Jess is a first-year PhD researcher in the School of Education at the University of Sheffield. Her project is funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC). In particular, Jess’s research aims to engage critically with the concept of school readiness and will gain insight into the perspectives of parents, guardians and early years practitioners. Jess is interested in holistic research methods which capture rich cultural insights and the lived experiences of those involved in the research. It is anticipated that a Q methodological approach and participatory research methods will highlight the importance of lived experiences, enabling the involvement of stakeholders throughout the whole of the research process.