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School playgroups: Which features of provision matter?
Author(s) -
Edwards Susan,
McLean Karen,
Bartlett Jacinta,
Nolan Andrea,
Evangelou Maria,
Henderson Michael,
Skouteris Helen,
Tarasuik Joanne
Publication year - 2022
Publication title -
british educational research journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.171
H-Index - 89
eISSN - 1469-3518
pISSN - 0141-1926
DOI - 10.1002/berj.3785
Subject(s) - facilitator , social capital , socioeconomic status , bridging (networking) , psychology , corporate governance , pedagogy , sociology , social psychology , business , computer science , social science , population , computer network , demography , finance
Abstract This paper identifies the shared features of provision in exemplar school playgroups defined using the social capital concepts of bonding and bridging relationships. Relationships promote capabilities amongst people, with play a known capability for advancing children's developmental and educational outcomes. By attending to the bonding and bridging relationships in each school playgroup, exemplar groups were identified and studied to reveal their shared features of provision. Six main features of provision were identified, including materials, facilitator, space, location, scheduling and health and safety. Awareness of these features may benefit school leaders and/or governance seeking to implement a school playgroup within their own community. Findings from this project suggest high‐performing school playgroups can operate in areas of lower and higher socioeconomic status and/or parental education, and in regional and rural areas.