In this session, EYFS and primary school leaders will think about the shape of financial education in their curriculum and how aligning it with their school's values could mean that they are tackling it more than they think. In preparation for the 2028 curriculum changes where financial education becomes statutory, this is the opportunity to explore this topic in more ways than maths leading to a richer understanding for children and an increase in confidence from staff. The Just Finance Foundation supports primary schools across the UK to deliver meaningful financial education to children from an early age. Learn about their free resource, LifeSavers; a values-based Financial Education programme for Primary Schools.

About Just Finance Foundation:
We are on a mission to make sure every child is empowered with financial education for life. At Just Finance Foundation, we are building a future where every child enjoys lifelong financial wellbeing. We know that to make this a reality, every child must receive meaningful financial education from an early age. That’s why our LifeSavers programme is so unique – it not only teaches practical money skills but also instils core values that shape financial decision-making for life. Traditional financial education often focuses solely on skills like counting coins or budgeting. Our values-based approach goes further. We believe that financial literacy is about aligning money management with personal values and aspirations. By integrating lessons on generosity, justice, wisdom, and thankfulness, we help children understand that money choices impact not only their own lives but also their families, communities, and the environment.

Explore how passionate storytelling is key to outstanding literacy provision. Learn how to upgrade your story times with fun and interactive drama techniques, move away from the carpet and go beyond the book to lead engaging moments that weave stories into play. Thinking practical, go-to tips for stories that can be used everyday without any extra ‘stuff’.

Olivia Corbin-Phillip, known as Stories with Liv, is a storyteller and literacy consultant specialising in early years. Liv specialises in interactive and responsive storytelling that put children at the centre of the adventure. She is interested in how stories find themselves in all areas of our lives, and in particular how they present in the play and oracy of young children. Liv is an advocate for early years workforce, championing the work of practitioners and teachers to make the academic work and arts-based research reachable to those on the ground in nurseries and schools.

This session will involve practical tips based on Conor Bathgate’s PhD research.

Conor is a PhD researcher at ISEY. His work explores how noise affects young children’s development. Conor is also part of a Nuffield-funded research project looking at noise in early years settings, how it shapes language and communication for children from disadvantaged backgrounds, and what can be done to minimise the negative impact of noise.

Before his PhD, Conor had 16 years of experience in the early childhood, education, and care sector, working as an early years educator, setting manager, and in quality support roles in London-based early years settings and groups. Conor also worked as a local authority project officer, developing training programmes and promoting CPD engagement across the borough's schools, 90 PVI settings, and 300 childminders. Most recently, Conor worked as a lecturer and programme lead for early childhood degree programmes offered by the London Institute of Early Years (In partnership with the University of Wolverhampton).

Rooted in the evidence-informed approaches of emotion coaching and restorative approaches, this practical session focuses on the everyday interactions that shape children's social and emotional development. it will explore how our responses in moments of dysregulation can help children feel safe, understood and ready to re-engage in play and learning. It will also reflect on how the interactions and experiences children have in Reception can support a confident and successful transition into Key Stage 1. Together, participants will consider how schools can proactively nurture the social and emotional foundations children need to flourish as they move into the next stage of their learning. Come away with practical, immediately applicable strategies to strengthen supportive interactions across your Reception team, develop staff confidence and create emotionally safe environments where every child can thrive.

About: Joe Staines is an Early Years and behaviour specialist at Beacon School Support with over 15 years of experience in primary education, including more than a decade in senior leadership. Passionate about helping every child flourish, he supports schools to develop confident practitioners, strengthen partnerships with families and create inclusive Early Years environments through practical, evidence-informed approaches.

This session will involve practical tips based on Billie Dale's PhD research.

Billie is currently a PhD researcher funded by the Mercers’ Company as a collaboration between the ISEY, the Discover Children’s Story Centre and the London Early Years Foundation (LEYF). Her project takes place in nurseries across East London and involves a one-year child-led storytelling intervention. She is interested in whether this intervention affects the complexity and sequencing of children’s spontaneous speech and play.

Before starting her PhD, Billie achieved a first-class honours degree in Psychology from the University of Bath and has worked as a research assistant within the University of Bath and Birkbeck, University of London, investigating various research questions in infant development, the effects of screen-time on development, as well as cognitive decision-making in adults. In addition to her wealth of research experience, Billie has worked in educational settings with neurotypical and neurodivergent children of various ages.

More broadly, Billie is interested in cognitive development and how we can apply empirical findings to real-world settings that can directly benefit children, their families, and educational practitioners.

This thought-provoking and inspirational webinar explores “Joy”, not as an abstract concept but as a fundamentally important part of every childhood. By examining the neuroscience of Joy, Ben Kingston-Hughes presents a compelling argument that Joy is crucial for supporting all children to thrive and underpins every aspect of their development and well-being. The session then explores practical strategies for using the concept of joy to give all of our children a childhood full of awe and wonder supporting our wonderfully diverse children to flourish. The webinar is based on research for Ben’s latest book, “Why Children Need Joy,” and is humorous, insightful and full to the brim with joy.

Ben Kingston-Hughes is an international webinar speaker, author and multi award-winning trainer. He is also the Managing Director of Inspired Children and has worked with vulnerable children across the UK for over 35 years. His distinctive blend of humour, neuroscience and real-life practical experiences have made his training invaluable for anyone working with children. His game-changing book about play, “A Very Unusual Journey into Play” has gained widespread acclaim and his new book, “Why Children Need Joy” was a finalist for a Nursery World Award for best professional book 2024, where it was awarded “highly commended”.