At St Matthew鈥檚, we strive to be suited, booted and rooted in all things, 鈥榮cience of learning鈥. As a research school, evidence-informed practice is the way we support educators to realise the EEF mission 鈥 to break the link between income and attainment. So I was excited to read Emma Turner鈥檚 latest book. The roll call of experts offering praise for is a veritable who鈥檚 who, which itself says a lot about its credentials. Initium is the third book in Turner鈥檚 series focused on the primary curriculum. I loved the other two (Simplicitus and Simplictus Altium) and it felt to me as if she had covered all the key principle of primary curriculum design. So it was interesting to see her tackle one of the most under-researched yet currently most influential areas for primary leaders: cognitive science. And tackle it she does! Turner is a seasoned primary practitioner and within each chapter there is a real sense that the work has been done and the questions have been asked. What emerges is a concise compendium of cognitive science as it applies specifically (but not exclusively) to primary schools. In many ways, little in this book is new. If you have read any cognitive science-themed book or been to a ResearchEd conference, you will have read/heard much of the content. However, this is not cog-sci lite! What makes Initium stand out is its absolute laser focus on the nuances of the principles of cognitive sciences as they apply to younger students. Turner eloquently exposes the unique principles and practices required to deploy these techniques with children whose brains are still developing. From the start, Turner articulates the powerful possibilities that knowing more about 鈥榯he wonders of science鈥 offers to educators. From the preface onwards, the book is permeated with a sense of purpose and 鈥榩rivilege鈥 involved in growing our 鈥榰nderstanding of the learning business for younger children鈥. Turner begins by locating Geary鈥檚 鈥榖iologically primary and secondary knowledge鈥 at the heart of the practice for primary provision. She lays out the points and then asks the reader to consider their own settings and edicts, in light of the evidence, particularly for their youngest learners. As she states, 鈥榰nderstanding this knowledge is fundamental to understanding cognitive load鈥. The book is permeated with a sense of purpose and 鈥榩rivilege鈥 The subsequent chapters 鈥 inevitably laced with Latin – lay out cognitive concepts and interprets them in light of what we know about a child鈥檚 brain. Turner uses each concept to cement her certainty that the uniqueness of primary can and must be preserved, no matter what. Nowhere is this clearer that in Chapter 10, 鈥楶lay, playfulness and primary pedagogy鈥. The science of play in unpicked and positioned as absolutely necessary 鈥榯o develop the cognitive, we must therefore be cognisant and conversant in how to harness the power of play and playful pedagogy鈥. It is a thought-provoking read for any knowledge-rich die-hard. Make no mistake,聽 there is no compromise on the fiercely primary-centred thread that runs through Turners鈥 trilogy of books. It is summed up in her section on 鈥楾ask Design and Assessment鈥: 鈥淲hen we plan progression models for subjects with a similar fidelity and singular level of detail to those of a secondary subject department we can run the risk of fragmenting the beauty of the interconnected primary offer.鈥 To this end, Turner extends her celebration of primary practice in her conclusion. She begins by writing that 鈥楾eaching is legacy. Legacy is therefore duty… what we ensure is not forgotten will help shape the world…鈥. She goes on to consider the position of education in some children鈥檚 lives. She challenges the reader to consider their part in the 鈥榣egacy and beyond鈥. Will it be merely to 鈥榮culpt a brain鈥, or will it be to play a part in the 鈥榗elebration of craftsmanship, human endeavour and beauty鈥 that research-informed approaches affords us, within the backdrop of the unique primary preserve we inhabit? After reading Initium, I am certain that I and many others will continue to work on our evidence-informed 鈥榣egacy and beyond鈥 with a newly re-focused 鈥榩rimary-rich鈥 lens.