Welcome to Learn!

First, I want to thank you for visiting our site and taking the time to read this article.

If you’re here, chances are you’re a parent, a professional teacher, or simply someone with an interest in education. Either way, I hope you find something useful within these articles or our courses.

The rationale for LEARN was born during the COVID pandemic and in response to the adverse effects that health restrictions had on early childhood development. We began to see speech delays linked to prolonged masking, attention difficulties associated with excessive screen time, and social underdevelopment caused by limited peer interaction, just to name a few. As restrictions eased and children returned to school, the general consensus among educators was clear: many children had been affected in some way. The children returning to classrooms were not the same children who had left, and those just beginning their school journey appeared to have been impacted the most.

We noticed that students entering their first year of school required significantly more support than in previous years. While this was understandable given the extraordinary circumstances of a global pandemic, the trend continued even beyond the first cohort of post-lockdown kindergarteners. With parents having taken on the role of “teacher” at home, there appeared to be a shift in expectations around the responsibility of school versus home. Schools were now expected not only to socialize children but also to remediate skills missed during lockdown. Teachers found themselves overwhelmed with support needs; children unable to toilet independently, struggling with basic self-help skills, cooperation, communication, and problem-solving, alongside increased emotional dysregulation and separation anxiety. The pandemic marked a significant shift in education, particularly in what parents expected from the first year of schooling.

I’m reminded of teaching a four-year-old girl who entered K2 with selective mutism, a condition in which a child is unable to speak outside the perceived safety of home. When identified early and supported appropriately, selective mutism can be overcome. If ignored, or worse, mishandled, it can become debilitating throughout childhood and even into adulthood. In this case, I was fortunate to work with highly engaged parents and to have full school support for a collaborative intervention plan. After a year of gradual progress, and with continued support from her next teacher, the child fully overcame the condition. In different circumstances, the outcome could have been very different. How many similar cases go unnoticed? How many families are navigating these challenges without adequate support?

Laura experienced a similar situation with a child entering his first year of school with extreme emotional dysregulation and behavioral outbursts. As his only sibling was much older, his parents had no reference point for what might be developmentally typical. Supporting this child required a disproportionate amount of teacher and teaching assistant time, unintentionally impacting the rest of the class and limiting opportunities for planned learning. Through no fault of his own, the child affected the classroom dynamic and curriculum delivery. Even with strong parental and school support, cases like this require intensive intervention, time, and coordination. Had the parents been more informed about developmental milestones and age-appropriate behavior, earlier interventions may have reduced the impact on the child’s first year of school and the wider class.

That said, the idea for a Seedlings to Scholars-style course predates the pandemic and was not born solely from experiences with special educational needs. Over the years, both Laura and I repeatedly observed a disconnect between the expectations of teachers and those of parents, and vice versa. We often saw parents genuinely shocked during parent–teacher meetings when discussing their child’s school performance. For example, parents might be surprised to hear that their child was independent and cooperative at school, as their behavior at home felt challenging or oppositional. These gaps became even more apparent when I stepped into a leadership role, where increasing conflicts and misunderstandings between teachers, parents, and administration highlighted a systemic issue that needed addressing.

So how do we bridge this gap? How do we better support both parents and children?

We believe online courses and a connected community offer the greatest reach and accessibility. Our first module, Introduction to Early Education, is live and free for anyone who would like to try it. It covers the fundamentals of early education, choosing the right school or kindergarten, and preparing for what can be a challenging transition. We would be very grateful to anyone who takes the time to complete the course and share constructive feedback.

In the coming weeks and months, we will be launching more advanced support modules. I genuinely believe there is significant value here for parents. Even those who are highly engaged and well-researched will benefit, as these courses are designed by teachers with decades of experience. The complete Seedlings to Scholars program aims to be a one-stop resource for parents who feel worried, uncertain, or overwhelmed when preparing their child for school. For more complex or individual situations, we encourage engagement in the community forums (launching soon), where Laura and I will both be active. You can also contact us directly via the contact form or at hi@learnnetwork.net.

I hope this article helps explain why we are here. All resources within these articles will remain free, and I intend to keep them updated as a rolling guide to best practice for parents and educators in the early years. The Seedlings to Scholars course is grounded in current research, and rather than asking you to sift through endless information online, I will curate and present it here for your convenience.

Thank you so much for taking the time to visit us.

Samuel James Gregson