Excellence Is a Journey. Reflections from Reggio Emilia
"We did not return with all the answers. We returned with better questions."
Why investing in international professional learning matters for children, families and the future of early years education
At KatieB Kids, we believe that the quality of a nursery is only ever as strong as the quality of the thinking that sits behind it.That belief shapes everything we do. It is why we invest so heavily in professional development, reflection and research-informed practice, and why we create opportunities for our team to engage with ideas that challenge, inspire and deepen their understanding of children and learning.
This spring, two members of our leadership team, Hayley Grayston and Tina Foster, travelled to Reggio Emilia, Italy, to participate in an internationally recognised programme of pedagogical study. Known throughout the world for its approach to childhood, learning and community, Reggio Emilia has inspired educators across the globe for decades. However, what we quickly discovered is that a visit to Reggio Emilia is not a training course, a study tour or an opportunity to collect new ideas.
It is something far more powerful. It is an invitation to think differently.
The experience was inspiring, challenging and thought-provoking. It immersed us in deep professional dialogue alongside educators from around the world and encouraged us to reflect critically on our image of the child, the purpose of education and the role we play as educators. Most importantly, it reaffirmed many of the values that already sit at the heart of our Let's Nurture Futures™ Framework while helping us identify ways to deepen, refine and strengthen our practice even further.
What follows is not simply a reflection on a visit. It is a reflection on professional learning, the pursuit of excellence, and our continuing commitment to providing children and families with the very best early years education possible.
More Than a Study Visit
There is often a misconception that visiting Reggio Emilia is about beautiful environments, creative materials or innovative projects. While these things certainly exist, they are not the reason educators travel there.
For many educators, Reggio Emilia is considered one of the most influential educational communities in the world. However, a visit to Reggio Emilia is not about collecting ideas, activities or resources to replicate. It is about exploring a way of thinking.
One of our earliest reflections was the intensity of the learning. The week quickly challenged any assumption that Reggio Emilia is simply about creative experiences or inspiring environments. Instead, we found ourselves immersed in discussions about childhood, democracy, community, learning, research, relationships and pedagogy.
Both Hayley and Tina reflected on the depth of professional dialogue and the level of educational thinking required to engage fully with the experience. The conversations challenged assumptions, prompted reflection and encouraged us to think more critically about the decisions we make every day as educators. Rather than providing a formula to follow, Reggio Emilia invites educators to question, reflect and think deeply about their own practice.
One reflection that emerged repeatedly throughout the week was that the value of the experience is closely linked to the knowledge and experience you bring with you. The more you understand about child development, pedagogy and reflective practice, the more layers of meaning become visible. As the week progressed, we realised that we were not attending a training course. We were being invited into a professional dialogue about childhood and education that has been evolving for decades.
This was not educational tourism. It was professional learning at the highest level.
"The more we learnt, the more we realised there was still to learn."
The Pursuit of Understanding
One of our strongest reflections was that the value of the experience depends greatly on the knowledge, experience and professional curiosity you bring with you.
Reggio Emilia does not provide a formula. There are no step-by-step instructions, ready-made activities or checklists to follow. Instead, it provides questions. It invites educators into ongoing conversations about childhood, learning, relationships, community and the role of education in society.
The more knowledge and experience an educator already possesses, the more meaning they are able to draw from the experience. Throughout the week, we found ourselves returning to previous learning, connecting ideas and reflecting on practice through a new lens. This reinforced something we have always believed at KatieB Kids: professional development is not about collecting certificates. It is about developing the ability to think critically, reflect deeply and continually refine practice over time.
Perhaps one of our most important reflections was that Reggio Emilia cannot be fully understood through a single visit. Like learning itself, understanding develops through revisiting, reflection and dialogue.
The experience reminded us that professional growth is not about reaching a destination. It is about remaining curious, continuing to reflect and being willing to see familiar ideas through a new lens.
A City That Values Childhood
Perhaps the most powerful learning took place outside of the schools themselves. Walking through the city, we were struck by the visibility of childhood. Children were not hidden away from community life. Their ideas, artwork, projects and contributions could be seen throughout public spaces, exhibitions and community settings. Everywhere we went, there was a sense that childhood was valued, respected and celebrated.
One reflection from the visit captured this beautifully:
"The city itself felt like an educator."
Experiencing Reggio Emilia challenged us to think beyond the walls of schools and nurseries. It encouraged us to consider how a community can actively communicate its values through its environment, its relationships and the opportunities it creates for children.
As Hayley reflected during the visit:
"The city must have a vocation for children."
In Reggio Emilia, children are viewed as capable citizens with ideas, opinions and contributions that matter. This image of the child is not confined to educational settings. It is reflected throughout the wider community in the way children are spoken about, listened to and included. This prompted important reflection for us as educators:
How do we communicate our image of the child through our environments?
How do we demonstrate that children's ideas matter?
How do we create opportunities for children to influence their own learning?
How do we ensure that children feel seen, heard and valued?
The experience reinforced our belief that early years education is not simply about preparing children for school. It is about valuing childhood in the present.
These reflections strongly align with our own Let's Nurture Futures™ Framework and reaffirmed many of the values that already sit at the heart of our practice. Perhaps most importantly, we were reminded that values are not simply written in policies or displayed on walls. They reveal themselves through everyday actions, relationships and decisions. That was one of the most powerful lessons we brought home.
Learning as Research
Perhaps the most significant professional takeaway was the idea that learning is not something that happens to children. Learning is something children actively construct.
Throughout the visit, we saw educators acting as researchers alongside children. Rather than rushing to provide answers, they observed, listened, documented and reflected. They were curious. They were willing to sit with uncertainty. Both Hayley and Tina reflected on how challenging this idea can be in practice. As educators, there is often a natural desire to solve problems, answer questions and move learning forward quickly. Reggio Emilia reminded us that some of the richest learning happens when we slow down, remain curious and allow children's ideas the time and space to develop.
In Reggio Emilia, projects are often described as research. Rather than being predetermined topics, they emerge from children’s interests, questions and observations. Educators carefully document these moments, using them to understand children’s thinking and consider how learning might be deepened over time.
We observed how children’s ideas were revisited through conversation, documentation, materials and shared reflection. This enabled children to test theories, make connections and develop increasingly sophisticated understanding.
Another powerful reflection was the value placed on revisiting experiences. In a world that often celebrates speed and constant progression, Reggio Emilia reminded us that deep learning takes time.
Repeated experiences are not a sign that learning has stalled. They are often a sign that learning is becoming deeper.
This challenged us to think more carefully about our own role. The question is not simply, “What are children learning?” The question becomes, “What are children thinking?” And perhaps more importantly, “How do we know?”
The experience reinforced the importance of slowing down, listening carefully and making children’s thinking visible. It reminded us that meaningful learning is not always measured by what children produce, but by the ideas, questions and connections they are developing along the way.
What Challenged Us
The most meaningful professional learning often comes from being challenged.
Throughout the week, we were reminded that high-quality practice is not achieved through routines, systems or checklists alone. It is achieved through continual reflection and a willingness to remain curious.
The visit challenged us to:
listen more deeply
observe more carefully
become more intentional
document children's thinking more meaningfully
embrace uncertainty rather than rush towards answers
Many of the discussions encouraged us to question assumptions we may not even realise we hold. They invited us to look beyond what children are doing and consider what they are thinking, feeling and trying to understand.
One of the strongest messages we took away was that excellence is never finished.
There is always another layer of understanding waiting to be explored, another question to ask and another perspective to consider.
Rather than leaving with certainty, we left with renewed curiosity.
The Power of International Professional Dialogue
One of the greatest benefits of the programme was the opportunity to learn alongside educators, leaders and researchers from around the world.
Throughout the week, we engaged in professional dialogue with practitioners from different countries, cultures and educational contexts. While the settings themselves differed, many of the conversations centred around shared questions: How do we truly listen to children? How do we create meaningful learning experiences? How do we build stronger relationships between children, families and communities?
These conversations challenged our thinking, validated aspects of our practice and introduced new perspectives.
One reflection that particularly resonated with Tina was the concept of NOI — "We Together". Education was not viewed as the responsibility of one person, but as a shared endeavour involving children, educators, families and the wider community. Importantly, the experience reminded us that high-quality early years education is strengthened when educators remain connected to wider professional networks and continue learning from one another.
Professional growth does not happen in isolation. It happens through discussion, reflection and collaboration.
By participating in international professional dialogue, we not only strengthen our own practice but contribute to wider conversations about childhood, learning and the future of early years education. The learning does not remain with the individuals who attended. Through leadership development, staff training, mentoring, professional writing, parent education and ongoing pedagogical dialogue, the reflections from Reggio Emilia continue to influence practice across our organisation and beyond.
Bringing the Learning Home
Perhaps the greatest surprise was not how different Reggio Emilia felt, but how familiar many of the underlying principles seemed. One of the most reassuring aspects of the visit was recognising how strongly many of the principles aligned with our existing practice and values.
We did not return believing we needed to change everything. We are not trying to become Reggio Emilia. We are continuing to become KatieB Kids. The visit did not change our values. It strengthened our understanding of them.
In many ways, the experience reaffirmed the importance of the work already taking place across our nursery. The challenge is not to do more. The challenge is to notice more, listen more deeply and create greater opportunities for children to develop and revisit their ideas over time.
Over the coming months, families and staff may notice developments inspired by this learning, including further exploration of:
storytelling
photography
documentation
clay
mirrors
light and projection
music
open-ended creative experiences
These are not changes for the sake of change. They are opportunities to deepen children's thinking, expression and engagement, while helping us understand their ideas and theories more deeply. Most importantly, the learning will continue to influence how we observe, listen, reflect and respond to children every day.
The greatest impact will not be found in resources. It will be found in how we listen, observe, reflect and respond to children.
The Journey Continues
One of the strongest reflections we brought home was that excellence is not a destination. It is a journey.
The visit reinforced that the best educators remain learners themselves. They continue to question. They continue to reflect. They continue to adapt.
Throughout the week, we were reminded that meaningful professional development is not measured by certificates, courses completed or ideas collected. It is measured by how learning influences practice, strengthens relationships and improves outcomes for children.
The learning from Reggio Emilia does not remain with the individuals who attended. It becomes part of the wider professional learning culture of KatieB Kids. The reflections, discussions and research from the visit are already informing:
leadership development
staff training
Let’s Ignite Learning
pedagogical enquiry meetings
curriculum development
mentoring and coaching
parent education
professional dialogue across the sector
This is how meaningful professional development creates impact. Not through individual achievement, but through collective growth.
One of our strongest reflections is that Reggio Emilia cannot be fully understood through a single visit. Like learning itself, understanding develops through revisiting, reflection and dialogue. A future visit would not simply repeat the first. It would reveal new layers of understanding because we, as educators, would have grown too. In many ways, the experience reinforced that professional learning, like children's learning, becomes richer each time we revisit it.
We did not return seeking to become Reggio Emilia. We returned with a deeper understanding of who we already are, and a renewed commitment to becoming an even stronger version of KatieB Kids.
For our children. For our families. For our team. And for the future of early years education. The journey continues.
“There are three teachers of children: Adults, other children and the physical environment.”