Developing learning environments: Astrea Academy Trust project
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In this episode Lauren Middleton and Melissa Wilson from Hartley Brook Primary School, Astrea Academy Trust, talk about how their practice and understanding has changed since embarking on the Brain-SET project. The year-long project focused on enabling children to feel emotionally secure and ready for learning, by looking at classroom design in terms of lighting, noise, the use of colour, furniture layout and more. The overall aim was to really bring calm into children's lives, which is particularly important for areas of disadvantage which Astrea Academy Trust schools work within.  To find out more about the project, see videos and photos of the environments and hear practitioner interviews, visit: https://thevoiceofearlychildhood.com/projects/astrea-academy-trust-project) Episode break down: 00:00 – Introduction to the project 01:30 – The school context 02:45 – Developing the learning environments 03:30 – Understanding the theory behind the practice 04:25 – From bright colours to calming tones 06:00 – Opportunity to focus on more time with the children 11:19 – Changing the environment according to children’s needs 14:00 – Educator professional development 16:10 – Understanding new children’s needs 19:00 – Taking a step back to notice the changes 21:54 – Aligning practice with wider values and ethos 22:50 – Aligning with the senior leadership team For more episodes visit The Voice of Early Childhood website: https://www.thevoiceofearlychildhood.com)