Who we are
Who we are
The Early Childhood Studies Degrees Network has been in existence since 1993 / 1994 and in its current format exists as a membership body.
​
​
Meet the Executive
The Chairpersons​​
Dr. Aaron Bradbury
Co-chair
I am the Principal Lecturer for Early Years and Childhood (Learning and Development, Psychology, Special Educational Needs, and Inclusion) and Early Childhood Studies at Nottingham Trent University. I am a Member of the Coalition for the Early Years on the Birth to Five Matters Non-Statutory Guidance for the EYFS and chaired and written the Equalities and Inclusion section with colleagues in the sector. I am currently researching on Early Childhood workforce development and has a project called “Reconceptualising the third teacher: A study of trainee experiences of work-based learning on level 3 early years programmes.
​
I am a published author on early childhood theories and child development. I am leading a joint research project with academic colleagues from NTU and UPSI in Malaysia focusing on Early Years Policy. I sit on many national early childhood groups and I am also a consultant on many aspects of early years and child development. I have spoken as a keynote speaker both nationally and internationally on contemporary issues within the early childhood sector. I have a passion for making the voice of the child, nurturing through a diverse lens and pioneers of early childhood the foreground of practice.
Dr. Tanya Richardson
Co-chair
​
Treasurer and Membership Secretary
Tanya is a Senior Lecturer in Early Years at the University of Northampton. She has previously managed and led her own “outstanding” day nursery and out of school club. The nursery setting was fortunate enough to have a forest school as part of its ethos and Tanya became very interested in the impact that this environment had on children’s speech and language development. She therefore is lucky enough to have the practice wisdom that she is able to apply to the academic studies and her PhD researched the impact that different learning and play environments have on young children’s speech and language development. She is also particularly interested in the student experience for those studying Early Childhood Studies and researches aspects with the aim to enhance this experience and produce professionals who will be excellent advocates for children and their families.
​
​
Deputy Chairpersons​​
Dr. Angela Scollan
Deputy Chair/Vice Chair
​Sustainability​
Dr Angela Scollan is Associate Professor in Early Childhood Studies at Middlesex University, where she is a member of the Centre for Educational Research and Scholarship. Her numerous peer reviewed publications demonstrate Angela’s leading role as an international researcher and scholar in Children’s Rights, Self-determination, Reflective Professional Development, Sustainable Pedagogy, Ethical Research with and for Young Children and Dialogic Pedagogies.​
​
Additionally, Angela leads ECE teaching, research and CPD in East European University, Georgia. Her philosophy focuses on the ‘child first’ principle, which transpires in her numerous publications, where children’s self-determination is approached as a resource for children, as well as for adults’ learning. Angela has contributed to two large scale European Projects: Erasmus+ SHARMED (https://www.sharmed.eu/uk-international/home) and Horizon 2020 CHILD-UP (https://www.child-up.eu/).
The Vice Chairs​​
Dr. Joanne Josephidou
Vice Chair
​Research and knowledge Exchange
(Student development)​
Jo is a Senior Lecturer in Early Childhood and Associate Head of School for Research and Knowledge Exchange in ECYS.
​
Jo is passionate about research and leads the Research and Knowledge Exchange (RKE) strategy group. This group lead on an annual student publication and on an annual research conference led by our students and network members.
Dr Samantha Hoyes
Vice Chair
Professionalism and Workforce​
Samantha is a senior lecturer at Lincoln Bishop University teaching on the undergraduate Early Childhood Studies programme. Prior to joining BGU full time, Samantha has worked in a variety of early years settings, including managing and co-owning two early years settings in Lincolnshire. Samantha also has experience inspecting early years provision. Samantha is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. Teaching interests include policy, provision and practice, outdoor play, children’s rights, and risky play. Building on research from her Masters, Sam has a strong interest in early years professionalism and the continued development of the early years sector. Her ongoing PhD research focuses on the experiences of working mothers and how they position their identity.
Professor Verity Campbell-Barr
Vice Chair
Professionalism and Workforce
Verity Campbell-Barr is an Associate Professor in Early Childhood Studies and Associate Director for Research at Plymouth Institute of Education, University of Plymouth. Verity has over 15 years of experience researching early childhood education and care services. Her research interests centre on the quality of early childhood services, particularly the role of the early childhood workforce in supporting the quality of services. She has undertaken international research on the knowledge, skills and attitudes for working in early childhood services and has recently embarked on an analysis of the full range of early childhood degrees available in England. Verity has written extensively on quality and the workforce in early childhood services and has recently published Professional Knowledge and Skills in the Early Years with Sage.
Kerrie Lee
Vice Chair
​Sustainability​
Kerrie Lee is a Director of Student Experience and a Lecturer in Early Childhood Studies and Education at the University of Hull. She has over 27 years of early years practice, research and FE/HE teaching experience and is a qualified Forest School Leader. Kerrie has developed both a Foundation Degree and Top-Up Degree to support Early Childhood practitioners in gaining qualification whilst continuing to work.
​
​Kerrie is at present working collaboratively with her Co-Chair of the Sustainability Group Dr. Angela Scollan and Dr. Diane Boyd extending both the SDG and STEM resource ‘An Early Childhood Education for Sustainability resource that embeds the Sustainable Development Goals and STEM into pedagogical practice’ into student placements and highlighting Sustainable Pedagogy as a critical element of ECE.
​
Dr Martin Needham
Vice Chair
International
Martin is an experienced educator and academic leader with an extensive career spanning primary, early years, and higher education. Having trained and practiced as a teacher in Nottinghamshire, London, and Pakistan, Martin transitioned into senior leadership roles, driving developments in early education, extended schools, and children’s centre provision.
​
In 2003, Martin entered higher education as a Senior Lecturer, and in 2014, he was appointed Principal Lecturer and Associate Head of School for Childhood, Youth and Education Studies at Manchester Metropolitan University.
Meredith Hare
Vice Chair
Alumni
Meredith is a Senior Lecturer and the Course Leader for the BA (Hons) Early Childhood Studies program at Nottingham Trent University, where she also pursues her doctoral research.
​
Before joining NTU in 2018, Meredith enjoyed an 11-year tenure as a Curriculum Manager in Further Education. Her leadership experience in that sector was multifaceted, encompassing the oversight of both vocational and higher education qualifications, staff development, strategic liaison with funding bodies, and the mentorship of PGCE trainees.
​
Since 2020, Meredith has been instrumental in the development and leadership of the BA (Hons) Early Childhood Studies degree at NTU. Her curriculum design emphasizes the importance of play-based pedagogy and the significant role of the Early Childhood Practitioner in fostering child development.
Deborah Nye
Lead Practitioner -
Level Five Community of Practice
Deborah Nye is a Senior Lecturer within the Childhood department at Nottingham Trent University, where she teaches across various undergraduate programmes.
With a career spanning extensive experience as an early years practitioner, manager, and leader, Deborah brings a wealth of practical expertise to her academic role. Her research is deeply rooted in this experience, currently focusing on a PhD that explores the life stories of individuals with dyslexia, investigating early indicative behaviours and the environmental scaffolding that supports their development.
​
Beyond her teaching, Deborah is a highly respected academic who acts as an external examiner for institutions across the UK and serves on numerous professional boards dedicated to fostering a research-informed profession.
Stacey Randall
​Minutes Secretary​
Stacy has expertise in Early Years Education, working with children and families aged 0-7 years. Stacy is a qualified Social Worker and has a specific interest in leadership and management, safeguarding children, continuous professional development and lifelong learning. Having over 30 years’ experience in education she feels passionate about ensuring every child has the best childhood possible.
Matthew Northall
Media, Marketing and
Communications
Matt began his career as an early childhood practitioner and baby room leader before eventually working in school leadership roles. He is the course leader for the BA (Hons) Childhood and Education Studies Online Top-up degree and has a penchant for all things distance learning.
​
Matt is currently engaged in PhD research focussed on how power dynamics shape and influence the development of male professional identity in early childhood.
​
Matt dreams in semantic HTML5, breathes in CSS grid layouts, and has a high-functioning nervous system that only truly relaxes when all the console logs are finally clean...the occasional errors you might see on this website are the things of his nightmares.
Honarary Roles​​
Carolyn Syberfeld
​​
Chair Emerita
Carolyn has spent 26 years developing and leading Early Childhood Studies degrees, contributing to all aspects of their development. Carolyn has participated in all developments within the ECSDN and has been a member of all working groups in different Executive Committee roles. She has a professional background in health (children’s nursing, midwifery, health visiting), social sciences (BSc), Education (MEd, Cambridge) and Practitioner Research (MEd, Institute of Education) and has worked in many different settings, cultures, and contexts. This has all contributed to her pedagogic approach which views childhood as being contextual and holistic. Carolyn has taught in HE since 1988 and her research interests include reflective learning in higher education; the influence of studying abroad; national and international child health and wellbeing; and the impact of the EYFS on professional practice and the subsequent effects on children’s learning and development. Carolyn retired as Chair of the ECSDN in November 2020.
Pamela Calder
Pamela is an academic, psychologist, and campaigner and researcher in the field of Early Childhood Education and Care. In 1980, she was one of the founders of the National Childcare Campaign (later the Daycare Trust and now Coram Family and Childcare). She was part of a movement arguing for better education and training for those working with the youngest children, including babies, and in arguing that workers should be graduates.
She established the Early Childhood Studies Degrees Network in the early 1990s in order to progress Early Childhood Studies Degrees. She chaired the QAA Working Party, which in 2007 produced the first benchmark statement establishing Early Childhood Studies as a new Subject Area in universities.
She has presented international conference papers and written widely. In 2015 she was Guest Editor of a special issue of the International Journal of Early Years Education.
​​
Honorary President
Helena Mitchell
Helena retired as from the combined roles of Deputy Chair, Membership Secretary and Treasurer in November 2020. Prior to this she was Head of the school of education at Oxford Brookes University, having previously been head of the department of early childhood and primary education. She led the primary PGCE programme and also the early childhood studies degree when it was introduced at Oxford Brookes in 2000. She has extensive experience as a classroom teacher. She is a member of BERA, TACTYC and the SRHE, and a Trustee of Peeple, a charity which supports parents and children learning together. Her most recent research has focused on graduates from early childhood studies degrees and their transition to professional status as teachers and leaders in early years’ settings. She was also involved in a research project on values and beliefs in primary education, a collaborative partnership with primary teachers.
​​
Honorary Fellow
Ian Barron
Ian’s first degree was a BA (Hons) French Studies from the University of Manchester; he then completed a Primary PGCE (Early Years Specialism) at the Institute of Education, University of London. His Masters in Education and Doctorate in Education are both from the Open University and were completed part-time whilst working full-time. He has had a variety of experiences in the early childhood field, including work in primary schools in inner London and Leeds, and two headship posts: one at a nursery school in Lancashire and the other at an infant school in Calderdale. He has also worked at a college of further education in East Yorkshire and he joined Manchester Metropolitan University from Edge Hill.
Ian retired from the ECSDN Executive Group in 2020.
​​
Honorary Fellow
Helen Perkins
Helen has been a dedicated educator in the field of Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) within further and higher education since 2002. Holding a Doctorate in Education, she brings a wealth of academic rigor and practical insight to her teaching and research.
​
Her primary research interests are focused on the professionalisation of the early years workforce and the role and experiences of men within the childcare sector. Helen’s expertise and commitment to the industry were formally recognised when she had the privilege of serving as an expert panel member for the recent Nutbrown Review of Early Years qualifications, where she contributed to shaping the future standards of the profession.
​​
Honorary Fellow
Sigrid Brogaard Clausen
Sigrid Brogaard Clausen is a Senior Lecturer and Researcher in Early Childhood at the School of Education, University of Roehampton, having previously served as a lecturer at the College of Social Education (Københavns Pædagogseminarium) in Copenhagen, Denmark.
Her academic practice is grounded in democratic and holistic principles that prioritize the wellbeing, development, participation, and learning of young children. By drawing on her extensive knowledge of both the English and Danish early childhood contexts, Sigrid applies a critical comparative perspective to her research and teaching.
​​
Honorary Fellow
Philippa Thompson
Philippa Thompson is a Senior Lecturer and Course Lead within the Nottingham Institute of Education at Nottingham Trent University (NTU). As a Senior Fellow of Advance HE, she brings nearly 20 years of extensive experience in Higher Education, specializing in the fields of education and early childhood studies.
​
Philippa previously served as a Co-Chair of the ECSDN and was pivotal in overseeing the development and delivery of the ECSDN Graduate Practitioner Competencies.
​​
Chair Emerita
