Leslie Patterson

Leslie Patterson

Early Education Associate

Leslie believes that all children are competent and capable learners, given the right environment. She is committed to supporting the development of a knowledgeable, reflective and skilled workforce for children in all types of early years settings. She believes deeply in life-long learning and acknowledges that her own knowledge and ability to improve practice has come from the excitement of discovering alternative possibilities and evaluating how to use new ideas effectively. She has gained a great deal from reading, discussion, sharing of practice, studying and observing other institutions both locally and internationally. Since 2018, Leslie has worked as a freelance consultant. This followed a period of almost eleven years as Headteacher of a maintained Nursery School which she led from Satisfactory to Outstanding by focusing on improving teaching and learning. During this period Leslie became a National Leader of Education and her Nursery School became a lead school of a teaching school alliance. This led to her becoming more widely involved in professional development, supporting struggling schools and settings, and initial teacher training. Before leading the Nursery School, Leslie had many years of experience as a teacher in primary schools where she held several leadership positions.

Areas of expertise​

  • Early Years Leadership and Management

  • Curriculum development

  • Improving provision – review, planning and implementation

  • Adult-child interactions

  • Creativity across the curriculum

Sample courses

Developing an Effective and Appropriate Early Years Curriculum – delivered by Leslie Patterson

Aims and objectives – Delegates will have opportunities:

  • To think about the intent behind their own curriculum and how to express this to wider audience
  • To identify the complex issues that need to be considered in the delivery of their curriculum
  • To begin to evaluate how well the implemented curriculum matches the intentions
  • To consider how the impact of a curriculum can be demonstrated

Audience: For those with responsibility for developing and implementing a curriculum in the EYFS. Ofsted are placing curriculum at the heart of how they will inspect the Quality of Education.  This course supports professionals to articulate this aspect of their provision and to reflect on how well the curriculum matches the needs of those in their care.

Developing concepts that underpin learning in the reformed EYFS – delivered by Leslie Patterson

“Unless children have early and frequent experience of what it feels like to understand something in depth, they cannot acquire the disposition to seek in depth knowledge and understanding – to engage in life-long learning.” -Lilian G Katz

The EYFS offers many opportunities for children to develop skills and knowledge. By offering these opportunities in strong learning environments, with knowledgeable, supportive adults and a wealth of broad learning experiences, we cultivate the conditions in which children can understand more and become competent learners.

These two sessions explore some of the concepts which promote understanding across the areas of learning in the revised EYFS and consider the sort of provision which will provide the strongest likelihood of broadening and deepening understanding.

Quality of Teaching and Learning In the Early Years  – delivered by Leslie Patterson

Course Aims:

  • To support early years practitioners to understand how improving their own practice contributes to raising quality of provision across a setting and, therefore, to improving success in life-long learning for the children in their care.
  • To explore the complexity of factors which impact on quality in the EYFS.
  • The training will enable participants to learn to be more effective teachers, ensuring they deliver quality adult led and child-initiated learning and are aware of the characteristics of effective learning. Furthermore, participants will examine the role of the adult to support, scaffold, and challenge children within their care.  

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