Key organiser: Deirdre Grogan

Price:  £20.00

Registration: Either via the Application Form - Planning and Documenting or online shop

Date:  Tuesday 29 April 2025

Time: 1630 – 1800

Venue: Online via Teams

This online training will explore the key principles for planning for children's interests and puzzle by referring to the model created 'Children's Train of Thought'. This model relates to Realising the Ambition and challenges educators to explore the development of the child's thought process by documenting the learning. Documentation allows children and staff to revisit, re- evaluate and redesign through discussion and collaboration. This in turn will allow children to drive the curriculum. 

This course is suitable for the following participants: anyone working in early years or who has an interest in early years.

Key organiser: Deirdre Grogan, Vicky MacDonald, Sophie Gray

Price:  £25.00

Registration: Either via the Application Form - Accelerating Play or online shop

Date:  Tuesday 6 May 2025

Time: 1600 – 1730

Venue: Online via Teams

This training will explore the progression of play into Primary 3. The model explored will look at inquiry learning for children and how we organise for children’s learning. Ownership and children leading the learning are central to this approach. Examples will be shared by two educators who have successfully integrated play into Primary 3 within their setting. They will take time to discuss the journey, challenges and changes to pedagogy. 

This course is suitable for the following participants: anyone who works in Primary 3/4 or Primary 5 or if you are interested in developing play with older children.

Key organiser: Deirdre Grogan

Price:  £20.00

Registration: Either via the Application Form - Reggio Emilia or online shop

Date:  Monday 12 May 2025

Time: 1630 – 1800

Venue: Online via Teams

This training will examine the key principle of the Reggio Emilia Approach and explore an adaptation of the project approach for young children. Examples will be shared throughout the presentation to develop a deeper understanding of the approach. The environment and aesthetics for learning will be explored to allow educators to revisit and reconsider an alternative approach to learning.  There will be time for small group discussions.

This course is suitable for the following participants: anyone working in early years or who has an interest in early years.

Key organiser: Deirdre Grogan

Price:  £20.00

Registration: Either via the Application Form - Childrens Voice or online shop

Date:  Tuesday 13 May 2025

Time: 1600 – 1730

Venue: Online via Teams

UNCRC: Article 12 all children have a right to have their voices heard and taken into account. This training will examine the importance of children’s voice to allow educators to design an effective environment and learning experience which will fully engage the child. As educators, we need to value children’s communications, views, puzzles and feelings.

This course is suitable for the following participants: anyone working in early years or who has an interest in early years.

Key organiser: Deirdre Grogan

Price:  £50.00 (for all four sessions)

Registration: Either via the Application Form - New to Play or online shop

Date:  2, 3, 5 and 9 June 2025

Time: 1600 – 1700

Venue: Online via Teams

This training will support educators who are starting to implement play pedagogy within the setting. Educators should attend each session. 

Session 1  How Young Children Learn (2 June) – clear links to current research will be examined throughout to allow educators to build a solid foundation prior to making any key changes.

Session 2 Designing the Environment for Play (3 June) – an effective model will be explored to allow educators to transform their environment to allow children choice and ownership for their play.

Session 3 Organising for Learning (5 June) – explaining the balance of learning experiences for children and the role of the adult to support this.

Session 4 Observing Children’s Learning (9 June) – to support children’s learning we need to take time to notice their learning through play. We need to develop observation skills to make effective changes.

This course is suitable for the following participants: anyone ‘new’ to implementing play in primary 1 or primary 2.

Key organiser: Jane Catlin, Zinnia Mevawalla

Price:  £80.00 (inc. lunch)

Registration: Either via the Application Form - Inclusion or online shop

Date:  Wednesday 11 June 2025

Time: 1000 – 1600

Venue: University of Strathclyde

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 explore concepts from key scholars in the field of inclusive practice to unpack the concepts of ‘inclusion’ and ‘additional support needs’. We offer an opportunity for educators across early years, primary secondary, ASN sector to come together as a learning community to explore perspectives and identify positive actions we can all take on these pressing issues for our current times.

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.