Early Childhood Matters documents the rapid development of early years education and care from the late 1990s into the new millennium. It chronicles the unique contribution of the EPPE research to our understanding of the importance of pre-school.

The Effective Pre-school and Primary Education (EPPE) project is the largest European study of the impact of early years education and care on children’s developmental outcomes. Through this ground-breaking project a team of internationally-recognised experts provide insights into how home learning environments interact with pre-school and primary school experiences to shape children’s progress.

The findings of this fascinating project:

• provide new evidence of the importance of early childhood experiences
• show how these experiences influence children’s cognitive, social and behavioural development
• give new insights on the importance of early years education
• will be relevant to a wide audience who are interested in policy development, early years education and care, and ‘effectiveness’ research
• examine how the combined effects of pre-school, primary school and the family interact to shape children’s educational outcomes.

This insightful book is essential reading for all those interested in innovative research methodology and policy development in early childhood education and care. It provides new evidence on good practice in early years settings and will have a wide appeal for students and those engaged in providing accredited courses of study at a range of levels in early childhood.

'It will be an excellent addition to your list. This is the most important research project we have ever had in the early years sector in the UK.' - Dame Gillian Pugh, Institute of Education, London

'I would expect this to be essential reading and therefore a main text for multidisciplinary programmes (eg Early Childhood Studies and Foundation Degrees in Early Years) which include both undergraduate and postgraduate courses, as well as initial and continuing professional qualifications (health, teaching, social work, family law etc). It will also be essential for research at postgraduate level in this field.' - Angela Nurse, Canterbury Christchurch

'This is likely to be a highly successful book, especially if the authors take the opportunity for critical and reflective engagement with the project.' - Liz Wood, University of Exeter

Kathy Sylva is Professor of Educational Psychology, University of Oxford.

Edward Melhuish is Professor of Human Development, Birkbeck College, University of London.

Pam Sammons is Professor of Education, University of Oxford.

Iram Siraj-Blatchford is Professor of Education, Institute of Education, University of London.

Brenda Taggart is Senior Research Officer, Institute of Education, University of London.