Author makes imagination fuelled visit to primary schools

Wellington Lions Primary Academy in Tidworth and Wellington Eagles Primary Academy in Ludgershall welcomed author and play expert Greg Bottrill last week to support and help staff improve their understanding of the importance of play within the early years setting.

Greg, who has written many books about early education, spent two days working with children and staff at the schools.

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Staff were keen to take on Greg’s vision that education should be an immersive adventure done with children, not to them.

A self-titled advocate of childhood, Greg said: “Real play emanates from and is led by children, rooted in their imagination, their dreams, their wonder and this can easily be lost in the adult world which demands progress, measurability and outcomes.

Greg Bottrill with students of Wellington Lions Primary Academy (Image: Wellington Primaries)“‘Can I go and play now?’ all too quickly becomes something young children say in our early years settings.

“It’s a phrase that reflects their disconnection from their learning.

“Often, they are removed from their own play to participate in group work, worksheets or adult-led interventions.

“My aim is to create a learning landscape in which you can have an adventure; everything in the room and outside has to be an ally for that to happen.

“These children are people and what we’re doing is forming who they are in the future, all of us as adults carry a child with us, all the good stuff and we carry the trauma as well.”

Greg’s work involves using secret passwords and codes to unlock the adventure of imagination.

He explained: “When children use these codes, something magical happens.

“Simply put, if a child believes they can turn into a pig as a child, they can believe they can change the world as an adult.”

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Greg Bottrill with students from Wellington Eagles Primary Academy (Image: Wellington Primaries)Executive head of the primary schools Claire Addis said: “We are delighted to have had the opportunity to work with Greg Bottrill, as his ideas complement and enhance our primaries own visions and beliefs around the magic of childhood.

“We have based our curriculum around ‘The Curious Child’ and we have dedicated staff who are passionate about providing our children with enriching and exciting experiences so that they can all achieve success in their learning journey.

“We actively encourage our children to be enthusiastic, resilient, collaborative and aspirational.”