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Malini Mistry is a senior lecturer in Early Years Education and Professional Studies and Head of Year 2 at the University of Bedfordshire with research interest in English as an Additional Language and Early Years.
Krishan Sood is senior lecturer in Education in the School of Education at Nottingham Trent University. He has been a Science teacher and advisor, and worked in four universities in UK in the field of educational leadership and management and equal opportunities. He has conducted numerous projects researching equality, gender and early years leadership. [Email: Abstract
This study investigated the leadership skills Early Years leaders demonstrated through their daily practice of teaching, assessing and teamwork within their setting. It explored how revealing the potential of Early Years leaders could have a positive impact on the leadership practice of other leaders in the same setting to improve pupil outcomes. A qualitative approach using interviews with Early Years leaders in 20 primary settings from the East Midlands and Bedfordshire areas was undertaken by two academics from two different UK based universities. Ethical guidelines ensuring anonymity and trustworthiness were followed. Using verbatim comments, data were analysed in themes against contemporary Early Years literature. Findings showed the skills of Early Years leaders could support pedagogy and practice but some of these skills were not utilized beyond this age phase. Our conclusion suggested that Early Years leaders had a range of leadership skills which were deemed specialist as they were unique to the success of the age phase, but needed to be exposed beyond Early Years for wider success and impact.
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