Members chosen for Ofsted's Early Years Pedagogy and Practice Forum

Ofsted has appointed twenty-two professionals and experts from universities, schools and pre-schools, to join its new Early Years Pedagogy and Practice Forum.

The forum will talk about early years research and practice, and consider, for example, how young children get a love of reading, learn about numbers and develop their physical skills. The forum will also help to shape Ofsted’s research programme.

Gill Jones, Ofsted Deputy Director for Early Education, will lead the forum with HM Inspector Phil Minns, who is Ofsted’s specialist adviser on the early years and primary school, and Head of Research Professor Daniel Muijs.

Gill Jones said: "I am delighted so many people expressed an interest in attending this forum; it shows that there is a real appetite for in-depth discussion about the early years. Unfortunately, we couldn’t ask everyone who applied to join the forum, but we are exploring ways that more people can get involved in the discussion online. We will be saying more about this in the New Year, when the forum will look at the teaching and inspection of physical development, early literacy and maths."

Ofsted will be inviting a wider group of experts to inform the forum’s discussions when it considers specific curriculum issues, such as maths or physical development. This is to make sure that Ofsted brings together subject-specific expertise when necessary.

Early next year Ofsted will be inviting those who applied but are not on the forum to use webinars and different online platforms to include them in wide-ranging debates on important early years pedagogy and practice issues.