Category: News

Reflective Practice Lead and DSL Leila Garau Taylor explores what the updated EYFS safeguarding requirements around privacy during intimate care mean in practice, reflecting on how we can balance children’s dignity and feelings with safeguarding, and how everyday routines teach children about consent, body autonomy and respectful relationships.

Childminder and former primary teacher Liz Willcox explores what genuine partnership with parents looks like beyond the settling-in period, sharing practical insights on building trust, navigating harder conversations, engaging families who may find it difficult to connect, and making communication truly two-way.

Ruth Glover, CEO of Springboard Opportunity Group, emphasises understanding behaviour in early years as a form of communication linked to sensory experiences. She advocates for a sensory-informed approach to better interpret children’s needs, proposing strategies to create supportive environments. By viewing behaviours as signals rather than challenges, educators can enhance inclusion and self-regulation, ultimately aiding children’s learning and development.

In this blog post by Caren Egan, an early years leader with over 25 years of experience, she reflects on navigating the evolving inspection landscape with confidence and clarity. From the updated EYFS framework to the new five-point grading scale, Caren explores what genuine quality looks like on the nursery floor every day, and why high standards are not about inspection readiness, but about keeping children’s wellbeing and learning at the heart of everything we do. If you are a leader or manager in early years, this is a must-read for staying grounded, supporting your team, and leading with purpose through a period of real change.

Sarah Ellis, Nursery Manager at Bristol Children’s Playhouse, reflects on enhancing the nursery’s culture and vision. Following challenges to stability, staff engaged in collective reflections about their ethos and values, shaping a new vision aligned with families’ aspirations. This ongoing process aims to support child development and staff well-being through collaborative culture building.

Sarah Ellis, Nursery Manager at Bristol Children’s Playhouse, discusses the significance of setting culture in early years education in her blog series. The first part emphasises the impact of a supportive culture on staff retention and child attendance, highlighting the need for tailored cultural practices that reflect community needs.