Abstract
The preceding chapters provide evidence that research, policy and practice concerning transitions to school are at the forefront of attention in both national and international contexts. These chapters represent a wide range of issues concerned with transitions research, practitioner experiences and policy initiatives in Australia, Hong Kong, Finland, Iceland, New Zealand, Scotland, Sweden and the United States. These chapters also draw attention to both comparable and contrasting aspects of transitions to school within and across these contexts. In this chapter, we present a synthesis and analysis of the predominant themes addressed in the preceding chapters in this book. We pay particular attention to the emergent areas of importance for transitions to school research, policy and practice and make recommendations for the further development and sustainability of these discourses around starting school.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Albon, D. (2011). Postmodern and post-structuralist perspectives on early childhood education. In L. Miller & L. Pound (Eds.), Theories and approaches to learning in the early years (pp. 38–52). Los Angeles/London: Sage.
Bourdieu, P. (1997). The forms of capital. In A. H. Halsey, H. Lauder, P. Brown, & A. S. Wells (Eds.), Education, culture, economy and society (pp. 45–58). Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Britt, C., & Sumsion, J. (2003). Within the borderlands: Beginning early childhood teachers in primary schools. Contemporary Issues in Early Childhood, 4(2), 115–136.
Dahlberg, G., Moss, P., & Pence, A. R. (1999). Beyond quality in early childhood education and care: Postmodern perspectives. London: Falmer Press.
Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FaHCSIA). (2012). Growing up in Australia: The Longitudinal Study of Australian Children (LSAC). http://www.growingupinaustralia.gov.au/. Accessed 9 Aug 2012.
Dockett, S., Perry, B., Campbell, H., Hard, L., Kearney, E., Taffe, R., & Greenhill, J. (2007). Early years curriculum continuity for learning project: Final report. Adelaide: Department of Education and Children’s Services. from http://www.earlyyears.sa.edu.au/files/links/final_lit_review.pdf. Accessed 3 July 2012.
Educational Transitions and Change (ETC) Research Group. (2011). Transition to school: Position statement. Albury Wodonga: Research Institute for Professional Practice, Learning and Education, Charles Sturt University. http://www.csu.edu.au/research/ripple/research-groups/etc/Position-Statement.pdf. Accessed 19 Oct 2012.
Elder, G. H. (1998). The life course as developmental theory. Child Development, 69(1), 1–12.
Elkind, D. (1997). The death of child nature: Education in the postmodern world. Phi Delta Kappan, 79(3), 241–245.
Graue, E. (1993). Ready for what? Constructing meanings of readiness for kindergarten. Albany: State University of New York Press.
Mulholland, J., & Wallace, J. (2000). Restorying and the legitimation of research texts. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the National Association of Research in Science Teaching, New Orleans.
Stephenson, M., & Parsons, M. (2007). Expectations: Effects of curriculum change as viewed by children, parents and practitioners. In A.-W. Dunlop & H. Fabian (Eds.), Informing transitions in the early years: Research, policy and practice (pp. 137–148). Berkshire: Open University Press.
Thomson, P. (2002). Schooling the rustbelt kids: Making the difference in changing times. Sydney: Allen & Unwin.
Acknowledgement 
The authors would like to acknowledge the contributions of Leonie McIntosh in the early stages of development of this chapter. Her insights shared during the Starting School: Research, Policy and Practice conference in 2010 were integral to the early planning of this chapter and helped to inform the approach taken here.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2014 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
MacDonald, A., Goff, W., Hopps, K., Kaplun, C., Rogers, S. (2014). Starting School: Synthesis and Analysis. In: Perry, B., Dockett, S., Petriwskyj, A. (eds) Transitions to School - International Research, Policy and Practice. International perspectives on early childhood education and development, vol 9. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-7350-9_16
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-7350-9_16
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
Print ISBN: 978-94-007-7349-3
Online ISBN: 978-94-007-7350-9
eBook Packages: Humanities, Social Sciences and LawEducation (R0)