Insights from Reggio Emilia: reimagining learning in our Junior School context

During the April school holidays, I had the privilege of joining Emma Chiera (Deputy Head of Junior School – Personalised Learning), alongside 400 international delegates, on a study tour to Reggio Emilia, Italy. This was an incredibly rich and thought-provoking experience – one that offered deep insights into a truly inspiring educational philosophy that genuinely values the holistic development of the child.

Understanding the Reggio Emilia approach

The Reggio Emilia approach is rooted in a belief that children are capable, curious and full of potential. What began as a grassroots effort by a devastated community rebuilding after World War II has grown into a globally respected educational movement. The story of women selling a leftover tank to fund the first school is just one powerful example of the community’s unwavering commitment to education. Today, that same spirit of collaboration and shared purpose continues to shape the way Reggio schools operate.

While we explored many ideas and concepts during this experience, several in particular resonated with me:

• The ‘Hundred Languages’ of children: the ateliers – creative, well-resourced spaces for children to express and explore – reminded us of the many ways children communicate, learn and connect with the world.
• Collaboration at every level: educators, atelieristas, kitchen staff and families all work in genuine partnership. Everyone’s role is valued in shaping the educational experience.
• Democratic learning: children are active participants in their learning journeys, and families are meaningfully involved in school life and even broader policy conversations.
• Learning made visible: documentation is used not just for assessment but to reflect, revisit and celebrate children’s thinking and development.
• The environment as teacher: classrooms and outdoor spaces are designed with intention. They’re not just backdrops for learning – they’re co-constructors of it.

Seeing it in action

One of the most powerful aspects of the tour was seeing these principles lived out in real settings. In infant-toddler centres, preschools and the Loris Malaguzzi School, learning environments were alive with curiosity, experimentation and joy. Children engaged in projects using everyday and recycled materials, exploring ideas with depth and creativity.

From the welcoming morning meetings to the dynamic interplay between indoor and outdoor spaces, it was clear that this approach values every moment – and every interaction – as part of the learning process.

The role of families was also striking. Their presence isn’t tokenistic; it’s integral. Parents are deeply involved in classroom dialogue, learning documentation and even shaping the educational direction of their communities.

Key learnings for our Junior School context

The study sessions reinforced a number of important educational ideas:

• Social constructivism: learning happens through relationships – with others, with materials and with the world.
• Progettazione: this Reggio concept of pedagogical planning is less about rigid outcomes and more about observing, reflecting and planning in cycles – an evolving process.
• Creativity and aesthetics: these aren’t add-ons; they’re at the heart of meaningful learning.

Central to the tour was a thought-provoking question: How do we build a more inclusive and democratic society through education? It’s a question that feels globally more relevant than ever.

As I reflect on this experience, I’m reminded of the depth and possibility within education when we truly centre children’s voices, creativity and relationships. This journey through Reggio Emilia was not only professionally enriching but personally affirming. It reaffirmed our role as educators in shaping spaces where children feel seen, heard and inspired to learn. And perhaps most powerfully, it brought me back to the words of Loris Malaguzzi – words that encapsulate the heart of the Reggio Emilia approach and serve as a guiding principle for our own context: ‘Nothing without joy’.

Kylie Baxter
Head of Junior School 

Feature image: the delegates who attended the study tour.