Early Years students at Colchester Institute enjoyed a visit from CBeebies star Ben Faulks, best known as Mr Bloom, who visited the College alongside his wife Mimi to introduce their exciting educational initiative, Let’s Grow.
The visit was part of a new partnership between Colchester Institute and Let’s Grow, giving students the chance to discover creative ways to support young children’s learning and development.
During an interactive session, Ben and Mimi introduced students to their ‘nature and nurture’ approach, exploring how outdoor learning, play and active activities can help children build important skills while having fun.
Created in line with the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) curriculum, Let’s Grow offers a range of resources that encourage children to get curious about the natural world. The session gave students ideas and inspiration to take into their own future careers in Early Years.
Arcturus, a Level 2 Early Years student said, “The experience was really interactive. I enjoyed how we got to hold the fruits and vegetables and say hello to them all. I thought this was really good for children’s development, particularly their social skills. If a child feels nervous, they don’t have to immediately talk to another child; they can start by talking to the fruits and vegetables to help build their confidence.”
Summer, another Level 2 Early Years student who took part in the session, said, ““I can use what I’ve learnt in my placement to help me understand children’s emotions and personal development, while giving them something they can take responsibility for and look after.”
Colchester Institute is the second further education institution to adopt Let’s Grow, making the partnership an exciting addition to the College’s Early Years courses.
Joedean Boyle, Area Head for Early Years at Colchester Institute, said, “Let’s Grow brings a really engaging approach to early years education, and we’re excited to see how our students incorporate these ideas into their own practice. It’s a fantastic opportunity for students to explore sustainability and understand how these experiences can enrich the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) curriculum.”
Ben Faulks, co-founder of Let’s Grow said, “We’re so excited to begin this fantastic partnership with Colchester Institute, bringing over 25 years of creative practice together with the EYFS curriculum to provide innovative teaching resources for the next generation of practitioners. Partnerships like this are vital in equipping today’s students with the creative skills they need to become the inspiring teachers of tomorrow.”
