Empowering Young Minds: St George's Nursey's Commitment to Child Development

St George’s School remains committed to supporting not only the academic development of its pupils, but also their emotional well-being and resilience. Recently, the nursery community took part in a thought-provoking webinar led by Dr Kathy Weston, one of the UK’s leading experts on parenting and parental engagement, and founder of Tooled Up Education.

During the session, Dr Weston shared research-based insights into how young children build emotional literacy, resilience and a strong sense of identity—all fundamental to healthy development. She introduced the concept of the “five fingers of support,” which encourages families to help children identify their trusted circle and understand where they belong. Dr Weston also emphasised the importance of sensitive, attuned responses to children’s emotional needs, showing how such interactions can significantly influence long-term outcomes in both relationships and academic achievement.

Key messages from the webinar included the value of recognising and praising children’s perseverance in the face of difficulty—described as “catching your child’s resilience”—and the developmental benefits of risky play in safe, supervised environments.

The session served as a powerful reminder of the importance of collaboration between families and educators. At St George’s, the school continues to place strong emphasis on the home-school partnership, recognising it as essential to nurturing confident and emotionally secure children.

St George's has a partnership with Tooled Up Education, a comprehensive digital platform that offers a wealth of evidence-based resources designed to support parents, school communities, and staff. The platform provides tools and information to help families navigate the challenges of parenting, ensuring children and young people continue to thrive.

For more information contact

St George's School, Edinburgh

T: 0131 311 8000