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Early Years Lecturer and Programme Manager
Institute of Education and Humanities
Email: n.young@uwtsd.ac.uk
Phone: 01267 655404
Role in the University
Natasha is an Early Years lecturer on the Early Years Education and Care programmes at the University. She is also the programme manager for the traditional three-year BA undergraduate degree, both with and without Practitioner Status. These roles include all aspects of the day-to-day running of a Higher Education programme.
Natasha’s research interests lie with play-based pedagogies, safeguarding, and developing a more collaborative approach to policy making in Wales.
Background
Natasha has a wealth of experience in the early childhood education and care sector, having worked in both the non-maintained sector and volunteered in schools. She has worked in a range of positions, including as the manager of a Welsh-medium nursery setting and also as a childminder.
Natasha holds a first-class honours degree in Early Years Education and Care and a Postgraduate Certificate in Teaching in Higher Education. She is currently in the second year of a Professional Doctorate in Children’s, Young Peoples and Community Services. Natasha has been actively involved in curriculum design with the Welsh Government and is dedicated to raising the importance and effectiveness of co-collaboration in policy making. She is also interested in raising awareness of the ever-evolving safeguarding landscape in Wales and the UK.
Academic Interests
Natasha co-ordinates and teaches on a broad range of undergraduate modules, including Play, Additional Learning Needs, Maths and Science and the Outdoors, and Human Development. Her particular areas of interest and specialism are safeguarding, play pedagogies, and elements of leadership such as the impact of quality provision and teamwork.
Research Interests
Natasha is new to the field of research, but has a keen interest in the role of play and safeguarding. She has recently become interested in the use of conversation analysis as a methodology and its use in identifying and analysing the minutiae of interactions that support children’s development.
Expertise
Natasha has contributed to Welsh Government working groups, developing early years enabling learning guidance for the New Curriculum for Wales and shaping the curriculum for the funded non-maintained sector.
Enterprise, Commercial and Consultancy Activities
- ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø representative for the Welsh Government consultation on Assessment Arrangements for Funded Non-Maintained Nursery Settings.
- Contributor to the Welsh Government playlists and resources for the Curriculum for Funded Non-Maintained Nursery Settings.
- Co-deliverer of bespoke professional learning for the early years in the form of Sustained Shared Thinking
- Researcher on the Sustained Shared Thinking research team at ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø, contributing to ongoing research projects in this area.
Additional Information
Natasha has presented at EECERA conference in relation to research.