Through the work of Rethinking Curriculum we have been a strong advocate for playful learning throughout the primary phase. One of the key barriers that is often discussed in this approach is that of outcomes driven curriculum design. In this session, hear from an expert panel as they discuss why play is so developmentally appropriate and how it can lead to excellent outcomes for all children.
This webinar comes to you as part of the Rethinking Curriculum webinar series. The project aims to support and equip teachers and school leaders with the knowledge and skills to identify, plan and implement curriculum development work in a sustainable, creative and place-based approach. This will mean that all pupils will have access to an expansive, inspiring curriculum that connects them with local communities and enables them to lead healthy, fulfilled lives.
This session will be hosted by Jenna Crittenden (Teacher Advocacy Lead).
We are delighted to be joined by :
- Sarah Watkins FCCT, an associate lecturer at University of Worcester and author of Outdoor play and healthy little minds, The power of risky play and 99 Eco activities for your primary school.
- Andrew King FCCT, a Headteacher of a 3 form infant school in Kent, who recently undertook the move to develop playful learning across the school offer.
- Dr Will Zoppellini is an educator and researcher with experience across schools, higher education and community programmes. His work explores how children learn and how pedagogic practice can deepen understanding while strengthening agency, critical thinking, mindset and motivation. He is the founder of Coffee & Theory, a platform dedicated to making educational research accessible and useful for everyone, supporting learning across diverse educational settings.
- Laura James is Head of Play and Inclusion at the International Curriculum Association. Laura has worked in and with schools in the UK and Internationally for the past 20 years and leads on all areas of inclusion for over 2000 schools globally.
Please find accompanying resources to support the content and discussion of this webinar here:
- Outdoor Play for Healthy Little Minds by Sarah Watkins FCCT
- The Power of Risky Play in the Early Years by Sarah Watkins FCCT and Zoe Sills
- NOLA Flashcard Learning Outcomes
- Adventurous play as a mechanism for reducing risk for childhood anxiety: a conceptual model (Dodd and Lester, 2021).
- Ingrid Pramling Samuelsson & Camilla Björklund (2023) The relation of play and learning empirically studied and conceptualised, International Journal of Early Years Education, 31:2, 309-323.
- Coffee & Theory – Blog by Dr Will Zoppellini
- International Curriculum Association Play Hub
