Dr Margy Whalley
I have managed multi-disciplinary early years services in Brazil, Papua New Guinea and England. I was the founding Head of the Pen Green Centre for Children and Families and I have worked here since 1983. I have an MA in Community Education and a PhD on Leadership in Integrated Centres. I undertook a secondment to the Open University where I wrote course materials for parents wanting to increase their knowledge and understanding of child development. I was invited to be part of the Labour Party enquiry team into Under 5’s education and care and was the Association of County Council’s representative on the National Audit commission concerned with children under 5.
I am currently Director of the Research, Development and Training Base at Pen Green and am involved in research, training and consultancy work in this country and Europe, New Zealand and Australia. The primary function of the research programme over the last 5 years has been our involving parents in their children’s learning programme and developing a leadership learning route for those leading integrated centres. The most recent research project at Pen Green focuses on children’s resilience and well-being and how parents can support children’s emotional lives. The new research focus is the Pen Green Baby & Toddler nest. The research team have also evaluated the Corby Sure Start programme.
I was heavily involved in the development of the Early Excellence Centre programme and I was on the advisory board of the National Early Excellence Evaluation programme and the Early Years Advisory Group for the DfES. Most recently I have been responsible for developing the National Professional Qualification in Integrated Centre Leadership programme and the Pen Green Team has supplied the first two years of the roll-out of this programme to 19 learning communities across England. I have also worked as an advisor to the Minister and the Children and Families directorate.
On a personal note I have a wonderful 26 year old daughter, who made me a grandma in March this year.
I am very committed to local politics, love eating out with friends, the seaside, visiting new places and people and I am addicted to reading and study.
Publications:
Whalley, M (1992) A question of choice: a study of education and day care. (Unpublished dissertation as part of an MA Professional Studies, University of Leicester.
Whalley, M (1992) Working as a Team. In Pugh, G (ed) Contemporary Issues in the Early Years, London, Paul Chapman (2nd Edition).
Whalley, M (1993) Fathers & Childcare Services. Paper for the International Seminar of the European Commission Childcare Network, Ravenna, 1993 (published as a European Network Paper in 1994).
Whalley, M (1994) Exploring the tensions between partnership, protection and prevention in Early Years Services. In Child Protection in Early Childhood Services, eds Pugh, G & Hollows, A. NCB; Conference paper.
Whalley, M (1994) Learning to be Strong: Setting up a Neighbourhood Service for Under 5’s & Families. Hodder & Stoughton.
Whalley, M (1994) Practitioner Research: A Study of a Combined Centre in David, T. Working Together for Children, Routledge.
Whalley, M (1995) Is it possible to influence management as a practitioner? International Journal of Educational Management.
Whalley, M (1995) Parents’ Commitment to their Children’s Development – building partnerships with parents in an early childhood education centre. Course Reader, Early Childhood Studies Scheme, University of North London.
Whalley, M (Ed) 1997 Working with Parents, Hodder & Stoughton.
Whalley, M., Whitaker, P., & Cowley, E., Management in Early Childhood Services, NCB Publication training pack.
Whalley, M (Ed) 2000 Involving Parents in their Children’s Learning. Chapmans.
Whalley, M (Ed) 2000 Training Pack and video; Involving Parents in their Children’s Learning: Pen Green Publications.
Whalley, M (2007) (in press) Leadership & Management in Integrated Services & Settings. Chapmans.
