Froebel Trust Conference 2025, Inspiring Early Learning

More than 100 people working in early years education from across the globe joined the Froebel Trust's 2025 Conference, Inspiring Early Learning on Saturday 29 March 2025.

In this video we hear from conference delegates about their reflections of the event and take a look at some of the highlights from the day.

You can also watch a recording of Dr Stella Louis' keynote speech, Play Coordinates All Learning.

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]