ABSTRACT
Jane Annie Roadknight, who through her role as kindergarten mistress, teacher trainer and inspector, successfully transformed elementary education in Nottingham, firstly under the Nottingham School Board and subsequently with the City of Nottingham Education Authority until her retirement. Jane Roadknight's pragmatism and qualities of leadership became evident as she demonstrated her ability to put her ideas into practice by establishing a model kindergarten at Blue Bell Hill Infant's School. William Abel, Board Inspector, wrote in a highly critical report of 1882: The main objection to the organisation of the Board's Infant schools, is that it is not sufficiently bright and intelligent. Jane Roadknight's understanding and interpretation of Froebel's pedagogy allied with her practical genius were in evidence at Blue Bell Hill Kindergarten and Infant's School. Jane Roadknight and her teachers were making a serious attempt to realise the metaphysical aspect of Froebelian theory, in which free forms of movement, games and dancing were outward expressions of inward action and life.
