BORN READY!
Listening to the child and rethinking the system
The Pikler UK Annual Conference presents a series of insightful talks exploring the natural readiness of babies for learning and development. Experts will challenge the notion of "schoolification," or school readiness, emphasising that infants are born with inherent potential that flourishes through respectful, child-centred care rather than early formal education. This event offers a valuable opportunity to deepen understanding of developmental principles that support children’s autonomy, curiosity, and confidence as they grow towards school readiness naturally.
Our Speakers
Charlotte Davies BA Hons, NPQH, FRSA, Tomatis Sound Consultant - Charlotte is a social entrepreneur and an experienced senior teacher. For the last 12 years she has run Fit 2 Learn CIC, a small international social enterprise, that seeks to show individuals and organisations how people of all ages can use non-invasive therapies in order to behave calmly and learn efficiently at the highest level.
Charlotte seeks to empower people with the skills to manage their own physiology for life, not to be dependent on coping strategies and medication. She developed her interest in this area when she realised that her own son at 6 years old was effectively blind and losing motor skills. She realised that her son had been blinded by her local hospital’s treatment of his lazy eye, so she set off to sort out the mess. By the time he was 8 years old his vision and motor skills were working well. By 17 years old he left school with exceptional exam results and chose to study at an elite French university. He is now 26 years old and continues to be highly skilled in all areas of his development.
Dr Caroline Guard - Academic, writer and consultant. Currently working at The Department for Social Policy and Intervention at The University of Oxford. Caroline’s research centres around the rights and voices of babies, specifically focussing on their wellbeing, mental health and sense of belonging in early childhood settings.
Julia Manning-Morton - Consultant, trainer and author in ECCE. Her career spans 45 years and diverse roles in a range of settings and as a university lecturer. She is a Froebel tutor and has nearly completed her Pikler pedagogue training. Julia has delivered training and conference presentations nationally and internationally and is the author of several articles and books. Julia is passionate about the well-being of children and educators; her training, research and writing is focused on enthusing practitioners to make positive contributions to the lives of babies, young children and their families.
Dawn Jones - Higher Education Lecturer, Wolverhampton. Dawn’s pedagogical practice and approach are driven by her strong belief in children as strong, capable and creative thinkers.
Helen Sutherland SFHEA, Associate Professor Education, PGCE Birth to Five with Early Years Teacher Status Course Leader - Helen Sutherland is an Associate Professor of Education at Kingston University and is currently the Course Leader for the PGCE Birth to Five with Early Years Teacher Status. She teaches on a wide range of educational programmes as well as having extensive experience of working on Knowledge Exchange projects. These include a range of funded EU projects, working with universities, schools and Early Years settings in England, Norway, Sweden and Spain. Helen was the Principal Investigator for The Toddler Wellbeing Project (ToWe) working with universities, schools and early years settings in England, Norway, and Spain to develop early years practitioners and teachers’ skills, knowledge and understanding in supporting disadvantaged toddlers’ wellbeing. The use of reflection underpinned the development of a range of tools and strategies working collaborative with the early years practitioners and teachers in their implementation. She is passionate about supporting early years practitioners and teachers in developing their practice to enhance the learning experiences and opportunities of young children.
The day will begin with an introduction to the work and ethos of Dr Emmi Pikler, presented by a representative of Pikler UK.
Join us at the prestigious Town House at Kingston University for a day of learning, joined-up thinking and networking with like-minded professionals.
BOOK NOW TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF OUR EARLY BIRD RATE
To book for groups of 5 or more from your setting, please apply via email for our special rates.
Town House, Kingston University, Penrhyn Road, Kingston upon Thames
Courses at Kingston:
Education: Early Years Teaching and Learning BA (Hons) | Kingston University London
Education: Supporting Inclusion and Wellbeing BA (Hons) | Kingston University London
Early Years: Teaching & Learning BA (Hons) top-up | Kingston University London
