Head Teacher at Longworth Forest, Napier, New Zealand

Presenter of Enhanced Discovery Learning & Transition to School Workshops

As an ex Deputy Principal of Lucknow School in Hawkes Bay, Linda has significant experience in implementing play-based learning from both a classroom practitioner and senior manager perspective. Linda established Longworth Forest School in 2014. This was a private facility supporting children 5-6 years of age in learning through hands-on, all day outside play and discovery. Linda is particularly passionate about taking learning outside. She created a natural environment at Longworth Forest that enabled learners to discover and play all day no matter what the weather. Linda believes that engaging learners with their natural environment enables them to grow all the key competencies and connect with their world. Longworth Forest was recognised in 2017 as one of a hundred global innovations in education by the Finnish organisation hundrED.

As co-director of Longworth Education, Linda now delivers workshops on teaching and learning through play as well as working in classrooms supporting teachers who are on this journey. She has been invited as a keynote speaker at Literacy Association Conferences during 2018.