In episode 4, we are delighted to be joined by Professor Sam Wass – Developmental Cognitive Neuroscientist, Child Psychologist, and Director of the Institute for the Science of Early Years and Youth at The University of East London. Sam is also renowned for his role in the multi-award-winning Channel 4 series The Secret Life of 4, 5, and 6 Year Olds, as well as being an award-winning author, researcher and speaker.

Join us for a fascinating, neuroscience-rich conversation about how the modern world is shaping children, the impact of today’s fast-paced environments on children’s attention, and what we as practitioners can do to best support children’s attention and focus in our settings.

✨ Whether you’re worried about children’s attention, curious about the science behind it, or keen to learn what really helps, this episode will challenge your assumptions and reshape how you think about this complex topic.

👂 If you're a Norfolk early years practitioner or professional, and you enjoyed this conversation, we’d love for you to join us at one of our upcoming Spring Communication Hub Meetings, beginning on 9th March 2026, where we will be joined by Cambridgeshire Community Services Speech and Language Therapy Team, as we look further into ‘Supporting children’s attention and listening skills’. 👉 Click here for more information on the Communications Hubs and our upcoming Early Years Conference.

Overview

(0:00) Introduction

(1:30) Sam’s background and current role

(4:12) How is childhood changing?

(08:57) How is the modern world effecting children’s brain development?

(10:33) How is fast-paced modern childhood contributing to SEND?

(11:57) What does the neuroscience tell us? Our brains as prediction machines.

(16:28) Slow-paced predictable interactions vs fast-paced unpredictable interactions

(18:22) Screen time and ‘fight or flight’ mode

(19:40) Screen time, hyper alertness and behaviour

(21:08) The two types of attention used by screen content makers; Comprehension-driven attention vs attention capture

(21:48) Slow-paced comprehension-driven attention

(23:06) Fast-paced attention capture

(25:47) All content is not the same

(26:51) Screen time and learning; ‘In the Night Garden’ example

(31:29) Co-viewing and children’s stress response

(32:24) What can practitioners do in their learning environment to support children’s attention and focus?

(34:40) The impact of movement

(35:39) The impact of sound

(37:25) Bright lights and colours

(37:59) Layout of the space

(38:29) Auditory noise and noise detox’s

(39:40) The benefits of using the outdoor environment and working with nature

(44:33) Support strategies to action and avoid

(45:10) Increasing slow-paced predictable interactions

(46:44) Reading books with rhythmic repetitious language

(48:24) Eating predictable-tasting food

(50:45) Predictability and challenging behaviour

(51:46) Predictability and daily routines

(53:05) Following the child’s lead and timing

(56:11) The EEF ShREC framework

(57:50) Questions for practitioners

1. How do the learning environments in my setting seem to affect children differently, and how do the strategies I use affect children differently too?

2. How can I introduce more slow-paced predictability into my teaching practice?

3. How can I change my environment to minimise distractions, bearing in mind that everyone pays attention to movement and noise?

(1:01:10) The Norfolk Early Years Conference

(1:01:47) The Spring 2026 Norfolk Communication Hubs – Sign up now!

For episode 3, we are delighted to welcome Kate Cairns - author, speaker, and seasoned trainer renowned internationally for her expertise in attachment, trauma, and resilience.

In this episode, we explore what we mean by the term ‘trauma’, examine how trauma shapes the way children learn to communicate, and discuss how practitioners can support children to heal from trauma, by building long-lasting and meaningful connections.

Whether you're new to Early Years or just looking to enhance your practice, this conversation is full of insights you won’t want to miss; including the KCA ‘Five to Thrive Connection Model’; the key indicators of trauma recovery and the latest research on Protective and Compensatory Experiences (PACE’s) as buffers to Adverse Childhood experiences (ACE’s).

If you're a Norfolk Early Years Practitioner or professional, and you enjoyed this episode, we’d love for you to join us at one of our upcoming Autumn Communication Hub Meetings, beginning on 10th November 2025, where we will be joined by play therapist and early years consultant Clare Lord as we explore ‘More Than Words- The Therapeutic Power of Play’. Click here for more details.

Overview

(1:20) Kate’s Background & Career development

(3:06) What is Trauma?

(7:53) PTSD & Big T trauma

(9:10) Little T trauma

(10:39) Trauma through different lenses

(12:00) Collective trauma

(12:50) Co-regulation and trauma recovery

(14:25) The impact of trauma on communication

(15:58) The impact of trauma on behaviour

(17:20) Developmental trauma

(18:58) Age-appropriate restaging

(20:44) Five to Thrive – Connection Model

(21:32) Step 1: Respond

(22:20) Step 2: Engage

(23:11) Step 3: Relax

(23:34) The brain & the processing stage

(25:34) Non-verbal communication – Step 1, 2, 3

(26:49) Step 4: Non-verbal play

(27:17) Step 5: Talk

(28:33) The importance of key person relationships and choosing the right person.

(30:37) Working with children in the ‘freeze’ state

(32:55) Trauma Recovery; a journey not a destination

(35:06) Markers of stabilising, integrating, adapting and growing self-esteem

(38:39) Can children recover without the support of parents/carers?

(39:05) Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE’s) and Protective and Compensatory Experiences (PACE’s)

(41:30) Questions for practitioners

1. Can you notice connection happening in your setting?

2. Can you notice, without any blame, when connection doesn’t happen?

(42:43) Autumn Communication Hub meetings

In this episode, we're delighted to welcome Dr Nicola Dawson—Researcher at Oxford University, Speech and Language Therapist at Moor House School and College, and passionate advocate for all things language, literacy, and oracy.

In this episode, we deep dive into the meaning of oracy in the early years, unpack practical strategies to support oracy development in your setting, and discuss how to ensure that oracy-rich environments are inclusive and accessible to all children.

Whether you're just starting your oracy journey or looking to improve your practice, this conversation is full of insights you won’t want to miss.

If you're a Norfolk Early Years Practitioner or professional, and you enjoyed this episode, we’d love for you to join us at one of our upcoming Summer Communication Hub Meetings, beginning on 17th June 2025. 👉 Click here for more details.

Overview

(01:58) Nicola’s background & career development

(04:12) The definition of oracy and what this means in education

(07:09) The Oracy Framework

(08:13) The role of oracy in personal development

(18:00) Oracy in Practice: Creating learning environments to support oracy.

(25:08) The Role of the Adult: Turning everyday interactions into opportunities for meaningful talk.

(32:18) Oracy & Inclusion: Adapting oracy teaching to effectively support children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND and EAL)

(46:44) Challenges and Opportunities: What barriers do early years practitioners face in prioritizing oracy and how can these be overcome?

(50:04) Supporting Oracy Development at Home: Empowering families with meaningful support.

(56:48) Closing Reflections: If you could change one thing about how oracy is approached in the early years, what would it be?

(1:00:50) Next Steps: 3 Questions for our Norfolk EY Practitioners ahead of follow-up Communication Hub Meetings.

Questions for reflection:

1.What role does storytelling (including books, retelling, and role-play) play in your setting?

a. How could you strengthen the link between stories and oracy in your practice?

b. How does your storytelling—whether through books, retelling, or play—support emotional literacy and theory of mind?

2. In what ways do you consciously create space for children to lead talk—not just respond to adult prompts?

a. How might you shift more interactions from adult-led questioning to genuinely shared thinking?

3. How can you support oracy for children who communicate differently—whether due to language delay, EAL, neurodivergence, or shyness?

a. How can you ensure multiple entry points into talk and make sure these children are equally included in peer dialogue?

Links

The Oracy Education Commission: We Need to Talk Report, 2024

Voice 21: Oracy Education Charity

The Norfolk Library Service

In this episode, we're privileged to be joined by the wonderful Anne O’Connor—independent consultant, trainer, author and co-founder of ‘Primed for Life’; a venture which advocates for the wider understanding of the body, as a child’s first place of learning.

We’ll explore the often-overlooked connection between children’s physical development and their communication skills, whilst exploring how practitioners can ensure they are offering the best opportunities for physical play to their children.

✨ Tune in to discover why physical development is often considered ‘the prime of the prime areas’, and how our vestibular systems are key to developing our speech and language skills

👂 If you're a Norfolk Early Years Practitioner or professional, and you enjoyed this episode, we’d love for you to join us at one of our upcoming Spring Communication Hub Meetings, beginning on 18th March 2025. 👉 Click here for more details.

Overview

(02:00) Anne O’Connor’s mission & career development.

(09:06) What do we mean by physical development and what is happening in a child’s brain during physical play?

(14:44) The vestibular system and speech development.

(17:57) When is the right time to offer vestibular stimulation and what does this look like in the early years?

(21:25) The importance of encouraging free movement and not limiting children’s natural instinctive drive.

(24:12) Recognising physical development as the ‘prime’ of the prime areas.

(25:25) Understanding children’s preferences for different types of physical movement and play.

(27:45) Proprioception – “our inner GPS” – what is it and how does it contribute to our speech development?

(32:42) Case Study: The importance of observing, mirroring and limiting adult talk during play.

(40:30) Accidents, injuries and risks.

(45:20) Risks vs hazards.

(46:20) Why do children engage with schematic play?

(50:40) Challenging expectations: Do we always need to sit still for story time?

(52:36) Proactively responding to sensory needs; how can we fill up a child’s ‘sensory cup’ before expecting them to be still?

(54:21) Acknowledging professional challenges.

(55:01) Closing Reflections and Next Steps: 3 Questions for our Norfolk Early Years Practitioners ahead of our spring follow-up Communication Hub Meetings.

(01:00:36) Next Steps: Join us for our spring Communication Hub Meetings!

Anne O’Connor’s questions for reflection:

1. How do you feel about talking gobbledygook with children? When and how do you do it?

2. How do you feel about dizzy play? How does it make you feel physically? Do you feel the need to tell children to be careful or stop? Or is this something you encourage in your setting?

3. How do you feel about buttoning your lip now and again? How do you feel when you actively stop yourself from talking during children’s play?

A sneak preview of the upcoming Let's Talk Series...