Mini INSET Session: Celebrating Festivals
This comprehensive 1-hour staff meeting template guides early years practitioners through critically reflecting on how festival celebrations are planned and experienced within their setting. The resource challenges surface-level approaches to cultural events, repositioning festival celebrations as opportunities for genuine inclusion and meaningful connection with children and families. Teams work through reflective activities that examine current practice, exploring the difference between tokenistic representation and authentic cultural experiences that truly resonate with the children and communities they serve. The template draws on principles of belonging and cultural identity, encouraging practitioners to consider how festivals can be woven meaningfully into daily life rather than treated as one-off activities disconnected from children’s lived experiences. Each element of the session prompts teams to reflect on the voices of families, the authenticity of resources and materials used, and the lasting impact celebrations have on children’s sense of identity and self-worth. With a focus on moving beyond the decorative towards the deeply relational, this resource includes follow-up activities to embed reflective practice and support settings in developing a more intentional, inclusive approach to cultural celebration throughout the year.
Events in Your Area and LA Links
A series of fully funded events aimed at nursery practitioners, childminders, and educators will take place across the region this spring. These sessions include workshops on early years development and trauma-informed practices. Participants can find local events and book through beyth.co.uk/sph/local-offer, enhancing educational opportunities in their communities.
Webinar: Physical Development – Gross Motor Skills to PE With Helen Battelley
In this webinar from December 3, 2025, Helen Battelley explored how early physical development naturally progresses into more structured physical education. Discover key movement milestones, developmental readiness, and practical strategies to support every child’s movement journey – from crawling and climbing to catching and kicking.
Strengthening Setting Culture in Practice: Insights From the Playhouse By Sarah Ellis (Part 2)
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.
Why Setting Culture Matters, Particularly Now by Sarah Ellis (Part 1)
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.
Case Study – Unlock the Potential of Every Child (EAL)
Jen Wylie, Manager at Sticky Fish Pre-school in Bristol, participated in the Unlocking the Potential of Every Child programme, aimed at supporting bilingual children. Following the training led by Andrina Flinders, she and her team implemented inclusive strategies, enhancing the sense of belonging for bilingual families in their setting.
Supporting Childminders: Connect, Learn and Grow Together
The Bristol & Beyond Stronger Practice Hub offers essential support for childminders facing isolation and challenges. Through networking events, personalized online assistance, and a vibrant Facebook community, childminders can connect with peers and receive practical advice. Additional opportunities include outdoor learning programs and workshops focused on inclusion and parental partnerships, all aimed at enhancing practice and community.
Adventures in Block Play – Part 2 by Robin Taylor
In this blog post by Robin Taylor, Associate Head of St Pauls Nursery School and Specialist Leader in Early Mathematics, discover how block play unlocks deep mathematical thinking in young children. Explore the unique “language” blocks speak through their dimensions, ratios, and properties, and learn how educators can nurture spatial reasoning, comparison skills, and problem-solving through purposeful observation and environment design.
Subscribe to our Bristol Early Years Teaching Hub Mailing List
Sign-up to receive news from Bristol Early Years Teaching Hub by email, including upcoming courses and events, links to additional resources, and more!
