Leia Derounian

Leia is an Early Learning & Childcare Locality Lead Officer working within the Aberdeen City Council central Education team. Through this role she takes a lead in supporting the development of outdoor play across the City’s Early Years provisions and beyond. 

She has a wealth of Nursery and Primary teaching, learning and leadership experience, which spans diverse curriculum, pedagogies and cultures. After spending a decade teaching in the Middle East, Leia returned to Scotland to follow her passion in Early Years and (green!) nature pedagogy. Despite laying roots in Aberdeen, she continues to seek new perspectives on children's being, experiences and development through international study visits, collaborations with colleagues worldwide and her part-time MEd studies in Early Years Pedagogue.

Leia’s current role has enabled her to work closely with practitioners to support high quality, reflective practice, encourage nature to be an integral part of childhood today and contribute to local and national initiatives in the field of outdoor play. Most recently Leia has supported the design, development and opening of Aberdeen’s first two Local Authority run outdoor Early Learning and Childcare settings, which continue to bloom with the passion it’s staff, children, families and wider communities have for the natural, living spaces they are part of.