Lincolnshire Nursery Schools Partnership is proud to present their
Early Years Conference in association with
‘Keeping Early Years Unique’
Sponsored by Newby Leisure Limited
Elaine Bennett - Inspiring young mathematicians through play!
Leah Morris - Requires Improvement to Outstanding!
Kathryn Solly - Adventure, Risk and Challenge Outdoors in the
Early Years
Open to all Nursery and Reception teachers, EYFS Practitioners and Leaders
Date: Friday 26th May 2017
Venue: Riseholme College, Lincoln (Showground Campus)
Time: 9am to 3.30pm
Cost: £100 including lunch and refreshments
Book: [email protected]
Kathryn Solly - Adventure, Risk and Challenge
Kathryn Solly started life as a secondary school teacher on Voluntary Service
Overseas in Papua New Guinea for two years. Since then she has taught across all
the phases of education. She realised that if she was to really make a difference she
had to re-train to teach in the early years and has since achieved a special needs
qualification and an M.A. in Early Education and Care. After two nursery school posts
outside London both involving garden development projects, she became the Head
teacher of Chelsea Open Air Nursery School and Children’s Centre for nearly 17
years. Her first book ‘Adventure, Risk and Challenge in the Early Years’ was published in December 2014.
Young children will naturally seek out challenges and take risks and this is crucial to their overall
development. Through video and photographs Kathryn Solly will explain why children should be given the
freedom to take risks and will provide practical guidance on how to offer stimulating and challenging
outdoor experiences. She will also stress the value of enjoying the special magic of outdoor environments
in extending all areas of children’s learning. She will also provide a range of ideas of how you can provide
key experiences for children via visitors, adventures and expeditions.
Elaine Bennett - Inspiring young mathematicians through play!
Elaine is an EYFS and Year One Leader at Friars Primary School and Nursery. She is
also an Early Years consultant who delivers training and supports practitioners
around the country promoting a playful, developmentally appropriate approach to
early maths. She is also the founding member of the hugely popular Facebook
group “Keeping Early Year Unique” with over 22,000 members. Elaine is passionate
about making maths real, exciting, inspiring and accessible for all children and the
adults that support them. She is the author of the popular books "Everyday maths
through everyday provision" and "The Building Blocks of maths" and a regular contributor to Nursery
World magazine. Elaine will focus on developmentally appropriate practice and expectations in the
provision of everyday maths through play. She will consider the role of the adult and the environment in
supporting mathematical learning. This inspiring session is full of practical, simple ideas and real stories
from a busy, bustling setting.
Leah Morris - Requires Improvement to Outstanding!
Leah is currently the Reception Teacher, Foundation Stage Lead and part of the
Senior Leadership Team at Richmond Avenue Primary and Nursery School, Essex.
She began her career at Richmond twenty years ago as a parent volunteer and then
teaching assistant, before qualifying as a teacher. Leah worked for the Southend on
Sea Early Years Team as a seconded teacher, supporting pre-school settings across
the Borough and continues to support reception classes through her role as an Early
Years Moderator. After an educational visit to Denmark she qualified as a Forest School Leader and
believes that children learn best when they take ownership of their learning. In 2015 her leadership led to
an outstanding grade from Ofsted. Her child-centred, play-based approach is shared with the numerous
practitioners that come from a variety of early years settings and schools to experience best practice in
action. There are many ‘Ofsted myths’ which creates panic within senior management and puts pressure
on teachers. This often leads to an inappropriate curriculum being delivered in the foundation stage. Leah
will focus on creating an enabling environment which allows for high levels of engagement when learning
alongside appropriate teaching and assessments to take place. This will include encouraging writing within
continuous provision and how to give support without forming intervention groups!