Alphablocks Nursery School | Ofsted Outstanding | Hadley Wood

The ‘Reggio Emilia’ approach to education originated in Northern Italy right after the end of World War II. It was created by Lorris Malaguzzi, a teacher, and parents who lived in the area around Reggio Emilia. The number of Reggio settings grew rapidly and the reputation of the alternative approach grew stronger over the years. During the last quarter century it has attracted international attention. In this post, we look at the many benefits of this approach to early years education.

A key principle of the Reggio approach is the recognition that children have rights when it comes to their learning. The child is put at the centre of the practice by being treated as a ‘knowledge bearer’. By valuing children in this way educators must put more emphasis on really listening to the children. Our school fully adopts and promotes this principle: every member of staff at Alphablocks Nursery School & Pre-Prep, Hadley Wood, is expected to listen and give ample time and space to children to express themselves.