About the Author

Dr Kate Wall is a Lecturer in Education at Newcastle University. She is a former primary school teacher and completed her PhD on pupils views of grouping and setting in her school. She has undertaken a number of research projects where pupils' views of their learning and theirmetacognitive development were an important aspect of the research.Steve Higgins is Professor of Education at Durham University. He is a former primary school teacher and has a particular interest in the development of young children's thinking and understanding. He has published widely for both academic and professional audiences on thinking skills approaches and the use of computer technologyin schools.Emma Packard is an Early Years Advisory Teacher in North Tyneside Authority. She was a primary teacher and managed a nursery attached to a primary school for 11 years. As an advisory teacher she supports nursery settings, in the private, voluntary and the maintained sectors in developing their practice through formal and informal professionaldevelopment, training and demonstration activities. She is particularly interested in developing creative and independent learning in the early years.