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Kathy Sylva

Honorary Research Fellow and Professor Emeritus | Jesus College

kathy.sylva@education.ox.ac.uk

@edst0026

LinkedIn Profile

About me

QUALIFICATIONS

B.A. in Psychology and Social Relations, Harvard University
M.A. in Developmental Psychology, Harvard University
Ph.D. in Developmental Psychology, Harvard University

RESEARCH

Kathy Sylva’s research interests include:

Early childhood curriculum and assessment
The ‘effectiveness’ of education in the pre-school and primary phases
The contribution of parents to children’s learning
Children’s Centres and Family Hubs
Supporting parents in behaviour management and learning
Reading Recovery and other literacy interventions

Kathy has conducted large-scale studies on the effects of early education and care on children’s development and has led several RCTs to evaluate parenting interventions. She has been specialist adviser to Parliamentary Select Committees and currently advises Ofsted, the Early Intervention Foundation, and the Education Endowment Foundation.

AWARDS AND DISTINCTIONS

Kathy is a Fellow of the British Academy, the Academy of Social Sciences, the British Psychological Society, and recipient of the British Educational Research Association’s Nisbett Award in 2014. She received an OBE for services to children and families in 2008 and has honorary doctorates from the Open University, Oxford Brookes, and the University of Gothenburg.

CURRENT RESEARCH PROJECTS

PI on ‘Early Years Covid 19 Recovery – Mentors and Experts Programme’ in collaboration with Ecorys, funded by the Department for Education
CI on ‘Coaching Early Conversations, Interaction and Language’ With Ariel Lindorff (PI) Sutton Trust

Research

Books

SIRAJ, I., Taggart, B., SAMMONS, P., MELHUISH, E., Sylva, K., & Shepherd, D.-L. (2019). Teaching in Effective Primary Schools: Research into pedagogy and children’s learning. Trentham Books (UCL- IOE Press).

https://www.ucl-ioe-press.com/books/early-years-and-primary-education/effective-teachers-in-primary-schools/
SIRAJ, I., Taggart, B., SAMMONS, P., Melhuish, E., Sylva, K., & Shepherd, D.-L. (2019). Teachers in Effective Primary Schools. UCL-IOE Press & Trentham Books.

https://www.ucl-ioe-press.com/books/early-years-and-primary-education/effective-teachers-in-primary-schools/
Sylva, K. (2017). Foreword (p. xiii - xvii).
Sylva, K. (2017). Foreword (p. xiii - xvii).
Siraj-Blatchford, I., Shepherd, D.-L., Sammons, P., Taggart, B., Melhuish, E., & Sylva, K. (2014). Effective Teachers in primary Schools: key research on pedagogy and children’s learning. Trentham Books.
Sylva, K. (2010). Introduction: Why EPPE? (pp. 1-7).
Sylva, K., Siraj-Blatchford, I., & Taggart, B. (2006). Assessing quality in the early years: Early childhood environment rating scale. Teachers College Press.
Quinn, L., MELHUISH, E., Hanna, K., Sylva, K., Siraj-Blatchford, I., SAMMONS, P., Taggart, B., & Doyle, A. (2005). The Effective Pre-school Provision in Northern Ireland Project, Technical Paper 12: Pre-school Experience and Literacy and Numeracy Development At the End of Key Stage 1. Stranmillis University Press.
Quinn, L., Hanna, K., MELHUISH, E., Siraj-Blatchford, I., Sylva, K., SAMMONS, P., & Taggart, B. (2004). The Effective Pre-school Provision in Northern Ireland Project, Technical Paper 8: EPPNI Case Studies. Stranmillis University Press.
MELHUISH, E., Quinn, L., Hanna, K., Sylva, K., Siraj-Blatchford, I., SAMMONS, P., & Taggart, B. (2004). The Effective Pre-school Provision in Northern Ireland Project, Technical Paper 9: Pre-school Experience and Social/Behavioural Development at the End of Year 2 of Primary School. Stranmillis University Press.
Quinn, L., MELHUISH, E., Sylva, K., SAMMONS, P., Siraj-Blatchford, I., Taggart, B., Hanna, K., & Sweeney, G. (2003). The Effective Pre-school Provision in Northern Ireland Project, Technical Paper Technical Paper 6: Pre-school experience and cognitive development and progress at the end of Year 1. Stranmillis Press.
Quinn, L., Colhoun, J., Taggart, B., MELHUISH, E., Siraj-Blatchford, I., Sylva, K., SAMMONS, P., & McSherry, K. (2002). The Effective Pre-school Provision in Northern Ireland Project, Technical Paper 3: Pre-school Centre Characteristics: An Analysis of Centre Manager Interviews. Stranmillis University Press.
MELHUISH, E., Quinn, L., Sylva, K., SAMMONS, P., Siraj-Blatchford, I., Taggart, B., & Shields, C. (2002). The Effective Pre-school Provision in Northern Ireland Project, Technical Paper 5: Pre-school Experience and Cognitive Development at the Start of Primary School. Stranmillis Press.
MELHUISH, E., Quinn, L., McSherry, K., Sylva, K., SAMMONS, P., Siraj-Blatchford, I., Taggart, B., & Guimares, S. (2002). The Effective Pre-school Provision in Northern Ireland Project, Technical Paper 1: Characteristics of Pre-school Environments in Northern Ireland: An Analysis of Observational Data. Stranmillis Press.
Siraj-Blatchford, I., Sylva, K., MELHUISH, E., SAMMONS, P., & Taggart, B. (1999). The Effective Provision of Pre-school Education Project, Technical Paper 3: Contextualising EPPE: Interviews with Local Authority coordinators and centre managers. Institute of Education.

https://dera.ioe.ac.uk/18189/5/EPPE_TechnicalPaper_03_1999.pdf
Sylva, K., SAMMONS, P., MELHUISH, E., Siraj-Blatchford, I., & Taggart, B. (1999). The Effective Provision of Pre-school Education Project, Technical Paper 1: An introduction to the EPPE project. Institute of Education.

https://dera.ioe.ac.uk/18189/3/EPPE_TechnicalPaper_01_1999.pdf
SAMMONS, P., Sylva, K., MELHUISH, E., Siraj-Blatchford, I., & Taggart, B. (1999). The Effective Provision of Pre-school Education Project, Technical Paper 2: Characteristics of the EPPE project sample at entry to the study. Institute of Education.

https://dera.ioe.ac.uk/18189/4/EPPE_TechnicalPaper_02_1999.pdf
MELHUISH, E., Sylva, K., SAMMONS, P., Siraj-Blatchford, I., & Taggart, B. (1999). The Effective Provision of Pre-school Education Project, Technical Paper 4: Parent, family and child characteristics in relation to type of pre-school and socio-economic differences. Institute of Education.

https://dera.ioe.ac.uk/18189/6/EPPE_TechnicalPaper_04_1999.pdf

Book chapters

Sylva, K., & Pugh, G. (2020). Transforming the early years in England. In The Routledge Reader in Early Childhood Education (pp. 177-194). Taylor & Francis.

https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003061052-14
Jelley, F., Sylva, K., & Villalobos, V. (2019). SUPPORTING CHILDREN’S LEARNING AT HOME THROUGH SMARTPHONE APPS FOR PARENTS. In The Routledge International Handbook of Learning with Technology in Early Childhood (pp. 324-337).
Sylva Κ., & Colman, P. (2018). Preschool Intervention to Prevent Behaviour Problems and School Failure. In Parenting, Schooling and Children’s Behaviour (pp. 75-88). Taylor & Francis.

https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429450747-5
Sylva, K. (2017). Developmental psychology and the pre-school curriculum. In Child Psychology in Action: Linking Research and Practice (pp. 127-142).

https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315183329
Sylva, K. (2017). Foreword (p. xiii - xvii).
Evangelou, M., Goff, J., Sylva, K., Sammons, P., Smith, T., Hall, J., & Eisenstadt, N. (2017). Children’s Centres: An English Intervention for Families Living in Disadvantaged Communities. In Handbook on Positive Development of Minority Children and Youth (pp. 455-470). Springer Nature.

https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-43645-6_27
Melhuish, E., Sammons, P., Sylva, K., Siraj-Blatchford, I., & Taggart, B. (2015). Home, Pre-school and Primary school effects when children are aged 11. In E. Mallou (Ed.), Kindergarten Teachers’s Handbook: Theory and Action.
Mathers, S., Roberts, F., & Sylva, K. (2013). Quality in Early Childhood Education. In G. Pugh & B. Duffy (Eds.), Contemporary Issues in the Early Years. SAGE Publications Limited.
Mathers, S., Roberts, F., & Sylva, K. (2013). Quality in early childhood education. In G. Pugh & B. Duffy (Eds.), Contemporary Issues in the Early Years (pp. 55-72). Sage Publications.
Sylva, K., Chan, L., Melhuish, E., Sammons, P., Siraj-Blatchford, I., & Taggart, B. (2011). Emergent Literacy Environments: Home and Pre-school Influences on Children’s Literacy Development. In Handbook of Early Literacy Research Vol. 3 (pp. 97-117). Institute of Education.
Sylva, K., Chan, L., Sammons, P., Melhuish, E., Siraj-Blatchford, I., & Taggart, B. (2011). Emergent Literacy Environments: Home and Preschool Influences on Children’s Literacy Development. In Handbook of Early Literacy Research. Guilford Press.
Sylva, K. (2010). Quality in early childhood settings. In Early Childhood Matters: Evidence from the Effective Pre-school and Primary Education Project (pp. 70-91).
Sylva, K. (2010). Re-thinking the evidencebase for early years policy and practice. In Early Childhood Matters: Evidence from the Effective Pre-school and Primary Education Project (pp. 223-235).
Roberts, F., Mathers, S., Joshi, H., Sylva, K., & Jones, E. (2010). Childcare in the pre-school years. In Children of the 21st Century: The First Five Years (pp. 131-152).
Sylva, K., & Roberts, F. (2009). Quality in early childhood education: evidence for long-term effects. In G. Pugh & B. Duffy (Eds.), Contemporary Issues in the Early Years (pp. 47-62). Sage Publications.
Sammons, P., Anders, Y., Sylva, K., Melhuish, E., Siraj-Blatchford, I., Taggart, B., & Barreau, S. (2009). Children’s cognitive attainment and progress in English primary schools during Key Stage 2: Investigating the potential continuing influences of pre-school education. In Frühpädagogische Förderung in Institutionen Zeitschrift für Erziehungswissenschaft. Sonderheft 11 | 2008 (pp. 179-198). Springer-Verlag.
Sylva, K., & Siraj-Blatchford, I. (2009). Early Childhood in Focus 5 Effective Early Childhood Programmes. In Early Childhood in Focus 5 Effective Early Childhood Programmes (pp. 28-29). Bernard van Leer Foundation.
Good, J., Kucirkova, N., Sylva, K., Evangelou, M., & Goff, J. (2008). Enhancing Parental Involvement: the parent sub-sample. In M. Evangelou, K. Sylva, A. Edwards, & T. Smith (Eds.), DCSF Research Report RR039 - Supporting Parents in Promoting Early Learning: The evaluation of the early learning partnership project (pp. 84-110).
Melhuish, E., Belsky, J., Leyland, A., & Barnes, J. (n.d.). Welche Auswirkungen hatte die Einfunhrung lokaler Sure Start Programme auf dreijahrige Kinder und ihre Familien in England? Eine quasi-experimentelle Beobachtungstudie. In K. Sylva & B. Taggart (Eds.), Fruhe Bildung zahlt: Das Effective Pre-school and Primary Education Projekt (EPPE) und das Sure Start Programm. DohrmanVelag.

Conference papers

Sylva, K. (2019, January 26). Keynote ’Curriculum and Pedagogy for ECE in the 21st Century: beyond school readiness’.
Karemaker, A., Jelley, F., Sylva, K., & Clancy, C. (2016, September 15). The effects of selected e-book features on children’s literacy development in Year-1: A small- scale Randomised Controlled Trial. BPS Developmental Psychology Section Annual Conference 2016.

https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:c6e8e573-d625-4f67-9457-7aef8f757c08
Jelley, F., Karemaker, A., & Sylva, K. (2016, September 14). Improving children’s reading through parental support: evidence on parents’ behavioural outcomes.
Jelley, F., & Sylva, K. (2016, September 7). Helping parents support children’s reading: RCT evidence on parents’ behavioural outcomes.
Evangelou, M., Sammons, P., Taggart, B., Sylva, K., Melhuish, E., & Siraj, I. (2015, January 1). What makes a successful transition from primary to secondary school in England?.
Evangelou, M., Sammons, P., Goff, J., Hall, J., Sylva, K., Smith, T., Smith, G., Eisenstadt, N., & Smees, R. (2015, January 1). The Evaluation of Children’s Centres in England: Delivering services through a UK family intervention.
Karemaker, A., Jelley, F., Sylva, K., Kanji, G., & Murphy, V. (2014, September 5). Ready to read: how staff training impacts literacy skills in pre-schools. British Psychological Society Developmental Psychology Section Annual Conference 2014.

https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:1773e486-e3eb-4be2-9a4c-b60b88330c5a
Jelley, F., Karemaker, A., & Sylva, K. (2014, September 5). A new measure of Concepts About Print: “Dan the Flying Man”.
Sammons, P., Hall, J., Sylva, K., Melhuish, E., Siraj-Blatchford, I., & Taggart, B. (2012, August 31). Protecting the development of 5-11 year olds from the impacts of early disadvantage: The Role of Primary School Academic Effectiveness. EARLI 2012 SIG 18 “Educational Effectiveness”.

https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:13197766-714c-4c9d-99e0-59f4eb16e209
Roberts, F., Sylva, K., & Sammons, P. (2012, August 30). Helping parents to support their children’s transition to school: a feasibility trial on ‘Ready to Go!’.
Sylva, K., Schofield, C., Good, J., Karemaker, A., & Goff, J. (2012, January 1). Exploring barriers and opportunities for parental engagement in childcare.
Evangelou, M., & Sylva, K. (2011, January 14). Presentation to the National Strategies Group.
Roberts, F., & Sylva, K. (2010, September 21). From efficacy to effectiveness: helping parents support their children’s literacy and behaviour at home.
Roberts, F., Nayak, G., & Sylva, K. (2010, September 12). A new observational measure to assess parent support during shared book-reading.
Roberts, F., & Sylva, K. (2010, July 9). Teaching parents to support their children’s reading at home.
Evangelou, M., Sylva, K., Wild, M., & Glenny, G. (2010, March 1). Evidence Base for the 2010 Review of the Early Years Foundation Stage.
Roberts, F., & Sylva, K. (2009, September 10). Teaching parents to support their children’s reading at home: a randomised controlled trial.
Sylva, K., & Hall, J. (2008, October 3). The role of pre-school and primary education in protecting against developmental risk. The Longview Conference: Escape from Disadvantage.
Evangelou, M., Taggart, B., Sylva, K., Melhuish, E., Sammons, P., & Siraj-Blatchford, I. (2008, January 2). What makes a Successful Transition from Primary to Secondary School?.
Hall, J., Sylva, K., Melhuish, E., Sammons, P., Siraj-Blatchford, E., Taggart, B., & Welcomme, W. (2008, January 1). Can pre-school protect?: Factors related to resilience in the development of pre-schoolers. British Educational Research Association (BERA) Annual Conference.
Evangelou, M., Sylva, K., Edwards, A., & Smith, T. (2008, January 1). Lessons for Workforce Development in ELPP.
Sylva, K., Evangelou, M., Smith, T., Good, J., & Goff, J. (2008, January 1). Parents and their children’s learning: practices and processes.
Evangelou, M., Taggart, B., Sylva, K., Melhuish, E., Sammons, P., & Siraj-Blatchford, I. (2007, January 1). EPPE 3-14: Transition between primary & secondary school: Evidence from the Effective Pre-school, Primary and Secondary Education Project.
Evangelou, M., Coxon, K., & Sylva, K. (2007, January 1). Reaching ‘Hard to Reach’ families: Findings from the second phase of a three year evaluation project.
Evangelou, M., & Sylva, K. (2003, January 1). Foundation PEEP: Evidence from a Short-term Longitudinal Evaluation.
Evangelou, M., & Sylva, K. (2002, January 1). New Evidence: Birth to School Literacy Intervention.
Evangelou, M., & Sylva, K. (2002, January 1). Mothers’ qualifications & children’s literacy outcomes – a target for interventions?.

Journal articles

Mazhar, A., & Sylva, K. (2025). Developing a Low-Resource, Evidence-Based Early Years Professional Development Programme Using Self-Assessment. Early Childhood Education Journal, 1-11.

https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-025-01863-5
Joseph, A., Sylva, K., Sammons, P., & Siraj, I. (2024). Drivers of the socio-economic disadvantage gap in England: Sequential pathways that include the home learning environment and self-regulation as mediators. The British Journal of Educational Psychology, 94(1), 22-40.

https://doi.org/10.1111/bjep.12629
Davison, K., Malmberg, L.-E., & Sylva, K. (2023). Academic help-seeking interactions in the classroom: A microlongitudinal study. The British Journal of Educational Psychology, 93(1), 33-55.

https://doi.org/10.1111/bjep.12538
Sammons, P., Sylva, K., Hall, J., Evangelou, M., & Smees, R. (2022). Challenges facing interventions to promote equity in the early years: exploring the ‘impact’, legacy and lessons learned from a national evaluation of Children’s Centres in England. Oxford Review of Education, 49(1), 114-135.

https://doi.org/10.1080/03054985.2022.2125371 https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:a75b54c1-e8bd-45de-b989-807a35889947
Hall, J., Sylva, K., Sammons, P., Smees, R., Evangelou, M., Smith, T., & Goff, J. (2021). Investigating the reliability and validity of the Toddler Home Learning Environment (THLE) scale. Frontiers in Education, 6, 581005.

https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2021.581005
Zhang, M., & Sylva, K. (2021). Effects of group membership and visual access on children’s selective trust in competitive and non-competitive contexts. Cognitive Development, 57, 100972-100972.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cogdev.2020.100972
Sylva, K., Sammons, P., Melhuish, E., Siraj, I., & Taggart, B. (2020). Developing 21st century skills in early childhood: the contribution of process quality to self-regulation and pro-social behaviour. Zeitschrift für Erziehungswissenschaft, 23(3), 465-484.

https://doi.org/10.1007/s11618-020-00945-x https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:c8dbf970-fe84-4041-9996-25329d3f10c6
Melhuish, E., Barnes, J., Gardiner, J., Siraj, I., Sammons, P., Sylva, K., & Taggart, B. (2019). A study of the long-term influence of early childhood education and care on the risk for developing special educational needs. Exceptionality Education International, 29(3).

https://doi.org/10.5206/eei.v29i3.9385 https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:f8e88e96-2a29-4269-a576-8cf59ecae58d
Von Spreckelsen, M., Dove, E., Coolen, I., Mills, A., Dowker, A., Sylva, K., Ansari, D., Merkley, R., Murphy, V., & Scerif, G. (2019). Let’s talk about maths: The role of observed ’maths-talk’ and maths provision in pre-schoolers’ numeracy. Mind, Brain, and Education, 13(4), 326-340.

https://doi.org/10.1111/mbe.12221 https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:fe24bb4a-5371-479f-877c-c26a6143d8fc
Toth, K., Sammons, P., Sylva, K., Melhuish, E., Siraj, I., & Taggart, B. (2019). Home learning environment across time: the role of early years HLE and background in predicting HLE at later ages. School Effectiveness and School Improvement, 31(1), 7-30.

https://doi.org/10.1080/09243453.2019.1618348 https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:8bc0b27e-9252-4762-8925-86b4465e68f7
Murphy, V., Karemaker, J., Sylva, K., Kanji, G., & Jelley, F. (2019). Effective intervention to support oral language skills in English as an additional language in the early years. TEANGA: Journal of the Irish Association of Applied Linguistics, 10(Special Issue 10), 1-18.

https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:419644f1-f1d7-4b68-bcc4-73e6fcf1383e
Hall, J., Sammons, P., Smees, R., Sylva, K., Evangelou, M., Goff, J., Smith, T., & Smith, G. (2019). Relationships between families’ use of Sure Start Children’s Centres, changes in home learning environments, and preschool behavioural disorders. Oxford Review of Education, 45(3), 367-389.

https://doi.org/10.1080/03054985.2018.1551195 https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:d3a1a4fd-6920-42b8-acd0-fad3ff25b1b6
Hurry, J., Flouri, E., & Sylva, K. (2018). Literacy Difficulties and Emotional and Behavior Disorders: Causes and Consequences. Journal of Education for Students Placed at Risk, 23(3), 259-279.

https://doi.org/10.1080/10824669.2018.1482748 https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:2a82f198-162e-4ab7-8017-a1a6387c726e
Sammons, P., Toth, K., & Sylva, K. (2017). The drivers of academic success for ‘bright’ but disadvantaged students: A longitudinal study of AS and A-level outcomes in England. Studies in Educational Evaluation, 57, 31-41.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.stueduc.2017.10.004 https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:ba1d57cb-38b2-4bde-ba2f-ee4ecdc589ff
Barlow, J., Beake, S., Bick, D., Bryson, C., Day, L., Gilby, N., Glover, V., Knibbs, S., Leyland, A., Lindsay, G., Mathers, S., McKenna, K., Petrou, S., Purdon, S., Sylva, K., Summerbell, C., Tudor, F., Wheeler, A., & Woolgar, V. (2017). Initial protocol for a national evaluation of an area-based intervention programme (A Better Start) on early-life outcomes: a longitudinal cohort study with comparison (control) cohort samples. BMJ Open, 7(8).

https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2016-015086 https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:15a18ce7-ba24-4453-b5d2-6fb7eac69e4e
Sammons, P., Sylva, K., Hall, J., Siraj, I., Melhuish, E., Taggart, B., & Mathers, S. (2017). Establishing the effects of quality in early childhood: comparing evidence from England. Early Education.

https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:54f50c47-9668-4fc1-b182-215d1acd8ea7
Karemaker, A., Jelley, F., Clancy, C., & Sylva, K. (2017). The effects on children’s literacy skills of reading e-books with different features: Are ’bells and whistles’ over-rated?. International Journal of Child-Computer Interaction, 12, 30-36.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijcci.2017.01.004 https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:f2e015e7-b3ee-490c-8da4-5ba5c1626aba
Kucirkova, N., Dale, P., & Sylva, K. (2016). Parents reading with their 10-month-old babies: key predictors for high-quality reading styles. Early Child Development and Care, 188(2), 195-207.

https://doi.org/10.1080/03004430.2016.1211117 https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:3584e5aa-8bf7-4b89-8d22-6ff4ccd5857d
Barlow, J., Barnes, J., Sylva, K., Fonagy, P., & Fearon, P. (2016). Questioning the outcome of the Building Blocks trial. Lancet, 387(10028), 1615-1616.

https://doi.org/10.1016/s0140-6736(16)30201-x https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:e70f09ab-812c-45cf-a6c5-b89923891272
Hall, J., Sammons, P., Sylva, K., Evangelou, M., Eisenstadt, N., Smith, T., & Smith, G. (2016). Disadvantaged families are at greatest risk from austerity cuts to children’s centres. BMJ, 352, i897.

https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.i897 https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:c2699a88-374a-4628-aedd-92e9dd5d0168
Malmberg, L., Lewis, S., West, A., Murray, E., Sylva, K., & Stein, A. (2015). The influence of mothers’ and fathers’ sensitivity in the first year of life on children’s cognitive outcomes at 18 and 36 months. Child: Care, Health and Development, 42(1), 1-7.

https://doi.org/10.1111/cch.12294 https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:e0acf563-a286-4909-b088-8b971d061fba
Chan, L., & Sylva, K. (2015). Exploring emergent literacy development in a second language: A selective literature review and conceptual framework for research. Journal of Early Childhood Literacy, 15(1), 3-36.

https://doi.org/10.1177/1468798414522824
Hall, J., Eisenstadt, N., Sylva, K., Smith, T., Sammons, P., Smith, G., Evangelou, M., Goff, J., Tanner, E., Agur, M., & Hussey, D. (2015). A review of the services offered by English Sure Start Children’s Centres in 2011 and 2012. Oxford Review of Education, 41(1), 89-104.

https://doi.org/10.1080/03054985.2014.1001731 https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:e91fb8ca-563f-41ae-bff7-ef397bdfaea1
Sammons, P., Toth, K., Sylva, K., Melhuish, E., Siraj, I., & Taggart, B. (2015). The long-term role of the home learning environment in shaping students’ academic attainment in secondary school. Journal of Children’s Services, 10(3), 189-201.

https://doi.org/10.1108/JCS-02-2015-0007 https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:3ea42ffa-4f0f-4fb0-8c5c-039ecda69bd5
Melhuish, E., Sammons, P., Sylva, K., Siraj-Blatchford, I., & Taggart, B. (2014). Las influencias del hogar, el pre-escolar y la escuela primaria sobre el rendimiento educativo a los once años del niño. Education Policy Analysis Archives, 22, 112 - 1.

https://doi.org/10.14507/epaa.v22.1893
Sylva, K. (2014). The role of families and pre-school in educational disadvantage. Oxford Review of Education, 40(6), 680-695.

https://doi.org/10.1080/03054985.2014.979581
Baker, W., Sammons, P., Siraj-Blatchford, I., Sylva, K., Melhuish, E., & Taggart, B. (2014). Aspirations, education and inequality in England: insights from the Effective Provision of Pre-school, Primary and Secondary Education Project. Oxford Review of Education, 40(5), 525-542.

https://doi.org/10.1080/03054985.2014.953921 https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:7e2b4b82-3c8a-4bd9-b728-bffbe0803e89
Mathers, S., Sylva, K., Eisenstadt, N., Soukakou, E., & Ereky-Stevens, K. (2014). Supporting early learning for children under three: research and practice. Journal of Children’s Services, 9(2), 177-187.

https://doi.org/10.1108/jcs-02-2014-0008
Stein, A., Malmberg, L., Leach, P., Barnes, J., & Sylva, K. (2013). The influence of different forms of early childcare on children’s emotional and behavioural development at school entry. Child: Care, Health and Development, 39(5), 676-687.

https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2214.2012.01421.x https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2214.2012.01421.x
Stein, A., Malmberg, L.-E., Leach, P., Barnes, J., Sylva, K., & FCCC Team, . (2013). The influence of different forms of early childcare on children’s emotional and behavioural development at school entry. Child: Care, Health and Development, 39(5), 676-687.

https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2214.2012.01421.x
Melhuish, E., Quinn, L., Sylva, K., Sammons, P., Siraj-Blatchford, I., & Taggart, B. (2013). Preschool affects longer term literacy and numeracy: results from a general population longitudinal study in Northern Ireland. School Effectiveness and School Improvement, 24(2), 234-250.

https://doi.org/10.1080/09243453.2012.749796 https://doi.org/10.1080/09243453.2012.749796
Sylva, K., Sammons, P., Chan, L., Melhuish, E., Siraj-Blatchford, I., & Taggart, B. (2013). The effects of early experiences at home and pre-school on gains in English and mathematics in primary school: a multilevel study in England. Zeitschrift für Erziehungswissenschaft, 16(2), 277-301.

https://doi.org/10.1007/s11618-013-0364-6
Melhuish, E., Quinn, L., Sylva, K., Sammons, P., Siraj-Blatchford, I., & Taggart, B. (2013). Preschool affects longer term literacy and numeracy: results from a general population longitudinal study in Northern Ireland. School Effectiveness and School Improvement, 24(2), 234-250.

https://doi.org/10.1080/09243453.2012.749796
Nayak, G., & Sylva, K. (2013). The effects of a guided reading intervention on reading comprehension: a study on young Chinese learners of English in Hong Kong. Language Learning Journal, 41(1), 85-103.

https://doi.org/10.1080/09571736.2011.625214
Evangelou, M., Coxon, K., Sylva, K., Smith, S., & Chan, L. (2013). Seeking to Engage ‘Hard‐to‐Reach’ Families: Towards a Transferable Model of Intervention. Children & Society, 27(2), 127-138.

https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1099-0860.2011.00387.x
Evangelou, M., Coxon, K., Sylva, K., Smith, S., & Chan, L. (2013). Seeking to Engage ’Hard-to-Reach’ Families: Towards a Transferable Model of Intervention. Children and Society, 27(2), 127-138.

https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1099-0860.2011.00387.x
Sylva, K. (2013). Enabling parents to support their children’s learning at home. EUROPEAN CHILD & ADOLESCENT PSYCHIATRY, 22, S132 - S132.
Siraj-Blatchford, I., Mayo, A., Melhuish, E., Taggart, B., Sammons, P., & Sylva, K. (2013). The learning life course of at ‘risk’ children aged 3-16: Perceptions of students and parents about ‘succeeding against the odds’. Scottish Educational Review, 14(2), 5-17.
Hall, J., Sylva, K., Sammons, P., Melhuish, E., Siraj-Blatchford, I., & Taggart, B. (2012). Can preschool protect young children’s cognitive and social development? Variation by center quality and duration of attendance. School Effectiveness and School Improvement, 24(2), 155-176.

https://doi.org/10.1080/09243453.2012.749793 https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:00445cac-ef1d-4ebd-a781-025de65b8366
Sammons, P., Hall, J., Sylva, K., Melhuish, E., Siraj-Blatchford, I., & Taggart, B. (2012). Protecting the development of 511-year-olds from the impacts of early disadvantage: the role of primary school academic effectiveness. School Effectiveness and School Improvement , 24(2), 251-268.

https://doi.org/10.1080/09243453.2012.749797 https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:5b9d1c92-c18e-438d-ae8f-7c021123bf4c
Goff, J., Evangelou, M., & Sylva, K. (2012). Enhancing parents’ ways of supporting their children’s early learning through participation in an early-intervention project in the UK: The Early Learning Partnership Project. Zeitschrift Fur Familienforschung, 24(2), 160-177.
Nunes, T., Bryant, P., Barros, R., & Sylva, K. (2012). The relative importance of two different mathematical abilities to mathematical achievement. The British Journal of Educational Psychology, 82(Pt 1), 136-156.

https://doi.org/10.1111/j.2044-8279.2011.02033.x
Nunes, T., Bryant, P., Barros, R., & Sylva, K. (2012). The relative importance of two different mathematical abilities to mathematical achievement. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 82(1), 136-156.

https://doi.org/10.1111/j.2044-8279.2011.02033.x
Scott, S., Sylva, K., Beckett, C., Kallitsoglou, A., Doolan, M., & Ford, T. (2012). Should parenting programmes to improve children’s life chances address child behaviour, reading skills, or both? Rationale for the Helping Children Achieve trial. European Journal of Developmental Psychology, 9(1), 47-60.

https://doi.org/10.1080/17405629.2011.643172
Melhuish, E., Sammons, P., Sylva, K., Siraj-Blatchford, I., & Taggart, B. (2012). Las influences del hogar, el pre-escolar y la escuela primaria sobre el rendimiento educativo a los once años del niño. Revista De Politica Educativa, 3, 63-92.
Sylva, K., Melhuish, E., Sammons, P., Siraj-Blatchford, I., & Taggart, B. (2011). Pre-school quality and educational outcomes at age 11: Low quality has little benefit. Journal of Early Childhood Research, 9(2), 109-124.

https://doi.org/10.1177/1476718x10387900
Anders, Y., Sammons, P., Taggart, B., Sylva, K., Melhuish, E., & Siraj‐Blatchford, I. (2011). The influence of child, family, home factors and pre‐school education on the identification of special educational needs at age 10. British Educational Research Journal, 37(3), 421-441.

https://doi.org/10.1080/01411921003725338
Taggart, B., Sylva, K., Melhuish, E., Sammons, P., & Siraj-Blatchford, I. (2011). O poder da pré-escola: evidências de um estudo longitudinal na Inglaterra. Cadernos De Pesquisa, 41(142), 68-99.

https://doi.org/10.1590/s0100-15742011000100005
Sylva, K., Stein, A., Leach, P., Barnes, J., Malmberg, L.-E., & FCCC-team, . (2011). Effects of early child-care on cognition, language, and task-related behaviours at 18 months: an English study. The British Journal of Developmental Psychology, 29(Pt 1), 18-45.

https://doi.org/10.1348/026151010x533229
Malmberg, L.-E., Mwaura, P., & Sylva, K. (2011). Effects of a preschool intervention on cognitive development among East-African preschool children: A flexibly time-coded growth model. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 26(1), 124-133.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecresq.2010.04.003
Hall, J., Sammons, P., Sylva, K., Melhuish, E., Taggart, B., Siraj-Blatchford, I., & Smees, R. (2010). Measuring the combined risk to young children’s cognitive development: an alternative to cumulative indices. British Journal of Developmental Psychology, 28(Pt 2), 219-238.

https://doi.org/10.1348/026151008X399925 https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:57e430e2-177e-4056-a470-510c971d1762
Barnes, J., Leach, P., Malmberg, L., Stein, A., Sylva, K., & Team, T. (2010). Experiences of childcare in England and socio‐emotional development at 36 months. Early Child Development and Care, 180(9), 1215-1229.

https://doi.org/10.1080/03004430902943959
Yang, T., Sylva, K., & Lunt, I. (2010). Parent support, peer support, and peer acceptance in healthy lifestyle for asthma management among early adolescents. Journal for Specialists in Pediatric Nursing : JSPN, 15(4), 272-281.

https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1744-6155.2010.00247.x
Scott, S., Sylva, K., Doolan, M., Price, J., Jacobs, B., Crook, C., & Landau, S. (2010). Randomised controlled trial of parent groups for child antisocial behaviour targeting multiple risk factors: the SPOKES project. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, and Allied Disciplines, 51(1), 48-57.

https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-7610.2009.02127.x
Hall, J., Sammons, P., Sylva, K., Melhuish, E., Taggart, B., Siraj-Blatchford, I., & Smees, R. (2010). Measuring the cumulative risk to children’s cognitive development: Confirmatory factor analysis using formative measurement. British Journal of Developmental Psychology, 37(3), 421-441.
Melhuish, E., Sammons, P., Sylva, K., Siraj-Blatchford, I., & Taggart, B. (2010). Home, Pre-school and Primary school influences upon children’s educational attainment at age 11. Revista De Política Educativa.
Why do some fathers become primary caregivers for their infants? A qualitative study. (2009). Child: Care, Health and Development, 35(2), 208-216.
Yang, T., Lunt, I., & Sylva, K. (2009). Peer stress-related coping activities in young adolescents’ asthma management. The Journal of Asthma : Official Journal of the Association for the Care of Asthma, 46(6), 613-617.

https://doi.org/10.1080/02770900903029770
Hall, J., Sylva, K., Melhuish, E., Sammons, P., Siraj-Blatchford, I., & Taggart, B. (2009). The role of pre-school quality in promoting resilience in the cognitive development of young children. Oxford Review of Education, 35(3), 331-352.

https://doi.org/10.1080/03054980902934613 https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:f04769fe-937e-4e9f-b1c1-d68ca7e8197a
Lewis, S., West, A., Stein, A., Malmberg, L.-E., Bethell, K., Barnes, J., Sylva, K., Leach, P., & Families, Children and Child Care (FCCC) project team, . (2009). A comparison of father-infant interaction between primary and non-primary care giving fathers. Child: Care, Health and Development, 35(2), 199-207.

https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2214.2008.00913.x
West, A., Lewis, S., Ram, B., Barnes, J., Leach, P., Sylva, K., Stein, A., & FCCC project team, . (2009). Why do some fathers become primary caregivers for their infants? A qualitative study. Child: Care, Health and Development, 35(2), 208-216.

https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2214.2008.00926.x
Sammons, P., Anders, Y., Sylva, K., Melhuish, E., Siraj-Blatchford, I., Taggart, B., & Barreau, S. (2009). Children’s Cognitive Attainment and Progress in English Primary Schools During Key Stage 2: Investigating the potential continuing influences of pre-school education. 179-198.

https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-531-91452-7_12
Lubans, D., & Sylva, K. (2009). Mediators of change following a senior school physical activity intervention. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, 12(1), 134-140.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsams.2007.08.013
Mwaura, P., Sylva, K., & Malmberg, L. (2008). Evaluating the Madrasa preschool programme in East Africa: a quasi‐experimental study. International Journal of Early Years Education, 16(3), 237-255.

https://doi.org/10.1080/09669760802357121
Stein, A., Malmberg, L.-E., Sylva, K., Barnes, J., Leach, P., & FCCC team**, . (2008). The influence of maternal depression, caregiving, and socioeconomic status in the post-natal year on children’s language development. Child: Care, Health and Development, 34(5), 603-612.

https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2214.2008.00837.x
Sylva, K., Scott, S., Totsika, V., Ereky-Stevens, K., & Crook, C. (2008). Training parents to help their children read: a randomized control trial. The British Journal of Educational Psychology, 78(Pt 3), 435-455.

https://doi.org/10.1348/000709907x255718
Melhuish, E., Sylva, K., Sammons, P., Siraj-Blatchford, I., Taggart, B., Phan, M., & Malin, A. (2008). The early years. Preschool influences on mathematics achievement. Science (New York, N.Y.), 321(5893), 1161-1162.

https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1158808
Townsend, M., Sylva, K., Martin, A., Metz, D., & Wooten-Swanson, P. (2008). Improving readability of an evaluation tool for low-income clients using visual information processing theories. Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, 40(3), 181-186.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jneb.2007.06.011
Lubans, D., Sylva, K., & Osborn, Z. (2008). Convergent Validity and Test–Retest Reliability of the Oxford Physical Activity Questionnaire for Secondary School Students. Behaviour Change, 25(1), 23-34.

https://doi.org/10.1375/bech.25.1.23
Siraj‐Blatchford, I., Taggart, B., Sylva, K., Sammons, P., & 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(1), 23-36.

https://doi.org/10.1080/03057640801889956
Melhuish, E., Phan, M., Sylva, K., Sammons, P., Siraj‐Blatchford, I., & Taggart, B. (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(1), 95-114.

https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-4560.2008.00550.x
Leach, P., Barnes, J., Malmberg, L., Sylva, K., Stein, A., & team, T. (2008). The quality of different types of child care at 10 and 18 months: a comparison between types and factors related to quality. Early Child Development and Care, 178(2), 177-209.

https://doi.org/10.1080/03004430600722655
Sammons, P., Sylva, K., Siraj-Blatchford, I., Melhuish, E., & Taggart, B. (2008). Is public investment in the early years worthwhile?. Early Education, 54, 3-4.
Taggart, B., Siraj-Blatchford, I., Sylva, K., Melhuish, E., & Sammons, P. (2008). Influencing policy and practice through research on early childhood education. International Journal of Early Childhood Education, 14(2), 7-21.
Malmberg, L.-E., Stein, A., West, A., Lewis, S., Barnes, J., Leach, P., Sylva, K., & FCCC, . (2007). Parent-infant interaction: a growth model approach. Infant Behavior & Development, 30(4), 615-630.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.infbeh.2007.03.007
Nath, S., & Sylva, K. (2007). Children’s access to pre‐school education in Bangladesh. International Journal of Early Years Education, 15(3), 275-295.

https://doi.org/10.1080/09669760701516967
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(3), 261-274.

https://doi.org/10.1080/09669760701516959
Hurry, J., & Sylva, K. (2007). Long‐term outcomes of early reading intervention. Journal of Research in Reading, 30(3), 227-248.

https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9817.2007.00338.x
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.

https://doi.org/10.1080/02671520701296098
Barnes, J., Ram, B., Leach, P., Altmann, L., Sylva, K., Malmberg, L., Stein, A., & Team, T. (2007). Factors associated with negative emotional expression: a study of mothers of young infants. Journal of Reproductive and Infant Psychology, 25(2), 122-138.

https://doi.org/10.1080/02646830701292399
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(1), 49-65.

https://doi.org/10.1080/09669760601106968
Evangelou, M., & 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).
Lubans, D., Sylva, K., & Morgan, P. (2007). Factors associated with physical activity in a sample of British secondary school students. Australian Journal of Educational and Developmental Psychology, 7, 22-30.
Brave, R., & Sylva, K. (2007). Exhibiting eugenics: response and resistance to a hidden history. The Public Historian, 29(3), 33-51.

https://doi.org/10.1525/tph.2007.29.3.33
Sylva, K., Stein, A., Leach, P., Barnes, J., Malmberg, L.-E., & FCCC-team, T. (2007). Family and child factors related to the use of non-maternal infant care: An English study. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 22(1), 118-136.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecresq.2006.11.003
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(3), 252-268.

https://doi.org/10.1123/jsep.28.3.252
Leach, P., Barnes, J., Nichols, M., Goldin, J., Stein, A., Sylva, K., Malmberg, L., & team, T. (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(5), 471-502.

https://doi.org/10.1002/icd.473
Barnes, J., Leach, P., Sylva, K., Stein, A., Malmberg, L., & Families, C. (2006). Infant care in England: mothers’ aspirations, experiences, satisfaction and caregiver relationships. Early Child Development and Care, 176(5), 553-573.

https://doi.org/10.1080/03004430500317408
Siraj-Blatchford, I., Sammons, P., Taggart, B., Sylva, K., & Melhuish, E. (2006). Educational Research and Evidence-based Policy: The Mixed-method Approach of the EPPE Project. Evaluation & Research in Education, 19(2), 63-82.

https://doi.org/10.2167/eri419.0
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 Educational Needs (EYTSEN) Project. British Journal of Special Education, 33(1), 40-45.

https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8578.2006.00410.x
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.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecresq.2006.01.003
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.

https://doi.org/10.1080/13645570500154840
Sammons, P., Elliot, K., Sylva, K., Melhuish, E., Siraj‐Blatchford, I., & Taggart, B. (2004). The impact of pre‐school on young children’s cognitive attainments at entry to reception. British Educational Research Journal, 30(5), 691-712.

https://doi.org/10.1080/0141192042000234656
Siraj‐Blatchford, I., & Sylva, K. (2004). Researching pedagogy in English pre‐schools. British Educational Research Journal, 30(5), 713-730.

https://doi.org/10.1080/0141192042000234665
Totsika, V., & Sylva, K. (2004). The Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment Revisited. Child and Adolescent Mental Health, 9(1), 25-35.

https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1475-357x.2003.00073.x
Sylva, K. (2000). Editorial. Oxford Review of Education, 26(3-4), 293-297.

https://doi.org/10.1080/713688542
Pretzlik, U., & Sylva, K. (1999). Paediatric patients’ distress and coping: an observational measure. Archives of Disease in Childhood, 81(6), 528-530.

https://doi.org/10.1136/adc.81.6.528
Sylva, K., Hurry, J., Mirelman, H., Burrell, A., & Riley, J. (1999). Evaluation of a Focused Literacy Teaching Programme in Reception and Year 1 Classes: classroom observations. British Educational Research Journal, 25(5), 617-635.

https://doi.org/10.1080/0141192990250504
Hurry, J., Sylva, K., & Riley, J. (1999). Evaluation of a Focused Literacy Teaching Programme in Reception and Year 1 classes: child outcomes. British Educational Research Journal, 25(5), 637-649.

https://doi.org/10.1080/0141192990250505
Pretzlik, U., & Sylva, K. (1999). Paediatric patients’ distress and coping during medical treatment: a self report measure. Archives of Disease in Childhood, 81(6), 525-527.

https://doi.org/10.1136/adc.81.6.525
Sylva, K., & Evans, E. (1999). Preventing failure at school. Children & Society, 13(4), 278-286.

https://doi.org/10.1002/chi571
Nath, S., Sylva, K., & Grimes, J. (1999). Raising Basic Education Levels in Rural Bangladesh: The Impact of a Non-formal Education Programme. International Review of Education, 45(1), 5-26.

https://doi.org/10.1023/a:1003548518474
Hadeed, J., & Sylva, K. (1999). Behavioral Observations as Predictors of Children’s Social and Cognitive Progress in Day Care. Early Child Development and Care, 154(1), 13-30.

https://doi.org/10.1080/0030443991540102
Hadeed, J., & Sylva, K. (1999). Center Care and Education in Bahrain: Does It Benefit Children’s Development?. Early Child Development and Care, 157(1), 67-87.

https://doi.org/10.1080/0300443991570105
Kwan, C., Sylva, K., & Reeves, B. (1998). Day Care Quality and Child Development in Singapore. Early Child Development and Care, 144(1), 69-77.

https://doi.org/10.1080/0300443981440108
Sylva, K., Hurry, J., & Peters, S. (1997). Why is reading recovery successful? A Vygotskian critique of an early reading intervention. European Journal of Psychology of Education, 12(4), 373 - 373.

https://doi.org/10.1007/bf03172799
Sylva, K. (1997). Critical periods in childhood learning. British Medical Bulletin, 53(1), 185-197.

https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordjournals.bmb.a011599
Sylva, K. (1997). Editorial. European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 5(1), 2-3.

https://doi.org/10.1080/13502939785207961
Sylva, K., & Nabuco, M. (1996). Research on quality in the curriculum. International Journal of Early Childhood, 28(2), 1 - 1.

https://doi.org/10.1007/bf03174496
Hobsbaum, A., Peters, S., & Sylva, K. (1996). Scaffolding in Reading Recovery. Oxford Review of Education, 22(1), 17-35.

https://doi.org/10.1080/0305498960220102
Sylva, K. (1994). School influences on children’s development. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, and Allied Disciplines, 35(1), 135-170.

https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-7610.1994.tb01135.x
Doswell, G., Lewis, V., Sylva, K., & Boucher, J. (1994). Validational data on the Warwick Symbolic Play Test. European Journal of Disorders of Communication : The Journal of the College of Speech and Language Therapists, London, 29(3), 289-298.

https://doi.org/10.3109/13682829409111613
Sylva, K. (1993). Play in hospital: when and why it’s effective. Paediatrics and Child Health, 3(4), 247-249.

https://doi.org/10.1016/0957-5839(93)90095-m
Sylva, K., & Wiltshire, J. (1993). The impact of early learning on children’s later development a review prepared for the RSA inquiry ‘start right’. European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 1(1), 17-40.

https://doi.org/10.1080/13502939385207331
Sylva, K. (1993). Work or Play in the Kindergarten?. Singapore Journal of Education, 13(1), 26-31.

https://doi.org/10.1080/02188799308547701
Sylva, K., Blatchford, I., & Johnson, S. (1992). The impact of the U.K. National Curriculum on pre-school practice: Some “top-down” processes at work. International Journal of Early Childhood, 24(1), 41 - 41.

https://doi.org/10.1007/bf03174160
Sylva, K. (1992). Conversations in the nursery: How they contribute to aspirations and plans. Language and Education, 6(2-4), 141-148.

https://doi.org/10.1080/09500789209541333
Sylva, K. (1990). Evaluating early education programmes. Early Child Development and Care, 58(1), 97-107.

https://doi.org/10.1080/0300443900580112
Introduction. (1990). Early Child Development and Care, 58(1), 1-1.

https://doi.org/10.1080/0300443900580101
Sylva, K. (1989). Does early intervention ’work’?. Archives of Disease in Childhood, 64(8), 1103-1104.

https://doi.org/10.1136/adc.64.8.1103
Halsey, A., & Sylva, K. (1987). Plowden: history and prospect. Oxford Review of Education, 13(1), 3-11.

https://doi.org/10.1080/0305498870130101
Moore, E., & Sylva, K. (1985). The What and Wherefore of Nursery Record‐keeping. British Educational Research Journal, 11(3), 241-251.

https://doi.org/10.1080/0141192850110305
Sylva, K. (1984). A hard‐headed look at the fruits of play. Early Child Development and Care, 15(2-3), 171-183.

https://doi.org/10.1080/0300443840150205
Hudson, B., & Sylva, K. (1980). Psychology and social work. British Journal of Social Work, 10(3), 367-370.
Selig, S. (1978). Play--Its Role in Development and Evolution (Book). Journal of Personality Assessment, 42(5), 549-550.

https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327752jpa4205_20

Reports

Lindorff, A., Sylva, K., Ereky-Stevens, K., & Joseph, A. (2022). Coaching Early Conversation, Interaction and Language (CECIL) Impact evaluation. Sutton Trust.

https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:e2ac208a-e2fd-4340-8e70-a2b25a0fa6b8
Jelley, F., Sylva, K., & Karemaker, A. (2016). EasyPeasy parenting app: findings from an efficacy trial on parent engagement and school readiness skills. Sutton Trust.

https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:618d7b4a-2fb1-4640-aeac-53de523d3852
Sylva, K., Jelley, F., Karemaker, A., Ebbens, A., & Archer, A. (2016). Final report to the Educational Endowment Foundation (EEF) on the SPOKES intervention.
Sylva, K., Pastori, G., Lerkkanen, M., Slot, P., & Ereky-Stevens, K. (2016). Integrative report on a culture-sensitive quality & curriculum framework. CARE Curriculum Quality Analysis and Impact Review of European ECEC, WP2, D2.4.

http://ecec-care.org/fileadmin/careproject/Publications/reports/D2.4_Integrative_Report_Curriculum_and_Pedagogy_FINAL.pdf
Sammons, P., Smees, R., Hall, J., Goff, J., Sylva, K., Smith, T., Evangelou, M., Eisenstadt, N., & Smith, G. (2015). Changes in resourcing and characteristics of children’s centres: Evaluation of children’s centres in England (ECCE, Strand 4). In Changes in resourcing and characteristics of children’s centres. Department for Education.

https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:da08908e-db3a-432b-8be6-bedbcf01a89a
Sammons, P., Hall, J., Smees, R., Goff, J., Sylva, K., Smith, T., Evangelou, M., Eisenstadt, N., & Smith, G. (2015). The impact of children’s centres: studying the effects of children’s centres in promoting better outcomes for young children and their families: evaluation of Children’s Centres in England (ECCE, Strand 4): research report . In impact of children’s centres. Department for Education.

https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:cb5dbff9-619b-44d6-b84e-842b2c6665f1
Sammons, P., Toth, K., & Sylva, K. (2015). Background to success: differences in A-Level entries by ethnicity, neighbourhood and gender. In Background to Success: differences in A-Level entries by ethnicity, neighbourhood and gender Report for the Sutton Trust. Sutton Trust.

https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:73234362-2489-45ee-b13d-994618770bf8
Sammons, P., Toth, K., Sylva, K., Melhuish, E., Siraj, I., & Taggart, B. (2015). Pre-school and early home learning effects on A-level outcomes: Effective Pre-school, Primary & Secondary Education Project (EPPSE). DfE.

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/472867/RR472A_Pre-school_and_early_home_learning_effects_on_A_level_outcomes.pdf
Sammons, P., Toth, K., & Sylva, K. (2015). Subject to Background: What promotes better achievement by bright but disadvantaged students?. In The Sutton Trust. Sutton Trust.

https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:4d2786e8-c54b-4431-a91a-4cf5b5f77ce3
Sammons, P., Toth, K., Sylva, K., Melhuish, E., Siraj, I., & Taggart, B. (2015). Pre-school and Early Home Learning Environment Effects on A-level Outcomes, DfE Research Report 472a and 472b (Technical Report). DfE.

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/472867/RR472A_Pre-school_and_early_home_learning_effects_on_A_level_outcomes.pdf
Sammons, P., Smees, R., Hall, J., Goff, J., Sylva, K., Smith, T., Evangelou, M., Eisenstadt, N., & Smith, G. (2015). Evaluation of Children’s Centres in England (ECCE). Strand 4: Managing change and resourcing for Children’s Centres. DfE.

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/485362/DFE-RR494_Children_s_centres_changes_in_resourcing_and_characteristics.pdf
Sylva, K., Goff, J., Eisenstadt, N., Smith, T., Hall, J., Evangelou, M., Smith, G., & Sammons, P. (2015). Organisation, Services and Reach of Children’s Centres: Evaluation of Children’s Centres in England (ECCE, Strand 3). DfE.

https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:d843e839-5e46-4f14-ae20-6f0baa490b1b
Sylva, K., Melhuish, E., Sammons, P., Siraj, I., Taggart, B., Smees, R., Welcomme, W., & Hollingworth, K. (2014). Students’ educational and developmental outcomes at age 16: Effective pre-school, primary and secondary education (EPPSE). In DfE Research Report (pp. 1-286). DfE.

https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:eda164e0-5005-41c6-aee5-9d4eadf2c118
Sammons, P., Sylva, K., Melhuish, E., Siraj, I., Taggart, B., Smees, R., Toth, K., & Welcomme, W. (2014). Effective Pre-school, Primary and Secondary Education Project (EPPSE 3-16+: Students’ views of school in Key Stage4 at age 16. Institute of Education.

https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ioe/research/pdf/16-Students-views-school-KS4-RB.pdf
Taggart, B., Sammons, P., Siraj, I., Sylva, K., Melhuish, E., Toth, K., Smees, R., Hollingworth, K., & Welcomme, W. (2014). Effective Pre-school, Primary and Secondary Education Project (EPPSE 3-16+): Post 16 destinations. Institute of Education.

https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ioe/research/pdf/16-Destinations-RR.pdf
Sylva, K., Melhuish, E., Sammons, P., Siraj, I., Taggart, B., Smees, R., Toth, K., Welcomme, W., & Hollingworth, K. (2014). Students’ educational and developmental outcomes at age 16: Effective pre-school, primary and secondary education (EPPSE). DfE.

https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ioe/research/pdf/RB354_-_Students__educational_and_developmental_outcomes_at_age_16_Brief.pdf
Siraj, I., Hollingsworth, K., Taggart, B., Sammons, P., Melhuish, E., & Sylva, K. (2014). Effective Pre-school, Primary and Secondary Education Project (EPPSE 3-16+): Report on students who are not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET). Institute of Education.

https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ioe/research/pdf/16-Report-students-NEET-RR.pdf
Sammons, P., Sylva, K., Melhuish, E., Siraj, I., Taggart, B., Smees, R., Toth, K., & Welcomme, W. (2014). Effective Pre-school, Primary and Secondary Education Project (EPPSE 3-16+): Influences on students’ dispositions and well-being in Key Stage 4 at age 16. Institute of Education.

https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ioe/research/pdf/16-Influences-Students-Dispositions-Well-Being-S4-RB.pdf
Sammons, P., Sylva, K., Melhuish, E., Siraj, I., Taggart, B., Smees, R., & Toth, K. (2014). Influences on students’ social-behavioural development at age 16: Effective pre-school, primary and secondary education project (EPPSE). BRIEF. DfE.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/influences-on-students-development-at-age-16
Sammons, P., Sylva, K., Melhuish, E., Siraj, I., Taggart, B., Smees, R., & Toth, K. (2014). Influences on students’ social-behavioural development at age 16: Effective pre-school, primary and secondary education project (EPPSE). DfE.

https://dera.ioe.ac.uk//20874/
Sammons, P., Sylva, K., Melhuish, E., Siraj, I., Taggart, B., Smees, R., Toth, K., & Welcomme, W. (2014). Influences on students’ dispositions and well-being in Key Stage 4 age 16. Institute of Education & Department of Education.
Sammons, P., Sylva, K., Melhuish, E., Siraj, I., Taggart, B., Smees, R., Toth, K., & Welcomme, W. (2014). Influences on student’s social-behavioural development at age 16. Institute of Education and DfE.
Sammons, P., Sylva, K., Melhuish, E., Siraj, I., Taggart, B., Toth, K., & Smees, R. (2014). Influences on students’ GCSE attainment and progress at age 16: Effective pre-school, primary and secondary education project (EPPSE). DfE.

https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ioe/research/pdf/RB352_-_Influences_on_Students_GCSE_Attainment_and_Progress_at_Age_16_Brief.pdf
Sammons, P., Sylva, K., Melhuish, E., Siraj, I., Taggart, B., Smees, R., Toth, K., & Welcomme, W. (2014). Students’ views of school in Key Stage 4 age 16. Institute of Education & Department of Education.
Taggart, B., Sammons, P., Siraj, I., Sylva, K., Melhuish, E., Toth, K., Smees, R., Hollingworth, K., & Welcomme, W. (2014). Post age 16 destinations. Institute of Education & Department of Education.
Siraj, I., Hollingworth, K., Taggart, B., Sammons, P., Melhuish, E., & Sylva, K. (2014). Report on students who are not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET). Institute of Education & Department of Education.
Sylva, K., Sammons, P., Melhuish, E., Siraj, I., Taggart, B., Smees, R., Toth, K., & Welcomme, W. (2014). Students’ educational and developmental outcomes at age 16: Final Report from Key Stage 4. DfE.
Mathers, S., Eisenstadt, N., Sylva, K., Soukakou, E., & Ereky-Stevens, K. (2014). Sound Foundations: A review of the research evidence on quality for early childhood education and care for children under three. Implications for policy and practice.

http://www.suttontrust.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/1sound-foundations-jan2014-3.pdf
Sylva, K., Ereky-Stevens, K., & Aricescu, A. (2014). Overview of European ECEC curricula and curriculum template. CARE Curriculum quality analysis and impact review of European ECEC, WP2, D2.1.

http://ecec-care.org/fileadmin/careproject/Publications/reports/CARE_WP2_D2_1_European_ECEC_Curricula_and_Curriculum_Template.pdf
Evangelou, M., Goff, J., Hall, J., Sylva, K., Eisenstadt, N., Paget, C., Davis, S., Sammons, P., Smith, T., Tracz, R., & Parkin, T. (2014). Evaluation of children’s centres in England - strand 3: parenting services in children’s centres. DfE.

https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:f72e90b8-1ed6-47a0-9c7f-0ee085557120
Evangelou, M., Goff, J., Hall, J., Sylva, K., Smith, T., Smith, G., Eisenstadt, N., Sammons, P., Smees, R., & Chu, K. (2013). Evaluation of Children’s Centres in England (ECCE). Strand 3: Delivery of Family Services by Children’s Centres. In Evaluation of Children’s Centres in England (ECCE). DfE.

https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:462a3278-b115-43a8-a3b6-5adea7e658a5
Maisey, R., Speight, S., Haywood, S., Hall, J., Sammons, P., Hussey, D., Goff, J., Evangelou, M., & Sylva, K. (2013). Evaluation of children’s centres in England (ECCE) - strand 2: baseline survey of families using children’s centres in the most disadvantaged areas. Department for Education.

https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:ca1b1072-2a5f-4631-8a87-479f99439885
Taggart, B., Sammons, P., Sylva, K., Melhuish, E., Siraj-Blatchford, I., Elliot, K., & Walker-Hall, J. (2013). Ratios in Pre-School Settings: An exploration of the relationships with children’s educational outcomes. DfE.

https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ioe/research/pdf/Ratios_in_Pre-School_Settings_DfEE.pdf
Tanner, E., Agur, M., Hussey, D., Hall, J., Sammons, P., Sylva, K., Smith, T., Evangelou, M., & Flint, A. (2012). Evaluation of children’s centres in England (ECCE). Strand 1: first survey of children’s centre leaders in the most deprived areas. In Evaluation of Children’s Centres in England (ECCE). Department for Education.

https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:0fd4017e-eb7e-4480-b96f-f3343e54a032
Sammons, P., Sylva, K., Melhuish, E., Siraj-Blatchford, I., Taggart, B., Smees, R., Draghici, D., & Toth, K. (2012). Influences on students’ dispositions in Key Stage 3: Exploring enjoyment of school, popularity, anxiety, citizenship values and academic self-concepts in Year 9. In Effective Pre-School, Primary and Secondary Education Project (EPPSE 3-14) (pp. 1-83). Department for Education.

https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:fef96b45-7988-41ca-999b-7098b9d58645
Sammons, P., Sylva, K., Melhuish, E., Siraj-Blatchford, I., Taggart, B., Draghici, D., Smees, R., & Toth., K. (2012). Effective Pre-School, Primary and Secondary Education Project (EPPSE 3-14): Influences on students’ development in Key Stage 3: Social-behavioural outcomes in Year 9. Department for Education.

https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:67fcd808-682e-45dc-82fc-4562e75d605f
Sylva, K., Melhuish, E., Sammons, P., Siraj-Blatchford, I., Taggart, B., Hunt, S., & Jelicic, H. (2012). The effect of starting pre-school at age 2 on long term academic and social-behavioural outcomes in Year 6 for more deprived children: Analyses conducted for the Strategy Unit. DfE.

https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ioe/research/pdf/Effect_of_starting_pre-school_at_age_2_report.pd
Sylva, K., Melhuish, E., Sammons, P., Siraj-Blatchford, I., & Taggart, B. (2012). Effective Pre-school, Primary and Secondary Education 3-14 Project (EPPSE 3-14) – Final Report from the Key Stage 3 Phase: Influences on Students’ Development form age 11-14. Department for Education.

https://www.education.gov.uk/publications/eOrderingDownload/DFE-RR202.pdf
Sylva, K., Melhuish, E., Sammons, P., Siraj-Blatchford, I., & Taggart, B. (2012). Effective Pre-school, Primary and Secondary Education 3-14 Project (EPPSE 3-14) – Final Report from the Key Stage 3 Phase: Influences on Students’ Development form age 11-14. Department of Education.

https://www.education.gov.uk/publications/eOrderingDownload/DFE-RB202.pdf
Sammons, P., Sylva, K., Melhuish, E., Siraj-Blatchford, I., Taggart, B., Toth, K., Draghici, D., & Smees, R. (2012). Effective Pre-School, Primary and Secondary Education Project (EPPSE 3-14): Influences on students’ attainment and progress in Key Stage 3: Academic outcomes in English, maths and science in Year 9. Department for Education.

http://eppe.ioe.ac.uk/eppse3-14/eppse3-14pdfs/Final%20EPPSE%20cogs%2026March2012.pdf
Goff, J., Sammons, P., Smees, R., Sylva, K., Hall, J., & Good, J. (2012). Leadership development resources for children’s centre staff: Children’s centre leaders questionnaire. National College for School Leadership.

https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:16f29fe5-4238-4e86-af47-ba7615566ae6
Sylva, K., Roberts, F., Beckett, C., Doolan, M., Scott, S., Kallitsoglou, A., & Ford, T. (2011). Factors associated with levels of reading in the HCA trial. Report to DfE. NAPR/KCL.
Karemaker, A., Mathers, S., Hall, J., Sylva, K., & Clemens, S. (2011). Evaluation of the Graduate Leader Fund: factors relating to quality: findings from the baseline study . In Graduate Leader Fund: evaluation. Department for Education.

https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:0c13c388-66ba-4b6a-9511-8a36116da973
Sylva, K., Roberts, F., Price, J., Scott, S., Doolan, M., & Beckett, C. (2011). Teaching parents to support their children’s reading: is it feasible? Report to DfE. NAPR/KCL.
Siraj-Blatchford, I., Mayo, A., Melhuish, E., Taggart, B., Sammons, P., & Sylva, K. (2011). Performing against the odds: developmental trajectories of children in the EPPSE 3-16 study. In Research Report (pp. 1-118). Department for Education.

https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:0ea825e4-392c-4ee3-a95d-7ffca1a09733
Siraj-Blatchford, I., Mayo, A., Melhuish, E., Taggart, B., Sammons, P., & Sylva, K. (2011). Performing against the odds: developmental trajectories of children in the EPPSE 3-16 study – Brief. Department of Education.
Siraj-Blatchford, I., Shepard, D.-L., Melhuish, E., Taggart, B., Sammons, P., & Sylva, K. (2011). Effective Primary Pedagogical Strategies in English and Mathematics in Key Stage 2: A study of classroom practice from the EPPSE 3-16 longitudinal study. Department of Education.

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/193625/DFE-RB129.pdf
Siraj-Blatchford, I., Shepherd, D.-L., Melhuish, E., Taggart, B., Sammons, P., & Sylva, K. (2011). Effective Primary Pedagogical Strategies in English and Mathematics in Key Stage 2: A study of Year 5 classroom practice from the EPPSE 3-16 longitudinal study. Department of Education.

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/183324/DFE-RR129.pdf
Sammons, P., Sylva, K., Melhuish, E., Siraj-Blatchford, I., Taggart, B., Smees, R., Draghici, D., & Toth, K. (2011). Effective Pre-School, Primary and Secondary Education Project (EPPSE 3-14) Students? Reports of Their Experiences of School in Year 9. EPPSE Project - Institute of Education.

http://eprints.ioe.ac.uk/16508/
Sammons, P., Sylva, K., Melhuish, E., Siraj-Blatchford, I., Taggart, B., Smees, R., Draghici, D., & Toth, K. (2011). Effective Pre-school, Primary and Secondary Education 3-14 Project (EPPSE 3-14): Influences on students’ dispositions in Key Stage 3: Exploring Enjoyment of school, Popularity, Anxiety, Citizenship Values and Academic self-concept in Year 9. Institute of Education and Department for Education.
Mathers, S., Ranns, H., Karemaker, A., Moody, A., Sylva, K., Graham, J., & Siraj-Blatchford, I. (2011). National Evaluation of the Graduate Leader Fund: Technical Report. DfE.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/evaluation-of-the-graduate-leader-fund-final-report
Mathers, S., Ranns, H., Karemaker, A., Moody, A., Sylva, K., Graham, J., & Siraj-Blatchford, I. (2011). National Evaluation of the Graduate Leader Fund: Impact Study Final Report. DfE.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/evaluation-of-the-graduate-leader-fund-final-report
Goff, J., Sammons, P., Smees, R., Sylva, K., & Hall, J. (2011). Leadership development resources for children’s centre staff: Senior leadership team questionnaire (not centre leader). National College for School Leadership.

https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:98a3eef2-e555-47d5-a453-150a4326eb92
Melhuish, E., Quinn, L., Sylva, K., Sammons, P., Siraj-Blatchford, I., & Taggart, B. (2010). Pre-school Experience and Key Stage 2 performance in English and Mathematics. Department for Education, Northern Ireland.

http://www.deni.gov.uk/no_52_2010.pdf
Nunes, T., Bryant, P., Sylva, K., & Barros Baertl, R. (2009). Development of maths capabilities and confidence in primary school.
Smith, R., Purdon, S., Mathers, S., Sylva, K., Schneider, V., La Valle, I., Wollny, I., Owen, R., Bryson, C., & Lloyd, E. (2009). Early Education Pilot for Two Year Old Children Evaluation. DCSF Publications.
Evangelou, M., Sylva, K., Kyriacou, M., Wild, M., & Glenney, G. (2009). Early Years Learning and Development Literature Review. DCSF Publications.
Sammons, P., Sylva, K., Melhuish, E., Siraj-Blatchford, I., Taggart, B., & Jelicic, H. (2008). Effective Pre-school and Primary Education 3-11 Project (EPPE 3-11) Influences on children’s development and progress in Key Stage 2: social/behavioural outcomes in Year 6. In Research Report (pp. 1-85). DCSF Publications.

https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:3f3446ad-f01b-48db-a6d3-0f4a6811ff51
Evangelou, M., Sylva, K., Edwards, A., & Smith, T. (2008). Supporting Parents in Promoting Early Learning: The Evaluation of the Early Learning Partnership Project. DCSF Publications.
Sammons, P., Sylva, K., Melhuish, E., Siraj-Blatchford, I., Taggart, B., Jelicic, H., Smees, R., Barreau, S., & Grabbe, Y. (2008). Effective Pre-school and Primary Education 3-11 Project (EPPE 3-11) Pupils’ self-perceptions and views of primary school in Year 5. In DCSF Research Brief. DCSF.

http://publications.education.gov.uk/eOrderingDownload/DCSF-RBX-15-08.pdf
Sammons, P., Sylva, K., Melhuish, E., Siraj-Blatchford, I., Barreau, S., & Grabbe, Y. (2008). The Influence of School and Teaching Quality on Children’s Progress in Primary School. DCSF.

http://www.ttrb.ac.uk/attachments/b8ff01bc-4da6-4582-bee6-48a22b014ff8.pdf
Sammons, P., Sylva, K., Melhuish, E., Siraj-Blatchford, I., Taggart, B., Hunt, S., & Jelicic, H. (2008). Effective Pre-school and Primary Education 3-11 Project (EPPE 3-11) Influences on children’s cognitive and social development in Year 6. DCSF Publications.
Sylva, K., Melhuish, E., Sammons, P., Siraj-Blatchford, I., & Taggart, B. (2008). Effective Pre-school and Primary Education 3-11 Project (EPPE 3-11) Final report from the primary phase: Pre-school, school and family Influences on children’s development during Key Stage 2 (age 7-11). DCSF Publications.

https://www.education.gov.uk/publications/standard/Download?DownloadPublicationReference=DCSF-RR061&DownloadItemReference=Final%20Report%20from%20the%20Primary%20Phase%3A%20Pre-school%2C%20School%20and%20Family%20Influences%20on%20Children's%20Development%20during%20Key%20Stage%202%20PDF(DfES%20Online%20Store)&DocumentType=PDF&Url=%2Fpublications%2FeOrderingDownload%2FDCSF-RR061.pdf
Sylva, K., Sammons, P., Siraj-Blatchford, I., Taggart, B., Smees, R., & Melhuish, E. (2008). Exploring pupils’ views of primary school in Year 5. Institute of Education, University of London.

https://ro.uow.edu.au/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?referer=https://www.google.com/&httpsredir=1&article=2801&context=sspapers
Sammons, P., Sylva, K., Siraj-Blatchford, I., Taggart, B., Smees, R., & Melhuish, E. (2008). Influences on pupils’ self-perceptions in primary school: enjoyment of school, anxiety and isolation, and self-image in Year 5. Institute of Education, University of London.

https://ro.uow.edu.au/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2803&context=sspapers
Sammons, P., Sylva, K., Melhuish, E., Siraj-Blatchford, I., Taggart, B., Jelicic, H., Barreau, S., Grabbe, Y., & Smees, R. (2008). Relationships between pupils’ self-perceptions, views of primary school and their development in Year 5. Institute of Education, University of London.

https://ro.uow.edu.au/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2802&context=sspapers
Sylva, K., Melhuish, E., Sammons, P., Taggart, B., Siraj-Blatchford, I., Hunt, S., Barreau, S., & Welcomme, W. (2008). Tracking and mobility over the pre-school and primary school period: Evidence from EPPE 3-11. Institute of Education, University of London.

https://ro.uow.edu.au/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2800&context=sspapers
Evangelou, M., Taggart, B., Sylva, K., Melhuish, E., & Sammons, P. (2008). Effective Pre-school, Primary and Secondary Education 3-14 Project (EPPSE 3-14). What Makes a Successful Transition from Primary to Secondary School?. DCSF Publications.

http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20130401151715/http://www.education.gov.uk/publications/eOrderingDownload/DCSF-RR019.pdf
Sammons, P., Sylva, K., Melhuish, E., Siraj-Blatchford, I., Taggart, B., & Hunt, S. (2008). Effective Pre-school and Primary Education 3-11 Project (EPPE 3-11) Influences on children’s attainment and progress in Key Stage 2: cognitive outcomes in Year 6. DCSF Publications.

https://ro.uow.edu.au/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?referer=https://www.google.com/&httpsredir=1&article=2805&context=sspapers
Evangelou, M., Coxon, K., & Sylva, K. (2008). Sutton Trust Evaluation Project (STEP): Phase 3 Research Report, An Evaluation of PEEP Provision for “excluded” families: Room to Play. Department of Education.

http://www.suttontrust.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/2008-r2play-evaluation-summary.pdf
Mathers, S., & Sylva, K. (2007). National Evaluation of the Neighbourhood Nurseries Initiative: The Relationship Between Quality and Children’s Behavioural Development. DfES.
Mathers, S., Sylva, K., & Joshi, H. (2007). Quality of Childcare Settings in the Millennium Cohort Study. DfES.
Sylva, K., Bynner, J., Wadsworth, M., Goldstein, H., Maughan, B., Purdon, S., Michael, R., & Hall, J. (2007). Cognitive Development and Education Outcomes. In J. Bynner, M. Wadsworth, H. Goldstein, B. Maughan, S. Purdon, & R. Michael (Eds.), Scientific case for a new birth cohort study: report to the Research Resources Board of the Economic and Social Research Council (pp. 39-48). Longview.
Sylva, K., Sammons, P., Taggart, B., Siraj-Blatchford, I., Melhuish, E., & Hall, J. (2006). Tracking children with SEN through the early years: Can education make a difference?. In The Vernon-Wall Lecture for the annual meeting of the Education Section of the British Psychological Society. British Psychological Society.

https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:53032411-980e-48a3-a0d8-67be87494150
Malmberg, L., Davies, B., Walker, J., Barnes, J., Sylva, K., Stein, A., & Leach, P. (2005). Recruitment to and sample description of the Families, Children and Child Care (FCCC) study in relation to area characteristics (Technical Report). The Families, Children and Child Care Study.

http://www.familieschildrenchildcare.org/fccc_frames_home.html
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. Institute of Education.

https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:2222fad2-af87-45bb-b0ee-c222a1defa0c
Sylva, K., Melhuish, E., Sammons, P., Siraj-Blatchford, I., & Taggart, B. (2004). Effective Pre-school Education. DfES/London Institute of Education.
Sylva, K., Sammons, P., Melhuish, E., Siraj-Blatchford, I., Taggart, B., Elliot, K., & Marsh, A. (2004). Report on Year 6 Assessments. DfES/London Institute of Education.
Sylva, K., Sammons, P., Melhuish, E., Siraj-Blatchford, I., Taggart, B., Elliot, K., & Marsh, A. (2004). The Continuing Effects of Pre-school Education at age 7 Years. DfES/London Institute of Education.
Evangelou, M., Sylva, K., Taylor, R., Rothwell, A., & Brooks, G. (2004). Enabling Parents: the role of PEEP in supporting parents as adult learners. Department of Education.
Sylva, K., Sammons, P., Taggart, B., Smees, R., Melhuish, E., Siraj-Blatchford, I., & Elliot, K. (2003). The early years transition and special educational needs (EYTSEN) project. In Research Report (pp. 1-43). DfES Publications.

https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:ff856f54-b706-4487-9719-1634b6893da5
Evangelou, M., & Sylva, K. (2003). The Effects of the Peers Early Educational Partnership (PEEP) on Children’s Developmental Progress. DFES Publications.

http://www.education.gov.uk/publications/eOrderingDownload/RB489.doc
Sylva, K., Melhuish, M., Sammons, P., & Siraj, I. (n.d.). Effective Pre-school and Primary Education 3-11 Project (EPPSE 3-16+) Students educational and developmental outcomes at age 16. DfE publications.

Subjects Taught

MSc Education (Child Development and Education)

Doctoral Applications

Kathy does not take new doctoral students. She is happy to talk to DPhil and MSc students about their work, especially related to assessments of children or interventions in the Early Years

Funded Research Projects

Reading World: an evaluation

Karemaker, A. & Sylva, K/Oxford University Press

2015

Fulfilling Lives: A better start.

Barlow, J., Sylva, K., Bick, D., and Lindsay, G/The Big Lottery

2014-2023

Early years Blueprints. Save the Children

Hobbs, T., Axford, N., and Sylva, K. / (£67,000)

2018

Stop Start: survey of children’s centres

Sammons, P and Sylva, K / Sutton Trust

2017-2018

A Comparative Study of Early Childhood Education in Selected High Performing Countries

Kagan, S. L, Sylva, K and others. / U.S. National Centre for Education and the Economy / approximately 2,500,000 U.S. grant to Columbia Teachers College

2015-2018

Supporting parents to help children read: an RCT study Education Endowment

Sylva, K. and Roberts, F / (£1,133,000) / an RCT study Education Endowment

2012-2015

Evaluation of Children’s Centres in England (ECCE)

Sylva, K. Sammons, P., Evangelou, M., and Smith, T. / Department for Education / ( £1,327,040 oxford part of 3,000,000+ with partners)

2009-2015

Engaging parents in their young children’s learning.

Jelley, F. Sylva, K., Eisenstadt, N/( CI) Sutton Trust and Esmee Fairbairn

2015-2019

How disadvantage shapes students' educational outcomes up to age 18 and beyond: the role of pre-school, primary and secondary schools in promoting social mobility (CI)

Sammons, P. & Sylva, K/ Sutton Trust

2014-2016

Sound Foundations: what do we know about quality for under threes?

Mathers, S., Sylva, K., and Eisenstadt, N/Sutton Trust

2013