Atelier Talks

“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…? 

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

“You go there to learn about children — but you come back remembering who you are, and why you do what you do.”

  Harriet, Early Years Educator at Atelier

In this very special episode of Atelier Talks, we’re reflecting on our recent team study trip to Reggio Emilia, Italy: the city that inspires so much of our practice and pedagogy here at Atelier. Clare & Laura are joined by Harriet and Rosie, two of our incredible team members who have walked the cobbled streets of Reggio and returned home enriched by the experience.

Together we explore what it feels like to immerse yourself in a global community of educators and return with a renewed sense of energy and inspiration for your early years practice.

Whether you’ve visited Reggio yourself, or are simply curious about what it really means to be Reggio-inspired in a UK nursery setting, you’ll finish this episode brimming with ideas.

• What it’s like to step inside the Loris Malaguzzi Centre for the first time
• Reflections from the infant-toddler centres and what it’s like to observe learning in action
• Why Reggio’s approach is as much about values and culture as it is about methods
• Real stories of international connections and cross-cultural dialogue between educators
• What intelligent setups and environments that speak really look like
• How our team are already transforming their spaces with the “Reggio lens”
• What we learned about process over product, and the radical power of respect
• The ripple effect of deep learning and why we believe study tours grow entire teams, not just individuals
• Standing on the shoulders of giants

The thinking behind Atelier's pedagogy draws deeply from the Reggio Emilia philosophy and wider foundational theorists. This episode references the work of:

• Loris Malaguzzi – founder of the Reggio Emilia approach and the concept of the hundred languages of children
• Reggio Children & the Loris Malaguzzi Centre – for inspiring our architectural, social, and relational design thinking
• The Reggio Atelieristas – for reimagining creativity, representation and research in early childhood
• 
  

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

Proudly produced by Decibelle Creative – decibellecreative.com / @decibelle_creative

Keywords: Reggio Emilia UK, early years study trip, Reggio Children, Loris Malaguzzi Centre, early years inspiration, international early childhood education, Reggio philosophy, early years leadership, environment as third teacher, hundred languages, process over product, atelierista, reflective practice EYFS, intelligent environments, emotionally intelligent early years, early years consultancy UK

“Our biggest priority is the children. But we can’t keep showing up for them at the level we want to if the system is this broken.”

Clare Crowther - Director, Atelier 

“When there’s no consistency from one local authority to another, how are settings supposed to stay compliant?” This is one of the many questions we’re tackling in this episode of Atelier Talks. This episode is essential listening for any Early Years provider navigating the increasingly complex world of fees, funding and “free” entitlement.

Joined by sector trailblazers Jo Morris (Play Steps, CNLF, Early Years Voices) and Jen & Rose from Snapdragons Nurseries, we unpack the real implications of recent government funding changes, from April’s updated guidance to the September expansion of entitlements. We talk about transparency, administration overload, and the widening gap between funding rates and the real cost of delivering quality early years education.

If you’re a nursery owner, manager or educator trying to protect the quality of your provision while staying financially sustainable, this episode offers clarity (and solidarity!) and perhaps some inspiration from other settings navigating these changes. 

• What changed in April and September, and what’s coming next…
• Why the “voluntary” charges guidance has made things more confusing 
• How the narrative of “free childcare” is misleading families
• What additional services EY settings can charge for and what’s now restricted
• How the changes are affecting family choice, local partnerships, and team morale
• Practical tips for preparing your invoices, agreements and audit trail
• Why providers in multiple LAs are struggling to stay compliant across regions
• What the clawback risk means for your operations 
• What Early Years Voices is doing to campaign for real change 

Connect with our guests:

• Jo Morris / Champagne Nurseries, Lemonade Funding – Facebook group link (CNLF)
• Early Years Voices – https://earlyyearsvoice.org/
• Snapdragons Nurseries – https://www.snapdragonsnursery.com/ 

Connect with Atelier

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

Produced by Decibelle Creative – decibellecreative.com / @decibelle_creative

Keywords: early years funding 2024, free childcare, 30 hours funding, voluntary charges EYFS, early years admin, EYFS fee structure, funded hours nursery, sustainability nursery funding, early years voices, champagne nurseries lemonade funding, local authority audits EYFS, clawback childcare, early years DfE guidance, provider agreements, nursery compliance UK

“Shine. Don’t shy away. This is your setting. You own it.”

– Vanessa Dooley, Jigsaw Early Years Consultancy

In this special guest episode of Atelier Talks, we’re joined by one of the most trusted names in Early Years consultancy: Vanessa Dooley, founder of Jigsaw Early Years and the voice behind the Get Inspection Ready podcast. Together, we unpack the brand-new OFSTED Early Years Inspection Toolkit, which comes into effect from November 10th, and what it really means for Early Years settings.

This is a must-listen for any setting leader, manager or educator feeling overwhelmed by the changes. From principle one ("Achieve, Belong, Thrive") to the new seven evaluation areas, we cover what’s changing, what to keep doing, and how to prepare your team for inspection under these new changes.

In this episode:

• Why “Achieve, Belong, Thrive” should underpin your curriculum and nursery culture.
• A breakdown of the seven new evaluation areas and what they mean in practice
• What the new four-year inspection cycle and two-part call system means for your team
• Why the learning walk is being replaced, and how to prepare staff for ongoing dialogue instead
• How to speak confidently about your provision (without relying on a script!)
• How to keep self-evaluation alive in your daily practice
• Tips for reducing inspection anxiety
• Why inclusivity must be interwoven throughout everything you do (not treated as simply a box to tick)
• Real tools and advice from Vanessa’s new book, toolkit, and Impact platform
• How we’re preparing at Atelier 

The magic of Atelier draws on foundational thinking from a range of influential Early Years theorists, consultants and thought leaders. Those mentioned in today’s episode include:

• Peter Elfer – for responsive leadership and the Key Person approach
• Elinor Goldschmied – for emotional attunement and care routines
• Jools Page – for Professional Love in both child and team relationships
• John Bowlby – for attachment theory and secure relational practice
• Driscoll’s Model – for reflection using the “What, So What, Now What?” approach

• Vanessa’s new book and toolkit – coming soon
• Get Inspection Ready podcast – on Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts
• Get Inspection Ready Webinar – November 3rd @ 19:00 
• Impact platform – audit and reflection tool for EYFS providers
• 
  

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

Produced by Decibelle Creative – decibellecreative.com / @decibelle_creative

Keywords: OFSTED early years 2023, Vanessa Dooley, achieve belong thrive, OFSTED inspection toolkit, early years self evaluation, nursery inspection preparation, early years leadership, impact platform EYFS, early years quality audit, show and tell OFSTED, reflective leadership EYFS, early years podcast, Jigsaw Early Years, get inspection ready, nursery team training, nursery inspection confidence,

“If somebody wants to step into leadership, they need to have opportunities to lead, and they need to know we’ll be there to catch them if they wobble.”

Clare Crowther, Director

This episode explores why collaboration, not hierarchy, builds sustainable teams in Early Years settings. Continuing on from where we left off in episode 12, we’re going even deeper into Early Years leadership, moving beyond titles and job roles and exploring what it really means to grow leadership from the ground up. From coaching your Early Years team day-to-day to developing new leaders in post, we’re sharing what works, what’s challenging, and how we support our staff to thrive.

We talk openly about succession planning, the emotional side of saying goodbye to talented team members, and how we create a culture where leadership is distributed, and everyone feels empowered to make a difference, no matter their role.

This is a must listen episode for anyone leading a setting, growing a team, or stepping into leadership themselves.

In this episode:

• How we develop future leaders through real responsibility and supported risk-taking
• Why succession planning starts with coaching, mentoring and high expectations
• What “stretching the elastic” means when developing staff
• The importance of distributive leadership and mini leadership roles across the team
• How we structure roles like planning champions, environment leads and room reps
• How to hold challenging conversations with professionalism and care
• How we build leadership into our supervisions, CPD, appraisals and team culture
• What “tribing” means at Atelier, and how it supports team belonging, loyalty and retention
• Real stories of apprentices who’ve grown into Atelier leaders
• 
  

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

Produced by Decibelle Creative – decibellecreative.com / @decibelle_creative

Keywords: early years leadership, growing leaders in EYFS, early years succession planning, coaching nursery teams, CPD in early years, early years supervisions, nursery staff development, stretch the elastic, Reggio-inspired leadership, planning champions EYFS, key person culture, staff retention nursery, emotionally intelligent leadership, building team culture, Johari window early years, confronto, trust in early years teams

“We want our team to have their voices heard, but we also need to have that strategic direction that we’re moving in.”

– Clare Crowther, Atelier Nursery Director

In this episode we’re unpacking the kind of leadership that underpins everything we do at Atelier, both in our nurseries and through our consultancy. We’re not about traditional hierarchy, job titles or top-down management - our approach is about creating a culture where everyone leads with clarity, empathy, and purpose.

We explore the realities of what it means to be an emotionally intelligent, collaborative leader in Early Years, and how in your own Early Years setting you can build a team culture that holds challenge and kindness, strategy and vision, structure and flexibility. 

• Why we lead with kindness, collaboration and curiosity (not control)
• What it means to build a “heterarchy” over a hierarchy in nursery leadership
• How we coach our team using reflective practice 
• Real leadership development stories from inside Atelier
• Why vision setting and relationship building must go hand-in-hand
• How we support our team through supervisions, appraisals and “walk and talk” feedback
• Strategies for growing new leaders from within your team
• The role of distributive leadership and collective accountability in our day-to-day practice
• 
  

The magic of Atelier draws on foundational thinking from a range of influential Early Years theorists and educators. If you’d like to find out more about the voices that shape our deeply relational, child-centred practice here at Atelier, those mentioned in today’s episode are as follows:

• Peter Elfer – for the Key Person approach and emotionally attuned leadership
• Elinor Goldschmied – for her emphasis on sensitive care, intimacy and connection
• Jools Page – for the concept of Professional Love and how it extends to staff relationships
• Reggio Children – for influencing our approach to coaching, vision setting and collaborative dialogue
• Lencioni & Covey – for leadership thinking that inspires clarity, trust and accountability
• Sonia Jackson – for her work on professionalising Early Years leadership
• John Bowlby – for his attachment theory, which informs how we lead through relational trust
• 
  

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

Produced by Decibelle Creative – decibellecreative.com / @decibelle_creative

Keywords: early years leadership, nursery manager support, coaching early years teams, heterarchy vs hierarchy, early years supervision, nursery appraisals, reflective leadership, key person approach, team culture in nursery, vision-led leadership, EYFS consultancy, emotionally intelligent leadership, leading from the floor, growing nursery leaders

“They amaze me every single day… They set themselves challenges, find solutions, and they are these mini scientists roving around our environment.”

– Laura, Nursery Manager

In this episode of Atelier Talks, we’re showing you what life at Atelier looks like through the eyes of our youngest children, our babies. As more children enter nursery at an earlier age and for longer hours, it's more important than ever that as nursery leaders and educators we create truly thoughtful, respectful and responsive environments for babies to thrive.

From baby brain development and physical environments to rich interactions and the role of the key person, we explore how to support confident, capable learning right from the start. You’ll hear real examples of daily practice, challenges we’ve navigated, and the non-negotiables that make our baby provision at Atelier second to none.

• Why babies are not passive observers and how to recognise them as researchers
• The science behind baby brain development 
• Designing calming, stimulating, responsive baby environments (without overstimulation!)
• What heuristic play and treasure baskets look like in a mixed-age setting
• How to build slow, nurturing routines that honour each child’s needs and rhythm
• The role of the key person in building deep trust and emotional safety for babies
• How to support your team to value and advocate for babies as communicators and learners
• Why “just sit and love your baby” is not only okay, it’s essential

The magic of Atelier draws on foundational thinking from a range of influential Early Years theorists and educators. If you’d like to find out more about the voices that shape our deeply relational, child-centred practice here at Atelier, those mentioned in today’s episode are as follows:

• Elinor Goldschmied – for her work on treasure baskets, heuristic play and “islands of intimacy”
• Peter Elfer – for the Key Person approach and emotionally responsive care
• Jools Page – for the concept of Professional Love and her research into emotional attachment
• John Bowlby – for foundational attachment theory that supports our relational approach
• Anne Langston & Lesley Abbott – for raising the status of baby practitioners and promoting child rights
• Loris Malaguzzi & Reggio Children – for inspiring our view of babies as capable learners and researchers
• Sonia Jackson – for advocating for children’s rights in Early Years care and education

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 decibellecreative.com / @decibelle_creative

Keywords: babies in nursery, early years baby provision, key person approach, heuristic play, treasure baskets, attachment in babies, professional love, baby room design, first 1001 days, baby brain development, slowing down in EYFS, respectful caregiving, early years consultant UK, Reggio for babies

“Put your big girl pants on. Be brave. Love your team. Support them. Enjoy your new families and build your community.”

– Laura, Nursery Manager

What dowe mean by ‘Simple September’ at Atelier? In this episode we’re discussing one of the busiest (and most important) times of the Early Years calendar: September. Whether you're welcoming new babies, supporting toddlers through transition, or helping your older children take the next step, this episode is a full walkthrough of how we at Atelier prepare our team, environment and systems for a smooth and emotionally intelligent start to the academic year.

From operations and environment to staff wellbeing and communication, we’re sharing what Simple September really means in practice, and how slowing down, staying consistent and leading with empathy is the way to go when welcoming a new cohort of children and families into your nursery.

• What “Simple September” means and how it supports children, staff and families alike
• How we maintain consistency in environment, rhythm and routines (and why)
• Managing key person attachments, transitions and new children with care
• How we support new leaders and deputies during their first September
• What we intentionally don’t do in September (and why that matters)
• Family communication tips
• The power of Reflect & Connect sessions and ‘10-minute talks’
• Real examples of small changes that improve flow, reduce stress and build connection

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

Produced by Decibelle Creative – decibellecreative.com / @decibelle_creative

Keywords: nursery start of term, September in EYFS, key person approach, Early Years transitions, simple September nursery, new cohort planning, mixed-age nursery, predictable environment, attachment in early years, managing change, early years leadership, Reflect and Connect, family communication nursery, Reggio-inspired settling

“It’s just holding the child at the centre at all times and the parent as well… and really, really love your families and your children.”

– Laura, Nursery Manager

In this episode of Atelier Talks, we’re looking into the reality of children starting nursery; what settling really looks and feels like, for children, for families, and for practitioners. We talk through our full settling roadmap at Atelier, the value of home visits and first sessions to the “honeymoon period” and how to recognise when a child (or parent) needs to slow down. We reflect on what it means to “hold the family in context,” how to build deep trust between the child and their key person, and how your nursery team can create a seamless, emotionally intelligent process that lays the foundation for long-term success.

• Why we don’t believe in one-size-fits-all settling
• The difference between attachment, separation and distress (and how to manage them)
• What a full Atelier settling process looks like (including home visits and roadmaps)
• How to prepare staff and rotas for September transitions
• What to say when parents push for a faster start
• Supporting children through the “honeymoon period” and post-settle wobbles
• Real strategies from the floor: what key people do to build strong, secure attachments
• How to spot when to go slower, and when to step in as a leader

The magic of Atelier draws on foundational thinking from a range of influential Early Years theorists and educators. If you’d like to find out more about the voices that shape our deeply relational, child-centred practice here at Atelier, those mentioned in today’s episode are as follows:

• Peter Elfer – for his thinking on the Key Person approach and the “stretching elastic” between child and caregiver
• Elinor Goldschmied – for her emphasis on emotional care, intimacy and routine as opportunities for connection
• Jools Page – for her research on Professional Love and what it means to truly nurture in practice
• Reggio Children – for influencing our thinking on responsive environments and thoughtful transitions

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

Produced by Decibelle Creative – decibellecreative.com / @decibelle_creative

Keywords: nursery transitions, EYFS settling process, key person approach, separation anxiety nursery, attachment theory early years, home visits, child-led settling, triangulation of trust, early years transitions, emotional security, slow settling, nursery manager strategies, Reggio-inspired settling, professional love in nursery settings

“Educators observe deeply. They use what they see and hear to create opportunities for children to explore further, to dig deeper, and to build on their knowledge.”

– Aaron Bradbury, shared by Lauren

In this episode of Atelier Talks, we discuss one of the most central elements of our pedagogy: how we use projects and provocations to build deeply meaningful learning for children. We promote learning that evolves over time, follows children’s unique interests, and offers endless possibilities.

In this episode we reflect on some of our most powerful projects from across the years (we’ve got quite a few favourites!) from the Streets of Bath and the Big (big, big) Bath Abbey to Teas & Tonics, rainbow pasta, and our community-based exhibitions. We explore the role of observation, documentation, and pedagogical conversation in making these projects visible, vibrant, and ever evolving. Whether you're a practitioner or a nursery leader, this episode will help you slow down, look closer, and support your team in delivering truly child-centred, research-rich learning that also builds on your nursery’s legacy of learning that your early years children will treasure for years to come.

• What we mean by “projects” and “provocations”, and how we define the difference
• How we build long-term, child-led investigations across age groups and settings
• Examples of our favourite projects… Mango pasta, anyone?
• The importance of “slow pedagogy” and taking learning at the child’s pace
• How we use exhibitions to make learning visible for children, families and the whole community
• What pedagogical conversations look like in our weekly staff planning time
• How to support your team to plan, document, and challenge their assumptions of what our children are capable of
• Why reflection and observation are the most powerful tools we have as educators

The magic of Atelier draws on foundational thinking from a range of influential Early Years theorists and educators. If you’d like to find out more about the voices that shape our deeply relational, child-centred practice here at Atelier, those mentioned in today’s episode are as follows:

• Aaron Bradbury – for his insights into observation, deep listening and co-constructed curriculum. Here’s a reminder of the beautiful quote Lauren shared in this episode from Early Childhood Theories Today' by Aaron Bradbury and Ruth Swailes:

“Educators observe deeply. They use what they see and hear to create opportunities for children to explore further, to dig deeper, and to build on their knowledge.”

• Loris Malaguzzi – for the Reggio Emilia approach to long-term project work, documentation and the Hundred Languages of Children
• Friedrich Froebel – for his influence on materials, connection, opposites, and real-life skills
• Simon Nicholson – for his Theory of Loose Parts and its impact on open-ended, investigative learning
• Martin Pace – for challenging and refining our thinking around project and provocation pedagogy
• Reggio Children – for inspiring the way we present learning, design space, and curate provocations

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

Produced by Decibelle Creative – decibellecreative.com / @decibelle_creative

Keywords: projects and provocations, Reggio Emilia, Froebel, slow pedagogy, documentation, early years planning, child-led learning, project-based learning, pedagogical conversations, EYFS leadership, rainbow pasta, early years exhibitions, nursery planning time, observation in early years, theory into practice