Summary information

Study title

Children's Difficulties on Starting Infant School, 1975 and 1977

Creator

Hughes, M., University of London, Institute of Education, Thomas Coram Research Unit
Pinkerton, G., University of London, Institute of Education, Thomas Coram Research Unit

Study number / PID

1514 (UKDA)

10.5255/UKDA-SN-1514-1 (DOI)

Data access

Restricted

Series

Not available

Abstract

Abstract copyright UK Data Service and data collection copyright owner.


The purpose of this study was to provide descriptive information on the nature and extent of children's difficulties on starting infant school (1975), and the extent to which these difficulties were affected by factors concerned with the organisation of the school intake, such as the age at which children started, the time of year when they started, and the size of the class which they joined. A subsample of the original entrants was followed up in 1977 to obtain some idea of how long their difficulties persisted. Difficulties were assessed by a 13 item rating scale covering all aspects of the child's behaviour. This scale was completed for each child individually by the child's teacher.


Main Topics:

Variables
Data was collected on settling, cooperation, relation with teacher, concentration, use of play materials, self-reliance, verbalisation, ability to follow instructions, ability to cope with personal needs, sociability, physical coordination, fine motor control, and general difficulty.
Background Variables
Age on entry, sex.

Methodology

Data collection period

01/01/1975 - 01/01/1977

Country

England

Time dimension

Longitudinal/panel/cohort
two observation points

Analysis unit

Individuals
Groups
Subnational
Pupils
Children

Universe

All children starting infant school at two particular times of year in thirteen infant schools in inner London (Camden and Paddington)

Sampling procedure

No sampling (total universe)

Kind of data

Not available

Data collection mode

Observation

Access

Publisher

UK Data Service

Publication year

1981

Terms of data access

The Data Collection is available to UK Data Service registered users subject to the End User Licence Agreement.

Commercial use of the data requires approval from the data owner or their nominee. The UK Data Service will contact you.

Related publications

  • Hughes, M. (1979) 'Children's difficulties on starting infant school', Journal of Child Psycholocy and Psychiatry, 187-196