Conference: Inspiring Early Learning

An inspiring day of workshops and talks created for all those with an interest in young children's play, development and learning including:

• everyone who works with young children in schools and early years settings
• students, lecturers and tutors in childcare, early childhood, early years or primary education.

This Froebel Trust conference in Sheffield will introduce a Froebelian approach to early childhood education today - including talks from Professor Dame Cathy Nutbrown, Dr Stella Louis and Jane Whinnett.

Workshops:

Conference delegates will have the opportunity to take part in two 75-minute workshops - all led by experienced Froebel Trust Travelling Tutors. Choose from:

Workshop one: Clay

- Find out more about introducing clay to young children and how to develop the clay area in an early years setting.

Workshop two: Woodwork

- This workshop will be packed with practical examples of how to introduce woodwork safely to young children.

Workshop three: Sewing and weaving

- Sewing and weaving can help young children to be autonomous learners. Join this workshop to find out more about sewing with young children.

Workshop four: Treasure Baskets & Heuristic Play

- Treasure Baskets offer young babies a rich variety of material within reach - from which they can choose what to explore in their own way and at their own pace. Heuristic play allows babies to learn through discovery and exploration using all their senses. In this workshop you'll find out more about how to create a Treasure Basket and what type of materials to include.

Talks:

1. Children making meaning: Towards a drawing pedagogy

In this talk Cathy will consider drawing as a meaningful form of communication for young children. With rich examples, she will show that what and how children draw is often informed by their everyday experiences, thinking processes, imaginations, emotions, and understandings. Cathy will explore relationships between drawing and talk, and how children’s ongoing drawing narratives help them to create and adapt their meanings as they draw. In discussing children’s culturally informed funds of knowledge, Cathy will argue that drawing pedagogy can help educators and parents, to engage in deeply meaningful interactions with children which affirm their unique identities and enhance moments of learning.

2. Play Coordinates All Learning

Stella will explore how play helps babies and young children to understand and make sense of what they have been learning in ideas, feeling, relationships and to realise what they know and understand, and to make connections. Froebel, inventor of kindergarten, observed the importance of play in early childhood development. He understood that children learn things through their senses, movements and their interactions with the environment, people in their families, and community. In order for children to use what they have seen or heard they have to make it part of themselves. They also have to put it together and understand it in some way. That's why they need play to coordinate their learning.


3. A Froebelian Path in Bewildering Times

In her talk, Jane will consider how educators can feel confused and overwhelmed by competing messages and approaches, but she will show how Froebelian principles can provide a compass to navigate a clear path for all of our children.

Where?

The event is being held at Sheffield Hallam University's conference centre - The Charles Street Building - which is just a short walk from Sheffield's town centre and railway station.

SHU Charles Street
133 Charles Street, Sheffield City Centre, S1 2ND

When?

Saturday 29 March 2025 - 9am to 4pm

Tickets

£55 per person
Use our online booking form (via Eventbrite) to buy your ticket.

What's included?

Refreshments, lunch, delegate pack and choice of two workshops included in the price.

Note: You will be asked to choose your preferred workshops when you book your ticket. Please note, we will do our best to meet your request for your preferred choices but cannot guarantee it.

Conference timings

09:00 Doors open for registration and refreshments
09:30 Morning speeches by Cathy Nutbrown & Stella Louis
10:50 Morning break with refreshments
11:20 First workshops session
12:35 Buffet lunch
13:20 Second workshops session
14:40 Afternoon speech by Jane Whinnett and Q&A panel with tutors
16:00 Conference ends

Note: The Froebel Trust reserve the right to change the timings if necessary.

Accessibility

We know everyone's accessibility needs are different, which is why having detailed, accurate information is so important. On the ticketing page, we will ask you about access requirements. Find out more about the venue.

About the speakers:

Professor Cathy Nutbrown

Cathy Nutbrown is a Professor of Education at the University of Sheffield, and President of Early Education, UK. Her research has included a focus on family literacy, early childhood pedagogy, and children’s rights. She chaired the Nutbrown Review of Early Education and Childcare Qualifications in 2012 and was awarded a Damehood for Services to Early Childhood Education in 2003. Author of many publications her latest book is Children Making Meaning: Exploring Drawings, Narratives, and Identities [Deguara and Nutbrown 2024, Routledge].

Dr Stella Louis

Dr Stella Louis is Director of Froebel Trust Courses and leads a team of more than 20 Froebelian Travelling Tutors. In 2023, her work was recognised by Nursery World with the award for Best Trainer and a Lifetime Achievement award. Stella originally trained as a NNEB nursery nurse and has thirty years’ experience of working with children and families. More recently, she has been involved in training educators and is particularly interested in observation and its part in supporting learning, development and teaching. Stella has a PhD in Education from Roehampton and is the author of many books & articles including her latest publication, Let's Talk About Race in the Early Years [Louis and Betteridge 2024, Routledge].

Jane Whinnett

Jane Whinnett is a member of the Froebel Trust's Education & Research Committee and a former Froebel Trust trustee. She was previously the head teacher of two Edinburgh Nursery Schools and now tutors at the University of Edinburgh where she contributes to the Froebel in Childhood Practice course. Jane teaches the Froebel Trust's Short Courses and Online Course as an experienced Froebelian Travelling Tutor. In 2019, Jane received an MBE from HM Queen Elizabeth II for services to early education. She and her co-authors were also awarded the 2021 Nursery World Professional Book Award for Putting Storytelling at the Heart of Early Childhood Practice [Bruce, McNair and Whinnett Eds. 2020, Routledge]