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Thanks you to this year’s speakers and workshop facilitators.

Michael Rosen

Michael Rosen is one of Britain’s best loved writers and performance poets for children and adults.   His first degree was from Wadham College, Oxford and he went on to study for an MA and a PhD. He is currently Professor of Children’s Literature at Goldsmiths, University of London where he co-devised and teaches an MA in Children’s Literature.   

Michael is also a popular broadcaster and has presented BBC Radio 4’s acclaimed programme about language, “Word of Mouth” since 1998, as well as regularly presenting documentary programmes for BBC Radio 4 and BBC Radio 3, including the Sony Gold Award-winning “On Saying Goodbye”.  

Michael has published around 200 books for children and adults and writes a monthly open “letter” to the Secretary of State for Education in The Guardian where he critiques Government policy on schools from the standpoint of a parent.  

Read more of his accomplishments on his website.

Sue Allingham

Sue Allingham started her career as a teacher, finally becoming a Senior Early Years Lead in a Primary School and Lead Teacher for her local authority.  Moving into research Sue gained an MA then a Doctorate, both in Early Childhood Education, from Sheffield University.  This led to her becoming a Local Authority Early Years Adviser enabling her to develop her practice working with provision across the EYFS.  

As an independent consultant, author and trainer, Sue is known for her practical style of working through coaching, mentoring, modelling, training and working alongside.

As Consultant Editor of EYE (Early Years Educator) her writing is familiar to many and she has written two books that support practice across the Early Years and into Key Stage One – Transitions in the Early Years and Emotional Literacy in the Early Years.  Both of these are published by Practical Pre-School Books

Aaron Bradbury-Coffey

Aaron Bradbury-Coffey is an Early Childhood academic, who focuses his close attention toon all aspects of early years and child-centred practice, workforce development, child development and early help. His current role is Principal Lecturer for Early Years and Childhood at Nottingham Trent University. Aaron is also the Chair of the LGBTQ Early Years working group.

He manages his own website and community called Early Years Reviews.

You can also follow him on

Twitter: @AaronEarlyYears
Facebook: Aaron.Bradbury
Instagram: aaronearlyyears

Stella Louis

Stella Louis is a freelance early years consultant. She originally trained as a NNEB nursery nurse and has 30 years’ experience of working with children and families. For the last 10 years, she has been involved in training educators and is particularly interested in observation and its part in supporting learning, development and teaching. Currently Stella leads a small team of Froebelian travelling tutors in promoting, developing and delivering the Froebel Trust Short Courses in the United Kingdom.

Stella is the author of numerous books and articles including Observing Young Children (Sage), Understanding Schemas in Young Children (Bloomsbury) and How to use Group Supervision to Improve Early Years Practice (Routledge).

Greg Bottrill

A former Early Years Lead and Assistant Headteacher, Greg Bottrill is passionate about education being an adventure not a pre-drawn route for children.

He believes that children need to experience something special within our settings, but also be given time and space to reveal their own understanding and magic.

Greg works internationally with settings supporting their own adventures into the world of play and the magic of children.

See more information on Greg’s website.

Helen Williams

Helen Williams is an independent educational consultant specialising in the learning and teaching of primary mathematics. Her particular expertise is in Early Years and KS1 and she has a special interest in developing effective, research-informed, playful opportunities for learning mathematics.

Helen tweets as @helenjwc and blogs (sporadically) here 

Helen’s book Playful Mathematics for Children 3 to 7 is published by SAGE.