
Profiles
Dr Karen Wickett
Lecturer in Early Childhood Studies
Plymouth Institute of Education (Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Business)
- Learning environments for children and adults
- Early years childcare and education policy
- Babies and baby room practitioners
Email publicrelations@plymouth.ac.uk to enquire.
Lecturer and Joint Programme Lead BA Early Childhood Studies
Qualifications
2016 - Professional Doctorate in Education
2007 - MA in the subject of Integrated Provision for Children and Families - University of Leicester
2007 - EYPS - SWIfT
2003 - B Ed (Hons) Early Childhood Studies with QTS - University of Plymouth
1984 - NNEB
2012 - to date full time Lecturer in Early Childhood Studies
2008 - 2012 - .5 Lecturer Early Childhood Studies and .5 Children's Centre Teacher
2003 Sure Start Taunton Local Programme Early Years teacher. In 2007 Sure Start Local Programmes became Sure Start Children's Centre - my role was then titled Sure Start Children's Centre teacher
Before embarking on my first degree I established and managed a day nursery in Cornwall
Roles on external bodies
Board Member for
Teaching interests
Research interests
My research interests are:
The title of my doctorate research is: Exploring parents', ECEC practitioners' and teachers' experiences of supporting children during the transition to school and understandings of school readiness
Other research
2017 Creative Elements Report- arts and ECEC leaders views of sustainable collabroations
2016 Beliefs and Relationships during Children's Transition to School: Parents, Practitioners and teachers Professional Doctorate in Education
2011 Working and being with the up to Threes (with Jan Georgeson)
2011 Parent Initiated Training (with Verity Campbell-Barr, Caroline Leeson and Jocey Quinn) - funded by Somerset County Council
2009 Community Research Awards - An evaluation of health related support services for nursery age children: The Lark Children's Centre (with Norman Gabriel, Joyce Halliday &Tina Wilkinson)
2008 TDA ICT in Early Years Research Project research lead Valerie Huggins
2007 Children’s Workforce Development Council funding – Focus of research, Contextualising children’s learning within the local community
Goodall,H., Huggins, V., Webber, L. & Wickett, K. (2017) ‘From Student to Graduate: FourLearners’ Perspectives of the Professional Doctorate Journey’, Management in Education (MiE) Special Issue: Professional Doctoratesin Education: exploring tensions and opportunities for those in leadership
Campbell-Barr, V., Lavelle, M., and Wickett, K. (2011) Exploring alternative approaches to child outcome assessments in Children's Centres, Early Child Development and Care, IFirst
Wickett, K. (2019) An Empirical Approach to Preparing Children for School: Exploring the relationships between parents, practitioners and teachers, London: Routledge
Wickett, K. (2017) Environments for Listening (ch 7) In Georgeson, J. & Campbell-Barr, V. (eds) Placesfor 2 year olds in the Early Years: Supporting learning and development London:Taylor and Frances
Wickett, K. (2017) Exploring the transition to school: Are we all talking the same language? (ch12) in Dockett, S, Perry, R & Greisel, W. Families and the transition to school Springer
Huggins, V & Wickett, K (2017) Very young children's Learning in the Outdoors (ch 5) in Waite, S (ed) Children's Learning Outside the Classroom birth to eleven (2nd ed) London: Sage
Wickett, K. & Selbie, P. (2015) Providing an enabling environment in Parker-Rees, R & Leeson, C. (eds) Early Childhood Studies(4th ed)London: Sage
Hohmann, U. & Wickett, K. (2015) Action Research in Parker-Rees, R & Leeson, C. (eds) Early Childhood Studies (4th ed) London: Sage
Andrews,M & Wickett, K (2015) Observing children in Parker-Rees, R & Leeson, C. (eds) Early Childhood Studies (4th ed) London: Sage
Waite, S., Huggins, V. & Wickett, K. (2014) Preparing for and managing risky play, Maynard, T & Waters, J (Ed) Outdoor play in the Early Years
Payler, J., Georgeson, J. & Wickett, K. (2013) Early childhood education and care in the UK: piecemeal development through philanthropy, propagation, pluralism and pragmatism in Georgeson, (ch 22) J & Payler, J. (eds) International Perspectives on Early Childhood Education and Care Berkshire: Open University Press
Huggins, V and Wickett, K (2011) Crawling and toddling in the outdoors – very young children’s learning in Waite S (ed) Children Learning Outside the Classroom birth to eleven Sage publications
Wickett K and Huggins V (2011) Using the local community as part of the early years learning environment in Waite S (ed) Children Learning Outside the Classroom birth to eleven Sage publications
Hohmann, U. and Wickett, K. (2010) 'Action research' in R. Parker-Rees and C. Leeson (eds) Early Childhood Studies, (third edition) Exeter: Learning Matters
Selbie, P. and Wickett, K (2010) ‘Enabling Environments’ in R. Parker-Rees and C. Leeson (eds) Early Childhood Studies, (third edition) Exeter: Learning Matters
2019 Early Childhood Musical Collaborations: layers of relationships, ECERA, Thessaloniki, Greece;
2019 The SoundWaves Network (Plymouth Learning Community), ECSDN 2nd Research Conference London (presented with two ECS students);
2018 Soundwaves – a meeting place, Researcher in Residence conference, University of Plymouth;
2018 Elements Working together: creatve collaborations, Small Steps Big Noise, Taunton;
2015 The Transition to School a Relational Experience, ECERA, Barcelona;
2014 The Transition to school, Transitions for life and learning conference, Plymouth University;
2014 The transition to school an opportunity (or not) to talk, ECERA, Crete;
2013 What does it mean ‘to be ready’? Roundtable, IHC Postgraduate Research Student Conference;
2011 ‘Welcome back it is your turn to lead.’Post graduate conference University of Plymouth;
2010 'Exploring the use of qualitative outcome measures in Children’s Centres' with Verity Campball-Barr and Marie Lavelle, University of Plymouth Methods Conference;
2003 Early Years and Environmental Education workshop - All Winds and Weather conference Bridgwater College.
Wickett, K. (2017) Take Art Report Creative Elements -arts and ECEC leaders views of sustainable collabroations;
Wickett, K. (2015) Independent Report for London Boroughs of Merton and Richmond upon Thames Sensory Activities and Risk Assessments in Early Years Settings.
Early Childhood Practitioner Publications
Wickett, K (2016) Readiness is only part of the transition Nursery World
Wickett, K. (2016) Readiness for what? Nursery WorldWickett, K. & Campbell-Barr (2013) Should we not look to our own past rather than Europe in developing early years’ services? Nursery World Haymarket
Howell, K., Georgeson, J. and Wickett, K. (2012) Enabling Environments: Baby Rooms - Without walls Nursery World Haymarket
Wickett K (2007) Providing appropriate risk taking in children’s play in Early Years Educator
Wickett, K (2006) Case Study Acorns Children’s Centre, DfES Standards Web Site available athttp://www.foundationyears.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Somerset.pdf
Wickett K (2005) Influencing young children’s attitudes to the environment in Foundation Stage File
Presentations at practitioner conferences
2018 Creative Collaborations – Headteachers Conference, Somerset;
2014 Transitions for Two Year Olds –keynote Early Years Conference Taunton;
2014 The transition to school presentation - Take Art and InspirED partner Spaeda workshop;
2012 ‘Environments for Listening’ British Early Childhood Education Research Association
2008 Celebration of the Sticky Fingers and Toes project, Sticky Fingers and Toes Symposium –Ilminster, Somerset;
2008 A Graduates Journey, Key note speech for Flying Start Conference, Redruth Cornwall
2006 Reflecting and Developing Practice Workshop – The Environment is the Third Teacher Conference SureStart Taunton
2004 Hosted Outdoor Play conference Sure Start Taunton
Other academic activities
2018 Reviewed abstracts for MERYC conference https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/music-in-early-childhood-new-directions-valued-traditions-tickets-44945898392