Dr James Hall, Associate Professor of Psychology of Education at the University of Southampton and Deputy Director of the UK National Centre for Research Methods,.

In this conversation, James takes us through his academic journey, unpacks the terminology around early childhood education and care, discusses the state of the nation in terms of early years provision, and why the Heckmann curve has had lasting influence. James also explores why the distinction between structural quality (ratios, qualifications, environment) and process quality (the human-to-human interactions that really matter) is so critical to understanding what good provision actually looks like. James makes a compelling case that the research world has been telling two separate stories around early childhood education and missing something fundamental as a result and how a different methodological approach he has pioneered - using existing data and existing statistical tools - could bring these narratives together to change our understanding of how policymakers decide where to invest.

Guest bio

Dr James Hall is Associate Professor of Psychology of Education at Southampton Education School, University of Southampton, and Deputy Director of the UK National Centre for Research Methods. He leads the Quantitative Methods in Education group, and his research focuses on improving life chances for children through better understanding of Early Childhood Education. James's current research aims to integrate two previously separate bodies of literature to produce a fuller, more policy-relevant picture of what early childhood education can achieve.

Ruth Luzmore is a Research Fellow and Lecturer at Southampton Education School, University of Southampton. A former school leader, her work focuses on educational leadership, ideas-engagement in society at large, and how schools can navigate evidence-informed practice in high-stakes cultures. Ruth continues to work closely with school leaders through governance and mentoring roles. Follow Ruth on X @RLuzmore or LinkedIn

This podcast is produced by Southampton Education School. Follow us on LinkedIn