Froebel Trust Conference 2023: Session 1

Helen Adams and Emma Short have been headteachers for over 15 years and have been leaders in Cornwall Early Years Teaching School. They lead Camborne Nursery School and Truro Nursery School, the only two maintained nursery schools in Cornwall and have worked collaboratively for many years. Over the past three years they have been reflecting with the help of the Froebel Trust on their curriculum and pedagogy. In April 2022 they received funding from the Froebel Trust to develop a research project - to build parental engagement and develop relationships with parents and carers following the pandemic.

Nadia leads the inclusion team at Kay Rowe Nursery School in London. She is a trained Forest School leader. A Froebel Trust grant has supported her work with children with SEND and their parents/ carers. The project helps children to learn about the local environment and highlights the value of outdoor play. Nadia grew up in France where she loved nature and playing outside with her friends in the woods.

Sandra El Gemayel is a Research Associate on the Toddlers, Tech and Talk project at Manchester Metropolitan University. She is a member of the Froebel Trust’s Research Sub Committee. Sandra's PhD focused on the childhoods and play of young Iraqi and Syrian child refugees following their experiences of armed conflict and forced displacement to Lebanon. Her research interests include cross-cultural research and working with young children using participatory methods to gain insights into their lived experiences, their constructions of childhood, their digital and non-digital play, and their learning.

Judith co-founded Apples and Honey Nightingale (AHN), the UK’s first daycare and pre-school co-located within a care home with a carefully designed daily programme of mutually beneficial intergenerational (IG) engagements. She believes strongly in the societal benefits of purposeful IG engagements and that IG practice should be an integral element in all education and care settings. In 2022 she opened AHN Education and Training Centre and recently launched the first NCFE accredited customised suite of IG qualifications. Judith tutors on the International Certificate in Intergenerational Practice course. In 2010, she was awarded an MBE for services to Early Years Education.

Sarah is head teacher of an East London maintained nursery school. She grew up in the countryside but has worked in early years for many years in urban areas of London, Bristol and Dorset. Learning outdoors has always been a passion for her. Studying for the Froebel certificate in education allowed her to reflect more deeply on outdoor learning. Sarah's a passionate supporter of Forest School and a recent Froebel Trust grant enabled her and Rabia Rahman (another Froebel trained teacher at her school) to plan and launch a Saturday Forest School for vulnerable children and children with special needs.

Dr Fengling Tang is a Senior Lecturer in Early Childhood Studies at School of Education, Froebel College, University of Roehampton. Fengling’s teaching covers BA/MA Early Childhood Studies, Froebel Professional Certificate in Early Childhood, and supervision of MA/PhD students at Roehampton. Fengling’s research interests include Froebelian perspectives, young children’s identities/spirituality/wellbeing, play and creativity, children’s rights and participation, early childhood professionalism and higher education pedagogy. Fengling is Co-convenor for the British Educational Research Association (BERA) Early Childhood Education and Care Special Interest Group (SIG). Fengling is a member of the Early Childhood Studies Degree Network (ECSDN) Policy, Lobbying and Advocacy Strategy Group.