Leeds Beckett University - City Campus,
Woodhouse Lane,
LS1 3HE
Helen Young
Senior Lecturer
Helen is an Early Childhood specialist who teaches across undergraduate and postgraduate programmes focused on children and young people from birth to 18. Her teaching and research interests include early language and communication development, inclusive pedagogy, belonging, play, and nature-based learning. Helen is particularly recognised for her work in Forest School and experiential learning, exploring how outdoor and relational approaches can support children’s wellbeing, confidence, participation, and holistic development.
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About
Helen is an Early Childhood specialist who teaches across undergraduate and postgraduate programmes focused on children and young people from birth to 18. Her teaching and research interests include early language and communication development, inclusive pedagogy, belonging, play, and nature-based learning. Helen is particularly recognised for her work in Forest School and experiential learning, exploring how outdoor and relational approaches can support children’s wellbeing, confidence, participation, and holistic development.
Helen is an Early Childhood specialist who teaches across a range of undergraduate and postgraduate courses focused on the 0–8 and 0–18 age range. She is the Year Group Leader for the BA (Hons) Early Years, teaching and leading modules across early childhood education, language development, play, inclusion, and pedagogy.
Helen has a particular interest in nature-based pedagogy, Forest School, and outdoor learning. She is a Forest School Level Three Practitioner and has been actively involved in embedding Forest School and nature-rich pedagogies across interdisciplinary degree programmes. Her work explores how outdoor environments, play, risk-taking, and meaningful experiences in nature can support children’s wellbeing, communication, confidence, belonging, and holistic development.
Alongside her teaching, Helen is passionate about creating experiential learning opportunities for university students that connect theory, research, and practice. This includes supporting students to critically engage with child-centred, relational, and inclusive approaches to early childhood education.
Helen has an extensive background in Early Childhood education, having previously worked as an Early Years Teacher and Head of Early Years in both the UK and international schools in the Far East. She brings a wide breadth of experience as a lecturer, teacher, mentor, and leader, underpinned by a strong commitment to equitable and high-quality Early Childhood education.
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Research interests
Helen is committed to research that supports all young children to flourish as engaged learners, confident communicators, and valued members of their communities. Her work is particularly focused on early language and communication development, alongside the ways in which early years pedagogy can foster children’s sense of belonging, participation, and inclusion.
In her PhD, Helen is researching how early years pedagogy can better support children learning English as an Additional Language (EAL) within English-medium settings. Her research explores the role of high-quality interactions, the celebration of home languages, and inclusive everyday practices that recognise and value children’s identities, cultures, and lived experiences.
Through this work, Helen aims to contribute to more equitable and responsive approaches to early childhood education, where all children are supported to participate meaningfully and experience a strong sense of belonging. The findings aim to inform future policy, pedagogy, and professional practice within early years education.
Publications (1)
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31 May 2023
Leeds Beckett University Leeds Burmantofts Community Nursery Research Report
This document reports on findings from a research project conducted by staff from Leeds Beckett University’s School of Education and School of Humanities and Social Sciences. The purpose of the research was to develop understandings of the facilities and provision at Burmantofts Community Nursery and to explore how the nursery can plan for the future to better meet the needs of the local community.
Current teaching
- MA Education and Early Years
- BA (Hons) Early Years
- BA (Hons) Childhood Studies
- BA (Hons) Education Studies
- BA (Hons) Psychology in Education
