Play-based Learning in the Primary School

Written by a highly respected author team, this is a new textbook on play-based learning in primary education for students on primary initial teacher education courses.

′Play-based learning has long been accepted as a central part of learning in the Early Years but it is refreshing to have a book advocating its use throughout the primary years and beyond. This book clearly addresses the main issues about play that will concern many teachers: What does play look like for older pupils? How do I plan play-based learning? What is my role when children are playing? What sort of learning will take place? How will I assess it? The many case studies demonstrate how play-based learning can take place successfully in a variety of settings and across the curriculum. I think that teachers using this book will find their children more engaged, more independent and learning more successfully′
- Ashley Compton
Bishop Grosseteste University College Lincoln


Mary Briggs is an Associate Professor at the Institute of Education, University of Warwick where she teaches across a range of the Institute′s undergraduate and postgraduate programmes. Mary was an Early Years, primary and SEN teacher for many years, including deputy and headship before working as an academic in the University sector. Alice Hansen is the Director of Children Count Ltd where she is educational consultant. Her work includes running professional development courses and events for teachers and teacher trainers, research and publishing. Alice has worked in education in England and abroad. Prior to her current work she was a primary mathematics tutor and the programme leader for a full-time primary PGCE programme at a large university in England.