Member meetup: Creating effective learning environments in the EYFS and primary phases

NACE member meetup

Free for members / £100 for non-members

22 November 2024, NACE, Horticulture House, Chilton, Didcot, OX11 0RN

Current discourse around education is full of references to breaking down the barriers to learning that many young people face – and indeed this is the focus for NACE’s research programme this year. But how about reframing this, to focus on preventing those barriers from emerging in the first place?

While of course many such barriers have their foundations beyond the school gates, there is much that early years and primary settings can do to ensure all young people have the best possible starting point for future success. 

This NACE meetup event will bring together early years and primary practitioners and leaders to explore robust strategies that, when embedded in daily classroom practice, can prevent the creation of future barriers to learning. Through the lens of “getting it right from the start”, we will focus on what research tells us about how we learn best, and the conditions which need to be understood and provided for effective learning to take place.

We will explore the ingredients for learning environments and experiences that support all young people to develop creative problem-solving skills, resilience, curiosity, the ability to make choices, and an enjoyment of cognitive challenge – building the blocks for successful, zestful, lifelong learning.

Led by NACE Curriculum Adviser Emma Tibbitts, the day will combine CPD sessions with opportunities to share ideas and experiences with peers. It will draw inspiration from Mitchel Resnick’s book Lifelong Kindergarten, exploring the idea: “To thrive in today's fast-changing world, people of all ages must learn to think and act creatively – and the best way to do that is by focusing more on imagining, creating, playing, sharing, and reflecting, just as children do in traditional kindergartens.” 

This event is free for staff at current NACE member schools*. On this occasion we are also inviting non-members to attend, at a rate of £100 per delegate.

Programme (subject to change)

10:00               Registration and refreshments

10:20               Welcome

10:30               CPD session 1
Emma Tibbitts, NACE Curriculum Adviser

11.15               Break

11:30               CPD session 2
Emma Tibbitts, NACE Curriculum Adviser

  Q&A

12:30               Networking lunch

13:15               NACE membership updates

13:30               Time to reflect, digest and share – what will you take back to your setting from the morning session?

14:45               Overview of the day
Emma Tibbitts, NACE Curriculum Adviser

15:00               Close

Registration closes 15 November; register as soon as possible to secure your place.

*As spaces are limited, we are initially limiting free places to a maximum of two per member school, to allow as many schools to participate as possible. If more than two staff members from your school register, we will contact you to confirm which staff members should be given priority.

Additional staff members can be added to the event waiting list. If you have registered for a free place and are then unable to attend, please contact NACE in advance to transfer your place to a colleague. An admin fee of £50 +VAT will be charged if the event is not attended by your school after booking a free place.