“We’ve not stopped. We’ve tested our skills, tested our knowledge, and we’ve supported each other through it all."

- Beth, Atelier Leadership Team

Where has 2025 gone?! In this special end-of-series episode, jpin us as we take a moment to pause, reflect, and celebrate everything we’ve built together this year, as a nursery, as a consultancy, and… as podcasters!

Joined by our full leadership team (Clare, Beth, Lauren and Laura) we’re taking a look back on a landmark year at Atelier: from the launch of our consultancy and this podcast, to professional awards, Reggio study tours, outstanding OFSTED inspections, and of course the magic of everyday nursery life behind the doors of Atelier.

We share what’s moved us, challenged us, and inspired us, from our team CPD days and enrichment experiences, to key pieces of training and research that have helped shape our pedagogy. We hope this episode inspires our fellow educators, leader and early years professionals to make time for your own reflections and we encourage you to take stock of everything you've achieved this year, big or small. 

Thankyou for listening and being part of the Atelier Talks community - we can’t wait to be back with you again for Series 2 in the new year.

In this episode:

• The word that sums up our year from each team member
• What we learned from our team enrichment activities throughout 2025
• How we kept our Ofsted Outstanding grading (even during a period of transition and staffing challenges!)
• Reflections on new leadership skills we’ve built on throughout the year, including project management, research roles and public speaking
• A reminder on why we prioritise slow pedagogy and mindful moments for both children and staff
• Our full debrief on launching our podcast this year - challenges and wins that have come our way as a result of Atelier Talks
• What to expect from Series 2 and how we hope to include more guests, more connection and more voices from the sector - could that be you…? 

Standing on the shoulders of giants

As always, our reflections are grounded in the influence of the educators and theorists who continue to shape our practice:

• Loris Malaguzzi – for inspiring our relational practice and environments via Reggio Emilia
• Friedrich Froebel – for grounding us in seasonal rhythms and slow pedagogy
• Peter Elfer & Elinor Goldschmied – for emotionally attuned care and the Key Person approach
• Jools Page – for Professional Love in leadership and educator-child relationships
• Mona Sakr – for advocacy and research into the rights of babies and transitions
• Dr. Chris Pascal – for leadership in early years research and reflection
• Aaron Bradbury – for championing practitioner voice, play and anti-bias practice

Find out more:

Website and newsletter: ateliernursery.co.uk

Instagram: @ateliernurseryltd

Consultancy enquiries: Contact us via our website

Together, we’ll unlock the potential for incredible growth and learning.

Atelier Talks is a Decibelle Creative original podcast

@decibelle_creative / www.decibellecreative.com

Keywords: early years podcast UK, atelier talks podcast, early years reflection, slow pedagogy, Froebel training, Reggio Emilia nursery UK, early years enrichment, team CPD ideas EYFS, Ofsted outstanding leadership, early years consultancy UK, professional love in nurseries, EYFS podcast, early years transitions, educator research EYFS, key person model, gallery school, nursery team culture

>> Clare: Welcome to Atelier Talks, the Early Years

Collective.

>> Clare: This is the podcast brought to you.

>> Clare: By the Atelier Nursery team, exploring the art and

science of early years education. We're here to

share knowledge and insights from our unique

research led approach. So if you're passionate

about early years education, you're in the right

place. Let's find out what's in store for you on

today's episode.

>> Clare: Hello and, welcome to Atelier Talks, the earliest

collector. We are feeling full of different

emotions, I think, today because it's our very

last episode, of our first series of podcasting.

So we are joined by all of our original guests and

hosts today. So we've got the lovely Lauren, Beth,

Laura and myself.

>> Beth: Hello.

>> Lauren: Hello.

>> Clare: So we wanted to have a bit of a start. I think

many people do as they get to the end of a year

and they start thinking about the year ahead of

them. just to take a bit of a time to pause and to

reflect and to think back over the last year at

Atelier, and what the word or feeling that

immediately comes to mind when we think about the

last year for us all. it's been a big one. There's

been lots going on with the launch of the

consultancy, the launch of the podcast, an Ofsted

outstanding for Chippenham, continued developments

across both the nurseries. But it's been a big old

year. So, firstly and foremost, I guess, thank you

to all of you for sticking by us and running all

of the madness that happens behind the scenes. But

what would it mean to you, Beth? What would be

your word or feeling that comes to mind when you

think about the last year at Atelier?

>> Beth: I think. Oh, gosh, Word.

>> Clare: Do you want to go second? Yeah, go on, Lauren help

her out. What would you do? I.

>> Lauren: We were talking a lot about. I can't keep it

simple or concise. But it's about being outside of

your. Comfort zone and branching out. So we have

definitely done things this year that we haven't

done before and I definitely feel that there are

things, if you would have brought them up to me, a

year ago, I would have said, no, I can't do that.

I don't have the confidence that I don't have the

skills. But actually, this year we've really

proven. Our, skill set and done things that are

new for us. So that's how I feel about this year.

>> Clare: Bless you

>> Clare: Yeah, I think you're right. There has been.

There's been a lot where we've kind of gone. Shall

we. Shan't we shall we, shall we. And then that

whole bit about we've got that lovely picture in

the office that says, what if it all goes right?

And I think we've knew we've really had a year,

haven't we, of coming out of our comfort zone,

trying new things and then just saying, what if

all goes right? And I think on the whole we can

probably say they have. I hope. Beth.

>> Beth: Yeah, absolutely. I think this year it's been,

it's been huge. I would say. I think my word's

busy.

>> Clare: Is that a good busy or a bad busy day?

>> Beth: We've not stopped. and just like Lauren said, that

trying new things and testing our skills or

testing our knowledge or testing whatever part of

it you want to test, and actually knowing that

between us, even if you get it wrong, we've all.

We. We're strong enough to be able to support each

other and help each other and keep moving

forwards.

>> Clare: I think that really came through in that

leadership podcast that we did, didn't it, where

we were really talking about that kind of

challenging, privately, but actually kind of

really supporting publicly. And I think what's

really happened within our leadership team where

we've come out of our comfort zone is there has

been huge amount of respect and a huge amount of

acceptance that actually some of us have found

things harder than others. You know, it was when

we were talking about doing series two and Lucy

just looked and she went, ah, no, it's not for me.

I've done two and I'm not doing any more. Whereas

Laura, I know you'll be like, give it to me.

>> Laura: Yeah, let's do series two, three and four. Let's

get them all done now.

>> Clare: So what would your, what would your feeling or

word be about the year? Laura where are you at?

>> Laura: For me, I think my word is definitely resilience.

And I think not, not in a negative sense, but in

the sense that we faced, or I've certainly faced

lots of challenges in this year of managing with

staff changes, an officer inspection, and actually

every time I've learned so much from the

opportunity and I've kind of built up my

resilience. So I think now things that maybe I

found a little bit tricky, I'm not finding them so

tricky anymore, or I feel like I've got a greater

coping strategies to manage those things. So I

think definitely resilience. It's been a year of

testing my, my skills, my abilities and growing

those and hoping to keep growing as the, the next

year comes around.

>> Clare: I bloody love that. The fact that you call your

staff turnover or your, you know, the challenge in

terms of recruitment opportunity, you know, if you

couldn't remain, you know, unwaveringly

unapologetic and optimistic, then that's a

statement in itself, isn't it? Proud of you, Laur.

You've had a good year, believe in that.

>> Laura: Thank you.

>> Clare: So we have been really fortunate. We're really

fortunate to have each other as a leadership team.

We're really fortunate to have our teams and the

children and the families we've, got on our books.

But we've also had so many rich professional

experiences. This year we had the Froebel team

come and join us. We were at the Nursery World big

day out. We've had study tours to Reggio, we've

had the Reggio inspired, learning with Hayley

Peacock, we've been to Epoch with Vanessa, as well

as some of the kind of lower key things the

Bristol and beyond, stronger practise hubs, the

local authority training and delivery, our own in

house training and delivery. Have there been any

opportunities that kind of really reflected, or

you've reflected on that have influenced your

practise? What's kind of, where is your practise

and your thinking been this year in terms of the

learning we've been doing?

>> Laura: I found the frugal training to be really, really,

kind of solidifying, I think in my thoughts around

that slow pedagogy. I think for so long we get

ourselves caught up in the. This needs to be done,

this needs to be done, this needs to be done. But

actually really going back to our, our core idea

of that slow pedagogy, the rhythm of the day,

rather than sticking to routines. I've really

tried to embed that in so much of what I do as a

manager, not just with the children, but with the

staff as well. And everything just at that slower

pace. Limit the rush, try and slow things down so

that it feels calm. And that dance isn't that

flowing dance between the. The movement throughout

the nursery. So it doesn't feel like there's just

up and down and moving around. It's really gradual

and gentle. So I think for me, the fro ball really

opened my eyes and really kind of, I think, yeah,

solidified that thinking that I had already about

how we just make it, make it slow. And that

doesn't. Slow doesn't have to mean lazy. It means

just being in the moment with the children and

your staff team and being okay with that and not

worrying about what's coming Next or what's

happening at 2 o', clock, actually, what's

happening right now in this moment for these

children, for these staff. And I think, well, I'm

trying really hard to keep embedding that into

every single day and really pull myself up on it

and reflect when I am maybe starting to think

ahead of note, be in the moment, think about now

and just enjoy it. So I think for me, the fro ball

was a real, really big eye opener for me, that

training.

>> Clare: And hasn't it been glorious to see that kind of go

through the team? I was thinking about when I was

covering you last week and you were off, for your

day off, Laura and Sara was just grating beetry to

make that pink pasta, you know. And in the same

week I was in Bath and Eve was chopping squash to

make squash bread and Mary was in the cabin with

the slow cooker on and the soup was being made

because the temperatures had really dropped. And

that mindfulness that was really starting to come

across, not just the children, but the team, you

know, Emily's put her seed order in so that they

can grow giant, giant vegetables, ready for the

spring. And I think it is that bit about really

taking time, and pausing and reflecting with the

children, but accepting that all of those tiny,

tiny learning moments are precious. I think it has

been magical, to see the rest of that kind of

practise, our leadership, our awareness and also

that prioritising, isn't it? You know, when we're

having those planning meetings, when we're having

those confrontes, really supporting the staff to

take it back. And it's not taking it back as in

making it less worthy, but actually really placing

a higher value, on that slave pedagogy. What about

you, Beth? You've just come back from Reggio. Some

of that must have been magical. Yeah.

>> Beth: Ah, absolutely. No, I had the most wonderful time

being fully immersed in everything Reggio Emilia

and going obviously almost eight years ago before

with a different head on, a different skill set,

a, ah, different responsibility. going there again

now really made me reflect on the. Just seeing m.

Just how important it is for that communication

and that ability to be able to trust your team, to

be with your team, to like, just. And lead with

example. Actually, we know what we're doing, we

are leading, we're on the floor, we're role

modelling, we're with our team the whole way

along. and it was just really interesting because

you just got to sit and I got to talk to one of

the pedagogistas there. and absolutely I recognise

that no matter where you are, you have your

challenges throughout the year. You have your.

Where you need to build your resilience or you

need to test yourself, but actually that happens

everywhere. And, So it was just really lovely to

talk and communicate with people that have the.

That same passion, that same drive.

>> Clare: But it's really astounding, I think, isn't it,

when you kind of, you know, even just for us to be

able to do the podcasts, to be able to take that

time to stop and really reflect back. You know, I

was thinking about this whole year and, bizarrely,

I was trying to think about the last month and I

was gonna do one of those, like, really smart,

social media posts where you just like, summarise

your month in like a few images. M. And I was

like, oh, my lor. that we'd actually done,

Reconnect day at the beginning of the month. Then

we'd taken the team to London to the exhibition,

we'd had the Reggio trip, we had gone to Milan.

Georgie, I know it's a bit of a personal one, but,

you know, he'd had his birthday. All of that stuff

had kind of happened with so many other things

floating in between on a daily basis. In terms of

our. Just our current practise, you know, we'd

recorded podcasts, we'd done loads of social

media, we'd had the launch of, the new training

programmes for the new toolkit for the

consultancy, we'd picked up more consultancy

clients, we'd had the offer from Cambridge to go

and deliver at their international conference. All

of these things happened in just one month. You

know, when we actually look back and we think

about that for the whole year, I just, I don't

quite know what that end of year post is going to

look exciting. What about you, Lauren? Have you

had a favourite moment in terms of your

professional development?

>> Lauren: So this year I've been able to meet some of those

giants and some of those, like, educational

professionals that I've really looked up to. So

that's been really nice to actually meet the

people behind the books or behind the research.

For me, I think the person I love this year is

Monasa. And apologies if I've pronounced your name

wrong, but I have because she's going to be

listening. Yeah, but the way that she's kind of

driven the rights of babies, I think this year's

been quite tricky. We've had some kind of

government legislation which has kind of Put us in

a bit of a tricky spot for giving quality to our

earliest children, but specifically our babies.

And, seeing her like at the forefront, pushing

that research forward and meeting her and seeing

her was, I think really has given me some momentum

to keep driving it forward and keep not just being

the person that feels a bit strange saying, but

what about the babies actually being like, no,

what about the babies? What's going on? that's

been good for me.

>> Clare: So do you want to break that down a little bit

more? Because that's. You've kind of given a

beautiful summary of the impact of Mona and her

work. but what's the impact then for Atelier

being? Because you are hiding your light under

your bushel because you've got quite an exciting

project going on, haven't you, with, the lovely

Emily, who's one of our research advocates at

Atelier?

>> Laura: Yes.

>> Lauren: So we have submitted an abstract to the Centre for

Research in Early Childhood.

>> Clare: So exciting.

>> Lauren: And we are looking at transitions and how we can

make transitions even better for our children

starting nursery.

>> Clare: So. And, for us, that was really powerful, wasn't

it? Because we kind of, we went together and

that's. That was in February. When we kind of

think of everything that's happened like this

year, that was in February and we went up and I've

always been in awe of Chris Pascal. So we were

like, come on, Lauren, we're going to go to

Birmingham. we're going to go and see Chris. And

we went, didn't we? and the impact. And we've

always, you know, we've always been a research led

setting. Everything that we do at Atelier always

has to have a purpose. There always has to be a

reason and a rationale behind it. And I think we

were both a bit in awe that day, weren't we, when

we kind of really looked at the depth of research

that was taking place across the sector. And we

came home and we had the amazing Emily, who's been

with us, what, three years now? And, and she was

just finishing her ma, which she's passed with

distinction. And we were kind of like, we can't

let her go, we need to hold onto her. How are we

going to manage to do this? And we were really

fortunate that she's now accepted a position with

us as a research advocate to really have a look at

those educators as researchers within the sato.

and so, yeah, thank you, Lauren, for, for taking

that on because we know you're both going to be

amazing. And then, Beth, when you Were in London.

You went to London with me for the Nursery World.

Is it Shaping the Future Conference or something?

Something like that. Sorry, Nursery World. but it

was all around school readiness and the importance

of early years and education. And Aaron Bradby was

there and we were kind of like, really chatting to

him and kind of going, will you become our doctor?

Will you become our person to kind of affiliate

with and to have a look at that? So we've got some

really, some really exciting things that have

grown from this last year that will hopefully take

forward into next year. And I'm sure your abstract

will be accepted and you'll be there presenting in

the next couple of months, which is really

brilliant. So there's been lots of international,

Lots of cultural experiences, whether it's Reggio,

whether it was spending time with our friends at

the Cornish curriculum, whether it was taking your

team to, London.

>> Laura: Laura.

>> Clare: So what's been your kind of big bit for your team

and you?

>> Laura: So I guess the biggest and most exciting part of

our year was that we managed to retain our Ofsted

outstanding grading, which I think was one of the

strangest days of my life to date. I think, it was

our first. My first experience of. Of leading or

being, you know, leading alongside you, Clare, in

an inspection. And it was, again, I really had to

work on my resilience and really, you know, it

wasn't an easy day, but the team just shone and I

think they're still walking, on cloud nine at the

moment. We're still so proud of that, still trying

to, continue to share and celebrate that with

parents about what we are doing that sets us apart

and what makes us outstanding. So that was a real

triumph for our team and to have achieved it as

well at quite a time of difficulty in terms of

staffing and change for the team. I think when we

look at that, kind of. When we've spoken about in

that leadership, episode where we looked at kind

of like the forming, the storming, the norming and

performing, actually, our team at that point, I

don't think we were quite at that top end of

performing. We were still kind of in that storming

and norming phase. So to have managed to come

together and to achieve that was just amazing. And

now I think we're fully stepping into that

performing, performing stage really nicely. So

couldn't be prouder of the team and how much

they've done this year to get us over that, that

finish line with Ofsted and to get us outstanding.

So really proud.

>> Clare: Absolutely. I think that Ofsted was, you know, a

really proud moment for all of us, and especially

our proud moment of you, Laura, because I think,

you know, when you look at how you've led your

team through the diversity and the challenges that

the sector's held through changes within political

kind of parameters of what was happening within

early years, you know, you've just done

fantastically and I think you should hold on to

that proud moment for you.

>> Laura: Thank you.

>> Clare: But you're also, again, like Lauren, hiding your

light. Because not only have you had that Ofsted,

outstanding, you had your nursery world highly

commended for your work with babies and toddlers,

and you're shortlisting for Nursing Manager of the

Year, so you've done amazingly well.

>> Laura: No, thank you. It's. I still. I still can't

believe the day you rang me and you rang me on a

Friday. And it's always scary when Clare rings you

on a Friday about 2 o', clock, because you think,

oh, no, something bad happened, it's safeguarding.

And she said, don't be cross. And I thought, oh,

no, what has she done? What has Clare done? And

when you said, oh, we've put you forward for the.

For the nominations, I just felt so overwhelmed

with gratitude and love. That to be recognised

like that and to have people champion me was just

amazing. So thank you so much for that. And to

have. To have made it to the shortlist is just

incredible. So I'll hold that forever. Really,

really special for me. So thank you for that.

>> Lauren: And, Laura, you wrote a beautiful article, didn't

you?

>> Clare: I'd forgotten that. there's even more to add to

it.

>> Lauren: You were invited to write an article, a feature

about being a manager. M. Being a manager. And

that was. That's a wonderful thing to read.

>> Laura: Yeah. Nursery Management Today got in touch and

asked me if they want, if I could be in their Meet

the Manager section, which I gladly accepted. So

there's me. I, think I was in the. The autumn

Winter issue, if anyone wants to go and have a

look. But, no, it's been. Yeah, just a year of so

many amazing opportunities that I would never have

had if I hadn't, you know, been in this role. So,

yeah, forever grateful for atelier and everything

that I've achieved so far. And really looking

forward to the many, many years to come and what

we can achieve as the years go on.

>> Clare: Absolutely. There's many more ahead of us. So when

we think about all of that kind of professional

learning, there's also down that enrichment, isn't

it? And we've had some glorious days. You know, if

anybody has been to the Newton Somerset, it's well

worth a visit if you haven't. But we were really

fortunate enough to take both of the teams across.

Beth, do you want to talk a little bit about some

of that enrichment focus that we've done over the

year?

>> Beth: yeah, so our enrichment, focus is, always about

being together, continue to tribe and actually

there's no better way than to have a team that's

tribing without having time to get to know each

other. so we all know early years, day to day

life, it's busy, you're on the floor, you're

working alongside your children, but actually you

get very little time to talk and get to know the

people around you, even though you spend the most

time with them. so actually giving that

opportunity on a Saturday where there's time to

just talk, to laugh, to team build, to just really

know each other, without the added pressures of

your day to day job, is really, really special

moments actually. And I think they always come

away, the team always come away feeling really

valued, really heard, really understood and go in

on the next Monday feeling like an even stronger

team.

>> Clare: Yeah. And I think the new is such a beautiful

place, isn't it? So, just for our listeners who

haven't been there, it's a beautiful estate. and

there's the house that you can't go in because

it's really, really posh and it's full of the

hotel guests. But then the beautiful gardens. but

there's also a, what's it called when you have the

stage outside?

>> Lauren: An amphitheatre.

>> Clare: An amphitheatre. Thank you, Lauren. Slightly

menopausal moment. But there's also the

amphitheatre. There's the cavern where the wyvern

lives, you know, there's the Storey of Gardening,

which is like a whole museum. There's a whole bit

about the bees and the honey making right the way

through to the deer. So there's something for

absolutely everybody. And I think it was just

giving them exactly what this is, time to pause

and reflect. And all we did was simply set them

the task to take five photographs of what the day

had meant to them. But actually, like you said,

you know, we had the team coming back just feeling

satisfied and at ease and at peace and confident

together. I think it was, you know, it was one of

the really valuable days and we, you know, we've

done lots of things, haven't we? We've Done

afternoon teas and we've done trips to various

places. But I think the newt for me was probably

one of our highlights.

>> Lauren: And it definitely, again, it did push some people

out of their comfort zone and it might not have

been something that they would have necessarily,

chosen to do, but actually everyone came out from

it having such a great day and a different aspect

of it. Yeah, like Lucy was marching around like.

>> Clare: Come on, we're going to do a.

>> Lauren: Three mile walk and. But some people love to just

be cosy and have a cup of tea.

>> Clare: And there's that lovely photograph actually of

Laura and Mia and you're just inside one of those.

>> Lauren: That's my favourite.

>> Clare: Huge wicker, kind of eggs hanging from a tree,

just watching the chicken. And I think it is that

bit, isn't it, about, you know, when we're talking

about that slow pedagogy for children, actually.

How are we then putting that forward for our staff

team? How are we supporting them to slow and to

recognise and to be mindful. But also, you know,

there's so much pressure. Beth, you know, your

word of the year was busy. You know, there's so

much pressure on a day to day basis that actually

how are we really looking after our staff? It's

really important for us to consider as we move

forward. Lauren, was there a lovely enrichment for

you that you really enjoyed?

>> Lauren: I loved our visit to the Frameless exhibition in

London.

>> Clare: Gorgeous.

>> Lauren: We had a day, where we met and also the whole

process of getting to London and going to London

on a bit of adventure on the train. We all met at

the station, headed into London and just had the

most fantastic day wandering about and then seeing

the sights and then the shopping. We saw the all

of the Christmas windows. All of the Christmas

windows. And then we visited the Frameless

exhibition, which has been on my wish list for

about five years. So we got to explore it at our

own pace with the people that we wanted to explore

it with. We just naturally kind of split off into

groups that had similar interests. For example, I

went into the, the Nature and the Natural World

exhibition. It's basically an opportunity for you

to see art in a, 3D immersive experience. So when

you walk in the sound and the lights that you see,

it's like stepping into a painting.

>> Clare: It was so beautiful, wasn't it? Because you kind

of, you know, one minute you were in the Kiss and

the next minute you were in kind of some, you

know, what's that huge one with the wave? The

Japanese Wave one and you know, and it was

absolutely beautiful because you could see some of

the stuff. And I think you're absolutely right,

Lauren. It wasn't necessarily just about the

exhibition for some of the staff, it was the. It

was the travelling on the train. And unbeknownst

to us, of course, there was, you know, rugby was

on at Twickenham, one train was delayed, so Sara

got to London for the rest of us and you know, all

of the communication and the dialogue and looking

after of each other and I think then when you kind

of saw the awe and the wonder, you know, you had

Mia, who's. She's featured in this loads because

she's just one of those educators that's always at

the forefront of your mind. But, you know, lying

on the floor of this huge installation making snow

angels of the cherry blossom from one of Monet's

pictures right the way through to, you know, the

lovely Denise who shared that, you know, she was

really apprehensive. She had, you know, she'd only

been to London once before, she'd never been to an

exhibition before. And just seeing how the team

came around her, so she felt fully supported and,

you know, she sent me the most beautiful message

afterwards saying, you know, I've had the best

day, thank you. And actually unbeknown to the

team, you know, of course it's a wonderful,

magical experience in its own right. But alongside

that, you know, we're championing their own

creativity. We're championing all of the things

that support us within our pedagogy. And I think

it is. It's just so important, isn't it, that we

hold on to what those Saturdays can be. And we

know it's really tough. You know, we're looking at

next year's calendar this morning, weren't we?

And, you know, how many Saturdays are we actually

asking the staff to participate in? Because we

want to do the festivals, we want to do the

exhibitions, but actually what does that then look

like? And what is that seesaw of opportunity and

impact and I think for me personally, seeing the

team come together at the newt and take time to

slow. And then that whole team day in London where

we ended it in a true Italian style with pizza and

wine and then let everybody go off and do their

own thing was just, again, absolutely beautiful.

Actually, another really, really special one of.

>> Beth: These and it's, it's really nice, like making

those connections back into the nursery as well.

So actually we run a gallery school, we run

botanical schools and all of those Links that

actually, some of, our members of the team were

really honest and was like, I've never been to an

exhibition, I've never been to a gallery, so how

am I supporting the children within those

experience if I've. If I've never experienced that

as well, how.

>> Clare: I meant it.

>> Beth: Yeah, yeah. So it's actually. It was just giving

them chance. And we know we never go into those

days with an expectation of this is what you need

to learn to then teach the children. It's just an

opportunity for them to explore as we would want

our children to, in a way.

>> Clare: And I think that was the beauty, isn't it, when

you think about, you know, Mia lying on the floor

and doing Snow Angels right the way through to

Nikki, who was kind of like, no, I don't like all

that modern art. And like, huffed and puffed and

got all the way back into the kind of Turner room,

you know. And to put it into context, Nikki.

>> Lauren: Is, our administrator.

>> Laura: Yeah.

>> Lauren: Everyone is invited. The whole team came together

to, like, she, got a great understanding of our

pedagogy. That's not actually a huge part of her

role, but it is really important for her to

understand and connect with. And connect with that

creative side that she didn't really like. She

didn't give herself the permission to let go in

that exhibition. But then after a conversation

with you, she really changed her viewpoint, didn't

she? What did you say about interpretation or

something about.

>> Beth: You said something really. It was. Well, Nikki

really liked one space and we were really like,

no, that didn't.

>> Clare: Oh, I do. I do remember. What are you talking

about? And that real conversation around. Yeah.

Perspective and where we reach. Where we reach out

and what are. How our experiences would then

influence. And actually, when you look exactly

what you're saying, Beth, about the experiences of

our staff team, bringing that all back to them and

enabling them to experience art in such an

emotive, but also such, a completely immersive

experience, I think was really, really powerful. I

reckon we'll get Nikki in that modern art by next

year, you know. So we've had lots and lots of

things happening actually over the year, but the

most important one, I guess, is our children. So,

you know, going right back to the heart of

everything atelier, our children continue to grow.

We've had some. So many new families joining us

this year. Laura, the rhythm M of your nursery has

been changing because where we had recruitment

issues coming through, Laura's obviously had,

different pockets of starters happening. Whereas

Bath had that Big turnover in September, a big

intake coming through. So how is welcoming the new

children, for you kind of shaped the rhythm and

the energies of the setting. Beth, we've kind of

been polar apart because you've been in

Chippenham, I've been in Bath. How's that been for

you across the way?

>> Beth: I always really enjoy a September. I think, yes,

it's a tough one where you're settling new

children, you're getting to know new families, but

I think for me, that's the excitement. I like

having the new people walking in the door, getting

to know people, having those conversations, taking

that time just on your sofa is that they're

settling in their new babies, going, are you okay?

>> Clare: You're right. How's it going?

>> Beth: What can I do to support and just being there and

being in it. And I think we only really ever get

that right is when. Because we always have that

understanding that actually September is about

settling those new children and there is no other

expectation. so, yeah, I really quite enjoy having

those new families come in and seeing what they

bring to the nursery as well.

>> Clare: I think they've been a lovely cohort as well this

year. I think when we think about everything that

families have been going through over the last few

years, in terms of the economic crisis, in terms

of job uncertainty, in terms of that pit of the

government between parents and providers, you

know, they have been a really lovely cohort who I

think have really bought into everything that

we're trying to achieve. And I think, you know, I

can't wait for next year's festival when you kind

of see the Maggies and the Wrens and, you know,

all of those families come back and join us in a

completely different way. So there's so much been

happening in the nursery. absolutely right. We've

needed to be resilient, we've needed to be busy.

But what about the podcast, then? Cause this time

last year was when we were first meeting with

Annabelle at, Decibel Creative, and George, I

think it was, just sent her this. Like, I'd

obviously had one of those moments, like, George,

email Google, see who's there. Ah. And had emailed

Annabelle and said, we think we might like to

start a podcast. And for those of you who are

listening now, we didn't really know what we were

doing. We still don't really know what we're

doing, but we had all these big dreams about,

about sharing our practise, sharing our

experience, sharing the storeys of atelier. And so

we, for about eight or Nine Weeks on the Wall. We

had a list of all of the episodes that we wanted

to record over the series, and all of the things

that we thought we'd be able to share. So we

really hope that you have enjoyed this last year,

because we certainly enjoyed recording them. But,

yeah, this time last year, Atelier, Talks was just

being conceived and we didn't have a title, we

didn't have an intro, we didn't even know that we

needed to think about music. but we just knew that

we wanted to do it. So the series itself, I hope,

has become a space for professional dialogue, for

reflection, for sharing our learning. But what's

kind of surprised you most about recording? Is

there something that you've enjoyed or something

that you found more challenging?

>> Beth: For me about recording, I. This has been one of my

challenges this year. I love talking. And I enjoy

kind of like having long kind of debates with

people and going back and forwards and talking

about that. But for me, it's that when it's in

front of the microphone, I get really awkward.

And, yeah, even, even to now, to this day, even to

this morning as we're recording, I still get that

little jerk in my stomach. But I've. I love it

when I actually stop and I listen to them. Once

they're all finished and polished, I. I'm like,

it's okay. it's fine.

>> Clare: But it is really hard, isn't it? Because, you

know, I shared with you guys this morning about

some of that very first critique that we had on

episode one. And it's. I think it's really hard

because I'm always a great believer. I have huge

amounts of optimism, and very little prudence. And

so I was kind of like, it's going to be fine. It

doesn't matter if nobody listens. We'll just.

We're going to just try it. We're just going to

say. And I think we've all come to it in our own

individual, unique ways, haven't we? Which make us

the leadership team. You know, Lauren, you're

fabulous. You're always prepared, you're always

planned. You've always done your research. You

always have somebody brilliant to put into the

show. Notes. Beth, with nature's respect, you kind

of show up and, wing it a little bit and hope, but

have so many pearls and words of wisdom, to bring

to it. And then Laura's obviously, like, the most

educated, articulate one of us. so she always

speaks with such clarity and depth of expression.

I think it's been. I think it's been brilliant. I

think it's. I'm glad it's pushed us out of our

comfort zone. I'm glad some of that critique came

in. That was tough because it's helped us stand

even stronger, actually, in terms of why we wanted

to do it and the impact it had. And I think for

our team, especially when we, you know, for us, we

use some of our podcasts as our staff development.

And so actually when we're using, either in

induction or using it with more experienced staff

to share and practise and share, and provision,

it's really brought us as a whole team together in

terms of that kind of the whys and the so what's.

And the impacts. And then it's been really lovely

as we've kind of come to the end of that series to

then invite guests on. You know, I found that

really exciting to be able to kind of say,

actually, do you want to come and join us on our

podcast? And people said yes. I thought that was,

you know, for me, that was really intense to kind

of see how that conversation developed with

different people. What about you, Lauren? Have you

got a particular episode or a particular

conversation that you've enjoyed?

>> Lauren: We were having a discussion about this earlier and

I really like. In general, I like listening to

factual podcasts, so I like to come away with

teaching points, ideas. But on the flip side, I

really enjoy recording and, listening to the more

conversational podcasts. So I think it's. It's got

to be a bit of a mix. Obviously, again, I couldn't

just pick one. So I loved the Settling in to

Nursery podcast about how to build trust and, how

the key person settles a child in. but then I also

loved the more factual podcast about seeing

babies, as confident learners. So I love a bit of

a mix between. We have podcasts where people can

come away with, quotes or facts, but then also

think about how they could implement it themselves

in their own nurseries, their own settings, with

it being a little bit more conversational. So how

would that actually work in practise? Like, we've

got this, method that says you should do this, but

come on, guys, tell us how it actually works and

we will actually say, like, yes, in an ideal world

we would like to implement it this way. We found

that when, the key person has a day off, actually

we need to switch this around. So I think it's a

bit of a balance between the, the factual, podcast

and then the more conversational and real Life

podcasts.

>> Clare: What about you, Beth? Have you had a podcast that

you've really enjoyed recording?

>> Beth: I think for me, the one I really enjoy is back to

that professional love. I, think it always just

goes back to the reason probably why ah, many of

us are in early years and actually it's the

children, it's the love, it's the the passion for

them, giving them their voice, and shaping that

future, I think for me. So I really like that one.

>> Lauren: Laura, what about you?

>> Clare: Have you had a favourite podcast or conversation

that you've kind of really enjoyed doing?

>> Laura: I think my favourite podcast that we definitely

recorded was the leadership ones. I think it was

really interesting to kind of delve into a little

bit more about how we, how we run our nurseries,

how we work as a leadership team, the

responsibilities we hold, the heterochical way

that we work and actually sort of turning, I

suppose early as leadership and management on its

head a little bit and not maybe being that office

based management team or leadership team actually

being on the floor, being in the thick of it every

single day and getting to share that about how it

works and how it really benefits your team. I

think that was one of my favourite ones to record

and discuss kind of how we, how we do that.

>> Lauren: Day in, day out.

>> Clare: Yeah, I think for me it was the mixed ages. I just

think that really strong, powerful messages of

those competent babies and how actually when you

have that peer scaffolding, you know, that

learning just comes together and that key family

grouping and the importance and the value of that,

which fits into all of it, doesn't it? It fits

into that professional love, it, it fits into kind

of the importance of that settling in with a key

person approach and the leadership that holds it

all together. But I think for me, yeah, the mixed

ages I really loved. And then I think actually I

don't know if it was because of one of our. But

that from Italy with love. I just think to hear

for me personally the impact for the staff. So

actually when you hear what, you know, Rosie and

Harriet were able to bring back for them, and

don't get me wrong, that had been quite a tough

week to enable, you know, three of you to be going

to Italy, the financial kind of impact of it. But

when you heard, you know, particularly Harriet

talk with such depth and passion, you know, that

learning had really ignited in her. so I think,

you know, that was lovely. And also it, it was the

foundations again, isn't it? I'm a bit like you,

Lauren. I like the theoretical stuff that kind of

comes into play and the hows and the why. So I

thought that was a beautiful one. What do you

think our listeners favourite might have been? We

need to have a look.

>> Lauren: I think they'd like being nosy and if I was a

listener I would want that walking through the

nursery one.

>> Clare: Oh gosh, that was like right at the beginning,

wasn't it?

>> Lauren: Open the door. Yeah, they opened, we opened the

doors and said this is this room and this is this

room. Like I, for me I think if they're trying to

get to know us, they would have wanted to kind of

work out what the different rooms and then say

like have you heard about this nursery? Like

they've got Piazza. could we like that fit? Like I

just think people would be quite intrigued.

>> Clare: And we have, you know, we've seen that, haven't

we? We've had several people now that we've kind

of met who've said are you, are you atelier talks?

And I listen to you on the podcast and it's so

lovely and so affirming to think that people do so

we know that our listening audience is growing. We

know that we've got educators, leaders, students

right across the sector and what's really lovely

is that they're kind of really international

listeners now. But what do you hope our listeners

feel? Do you think they, you know, what do you

hope they do differently having engaged with our

podcast conversation?

>> Laura: I hope they feel inspired. I hope it gives them a

sense of anything's possible, and that is not. You

don't have to be the same as everybody else. You

don't have to follow the same mould that has been

set for early years education. I think it's about

being true to yourself, being true to your values,

knowing that it's okay to do things a bit

differently as long as you do it well. and just

being able to care and educate children in the way

that they deserve I think is really important. And

I hope people have taken that away and actually

reflected on maybe their own provisions or their

own, their own practise and thought about ways

that even maybe tiny things that they could do

just that I a little bit more enrichment to those

children's lives. So whether it is taking an idea

of gallery school or actually just looking at the

slow pedagogy or looking at a rhythm m rather than

a routine, all of those little things, I think

hopefully, will help people to feel more confident

and comfortable in their own, their own values and

ethos and, yeah, move forward with some. Some

fresh ideas and ways to really enrich those

children's journeys.

>> Clare: That's gorgeous. Laura, Lauren, for you.

>> Lauren: I hope that by having a podcast about this

subject, and I hope in the way that we talk about

our educators, people listening to the podcast

will feel valued as educators and know that we're

there behind them. Kind of like trying to raise

the profile of early years. I'm hoping that they

come away feeling valued and respected, for the

important job that they do, because I think.

>> Clare: I think this is right in still saying that we're

the only setting in practise running a podcast,

say, from educators, by. Or for educators, by

educators. So I think you're absolutely right. I

think we need to start. You know, we have this

argument all the time, don't you, with. With the

local authorities, with government. You know, we

have to value the people on the ground doing the

job every single day. And I think when we take

that step back and give them a moment to pause and

reflect on practise, and that's. That's real. You

know, there isn't one of us that hasn't been in

the nursery this week or today even. There isn't

one of us who isn't still supporting those parents

or, you know, calming a child or supporting, you

know, a child to regulate their emotion or,

arranging, you know, right the way through today

to arranging the games that are going to be on the

tables for the Christmas party, juggling and

spinning all of those plates all of the time. And

I think it's really interesting because I was, I

found it really hard when we've recorded in the

Nursery because I think I wanted this absolute

polished perfection, when it came to production.

And actually, you know, we've had to record in the

nursery, so there has been noise of children.

There has been, you know, a pan being dropped in

the home corner or a door being open because

somebody's coming in on their lunch break. And I

think it is that reality of. Actually, I'm so

proud that we still managed to run two beautiful,

outstanding settings, look after our team of 60

and, find the time in a lunch break to record an

episode for that reality and for that value for

our staff. I think it's really, really important

for all of us. Actor. What about you, Bethlehem?

You got, anything that you kind of hope our

listeners have kind of taken away from, really,

our podcast conversations?

>> Beth: I think for me it's about that purpose. I think

throughout the whole of this podcast series, we

have always spoken about there isn't one way to do

something. This isn't a one fits all, approach.

And actually, yeah, if they can do anything, I

would go away and look at actually what is the

purpose of the things I've got in practise, what

are the purpose of my environment, what are the

purpose of my team? and yeah, making it purposeful

to them.

>> Clare: Because when we very first started talking about

this, we started thinking about creating a podcast

that was really rooted in dialogue rather than

that kind of delivery. Even though I want it to be

polished and perfect, but recording those

conversation has really required us, to just lay

down and be. Almost have that intent, that intent

of our purpose. And do you think that has kind of

supported your own personal reflections over the

last year, like giving yourself time to almost

reflect as you're talking and as you're

dialogling, as you're preparing?

>> Beth: Yeah, I do. I think it's really helped me to

recognise the importance of where not only the

nursery's at, but also where myself is at and what

I'm doing and what I want to produce and where I

want to be, with the support of my team and the

nursery around me. So, yeah, I definitely think

it's helped me to slow down and think about the

purpose of each episode and each conversation that

we're having and why we do it and how we do it and

what actually we want to going forward.

>> Clare: Because I don't think I'd, actually clicked until

we were talking right now that when we think about

our, aims for next year, it's all about slowing

down. Like, this time last year we were like,

we're going to have a consultancy, we're having a

podcast, we're writing a book, we're going to be

researchers, we're having nurseries, numbers three

and four. And then this year I'm like, should we

just, like, do everything really, really well? And

should we just take a moment to be. And should we

just take a moment to pause? And I wonder. I

hadn't really thought about it until now, but I

wonder if actually recording the podcast and

celebrating everything we are achieving is

actually giving us time to stop and think about

what those priorities really should be. And

actually, we already know we're the best, so we

don't need to take over the whole world. But

actually, what does that look like in Bath and in

Chippenham M. And, for our listeners of series

number two, and how do we make that magic

continue. At, an embedded level? I think that's

gonna. I think that's just a really important

question to start asking ourselves. So, Lauren,

I'm coming back to you because you said something

earlier around your love of podcasts that give you

the theory, the takeaways, and we have been very

honest in our conversations, haven't you? I'm

thinking, Laura, particularly about your Ofsted

inspection conversation, and some of the

challenges within the leadership, as well as, you

know, the sparkles and the magic that we have

right for. Right at some of those very early

episodes. But when we think about the podcast, it

sits alongside our very lived practise in the

nursery. Do you think it's important that as we

enter into series two, those conversations

continue to emerge from the reality of setting, or

do you think we should start threading in some of

that, abstract theory?

>> Lauren: I think it's. I don't think we can step too far

away from the everyday experience, of what we do.

And I think a lot of this podcast has. We've said

we believe that. So Bowlby says about attachment

theory that children should have one primary

caregiver. Therefore, we have the key person

approach and we embed it in this way. I think what

we've done so far has been quite affirming. So

we've said, Froebel talks about the seasons and

seasonal change. We have a kitchen garden and a

chef and we have a menu that reflects that maybe

for next season. It maybe is thinking. I've been

doing some. You can tell I've been doing some

extra reading about transitions and thinking, oh,

that's an interesting approach. We don't do it

like that. I know the reason why we do it, but.

Oh, actually, this, like, nursery in Finland.

>> Clare: there's another international tour coming up.

>> Lauren: I can feel, they invite their parents in for three

full days of settling sessions. Three full days.

>> Clare: And the parents stay with the children the whole

of the time.

>> Lauren: Parents are the responsible. They're responsible

for their children in that time. And it's a really

interesting piece of research and I do think we.

What came through from that piece of research was

actually a lot of things that we do are best

practise.

>> Clare: But.

>> Lauren: And I don't want to throw the baby out with the

bar for children.

>> Clare: Start inviting our parents over to. Daddy does

that.

>> Lauren: But I do think we could maybe, maybe look at other

approaches and say, not, shall we do it like that?

But why do they do it like that?

>> Clare: But also, when you think about, you know, that

foundation for parental relationship, you know, so

much of that settling session is focused and Quite

rightly in terms of what we know about attachment

on the child, but actually, when we're thinking

about the communities that we're building and

actually the understanding of the parent in

context, the child in context at home. Actually,

if you had three full days, well, you can't hide

anything in three, two days. So the parent's gonna

know you're setting inside out. And, you know, the

kids should be hiding. But, you know, there are

days when we all know they're smoother runnings

than there are others. I think that's a really.

>> Lauren: It was interesting concept, but I feel like this

year I've really. I've grown so much confidence

about our pedagogy. I know where it comes from and

I know I can articulate it and explain why. I feel

really confident in that and I don't think it

necessarily has to change, but I feel more

confident to look at other approaches now and say,

that's not for us or.

>> Clare: But that's standing on the shoulders of giants all

year round, isn't it? Maybe we do need to go to

Finland. Can we get that one through as well, do

you think? Should we try? Right, then I'm looking

because I think it would be something really

interesting to explore. And it is, you know,

that's what this whole year is about, isn't it?

It's about building on everything to the best we

can be. So when we look ahead then this one, I'm

going to come to you with, Laura, because I know

you'll already be excited for series two, three,

four and five. but when m. We're thinking ahead,

what kind of themes and conversations are we

thinking are going to be important to include in

the next podcast series? I love that thought they,

Laura. And I think that's got to be up there, that

international approach. What about you, Laura?

Have you got anything?

>> Laura: I think. Well, I feel that the next year or so is

going to be, really challenging for the sector. I

think with the new inspection framework, with.

With all of the funding that's happening and, you

know, all of these babies coming into settings, I

think there's going to be a lot that we're going

to be facing as a sector and as nurseries. And I

think it's really important that we're able to

share our ways of that we've managed things and

how we're kind of supporting our team through that

as well. Because I know that, you know, my team

have raised, you know, questions about. But what

happens if all the children just go to schools?

Laura? And it's like, well, you know, how, how do

we then support our team and our local, you know,

community to understand that nurseries are really

important and what we offer is so much, you know,

more than they could ever really get from a school

nursery. So I think it's really important that we

look ahead and we talk about those really

important things that are in our sector. But also

just celebrating the magic of you know, what

earlier settings provide, continuing to share, our

best practise, the things that we do that, that

have really worked well for our children and our

families and how we are, you know, supporting our

local communities to have that real sense of

safety and purpose and community around them. So I

think it's going to be a tough year in terms of

our sector, but I'm really confident and happy and

excited for the year ahead. I, like Lauren said, I

really believe in what we do more than I ever have

done and I really firmly believe that what we've

got is something so special. So I just want to

keep sharing that with everybody and hope that

yeah, it's a really positive year for all.

>> Clare: Yeah. And I think it's actually going to be really

important that we do share some of those

conversations around the challenges. You know, we

know for your setting law you've lost a lot of

children, into the local school in terms of their

nurseries class. we know that there's grounds for

expansion in there in terms of the new rollout,

the school nurseries and I think it's going to be

really important, isn't it? We look after your

team within that. But actually we use the, the

podcast as the platform for entering into that

dialogue. You know, early Years Voice are doing a

really grand job in championing the sector but it

is incredibly hard on a day to day basis to feel

like you're constantly fighting what you believe

in and what you feel passionately about. So I

hope, building on your response doors, that we can

continue to, to hold practitioners and to hold

educators and to hold owners and managers because

actually it is going to be a tough year ahead. But

we have to hold on to those values, to hold on to

that basis that we know the PVIs have got such a

huge part to play within early years education and

not to lose sight of that. What about you Beth?

Have you got any kind of special guests you'd like

to have or themes or conversations you'd like to

bring in?

>> Beth: I don't know about any guests guests as in

particular guests, but I.

>> Clare: Talked about that yet I do.

>> Beth: I really would like to go down that avenue of.

Yeah. Inviting people in, getting to know their

background, getting to know their storey, getting

to know kind of everything about them in any sort

of particular topic within early years really. I

just. Yeah, it'd be interesting to get different

people's different takes.

>> Clare: Yeah. And I think that would be really nice to do

some of that localised. I'm thinking, you know,

one of my favourite ones was having kind of Rose

and Jen and kind of really sharing what we

champion together within our local authority. But

I'm thinking huge. I think we should invite the

Princess of Wales. I just think we shouldn't stop,

you know, when you think about everything that

she's championing in terms of children. I think we

should invite Jules Page. I think we should do,

ah, a live podcast from our staff development day.

I've got Aaron Bradbury on there. Cause he's

continually championing in play. I think we should

invite Mona. I think we should. I think series

two, we should stretch maybe the foundations of

what Atelier Talk started about and then have that

balance of the challenges and the everyday and the

practise things that we're doing time and time

again and then multi layer, everybody from Her

Royal Highness to, you know, the gorgeous Jules

Page. Why not? I think we should always have

aspiration. No, you're laughing at me, but come

on.

>> Laura: No, I'm not. I love it. I love the optimism, the

dreaming big. And I think you're right. I think we

need those people to come on board and to share

what they know and what they can do to support us

and. Yeah, to support the sector. So I'm, I'm

fully on board. Carol. Do a podcast with the

Princess of Wales.

>> Clare: Happily.

>> Lauren: And I know we've got a huge gold mine of in terms

of our staff team. They are so talented and we've

loved hearing from them, haven't we? And their

different perspectives. So it's just getting them

the boost and the confidence to come on.

>> Clare: We need Emily and Mary on there doing their

attilia resident artists. We need Eve on there

with our environments. How gorgeous would it be to

have Emily and Emily and Grace on talking about

how they've settled their babies? Maybe you could

do one with Emily about your research advocate

roles. Yeah, there's lots of there to offer. So if

there was one moment in the whole of the recording

process where you thought this is exactly why we

wanted to do a podcast, what would it be?

>> Lauren: Mine is that email, which is the email about being

Invited to speak.

>> Clare: That's pretty. That has been special.

>> Lauren: That was. I should. I've got a two parter. So one

of it is when we're just having a cup of tea and

sitting here and chatting and having fun. And I

think that's just, I don't know, I get a really

good feel from doing that and knowing that we're

putting together a conversational podcast that's

going to help hopefully other people feel in a

family, like an atelier family. But also, I can't

deny like getting that email and saying, we've

heard your podcast and we'd love you to come and

speak. It's just so affirming, isn't it?

>> Clare: It's so special and I think it is really hard

because, you know, that very first one where we

put ourselves out and we'd. None of us had ever

done anything like this before. And thank you to

those of you who've stuck with us and continue to

keep coming back. But I think it is really scary

because all of a sudden, you know, we can talk

about our setting till the cows come home in terms

of our own team, in terms of our visitors, in

terms of the local authorities, our professional

dialogue. But when you're putting yourself out

there and within that first weekend, Annabelle

emailed and she said, oh, you've got a listener in

Dubai and you've got a listener in Australia and

oh, you've picked up, you know, multiple listeners

in Europe and you're thinking, oh my goodness, you

know, where, where and how and why, why do people

want to come in? And then, you know that lovely,

lovely lady that we met m at the Cornish

curriculum that was just so excited to meet us and

talk about her experiences and, and the emails

that come in and say, actually I've heard you

speak and would it be okay for you to come and,

and deliver a session on creative expression?

Yeah, that's just so, it's just so powerful. So a

huge thank you, I think, to all of you for making

that happen and to Alabel at decibel as well, for,

for making that happen. So if somebody was new to

the podcast, they'd only just found us. is there

an episode that you'd recommend for them to start

with? Would you take them right back to the

beginning and the magic or would you tell them to

dip in and dip out? What would you do?

>> Beth: I think for first listening, I'd go to that. The

walk through the nursery. Get to, get to know us,

get a, know, get a feel for us, us, what we do Day

in, day out, and then hopefully that will draw

them in to keep going, to keep looking and to keep

exploring what we're trying, what we're achieving,

what we are achieving on a day to day basis.

>> Clare: Lauren, have you got one you'd advise them to dip

into first?

>> Lauren: I think I know the way that I search podcasts and

I look for topics, so I think pick a topic that

you're interested in and then listen to that

podcast and then go from there and.

>> Clare: Ah, Laura, your intention for the year ahead?

>> Laura: My intention for the year ahead is just to keep

everything calm, everything steady, to continue to

do what we do best, at Atelier, which is just love

and educate and care for our children in the best

way we can. And I just know that the year is going

to be full of magic. We've got some lovely new,

staff joining our team in January, which I'm

excited about. Lots of new children. So, yeah, a

steady, calm and successful year, I hope.

>> Clare: Beautiful. So if you had one intention for the

year ahead, you know, we've talked lots about

everything we've covered, everything we've

achieved, everything that we think would be

interesting for our listeners. What would your one

intention for the year ahead be? Either for the

nursery, for the consultancy or even the podcast.

>> Lauren: I would love to make some more connections through

the podcast and talk to our listeners and get to

know them so that we can kind of tailor what we're

recording to meet their needs and their interests.

We know that there are listeners out there and we

know some of you have really kindly reached out

and contacted us, so I'd love to make those

connections and have those conversations. So maybe

potentially on Instagram, more. More interaction,

more dialogue going on.

>> Clare: I think that's a fair one. Lauren, Beth, for you.

>> Beth: I think for me, I would be really interested in

kind of pushing that consultancy forwards, more

being part of that process, meeting people and

just, yeah, sharing in their storeys and what they

want to produce, what they want to develop. yeah,

being a supportive person, really.

>> Clare: I think that's lovely. I think for me of both of

those together, I think it's that connection from

the podcast, from the listeners, but then bringing

that back into real life through the consultancy.

So really developing those professional

development days where people can open the door

into the magic and really come and see it in real

life, I think that's going to be really, really

important. so from all of us at Atelier talks, we

want to say a huge thank you to all of our

listeners for joining us over the last series.

We've got lots of plans ahead for series two. If

you'd like to join us for a development day, if

you'd like us to come and work with your team more

closely, please don't hesitate to get in touch via

the consultancy. but most m importantly, thank you

for your support, thank you for your love, thank

you for your patience when things have been

scratchy. But we have really enjoyed bringing

these episodes to you and we hope that's been the

same for you. So thank you and we look forward to

joining you for series two in.

>> Clare: The new year.

>> Clare: End of Series one.

>> Clare: Thank you for joining us for Atelier Talks. If you

enjoyed this episode, don't forget to subscribe,

share and leave us a review. It really helps us to

reach more educators, parents and early years

professionals just like you. For more insights

into our unique research led approach or to find

out more about our services at both the nursery or

the consultancy and how we can help you in your

early years practise, visit our website or follow

us on social media. All the details you need to

find us are in the show notes. In the meantime,

it's goodbye from us. Thank you for joining us. We

look forward to seeing you next time for another

episode of Atelier Talk.

>> Clare: Thanks for listening.