Welcome to SchemaPlay^TM

Early Years Schematic Play Training (UK).

By Lynnette Brock

Welcome to my page. SchemaPlay early years training was born out of an action research project in collaboration with two local authorities. The profound impact of this training inspired me so much that I left my position as an early years lecturer to dedicate myself to delivering this invaluable training to early years practitioners and childminders directly.

The training begins with the identification of ‘schemas’ and ‘schemes’ (Piaget, 1969) in the play of young children. If these terms are new to you, don’t worry; we thoroughly explain them during the training. We then delve deeper: SchemaPlay™ training enhances pedagogical understanding, enabling you and your team to recognise and support children’s cognitive connections – their threads of thought/ideas – that might otherwise remain unnoticed. It advocates for independent, self-initiated play, fostering children’s unique explorations, and offers strategies for effectively implementing timely adult-led provocations. These provocations stimulate ‘sustained shared thinking’, rooted in the children’s schemes, schemas, and personal lines of enquiry, which aids in expanding and deepening their explorations through free-flow play. Our educational approach ensures significant learning and a wide array of curriculum experiences. The EPPE (2004) research underscores the value of our adult-led activities in nurturing ‘SST’, and my training is designed to uphold this concept, fostering development across the Early Years Foundation Stage [EYFS].

Chris Athey (2007) highlighted, “Children are not just flitting; they are fitting!” They are identifying similarities. For example, a child might explore space and size through different play scenarios within your environment. Yet, without grasping the ‘schemes’, ‘schemas’, and the concepts children are exploring, these might remain unrecognised and unaided. This lack of support can manifest as frustration in children when their investigative ideas are not acknowledged. While one child might be immersed in understanding capacity, another might be investigating motion, momentum, and speed. Meanwhile, another child may be fascinated by height and gravity or why objects rotate or do not. It is essential for children to have the chance to explore these concepts through their schematic play, which is often overlooked, and it is our duty to aid their inquiry and nurture and progress their development.

A containing scheme: A child enjoys filling containers to the top – exploring capacity/volume/space and size in different play contexts. What would you do next to support the ideas explored? How might your support progression of these ideas? This is where SchemaPlay training has impact.

SchemaPlay training is suitable for practitioners who are completely new to working in early years, and for those holding a Level 2, 3, 4, BA, or Masters certificate. SchemaPlay provides all team members with a shared language and a joy of tuning into the unique child. Along with our in-house training offering, I also offer online training and online ‘chatter’ sessions/individualised support as you engage in your SchemaPlay journey. And, why not join our Bronze, Silver and Gold Award?

The SchemaPlay Bronze, Silver and Gold Awards – Open to individual educators, childminders, pre-school and nursery settings.

At the Bronze level, either you, or you and your early years team, or your childminding practice will be introduced to nine foundational schemes and schemas. This training highlights the significance of ‘flow’ in free-flow play and strategies to foster children’s freedom of choice, repetition, and freedom of time. You will observe a child to identify their dominant schemes and schemas, as well as their particular lines of inquiry or investigation. These observations will be validated and responded to, with the support of our ZPDF model and the SchemaPlay Response Wheel. The Bronze Award training is designed to assist your team in promoting children’s mastery, self-awareness, autonomy, critical thinking, language development, and sustained involvement in self-directed free-play. My one-day or two half-day initial training session is structured to commence your journey towards the Bronze Award.

At the Silver Level, educators, childminders, and teams who are adept in the nine foundational schemes and excel in fostering ‘flow’ during free play, as well as acknowledging and engaging with children’s distinctive ideas, opening up a breadth of curriculum engagement, will delve into more complex schemes in young children’s play. This extensive training covers seventeen schemes, enabling you/ your team to nurture significant learning opportunities and developmental progress, while also collaborating with and incorporating family insights. The training emphasises the vital role of ongoing support for free play, promoting mastery and self-awareness, as well as advancement, by offering timely provocations that broaden and deepen children’s learning through ‘Sustained Shared Thinking’ (EPPE, 2004) activities. It advocates for the exchange of observations and the facilitation of respectful conversations with families, examining how thorough observation and mutual perspectives on children’s play can improve our collective understanding and strengthen development and outcomes within the EYFS framework. Teams are also motivated to support the ‘home learning environment’. Silver Award recipients gain exclusive access to our SchemaPlay at Home Resource video for distribution to families.

At the Gold level, you or you and your team will continue to enhance children’s learning continuities and developmental journeys by incorporating activities that promote autonomy, critical thinking, problem-solving, and progression. We will delve into the ‘three pillars of sustainability’ and ‘The Rights of the Child,’ offering guidance on how to synchronise a child’s explorations with activities that nurture global perspectives, sustainability, and citizenship. This approach ensures the seamless integration of global education and sustainability, providing a meaningful context for every child.

The Gold Award training focuses on the ongoing learning journeys of children, strengthening their global perspective and fostering equality to improve educational outcomes. Your engagement in the Gold Award will support the integration of the Sustainable Development Goals into daily practice, which is reinforced during the third of three training sessions.

To achieve the Bronze and Silver Awards, you will document a child’s journey either in a poster format, a PowerPoint presentation, video recording or written case study, addressing the criteria of these two Awards. At the Gold level, you are required to submit an article showcasing children’s learning continuities and progression, participation in global education and support for the ‘home learning environment [HLE].

For more information or to arrange an in-house training session, please click the (green button) link below. This will allow us to discuss your training needs, and I look forward to chatting online or on the phone.

I regularly offer online programmes, please click the green button directly above, and deliver Keynotes/Workshops on SchemaPlay for Local Authorities and Universities, with some universities delivering a SchemaPlay (TM) module.

I have been delighted to train trainers and accredit trainers in the UK, in Europe and Western Australia. Please contact me to be put in contact with a trainer in your area. Email: admin@schemaplay.com

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