Julie Fisher

Dr Julie Fisher

Early Education Associate

Julie Fisher is an independent Early Years Adviser and Visiting Professor of Early Childhood Education at Oxford Brookes University. She held the post of Early Years Adviser in Oxfordshire for 11 years, before which she was lecturer in early childhood education at the University of Reading. She has taught children from 3 to 12 years and has been headteacher of two urban, multi-cultural schools. To underpin her consultancy work, Julie draws on her own research projects which engage her in constant contact with practitioners and children in both schools and settings. She is author of numerous articles on early childhood education as well as her books Starting from the Child (2013: 4th edition); The Foundations of Learning (2002); Moving On to Key Stage One (2020: 2nd edition) and her best-selling book Interacting or Interfering? (2016). Julie has achieved a doctorate for her research into the changing role of early childhood educators. She is also a recipient of the Nursery World Lifetime Achievement Award for her contribution to early childhood education. Julie is currently offering training and conference presentations on all aspects of Adult-Child Interaction; The Role of the Adult; Balancing adult-led and child-led learning; Transition from EYFS to KS1, and Classroom Management. In all her training she is able to draw on extensive DVD footage gathered during her research projects, to exemplify effective practice with children from 6 months to 6 years.

Areas of expertise​

  • High quality adult-child interactions

  • Leadership & Management of the EYFS

  • Transition into KS1

  • Pedagogical principles into practice

Sample courses

Interacting or interfering?: enhancing language, communication, and relationships - delivered by Julie Fisher

Delegates will have opportunities to:

  • Explore what constitutes ‘effective’ interaction
  • Consider the importance of the learning environment as a context
  • Examine how adults ‘tune-in’ to children’s current thinking in order to maintain learning momentum
  • Discuss different strategies to employ when extending children’s learning in both adult-led and child-led situations

Who Leads the Learning? Supporting both adult-led and child-led learning - delivered by Julie Fisher

This course will enable practitioners to reflect on the different purposes, expectations and outcomes of adult-led and child-led learning. Using extensive DVD material in nursery, reception and key stage 1 classes, it will explore the different benefits of adult led and child-led learning for both children and practitioners. It will consider how both ways of learning are assessed and how these assessments feed into planning. It will also explore how the role of the practitioner changes when the purpose of an activity is planned by that practitioner as opposed to being planned by the child.

Delegates will:

  • reflect on the differences between adult-led and child-led learning – from the perspective of the adult and the child
  • consider why and how these two ways of learning should exist alongside each other in the classroom
  • explore how to observe and assess both adult-led and child-led learning and how to use those assessments to inform planning
  • examine the role of the adult in supporting and extending children’s thinking in both adult-led and child-led situations
  • observe DVD material to analyse how a range of practitioners make the most of both learning situations

Moving on to key stage one: transition from the foundation stage - delivered by Julie Fisher

Delegates will have opportunities to;

  • Examine what is currently the same and what is different about EYFS and year 1 practice
  • Explore how young children learn when they are 5,6,7 years of age
  • Discuss the place of child-initiated learning in KS1 and how to plan for it in the learning day
  • Consider the role of the adult in observing and supporting both adult-led and child-led learning
Audience: Reception teachers, year one and year two teachers and their TAs

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