Pete Moorhouse

Biography

Pete Moorhouse has been successfully introducing woodwork to children in early years education for many years. He is a professional sculptor, public artist and artist educator, with over 25 years’ experience of working in schools and early years settings. His sculptural work can be seen at www.petemoorhouse.co.uk

Pete has undertaken many artist residences in early years settings and is currently Artist Educator at St Werburgh’s Park Nursery School, Bristol, where he works together with children on various activities and provocations to promote creativity and creative thinking. His practice is particularly influenced by Froebellian ideas and the Reggio Emilia atelieristas.

Pete is an associate trainer for Early Education and delivers continuous professional development (CPD) training and conference presentations. Pete is also part of the International Creative Education Network and the International Art in Early Childhood Association. When most settings were deterred by widespread fears around safety and litigation, Pete
continued almost singlehandedly to promote and advocate for the inclusion of woodwork in
early years provision. For the last decade Pete has been on a mission, extolling the virtues of
woodwork up and down the country. He has spread the message by presenting at conferences,
delivering training, writing journal articles, supporting educational suppliers and taking the
message overseas from mainland Europe to the Middle East and from Japan to Bhutan.

Pete is an honorary research fellow at the Graduate School of Education, University of Bristol,
and is conducting ongoing research into the impact of woodwork and creative and critical thinking in early years education. Pete also collaborates on an international research project to promote woodworking in early years education (The Big Bang, Small Hands Project) and has had books and journal articles published about creative woodwork. He is chair of the Early Years Woodwork Association. For more information about Pete's work in education see: irresistible-learning.co.uk

Education

Bristol School of Art and Design

Areas of Research / Professional Expertise

Creative and Critical Thinking in Early Years Education
Woodwork in Early Years Education

Personal Interests

Hiking, travel, family and making

Websites

• Irresistible Learning

• Pete Moorhouse Sculpture

Books

Photos