergraduate Science Project Award, 1964