Octavo’s Erasmus Project number 1 – the Springboard

On a chilly Sunday morning in November 2018, eighteen Croydon teachers met for the first time at a bus stop in South Croydon. This was the beginning of their journey together with the Erasmus Project and one that they are still on. They all say – we took away far more than we ever anticipated.

Five months later they are a team, a learning community, a caring cohort, sharing and supporting each other, committed to self -development and improving their practice.

It was just a five – day course but the learning has not stopped for these teachers. Their Erasmus training was the springboard. They meet regularly, they visit early years settings and each other’s schools, share practice and support each other.

So, what happened?

The eighteen teachers went to Regio Emilio, Italy and back to school! Two days in the classroom, three days in local schools, experiencing the comparative education opportunity that the Erasmus project offers.

The “Creative Teaching Approaches in Early Years” course focuses on children having an intrinsic curiosity, intelligence and recognises this. It was chosen by Octavo because of the opportunity it offered to improve early years education in Croydon.

The strength of the Erasmus project is that it enables teachers to learn about other approaches and see it in practice. Being in a completely different environment, with distance from the usual day to day enables teachers to reflect on their own belief, practice, and rationale.

The teachers are local to each other and understand the challenges that teachers can be presented within Croydon. Schools select teachers for their willingness to participate and to share the learning with the whole school community so that they all benefit.

It is a Croydon community success story – teachers experience innovative CPD, teaching practice improves, teachers are motivated, teachers are retained.

“The course was an absolutely amazing experience, that has enhanced my own practice immensely. The facilitators have been knowledgeable, kind and extremely supportive. It has been the most beneficial CPD training I have ever attended. Thank you!”
Delegate on the Creative Teaching Approaches in Early Years Nov 2019

“We have come away with knowledge of a different approach to teaching and learning. We have had an amazing cultural experience ourselves!
Networking with other practitioners has been invaluable. We have been so well looked after by our lovely trainers.”
Delegate on the Creative Teaching Approaches in Early Years Nov 2019

We are so pleased that we took the initiative to do this. If you would like to be involved in future Octavo projects, please contact: teacher.recruitment@croydon.peachpreview.co.uk