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graduate school for interdisciplinary studies

9LB,

Discover your subject from a truly interdisciplinary perspective with the Graduate School for Interdisciplinary Studies. Interdisciplinary study Graduate School degrees use ideas from different disciplines to give students a more rounded understanding of their subject. Learning across subject boundaries Interdisciplinary learning is at the heart of the Graduate School. Core modules on Graduate School degrees use themed seminars led by subject experts from across the University. Students consider their subject from different disciplinary perspectives, developing an interdisciplinary understanding. This approach also enables students to show skills such as flexibility and creativity. Optional modules allow students to further develop the interdisciplinary character of their studies. In the end of degree project students explore a topic in depth. The project can also be interdisciplinary in scope and may have an applied character. On most degrees, students have a choice in how to present the project. This might be as a dissertation or in more applied format - such as a policy report or multi-media portfolio. Academic and personal skills Graduate School Masters degrees help students develop advanced subject knowledge and research skills. Students also develop skills in: critical thinking and creativity analysis and appraisal problem solving and decision making personal leadership and project management interpersonal communication and team working Core modules have an integrated skills development programme. The skills development programme connects academic learning with the development of professional skills. The skills development programme has three parts. Study support sessions prepare students for postgraduate study. Career support sessions help students look beyond their degree. Experiential sessions address real social justice problems faced by partner organisations. Community The Graduate School is a vibrant, stimulating postgraduate community. Graduate School events bring students together and help foster interdisciplinary identity. Students make social and intellectual connections within and across their Masters degree groups. St Leonard's Postgraduate College The University postgraduate community, St Leonard’s Postgraduate College, welcomes Graduate School students. St Leonard's Postgraduate College hosts networking and training events for all postgraduates. Through these Graduate School students can make connections with postgraduates from other schools. Postgraduate Society St Leonard’s Postgraduate College works closely with the Postgraduate Society. The Postgraduate Society is one of the Students’ Association's most active societies. All Masters students are welcome into the Postgraduate Society. The Postgraduate Society organises events for postgraduates. These include beach bonfires, day trips around Scotland, pub nights, and graduation balls. History and location The Graduate School for Interdisciplinary Studies welcomed its first students in 2018. The Graduate School now welcomes students from around the world. In 2020 more than 90 students joined Graduate School MSc and MLitt degrees. Since 2021, the Graduate School has been based in the Old Burgh School. The Old Burgh School has office, teaching, and study space for the Graduate School. It is also home to the University’s postgraduate study centre. Graduate School Meeting Room The Graduate School Meeting Room situated at the Old Burgh School is available to be booked by staff and postgraduate students Monday-Friday between 9am-6pm. The room has a capacity of 6 (current covid occupancy) and is equipped with a projector and screen. There is kitchen facilities directly adjacent. Staff can book directly via our online room booking system. For student room bookings, please email gradschool@st-andrews.ac.uk. Priority will be given to bookings related to Graduate School or Postgraduate St Leonards College activities. Please note, this room should not be booked by students as an additional study space.

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bee lingual

London

Carrie has over 30 years’ experience in education - now Director of Curriculum for the Brooke Weston Trust and a visiting fellow for Ambition Institute delivering NPQ training, Carrie was at that time the Principal of Peckover Primary School in Wisbech; a school with 54% of pupils, originating from many parts of Europe, having English as an additional language. This was a challenge that she tackled with great enthusiasm and creativity! Our first step was to re-write the curriculum completely, ensuring children were exposed to high quality texts and a wide range of vocabulary. Our classroom environments immersed children in their learning and our mantra was ‘talk, talk and more talk’. We planned structured oral opportunities into all our lessons, using the excellent ‘Tower Hamlets, ‘progression in Language structures; we had continuous provision from Nursery through to year 2 centred on language rich environments and opportunities. However, we discovered that once our pupils had acquired enough English to let them read, write and converse fluently, the progress of some began to plateau. These could be pupils who weren’t speaking their first language much at home, or reading books in it. In some cases, pupils were starting to lose their first language altogether, making it harder to build and develop their English. We sent a set of BeeLingual UK dual-language books home with every EAL child, so they could read stories in their first language and in English with their parents We used our bilingual Teaching Assistants to lead daily first language discussion groups to develop a rich and challenging vocabulary We used colourful discussion mats to pre-teach pupils in first language and English, deploying them alongside stems based on Progression in Language Structures Our pastoral team used first language emotion cards to help pupils describe and explain their feelings We introduced a ‘no hands up’ policy to promote lively class discussion We taught the whole schools songs in first languages and English Using the resources we were developing at BeeLingual UK, we introduced a whole raft of strategies to cultivate a rich vocabulary in first language and subsequently in English.

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jonsterckx.co.uk

Tabla Percussion World Music Workshops. Samswara Indian Music, Sitar & Tabla, Stroud, Devon & South West UK Jon Sterckx is a tabla player & innovative percussionist with 30 years experience of working with world percussion & World Music. He studied tabla in UK with Harjinder Singh Matharu and in India with Shivanand Bandhari at the Naadashree Arts Institute in Kumta, Karnataka, and with Kailash Nishad in Benares (Varanasi). Jon has performed twice at TED events, and his performance at TEDxWarwick was selected from over 10,000 TED events globally for inclusion in the TED Global Music Project. Jon plays a range of percussion instruments and has worked across a wide range of musical styles, from Indian classical music and other traditional world music to contemporary experimental & ‘fusion’ styles, theatre & dance collaborations, and his solo multi-percussion Live Sampling / Live Looping performances – Drumscapes. Jon is available for percussion performances, Tabla and percussion tuition in Stroud & Gloucestershire, world rhythm workshops across UK and as a session musician anywhere in the world, through remote recording sessions. Jon has delivered Tabla, World Music, Indian Music & World Rhythm workshops to schools, colleges, universities & festivals for over 20 years. Contact for more information & booking details. Jon is a Tutor and Mentor for South West Music School, an Associate of Wiltshire Music Connects and a partner of Swindon Music Service. He also runs weekly tabla classes in Swindon. Jon has performed with various artists and groups including Indo/Arabic instrumental duo Taaliqa, Fusion group Dhani, Balkan Folktronica duo Arhai and Drumscapes – his unique solo multi-percussion live sampling performances which he has performed at WOMAD, London International Arts Festival, Beautiful Days, Pulse festival, Drum Camp, Tribe of Doris, World Music Workshop Festival and at most of the UK’s main world music festivals & Melas. Jon’s Drumscapes work has also been featured twice by music software company Ableton in the Ableton blog. Jon was a selected performer at the National Celebration of British Asian Live Arts in 2008, and his sitar & tabla duo Samswara were voted ‘Best Group in South West & South Wales’ in the MTM South Asian & Ethnic Minorities Awards 2014. Jon has recorded for Grammy winning composer Christopher Tin on his album ‘The Drop That Contained The Sea’, Grammy nominated producer Arun Shenoy on the track ‘Bliss’, BBC Music Folk Award winners Phil Henry & Hannah Martin album ‘Singing The Bones’ and Americana folk artist ‘Mean’ Mary James amongst many others. Jon has been commissioned by the music creation software company Bandlab to produce content for their platform. Jon has produced sample packs in Bollywood Percussion, Tabla and his own ‘Jon Sterckx Signature’ pack. Tuition &Training: Jon’s tabla tuition began in Cardiff with Harjinder Singh Matharu from Birmingham. Harjinder gave Jon a good solid foundation in tabla playing between 1994 – 1998 as well as the encouragement & inspiration to commit himself seriously to the instrument. In 1994 / 1995, Jon returned to India where he learned from Shivanand Bhandari at the Naadashree Arts Institute in Kumta, Karnataka, India. In 1998 & 1999, Jon returned to India and studied with Kailash Nishad in Benares, (Varanasi) in North India, a city renowned for the study of North Indian (Hindustani) music. In 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003 & 2005 Jon organised performances & workshops for Kailash in the UK, where he delivered workshops in universities & performed Tabla solos at Arts Centres & venues in the South West UK. During these month long visits to the UK, Kailash stayed with Jon in Devon and continued Jon’s tabla tuition. They also gave performances together, with Taaliqa playing the first set & Kailash performing tabla solo in the second. In 2005 they also performed together in a collaborative finale. Jon’s other musical studies include a BA ( Hons ) Music degree from Dartington College of Arts in 2000, where his main subject was in composing music for live performance.

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study well abroad

London

Shristi Education Pvt Ltd was started with a vision on helping students take their careers to greater heights. Our core activity lies in ensuring that students make the right choice when they decide to study abroad. It is the only organization authorized by Russian, Ukraine, Kyrgyzstan, China, USA & Philippines to provide admission to Indian students in top universities abroad. Shristi Education Consultants for Overseas Education | Plan For Your Future At Shristi Education Pvt Ltd, we believe in giving in-depth details and information about study pattern and study quality in the top universities. We are best at helping the students with the best courses and universities which are best fitted to their career and which hold the potential of fulfilling their dreams. Our existence revolves around our students. We ensure that you get the most hassle-free experience of making the right decision of studying abroad. Since 2008, we have sent Thousands of students to various countries like Russia, Ukraine, Kyrgyzstan, China, USA & Philippines. MBBS Abroad | Study Overseas | MBBS | Consultants for Overseas Education Shristi Education Pvt Ltd has been successfully conducting educational fairs featuring many leading Universities in metro cities of India every year. It also invites officials from the universities and conducts counselling and spot admissions for students, in other non-metro cities & towns of India. Every year thousands of prospective students and their parents attend these exhibitions and seminars and get first-hand information from the University officials. As a part of reaching out to prospective candidates, seminars are carried out in the schools. The audio-visual presentation highlights the opportunities and advantages that are available to students to achieve their career goal. Parents are advised about the economics, terms, and conditions of studying abroad. Counseling For Overseas Education | Consultants for Overseas Education It’s time to follow your dreams! Let us join our hands into a brighter world. We will assist you in shaping yourself and be a better being. Shristi Education Pvt Ltd is highly renowned visionary educational channel in India. Our main aim is to enlighten the path for admission of students with through guidance at reasonable and affordable package in medical,engineering,aviation,business management courses in top government college /universities , of Ukraine, Philippines, Russia, china,Georgia,Caribbean countries But not only universities in that which is the best university for indian students we share a trusted bond with students for not only do we show them the path of success in higher education in overseas. But we also guides the students and their parents with updated information about prospective course, institutions and much more….. Study MBBS Abroad | Consultants for Overseas Education Shristi Education Pvt Ltd head quarter located in Gujarat in surat city ,and its having the presence in all the states of India (pan india) Shristi Education Pvt Ltd is a student friendly and trustworthy platform in India and Nepal Shristi Education Pvt Ltdl is only providing end to end solution in overseas studies. We believe in booming careers and success of our students have made us today an arch education channel in India. We provides an outright solution in overseas medical with PG education we provide full service to our all the students from admissions to completion of degree. Consultants for Overseas Education | Study MBBS in Abroad Shristi Education Pvt Ltd l has only authorised by Ukrainian Government. Russian federation and Philippines govt. listed and approved educational concern and tied up with govt. medical engineering and management institutions in Ukraine Russia Philippines Studywell assist students for MBBS and PG courses where the cost of education is low and quality education and study pattern shoots . toindian students for his/her carrier. These government medical universities are affordable and offer good quality of education Studywell has grown not on advertisements but primarily on the references provided by the successful students and work of mouth has been our marketing strength.

droxford montessori school

Southampton

Miss Scarlett is the owner and manager of Droxford Montessori, establishing the school in 2014. Miss Scarlett has over 15 years of experience in Early Years Education and her passion for Montessori began in 2005 after a work experience placement Certified with a full Montessori International Teaching Diploma and Early Years Teacher Status, Miss Scarlett is the school's special educational needs coordinator and leads all staff practice in safeguarding. Miss Scarlett is currently on maternity leave. Miss Helen Miss Helen is our Montessori School Manager and having lived in France for some years loves to share her love of France with the children. “I have worked in childcare and education for over 20 years qualifying in NVQ level 2 and 3, Montessori international diploma and a range of training including Senco. I have had varied roles including working in schools managing a baby room and caring for children with autism, physical disabilities and palliative care. I started working at Montessori in 2006 and fell in love with the ethos as well as my Montessori family. Every day is a learning experience not only for our children but me too.” Miss Lucie Miss Lucie is our Deputy Manager and vholds her Early Years Teacher Status achieved at Portsmouth University. She has previously run Ofsted rated ‘Outstanding’ early years setting’s and has worked at Droxford since 2015. Miss Lucie is a mummy of two little ones, both of whom have attended Droxford Montessori. Having previously trained in Food Hygiene Miss Lucie carries out our weekly cookery lessons using products from our allotment when possible as well as introducing a mindful approach to healthy happy eating. Miss Lucie is fabulous at being creative and loves gardening and spending time on the allotment with the children.. Miss Zoe Miss Zoe is an excellent dancer and loves throwing some moves with the children. “My daughter joined Miss Scarlett’s school in 2015 and totally embraced the Montessori ethos thoroughly enjoying her time in the setting. I thought the principle involved, in particular the child led activities, learning through play and nature were very beneficial. I have now taken this forward into my current NVQ training.” Miss Lorraine Miss Lorraine is our Resources Manager and has worked as a Montessori teacher for over 15 years. “I did my training alongside Miss Helen and we have worked together ever since. I too fell in love with the ethos and have enjoyed many years working alongside and learning from the most amazing and talented children. I was part of the team originally that helped set up and open Droxford school with Miss Scarlett and it has been lovely to watch it grow into the outstanding setting it has become. I decided to step back from full time teaching two years ago and now work in the role of resources management (basically making the classroom look beautiful and a fun learning environment). Outside of school I am Married with one son, I am a qualified French Cuisine Chef and my hobbies include: fitness and mud runs. I have a cockapoo called Zeus and 5 tortoises.” Miss Clio She is a mummy to one little boy called Bertie and a fluffy dog called Humphrey. Miss Clio is always smiling, she also holds her NVQ Level 3 and is currently working towards her Montessori Diploma. Miss Clio has excellent arty skills and the children love working with her. Miss Sophie Originally came to work at our Holiday Clubs. Falling in love with the ethos she decided to join us during term time whilst deferring university for a couple of years. Miss Sophie brings much enthusiasm to the classroom and is very much loved by all the children.

lunar spirit wellbeing

Wilstead

Lunar Spirit Wellbeing is an award winning Holistic Practice, we are passionate about helping people like you improve mental health and emotional wellbeing so you can create more joy and happiness in your life. Owned and run by Jennifer McKenzie- Wellbeing Consultant, Holistic Coach, Author & Radio Presenter. Our mission is to help you consciously create a happier healthier life by connecting to yourself and the world around you on a deeper energetic level. A life where you feel free to be YOU and follow your own path, whatever that looks like. We offer a safe space for you to heal trauma, anxiety and release heavy stuck energy you have been carrying around for so long. We live in a time where many of us lack CONNECTION, modern life has almost made us forget our roots, the connection we have to nature and the capacity to slow down. Therefore we have a society of people living in survival mode with high anxiety. Seeking to avoid emotions with drinking, over working or material possessions, reaching burnout and getting sick. With my help you can make the changes, break the cycle and create a better quality of life for yourself. Are you getting home from work reaching for that glass of wine just to unwind, running on auto pilot not remembering how you got somewhere, trying to get through each day wishing for the weekend to hurry up and then dreading Monday morning? It’s ok- no judgement here! I’ve been there myself so I know first hand what that feels like and also how to help you make those all important shifts – small changes = big results. Did you know? This is why I’m so passionate about showing people change is possible, why I started running workshops and coaching- I’ve walked the walk, in 2015 my mental health was at rock bottom, full of anxiety, drinking most days, I’d been through a lot in my teens, toxic relationships, low self esteem. My head was loud with intrusive thoughts, I didn’t know how to make it stop, in the end I tried to take my own life and in the hospital I made a promise to myself to change – so I did and in 2016 I opened the doors to my business and well the rest is history! Ok, ok it wasn’t quite that simple! The thing is, I was lacking connection to myself, connecting with the wrong people to fit in, holding onto the past, people pleasing, exhausted and stressed- sound familiar? I was holding all my emotions in and not facing them- healing happens by feeling. Yes it’s uncomfortable but oh so worth it! I’m a big believer in this -you are never too old or too young to start something! Never too young to start educating around emotional wellbeing and never too old to make changes to your life or start over! What you waiting for? There is so much beauty already within you and all around you, many opportunities and abundance. We all have an innate inner wisdom that is conditioned out of us- we help you to reignite your inner magic, regain trust in your intuition firstly by reconnecting to yourself, then to nature and others. Jen will mentor and support you to peel back the layers, expand your self awareness with a journey of self discovery. A holistic approach and the wisdom of ancient spiritual practices bring you deep healing and lasting meaningful change. I offer coaching, workshops, retreats and courses to businesses, schools, establishments and individuals for personal and professional development. Focusing on mental health and emotional wellbeing. We believe in the power of connection -community- inclusion and diversity so no-one gets left behind! It all starts with you and your journey starts here with us!

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angel of education

London

We create innovative web-based applications to help all levels of the education sector, from pupils, teachers and school leaders right through to local authorities and large academy chains. Our tools are used nationwide, as well as internationally. We Believe… Everyone deserves a quality education; Freedom & creativity breed innovation; Excellence should be noticed & rewarded; Life is better with some fun & personality; Greatness comes from always knowing that you can be better; Angel is not its employees, but our beliefs. Those will live forever. The Angel Circus At the beginning of 2012, we converted our offices into a Circus so that our surroundings could reflect the personality and innovation that takes place within the company. Why a circus? Because the circus is a place where talented performers train hard and work to entertain and thrill their audience. In the same way, we want to wow people with our software, customer service and support. We love seeing visitors’ faces when they come to meet Team Angel at our circus. There’s a Big Top and gypsy caravan for creative meetings, a grandstand (complete with ball pool) for presentations, a full-wall blackboard for ideas and inspiration, plus fairground mirrors, a popcorn machine and plenty of other circus curiosities for fun. Most of our staff have even learnt to juggle! And really, it’s our staff who reflect the Angel Solutions DNA more than any props ever could. How We Encourage Creativity… Beyond the circus, creativity and innovation is central to how we work. We give staff plenty of opportunities to promote and showcase their talents, whether work-related or not, and place a high value on ongoing learning. Most importantly, we always strive to celebrate effort and creative thinking in our team, just as much as we celebrate their successes. For example, our staff might… Introduce a new work process to try to save time Trial a new technology inside one of our products Teach a skill or share an idea at a lunchtime smorgasbord session Work with a totally different team on an innovation day Run a staff training session to share their knowledge Do an online course to learn something new No matter how busy we are, it’s important to us to carve out precious time like this. We hold Innovation Days every month and encourage as many people as possible to pause what they’re working on to take part. During that time, teams can mix up and people have an opportunity to work on whatever they want! At the show and tell sessions at the end of these days, presentations are always met with the sound of applause and cheering, whether or not they worked out! Our Performers More than anything else, our company culture is genuinely reflected in the wonderful people who make up our staff team. Lots of our staff have been with us a long time now — some since graduating from university — and their hard work, dedication, expertise and creativity is rewarded. Take a look at our jobs page for more on the benefits we give our team, or see our Flickr photo gallery for a flavour of what it’s like to work at Angel. Want to Visit the Circus? We love it when schools, authorities and other current or potential stakeholders come to visit us here, and are always welcoming to the office groups of students or people from other sectors who want to come and meet our team. Only here at our circus can you get a true feel for who we are and what makes our products and services so special. Simply get in touch if you’d like to pay us a visit. We are hiring! Join Team Angel If you think you’d fit in well in our team and have skills to offer, head over to our jobs page to find out more! WORK WITH US About us Our Team The Board Our Charity Work Awards Recruitment How to find us

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allison maxwell

London

Allison Maxwell was first introduced to the great benefits of yoga 26 years ago while studying at university. She was pretty hyperactive, had frequent headaches and difficulty sleeping. A friend suggested she should try yoga, so they both joined the local College of Further Education class in Oxford. After just one course Allison was hooked and made it her priority to get to her weekly yoga class. Since then Allison has tried just about every type of yoga on offer and since qualifying as a teacher some 15 years ago has developed her own style that reflects her personality. Picture Picture Qualifications Allison's teaching qualification is from the British Wheel of Yoga (BWYDip) where she holds a diploma, which she completed in 2000. The British Wheel of Yoga is the UK’s largest yoga community and is renowned for it’s 500 hour yoga teacher training courses that are also accredited with the Yoga Alliance and take approximately two years to complete. Following this she trained to teach yoga to mother and babies and obtained a certificate from Cambridge Active Birth in 2002. She then went on to train to teach yoga to children studying with the Calm for Kids institute and completed this in 2005. As a qualified BWY yoga teacher Allison maintains a current First Aid certificate, is fully insured and attends regular CPD training days. The Yoga for Healthy Lower Backs Teacher Training course (YHLB-R), is accredited as a Recognized Centre of excellence in training and standards by The British Wheel of Yoga (the national governing body for yoga for Sports England and Sports & Recreation Alliance UK) - view www.yogaforbacks.co.uk. How yoga helped me - Allison's own words " During my role as Health Clinic Manager in a busy private clinic in central London, my health started to suffer. I often worked 12-hour days, managing staff, dealing with clients and meeting press deadlines. The one aspect of my life I never gave up was my regular yoga classes and I found that yoga was an escape from my busy schedule enabling me to 'recharge my batteries' for the next week ahead. With so many of my high flying clients suffering with addictions to alcohol and anti-depressants, I was so glad I found yoga as my release from stress! Following this I decided to study for a Master's degree at Southampton University. On completion of my MSc in Public Health Nutrition I decided to treat myslef to a yoga retreat in South India. I had no idea of the impact it would have on my life and it was life changing in many ways. Firstly, I had been plagued by almost daily headaches for over fifteen years, since suffering a neck injury from a trampolining accident at school. On my return to England my headaches has disappeared. Despite spending a fortune on other therapies over the years it was yoga that got rid of them! Also I felt more in control, happier and focused for the first time in my life. The positive impact yoga had on my life inspired me to train to be a yoga teacher. The first yoga class I taught was for Lewisham Council in London, for a group of people suffering stress and anxiety. I was thrown in at the deep end and it was a memorable experience. However, I was delighted at the benefits enjoyed by many members of the group. After moving to Berkshire I then taught in a variety of venues in Marlow, Wokingham and Reading, including Reading University (staff and students), schools, nurseries and exclusive health clubs and spas. In 2008 we moved to Colwall and shortly after we arrived I set up my first yoga class in my home and now offer two classes a week and one-to-one sessions. I also teach at three further classes in Malvern and run regular retreats at The Clover Mill Spa."

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thirsk school & sixth form college

Transfer from primary school to secondary school is a time when students often feel both a sense of excitement and of apprehension. Students look forward to a new environment and the challenge of different subjects. They generally approach the secondary school with a determination to work hard and be successful. Early in the school year, the Head of Year 7 contacts every primary school in order to get to know every student and to see the children at work. Thirsk School & Sixth Form College works hard to ensure that early in their final year at primary school, any anxieties or fears are quickly removed so that students feel secure and confident about their transfer to the secondary school. We also offer Enrichment Days for year 5 students to give the children an earlier opportunity to spend time in the school. Liaison continues throughout the year and special attention is paid to the early identification of students with Special Educational Needs. In the summer term, students from primary schools spend a whole week at Thirsk School & Sixth Form College and a careful Induction Programme includes a tour of the school, meeting the form tutor and experiencing a wide range of lessons. Parents or Carers of primary school students are very welcome to visit the school at any convenient time. Formal tours of the school occur most weeks so that parents can see the school during a normal working day. Please contact the school if you would like to attend such a tour. During the Induction Week there is an Induction Evening for parents to ensure they are fully informed and fully prepared to support their child’s transfer into secondary school. Where parents wish students to be admitted other than for the beginning of Year Seven, they are asked to contact County Hall to arrange for an application form to be sent. Parents are asked to contact the appropriate Head of School/College who will then arrange to send them the necessary information and organise a meeting and tour around the school. Once a place has been allocated from County, and the necessary information from the child’s previous school has been obtained. If necessary, we will organise a planning meeting with the family to ensure children settle well.

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pop up play village in and around cleethorpes

Our aim is to provide a safe and inviting space in which children and their parents can unleash their creativity and let their imaginations go wild. Pop Up Play village is made up of role play areas. We’d call these sets or scenes if we worked in the glamorous worlds of TV or theatre – but sadly we don’t! We have a hospital, vets, baby nursery, supermarket, café, construction site, library, baby play area, art studio and outdoor explorer zone. Each one filled with high quality toys, props and dressing up kits – specially sourced and impeccably clean. What Makes Us Different? We’re often asked whether we’re a playgroup or a drop in toddler play session. Yes, we have toys to play with, things to dress up in and caffeine on tap but our village is about much more than that… Our play sessions have been specially designed by an expert in early years education to help children learn and develop through play. Each of our areas provides them with the tools to develop socially and learn more about themselves, their peers and the world we live in. And whilst this is about education and development, our key priority is having fun. That means fun for everyone. There are no adult wallflowers here. Parents and carers are welcomed into our village and actively encouraged to lose their inhibitions and play together with their children in a way that’s often just not possible at home. And whilst we love our village and all the characters who live in it, we realise it’s good to shake things up a bit from time to time. That’s why we often invite guests to play – dinosaurs, pirates, mermaids, unicorns and dragons – to name a few. We also mark events and the seasons as we pass through the year. Laying The Foundations It was back in 2007 when I started teaching my first ever class that the first foundations of the Play Village were laid. Watching the children in my reception class acting out real-life scenarios in the role play corner, I realised the true value of learning through play. I’d always worked hard to create engaging and realistic areas in which the children could let their imaginations run free. I absolutely loved teaching and gained six fantastic years of experience before having my first child. When my son was 2, I found at weekends it was really hard to find fun, exciting places to take him. It was on one cold, dreary Sunday afternoon in February that the idea of running pop up role play events came into my head along with the name Pop Up Play Village! I thought about it for many months after this vision and it wasn’t until after my daughter was born in June 2016 that I decided it was time to go for it by opening up the world of mobile role play to children and their parents in my local area. Of course, Pop Up Play Village didn’t pop up overnight and as with any build, a great deal of research and testing came before. I wanted every element of the village to be the best it could possibly be and so sourcing the right toys and props took time. Safety, durability and play-ability were key and thankfully, as well as many years of teaching experience behind me, I had two excellent testers in the shape of my children – who were inspiration and guinea pig in equal measure! The doors finally opened on Pop Up Play Village in 2017 and we’re proud to say we’ve undergone huge expansion since. We’re now popping up all over Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Hampshire and Oxfordshire. We run sessions for families and schools, entertain children at weddings and events and host their birthday parties. We’ve already been accredited by the Approved Franchise Association and also have the support of two major high street banks – Lloyds and NatWest. But we’re not sitting back. We’ve got ambitious plans and there’s plenty more to be done if we are to bring the Pop Up Play Village experience to many more families across the country and beyond.

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