Early years specialist receives OBE
12 May 2008
A leading Government adviser on childcare has received an honorary OBE. Early years specialist Professor Kathy Sylva was given the award for services to children and families, to recognise her 30 years of work in the field of early years education.
The award was presented by Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, Ed Balls, on behalf of the Queen.
Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families Ed Balls, said:
“Professor Sylva has made a huge contribution to our understanding of how critical a child’s early years are to their future life chances. Through her work she has shown that providing a good early years education for all is key to making sure our children get the best possible start in life. I’d like to congratulate Professor Sylva whose work has been so important in helping us shape our ambition to ensure all children are happy, confident and ready to learn by the time they start school.”
Children’s Minister Beverley Hughes added her congratulations, saying: “Professor Sylva is a world renowned authority on early childhood education and has been tremendously influential in shaping government policy in early years education. Through her work on the Effective Provision of Pre-School Education Study she has demonstrated how providing high quality early years education can have a positive impact on children up to the age of 10.”
Professor Sylva said: “I am delighted to receive this award because it recognises the importance of the early years in children’s development. I’d like to celebrate especially the valuable work of early years educators and those fortunate enough to carry out research in Foundation Stage settings.”
Professor Sylva is Professor of Educational Psychology, at the Department of Educational Studies at Oxford University. She has been the leading academic on many influential research and evaluation studies in the early childhood arena.
