Insights-Driven

Educational Practices

Spearheading research and data to inform curriculum design and practices

We believe that exceptional early childhood education must be grounded in evidence and research. As the only preschool organisation in Singapore with a dedicated educational insights team, we continuously gather data to understand how children develop and learn from our curriculum experiences.

Our multi-disciplinary Child Development Department leads this effort, ensuring that our educational practices are informed by both international academic research and our internal studies. Through these insights, we innovate our curricula and professional development support, enabling bright futures for every child.

Research in Action:
How Our Studies Transform Practice

At NTUC First Campus, we don’t just conduct research—we apply it directly to improve children’s learning experiences. Each study we undertake leads to tangible changes in our classrooms, curriculum design, and teaching approaches. Below are just a few examples from our extensive research portfolio that demonstrate how our findings have transformed our educational practices.

Applying Research-Based Insights to Strengthen Curriculum

Applying Research-Based Insights to Strengthen Curriculum

Our Insights
A study on the effectiveness of teacher-child interactions was conducted using the Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS), offering an objective evaluation of educators’ strengths and areas for growth. This comprehensive analysis revealed effective engagement strategies and highlighted opportunities to enrich children’s learning experiences.

The Impact
The analysis provided our Education Development Specialists greater visibility into where educators were already excelling in and where additional support was needed. Building on these insights, the team enhanced the curriculum with more nuanced, actionable strategies designed to empower educators and elevate their effectiveness in the classroom.

Building Stronger Foundations through Relationship-Focused Practices

Building Stronger Foundations through Relationship-Focused Practices

Our Insights
A longitudinal study was conducted to assess whether our relationship-centred curriculum maintains and enhances My First Skool children’s outcomes in the birth-to-three age group. The findings revealed that fostering positive interactions and secure relationships between children and educators in supportive, inclusive environments significantly improves children’s overall well-being. This aligns with the “Reflect, Respect, Relate” (RRR) approach (Department of Education and Children’s Services, 2008 ), which emphasises that strong child-educator relationships build a sense of belonging and support healthy social development.

The Impact
This research validated our approach to early years education. Building on these findings, our educators have further embedded relationship-focused practices into daily routines, ensuring each child feels valued and respected. Through ongoing professional development, reflective practices, and an emphasis on children’s autonomy, we continue to cultivate environments that nurture children’s well-being and strengthen their readiness to learn.

Early Enrolment and Regular Attendance Improve Literacy

Early Enrollment and Regular Attendance Improve Literacy

Our Insights
Our internal evaluation study revealed two critical insights: children enrolled in our infant care programme demonstrated significantly stronger foundational literacy skills than those who joined later, and regular attendance directly correlated with better literacy skills.

The Impact
Based on these findings, we piloted the Attendance Support Initiative at My First Skool centres, focusing particularly on children from low-income families. Our Family Support Executives work directly with parents, and we created a storybook, ‘Little Chick Goes to School Too!’, to highlight the benefits of regular attendance. These targeted interventions have measurably improved attendance rates, helping more children benefit from consistent early education.

Enhanced Engagement to Deepen Impact of ECEL Programme

Enhanced Engagement to Deepen Impact of ECEL Programme

Our Insights
Through our post-programme evaluation study, we determined that a key enabler of the Early Childhood Education Leadership (ECEL) programme was the mentorship provided by our in-house educational leadership specialists, which allowed mentees to reflect on and apply their learning meaningfully. Another key enabler was the close connection between the topics covered and the participant’s day-to-day work, which allowed them to effectively apply their learning. Some opportunities for enhancing the programme include extending the timeline between modules and providing ongoing support post-ECEL to enable participants to apply their learning more effectively over time.

The Impact
Based on these findings, the team fine-tuned the timeline of the ECEL programme so that it is better paced for participants. To help participants to continually apply their learning, the ECEL Collective offerings were expanded to include masterclasses aimed at diving deeper into specific concepts and tools. These targeted interventions have led to positive responses from ECEL alumni who have attended the masterclasses.

Research Publications & Insights Library

Our Current Research Focus Areas

Our research is grounded in real-world preschool environments and designed to generate insights that shape practice and contribute to the wider early childhood care and education (ECCE) sector. Our ongoing research projects include:

Sustainability

Nurturing environmental consciousness in young children

Outdoor Learning

Understanding how nature-rich experiences support holistic development

Numeracy

Investigating foundational math learning in early childhood

Literacy

Supporting language, reading, and writing development

Infant Room and Classroom Studies

Enhancing interactions and quality care through responsive teacher-child engagement

Longitudinal Research

Understanding how children learn and develop by tracking their growth from infancy through preschool

Research Ethics Committee

To ensure that all studies are held to high ethical standards, the NFC Research Ethics Committee was set up to safeguard the interests and welfare of children and families of our centres who may be participating in studies.

Chairperson

Assoc Prof Yang Hwajin
Associate Professor of Psychology Singapore Management University

Members

Ms Bozy Lu
Co-Founder & Partner, Han & Lu Law Chambers LLP

Dr Kok Siat Yeow
Assistant Dean, Curriculum & Programmes and Deputy Campus Head, NIEC (City)

Secretariat

Abbie Sng Wei Qin
Senior Educational Insights Specialist

Collaborate With Us

At NTUC First Campus, we believe that impactful research starts with real-world relevance. That’s why we collaborate with researchers whose work aligns with our goal of elevating early childhood education through evidence-based insights and community-wide impact.
 
Our supported research aims to:

  • Inform early childhood practices within NTUC First Campus preschools
  • Enable evidence-based decision-making across educational and operational domains
  • Contribute to shared knowledge across the local and international early childhood and care sector

If you are a researcher, academic, or institution interested in exploring collaborative research opportunities, please email us at [email protected] or contact us using the form below:

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