Clarrie Smith

Clarrie is a lecturer for the Institute of Childhood and Education, where she teaches and co-ordinates the foundation degree programmes in supporting early years, supporting families and supporting learning and additional needs. Clarrie also teaches on the level 6 professional practice programme, specialising in the early years pathway and supports the franchised provision with Bransley College. Having undertaken a degree in early childhood studies, Clarrie has also completed a MA in early childhood education, EYP, PGCE and a educational doctorate from the University of Sheffield. Clarrie is also a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. 

Before joining Leeds Trinity University Clarrie held a number of positions within early educational settings. She worked as a Programme Leader for the Foundation Degree in Early Years Practice. Within this role Clarrie had the responsibilities to lead the learning, teaching and development opportunities for the students on the foundation degree in early years practice. Clarrie has also worked in Australia supporting the implementation of a new Australian early years curriculum. Clarrie worked as an Early Years Consultant in which she had the responsibility to support the implementation of the Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum with Bolton Local Authorities Early Years and childcare team. This involved working with private, voluntary and independent settings, especially those with provisions for children from birth to 3 years old. Clarrie joined Leeds Trinity University in 2015 where she became a lecturer in early childhood studies.

Clarrie has research areas in creative methodologies and enabling environments for young children. For Clarrie creative methodologies involves using multimodal approaches during research, such as learning walks, photography or models to support dialogue and discussion. Enabling environments for young children means creating child focused enabling environments that are developmental appropriate.

She is currently involved in a research projects/consultancy work project. Her educational doctorate in early childhood education focused on 'illustrating career stories lived early childhood professionals.'  This research examined the concepts of professional identity, professional vulnerability, and career terminology in modern work. The study includes approaches involving creative methodologies using a poststructural/ new materialist lens, especially when involving the practitioners of young children.

Clarrie teaches a variety of modules. These modules are:

• Learning skills for professional practice

• Early years professionalisation

• Leadership and team work

• Reflective practice

• 21st Century Childhoods