Early Childhood in Society (Graduate Practitioner) BA (Hons)

Nicola Stobbs

Nicola came to Worcester at the age of 18 to train as a teacher when the university was Worcester College of Higher Education. Living in Halls and student housing around the city, she loved her experience so much she was more than happy to accept a job at the university in 2012.

Nicola began her professional career as a primary school teacher in an area of economic and social deprivation, initially teaching Years Five and Six before moving to Year One. During this time Nicola assumed various leadership positions, including responsibility for creative play.

In 2000 Nicola became the manager of a pre-school near Worcester and enjoyed supporting children and families at a time of change and professionalisation for the early years workforce. It was during this time that she became interested in children’s friendships, particularly those who are socially withdrawn, and made this the focus of her masters dissertation.

Nicola became the course leader for the BA (Hons) Early Childhood (Professional Practice) in 2017, which was revalidated as the BA (Hons) Early Childhood in Society (Graduate Practitioner) in 2019

Dr Carla Solvason

Dr Carla Solvason came to the University of Worcester in 2008 having previously worked as a primary teacher, an advisor for a charity and a researcher. During her time at the university, she has held a variety of roles, including: partnerships lead, chair for the school of education ethics committee, research and knowledge exchange representative for her department, quality representative for her department and lead on the Early Childhood Masters pathway.

Carla has led on a wide range of modules, from parent partnership, to language development, to study skills to special educational needs. Over recent years her teaching has increasingly focused upon preparing students to carry out ethical practitioner research and preparing final year students for the professional responsibilities of leadership in practice. Carla also delivers CPD in supporting children with speech and language difficulties.

Carla is an active researcher and has published widely, particularly in the areas of ethical practitioner research and parent partnership. She has carried out longitudinal, funded studies on supporting language development in primary school and the role of collaborative research clusters. She is currently developing research in the areas of: supporting the parents of children with SEND, longitudinal research into the impact of a local authority disability service, and the health, well-being and self-perception of Early Childhood practitioners. She is also busily working on three current book contracts, these include the topics of: partnerships with parents, the unrecognised skills of the Early Childhood practitioner and the role of ethics in education.

Stuart Gallagher

Stuart’s interests lie in the development of change-makers in children's services through higher education. His work aims to support students and colleagues to integrate personal development with practice change.

Previously, Stuart was a School Lead at an independent Steiner Waldorf school, Education Welfare Officer in two English local authorities, and an informal and non-formal educator.

Nicola Watson

Having majored in Philosophy in her first degree, Nicola went on to train as a solicitor working predominantly in the area of family law and mental health. During this period Nicola became interested in Alternative Dispute Resolution and trained as a Lawyer Mediator working for many years with separating couples; enabling and facilitating them to reach agreements themselves rather than resorting to court proceedings.

In 2001 Nicola returned to teaching working mainly in Early Years but also in the primary sector. As a teacher, Nicola drew upon her experiences as a mediator to support children to manage conflicts and social relationships This formed the basis of her dissertation during her M.A. studies.

Nicola feels passionately about promoting the interests of the least powerful in society, protecting the environment and non-human animals.

Alison Prowle

Alison has extensive experience of early years provision and family intervention (including the role of parenting), as an academic, a front-line practitioner and as a senior manager in local government. Following several years teaching in primary and secondary phases, she became Head of Department in a large urban comprehensive school. Subsequently, she worked for a number of years in various community development roles and as a Development Manager for SureStart. In 2007, she was appointed as Integrated Services Manager for Children, Young People and Families within the education department of a Welsh Local Authority. Within this role, Alison had responsibility for a range of universal and preventative programmes including early years services, parenting and family support, integrated children's centres, play provision, pupil referral units and the education welfare service. During this time, she worked closely with Welsh Government in the development and roll out of the Flying Start Programme and Families First Initiative.

Since joining the Department for Children & Families in 2012, Alison has enjoyed teaching across a number of programmes, retaining specific interests in parenting, family support, leadership and childhood adversity.  

Sue Baylis

Sue has worked with children and their families or carers in a range of statutory and private organisations in education and social care over the last 25 years. Her career in early years work began in an early years setting for 60 children in rural Worcestershire and developed over the years as she learned more about children with disabilities, child protection and family support. In later years, her role as a practitioner expanded to include work with children with moderate to severe disability and others who had a diagnosis of autism. Her interest in children with autism grew and she worked for 6 years specialising in supporting children with ASD at a nursery assessment unit in Worcester City Centre. Sue's values and beliefs are grounded in giving children positive experiences, a sense of self-worth and valuing their contribution.

Thomas Weaver

Tom works as a Senior Lecturer across two Departments in the University of Worcester,  the Department for Children and Families and the Department for Primary Initial Teacher Education. 

Tom’s research interests include transpersonal psychology and transpersonal education and how these relate to work with children and families in different contexts; student engagement and student voice and the balance between support and challenge in a Higher Education context; and the teaching of mathematics, particularly approaches that reduce potential anxiety.

In a wider context, Tom is the School of Education Student Survey co-ordinator with responsibility to supporting students and staff in engaging with the surveys and making use of the outcomes. He also Chairs the Department for Children and Families Steering Group which explores ways for the University to engage with the Children and Families sector.