Ms Deirdre Grogan

Professor Of Practice

Strathclyde Institute of Education

Contact

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Personal statement

As a principal knowledge exchange fellow I lead the development of play within a range of early years settings from ages 3-8, across a variety of Local Authorities delivering Continual Professional Development to teachers and educators to enable them to be confident in delivering child led learning.  I have been very successful in securing a range of funding to improve impact of the following : 

  • Creating effective learning environments for young children
  • Engagement and Interaction
  • Documenting young children's learning
  • Literacy and the young child
  • Pushing Play into P2
  • Reflections and Developments 

My focus in Knowledge Exchange has its foundations in strong, active and innovative networks that operate in local, regional and national contexts. This character is a strength and essential to the pedagogic, collaborative and research aims that underpin it.  Within these contexts, I have a strong and recognised track record specifically in the field of early years education. This has resulted in successfully securing a range of contracts, including in this academic year, which are clearly set to development further across Local Authorities in Scotland. My reputation is as an academic who develops new knowledge exchange programmes driven by robust research methodologies and innovative techniques. Over the last 3 years (2016-2019) I have worked closely with a research assistant to ensure that key findings are embedded in my training. 

I have tracked different methods of documenting young children's learning within the nursery sector and early primary to establish the effect on children's thinking. I work with educators to continually develop new creative ways of documenting learning - successful examples include learning walls, documentation stories, profiles.

I have been commissioned by various Local Authorities to deliver key note presentations focussing on my research into play based learning.  

My training and research combines to impact early years education in Scotland. 

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Publications

An exploration of practices for rights-based education through promoting voice in the early years : building a spider’s web
Robinson Carol, Wall Kate, Murray Jane, Evans Erica, Grogan Deirdre, Bowes Charlotte
Children’s Voice and Agency in Diverse Settings International Research and Perspectives (2024) (2024)
https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003360995-4
One-ery Approach West Dunbartonshire
Grogan Deirdre
(2021)
One-ery Approach West Dunbartonshire
Grogan Deirdre
One-ery Approach West Dunbartonshire (2021) (2021)
The national picture : early childhood education and care in Scotland
Arnott Lorna, Grogan Deirdre
The Early Years Foundation Stage Theory and Practice (2021) (2021)
Pushing play in primary : findings from three case study classes
Arnott Lorna, Lamb Christie, Milligan Kayleigh, Connor Nicola, Grogan Deirdre
SERA Research Education Bulletin, pp. 44-50 (2020)
Realising the Ambition - Being Me : National Practice Guidance for Early Years in Scotland
Crichton Vicky, Carwood-Edwards Jean, Ryan Janine, McTaggart James, Collins Janice, MacConnell Mary Pat, Wallace Lesley, Diamond Catherine, Grogan Deirdre, Carey Jenny, MacAulay Liz, Shaw Nicky, Gill Catriona, Johnston Kathleen
(2020)

More publications

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Professional Activities

The Play Feed
Speaker
10/6/2026
Language of Listening
Speaker
22/4/2026
The Play Pipeline
Speaker
25/3/2026
Pedagogical Leadership
Speaker
22/1/2026
Play beyond Early Years
Speaker
22/1/2026
Children as Learners
Speaker
18/10/2025

More professional activities

Projects

play Pedagogy
Grogan, Deirdre (Principal Investigator)
This programme of twilight sessions has been designed to support staff at St Lucy's Primary School in implementing a play-based approach within the early years. The content has been developed collaboratively, ensuring that the sessions reflect staff needs, interests, and areas for professional development, while providing practical strategies to enhance play-based learning and teaching.
27-Jan-2026 - 24-Jan-2027
Pages of Documentation
Grogan, Deirdre (Principal Investigator)
This session was designed to support staff at Dargavel ELCC in reflecting on the quality of their documentation practices. Drawing on key principles from the Reggio Emilia approach, a set of criteria was developed to enable staff to critically evaluate the effectiveness of their documentation, identify strengths, and agree on possible next steps for further development.
17-Jan-2026 - 17-Jan-2026
Blueprints for Best Beginnings
Grogan, Deirdre (Principal Investigator)
This online session was specifically designed for all staff new to play pedagogy. The session is presented in four chapters to allow a development of thought to support all staff implement play. The balance sheets at the end of the session were designed as a bridge between theory and practice.
09-Jan-2026 - 09-Jan-2026
The Child's Curriculum
Grogan, Deirdre (Principal Investigator)
Presenting key finding from my scholarship project on 'The Child's Curriculum' A framework has been designed from the data collected in Spateston ELCC to allow practitioners to revisit and review their own practice.
01-Jan-2026 - 01-Jan-2026
Pages of Documentation - Dargavel ELCC £820
Grogan, Deirdre (Principal Investigator)
Documentation and Evidence of Learning Support – A bespoke two-session programme designed for early years settings, focusing on effective documentation practices and capturing children’s learning. The sessions support practitioners to develop meaningful approaches to observation, assessment, and documentation that celebrate children's experiences, inform planning, and communicate learning with families and stakeholders
21-Jan-2026 - 17-Jan-2026
Play in Primary 3/4
Grogan, Deirdre (Principal Investigator)
This online session examines the progression of play pedagogy for children into the first level to allow educators to develop challenge and also collaboration. example from the field were used to support key discussions and next steps.
20-Jan-2026 - 20-Jan-2026

More projects

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Contact

Ms Deirdre Grogan
Professor Of Practice
Strathclyde Institute of Education

Email: d.grogan@strath.ac.uk
Tel: 444 8055