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Clare Harris

Senior Lecturer in Primary Years

Early childhood is a fascinating subject area which has continued to excite me for over 20 years; both as a teacher, Early Years Leader and Lecturer.

Biography

Working with and for young children has always been a passion, which was fulfilled when I graduated as a Teacher specialising in the Early Years phase. I have worked across a variety of UK schools in the Foundation Stage, KS1 and 2, and as a specialist teacher in the USA. Studying my masters showed me the many facets of Early Childhood Studies and how essential it is to ensure the best outcomes for children and their families. I am particularly interested in working mothers and how Early Years practice can best support them within the current social context.

Qualifications

  • BEd (Hons): Primary Education, specialism in Art and Design 3-8 phase, University of Worcester, 1997
  • PGCert: Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education, University of Gloucestershire, 2009
  • MEd (Dist), Masters in Early Years, University of Gloucestershire, 2015
  • PGCert: Postgraduate Certificate in Research Methods, University of Gloucestershire, 2017

Awards

Higher Education Academy Teaching Fellow

Accreditation

Qualified Teachers Status

Membership of professional bodies

Fellow of the Higher Education Academy

Teaching & Research

Teaching

Professional Practice in Early Years

Leadership and Management

Creativity and Thinking

Sociology of childhood

Research methods

Lifelong learning and tutoring for EYITT

Research

Previous research has been on Mother’s perceptions of support groups. Current PhD focus is a study of mature, professional mothers’ experience of motherhood and childcare to inform Early Years practice: an interpretive phenomenological analysis. Professional higher education focus is upon ECS graduate experiences of using their ECS degree within an international context.

External responsibilities

Academic Link Tutor: Gloucestershire College Early Years Studies FdA

Academic Link Tutor: Norland College, Bath Early Years Development and Learning BA Hons