Jo McEvoy joined the University in September 2013 as a senior lecturer in Early Years and course leader for Initial Teacher Training for Early Years Teacher status. She is an Early Years specialist with experience of teaching, leading and advising across the maintained and non-maintained sectors at a local and national level. Jo is passionate about improving outcomes for children through high quality childcare and education, family support, early intervention and a multi professional approach to partnership working. Jo worked as a consultant and Early Years Quality Team leader for a local authority school improvement service. During this time Jo was seconded on a part time basis to support the work of C4EO (Centre for Excellence and Outcomes) as an Early Years sector specialist. This involved mentoring colleagues in other local authorities and sharing examples of best practice. More recently, Jo has worked as a deputy headteacher in a primary school where she has developed a ‘best practice’ network of schools to provide Early Years support and training for schools and settings.

Since joining the University Jo has developed the Early Years Initial Teacher Training programme by setting up a training partnership of early years settings across several local authorities and developing a the role of EYT mentors to include on-going professional development. This has led to a successful ofsted inspection outcome for Early Years. Jo is currently studying for a professional Doctorate in Education and is conducting research on an aspect of effective early years pedagogy.

• Teaching and leading in the Early Years Foundation Stage
• Leading the EYFS in school settings
• Transitions within and from the EYFS