Upcoming events

This is a one-hour session for people interested in participating in the April 2026 Reggio Study Week . When you register you'll receive a Zoom link for the session, then please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. outlining your main questions (remember there's lots of information already in the Event details.)

"honing early childhood education from the principles of relationship, encounter, enquiry, exchange and expression"

Introducing Sightlines Initiative pedagogical principles which have been articulated in close relationship with the experiences and practices of our colleagues in Reggio Emilia.

Our principles have been developed over many years in the UK context. How can Reggio-related pedagogical principles be practiced in the UK? The session will introduce the Sightlines Initiative principles and illustrate them with experiences from Early Years and Primary School contexts.

The construction of this relationship-rooted education expects educators to be listeners, researchers, co-constructors and proactive. Internationally speaking, UK early childhood educators are comparatively under-supported, under-qualified and under-paid. But all staff groups are able to become wonderful, researchful teams – we have seen this transformation as staff prioritise the setting as a place of relationships and find the courage and energy to ask good questions:

• What are ways in which we can resource and support children in enlivening their curiosity, confidence, daringness, absorption, questioning, exhilaration? 
• What are  ways we can find to bring these children together to discuss, agree and disagree? To engage in significant learning groups, delving into important ideas, experience and construction of knowledge? 
• What are ways in which we can enable their sociable autonomy and rightful importance as citizens?

Sightlines Initiative: principles & characteristics for a relational pedagogyOur pre-schools, centres, schools can all be places of delight and research for children, for educators, families, communities. The aspirational journey can have a sound beginning in the fundamental enquiry – 'How do we learn to live well together?

An in-depth encounter with Alessandra Braglia, Reggio Emilia pedagogista

with additional UK examples from Sightlines’ Network

Hosted by the National Education Union

"Ideas fly, bounce around, accumulate, rise up, fall apart slowly, or spread, until finally one of them takes a decisive hold; it flies higher and conquers the entire group of children.” Loris Malaguzzi: from 'Daily Life at School: Seeing the Extraordinary in the Ordinary.' Making Learning Visible page 72

This day will be an unparallelled opportunity to engage directly with a  representative of Reggio who has such long-term and deep experience, and is ready to dialogue and debate in English. Be inspired by what is desirable and possible in early childhood education.

Reggio Emilia regards itself as 'a city of education.'  Since 1945 this experience has grown with parents, community, educators striving to grow and understand and prioritise, working closely together all the way.

In a period in the UK when educators and parents are finding a common voice to express what education should be like for their children, in a time when ‘policy’ is still at odds with these visions, it is a time to learn and act.

We will consider how the Reggiane experience can inform the efforts of UK educators and parents in creating intelligent education together.

This is a one-week study visit to learn about and be inspired by the world renowned educational approach of the preschools and infant toddler centres of Reggio Emilia. We will be a 25-strong contingent as part of a large international study group. 

The preschools of Reggio Emilia have for more than a half-century been an international beacon for educators seeking to form enlightened education.

The vision and determination of a local community to create places of warm convivial learning for their children, enriched by a tenacious, researchful vision for education is a lasting and powerful contradiction to the idea of placing children in a uniform environment of passive instruction.

These are times of possibility. Many have seen that other ways of living and learning are indeed preferable. Multitudes of educators, head teachers, parents and advocates are striving to protect and develop possibilities for educational experiences with children’s rights, wellbeing and proclivities for natural enquiry at the heart.  Internationally we can see the development of education with principles informed by the intelligent work of Reggio’s preschools.

Sunday 19th - Friday 24th April 2026

Loris Malaguzzi International Centre, Reggio Emilia, Italy.

This course will explore the key principles underpinning the Reggio approach to early childhood education including:

• History and background
• Creativity and expressive languages of children
• The pedagogy of listening
• The environment as 'the third teacher'
• Parents as partners
• Democratic citizenship
• Children as the subjects of rights
• Children and educators as researchers
• Observation, interpretation, documentation
• Making learning visible
• Professional dialogue

Read on for further details and booking, including how you will receive our help and support before, during and after the study week.