ABOUT

The Dear Academy nurtures confident, curious learners through play and connection.

Philosophy

The Dear Academy is a learning centre that celebrates each child’s individuality. In today’s fast-paced world, children need a diverse set of skills for a happy, fulfilling life.

At The Dear Academy, we develop these skills and promote well-being through fun, play-based challenges. Each child is supported by an experienced practitioner in small, mixed-age groups to reach their full potential.

Our sessions empower children and foster a positive sense of self. Parents are invited to join the journey and learn how to support their child’s growth at home.

Children must have ownership of their learning
Learning is individual and all children are on their own, individual learning journey, developing key learning characteristics at their own rate
Learning characteristics (having a ‘can do’ attitude, resilience, independence, perseverance, collaboration, problem solving, divergent thinking, critical thinking, giving and receiving feedback, emotional regulation and creativity) are the bedrock of all learning including learning in more academic subjects
Children are incredibly capable, natural learners who learn best when they are intrinsically motivated and having fun, play-based, experiences alongside knowledgeable and dedicated practitioners

Children need to see themselves as powerful and competent learners who can apply learning language to express their successes and next steps, empowering them to talk about and critique their own development
Children need positive role models who can guide and support their learning characteristics development, sensitively supporting them to be competent individuals
Group learning is relational and children need to develop social skills which enable them to work with others effectively and with success.
Children should experience a range of learning opportunities, supporting their development of interests, fascinations and learning ‘languages’ (see The Hundred Languages of Children poem by Loris Malaguzzi, Reggio Emilia founder)

The Hundred Languages of Children

The Child

is made of one hundred.

The child has

a hundred languages

a hundred hands

a hundred thoughts

a hundred ways of thinking

of playing, of speaking.

A hundred always a hundred

ways of listening

of marvelling of loving
a hundred joys

for singing and

understanding

a hundred worlds

to discover

a hundred worlds

to dream.

The child has
a hundred languages

(and a hundred hundred hundred more)

but they steal ninety-nine.

The school and the culture

separate the head from the body.

They tell the child;

to think without hands

to do without head

to listen and not to speak

to understand without joy

to love and to marvel

only at Easter and at Christmas.

They tell the child;

to discover the world already there

and of the hundred

they steal ninety-nine.

They tell the child;

that work and play

reality and fantasy

science and imagination

sky and earth

reason and dream

are things

that do not belong together.

And thus they tell the child

that the hundred is not there.

The child says;

No way. The hundred is there.

Loris Malaguzzi

Translated by Lella Gandini

Meet Elizabeth

With 15+ years of experience in early years education and a passion for child development, Elizabeth Powell founded The Dear Academy to offer an innovative, research-based approach to learning.

Elizabeth Powell Founder of The Dear Academy

After studying for a Batchelor of Science degree in Psychology at Leeds University, I soon went into teaching.

Having taught for several years, I found that the education system was not what I had hoped it would be, and I longed to use some of the child development and educational psychology aspects of my degree.

After maternity leave with my second child - at the same time my oldest turned four - I was asked to work in Early Years. Having never been trained in Early Years, I was full of trepidation. However, I quickly discovered that this was the stage where children are allowed more ownership of their learning, and so my love of teaching was reignited.

That year, after much research and hard work, I became one of two Early Years Leading Teachers for the Leeds Education Authority. This was an honour, and I was soon training practitioners and supporting schools across Leeds with Early Years practice.

This post led to the most exciting opportunity of my career - a British Council-funded study tour to Reggio Emilia, a region in Northern Italy internationally recognised for its outstanding Early Years education. This was in 2010, and I have never taught the same since.

After years of exciting and innovative educational practice at both West End Primary School and Newlaithes Primary School, I made the decision to leave the state education system to follow my passion: supporting children in developing their learning characteristics and sense of wellbeing.

This approach, honed since 2010, has seen a great deal of success. The practice I introduced and led at Newlaithes helped make it a highly desirable, oversubscribed school. I’m now looking forward to working with more children across the city, across wider age ranges, and in smaller group settings.

The practice I’ve developed over the past decade and a half has always been collaborative. Working closely with parents has been - and continues to be - a key factor in supporting long-term success for children. Parental involvement is of paramount importance and forms an integral part of The Dear Academy’s offer (see Testimonials).

The Learning Line

At The Dear Academy, we use a learning line approach. The line is a visual tool representing the journey a person takes to acquire new learning.

The Learning Line

The learner moves from what they can do already (beginning black), into the learning pit.

They find a challenge (the rough red) and then work to complete the challenge by using a variety of learning skills and developing their learning characteristics (growing green) until they complete their challenge successfully (brilliant blue).

The learner’s role is to find their individual rough red challenge and work on growing green until they reach brilliant blue! At the point they reach brilliant blue they should feel very proud of themselves for accomplishing something important.

The Goldilocks’ Zone

The Goldilocks' Zone refers to the individuals challenge area. The learner needs to find a challenge that is neither too easy nor too hard but just right!

At The Dear Academy, children move through this learning line again and again with the guidance and support of an experienced practitioner. The language of the learning line also becomes important language at home as it is a powerful tool to discuss learning. Parents can use this language to model their own learning too.