Chelsea Open Air shares expertise in early years programme

The Early Years Matters programme was launched by the National Educational Trust at the beginning of April, with £250,000 funding over two years.

The programme has created advocacy centres nationwide – of which the Chelsea Open Air Nursery is one – to build hubs of around 20 local children’s centres and other early years settings. These hubs will interact through events, training and ongoing dialogue to boost expertise and services.

At the seminar, the nursery's head teacher Kathryn Solly talked about the history of the nursery and drew parallels with its remit in the 1920s and 30s, when it provided wide-ranging services for children and families and was a research base for early years pioneer Susan Isaacs.

Ms Solly said there is something ‘very powerful about the nursery against this historical backdrop’. She went on to explain how the nursery provided ‘rich, exciting and meaningful learning for its diverse community of children’.

Tina Bruce, visiting professor of early years studies at Roehampton University, also spoke, on the subject of giving children the best education in the current national context.

The seminar, which included delegates from Stockton-on-Tees, the Isle of Wight and Ireland, provided a fruitful opportunity for the exchange of ideas.

Angela Jackson, national programme manager for Early Years Matters, said, ‘Feedback was very positive and everyone really enjoyed the chance to visit the Chelsea Open Air Nursery and gain a deeper understanding of its ethos and its innovative practice. The programme is all about spreading information through national networks of relationships that will eventually become self-sustaining.’

www.nationaleducationtrust.net