School of Education

This session is for all educators who wish to deepen and extend their thinking around working with and for an increasingly diverse learning community. We will move beyond deficit framing of children’s capacities by exploring concepts from key scholars in the field of inclusive education. We offer an opportunity to unpack what ‘inclusion’ and ‘additional support needs’ should mean for practice. We share how to develop strengths-based perspectives in ways that dismantle systemic barriers and identify positive actions to bring about more socially just, equitable and inclusive learning for all. 
 Aims: 
•    Consolidate an understanding of inclusive education and pedagogy (what it is and what it is not)
•    Recognise learner diversity as an asset and understand strengths-based working in classroom practice
•    Be able to draw on disability theory to reframe our relational working and recognise the rights of the child under both the UNCRC and UNCRPD. 
•    Use creativity and arts-based methods to develop practical strategies for building a sense of belonging, inclusion, and community cohesion. 

This professional learning session invites educators to rethink curriculum not as a predetermined sequence of outcomes, but as a lived experience co constructed with children. Drawing on the 6Cs-Culture, Context, Choice, Collaboration, Challenge, and Consolidation. This session  repositions the child as an active agent whose cultural world, relationships, and environment fundamentally shape the learning process.

Grounded in contemporary theory and practice, The Child’s Curriculum provides a powerful lens for understanding how children make meaning in early learning settings. Participants will explore how cultural experiences form the basis of identity and learning; how context (spaces, routines, materials and locality) anchors children in purposeful engagement; and how genuine choice supports intrinsic motivation and wellbeing. The session also examines the central role of collaboration in constructing knowledge with peers and adults, the importance of sensitive and meaningful challenge, and the need for consolidation opportunities that deepen and solidify understanding over time.

More information can be found on the School of Education webpage.

Are you new to play-based pedagogy, or looking to deepen your understanding of how play shapes young children’s development? This engaging and practical training session is designed to support staff at the beginning of their journey with play, including NQTs and anyone interested in harnessing the power of play in early years settings.

In this session, we will explore the true value of play and how thoughtfully designed environments can inspire curiosity, creativity, and meaningful learning. Using a clear and accessible framework, we will break down effective provision into four key elements:

•         Site – Understanding the overall environment and how space influences learning

•         Section – Organising areas to encourage exploration and independence

•         Structure – Creating purposeful, flexible, and engaging play opportunities

•         Systems – Embedding routines and approaches that sustain high-quality play