The Warwick Institute of Education is one of the largest centres for Education Studies in the United Kingdom. Institute staff are actively engaged in research, which informs and inspires their teaching, and we have teaching and research links with several other Warwick departments. Two trends have dominated our approach to UK Early Childhood in the past few years.
Policy makers have increasingly understood the importance of investing in children for our future economic and social well-being. Children have also increasingly been seen as having rights and preferences of their own. By examining these trends and the history behind them, our programme aims
to put tutors and students into a position to build constructive criticism of current policy at both local and national level.
Today, people who are concerned with Early Childhood are trying to understand and respond to rapid social change. The old images of childhood and adulthood, the familiar roles and expectations that once could guide parents and professionals often prove unreliable. By examining social change in an international context of human diversity, our programme challenges tutors and students to find out how to make sense of Early Childhood today, wherever yesterday's 'common sense' no longer works.
Example modules
Introduction to Child Development, Education, Health and Well-being in Early Childhood
This module focuses upon child development, education and health and examines aspects of developmental psychology, pre-natal health and
development, growth and nutrition, how children learn and the influence of play on the 0-5 curriculum.
Children and Families: Policy and Practice
The aim of the module is to interrogate broader issues such as the policies and practices which affect children and their families.
The Institute may be able to offer courses to suitably qualified visiting students who are interested in Early Childhood Studies. The Department has a wide range of facilities including an ICT multi-media centre, dedicated laboratories, music and drama studios and a prayer room.
Availability for Exchange students for Autumn and Autumn & Spring terms depends upon individual study modules.
