Social pedagogy

Social pedagogy recognises that every child is valuable and can contribute meaningfully to the society in which they live, irrespective of their background. Social pedagogy is about connecting the heart, the head and the hands, and building strong empathetic relationships with each other, with families and with their immediate and wider communities, so children learn to engage and become global citizens.

Social pedagogy is a dynamic and creative approach which is shaped by the context or setting and the relationships between people and society.

Social pedagogy is much more than academic education. It is an approach that helps children to reach their full potential and this means building meaningful and authentic relationships between the child, the nursery and the family. This helps our nursery teams to recognise each child’s strengths, interests and potential.

The LEYF Pedagogy embodies this approach and is our teaching and learning model that enables our children to become curious, enthusiastic learners. Each of the seven strands of our social pedagogy is concerned with holistic learning, and places the wellbeing and happiness of children at the heart of all we do. Kind, caring, harmonious relationships, and an ethos of inclusion, equality and empathy are important. We also prioritise giving our children a voice in their learning and care.

Our Pedagogy shapes the way we teach and support the children in partnership with parents and the wider community. We believe that all learning takes place in and with the world around us. We prepare children to be able to engage with the environmental, technological and social changes they will encounter on their journey to becoming global citizens.

For more information on social pedagogy, please take a look at the Social Pedagogy Professional Association website and the ThemPra website.