In this episode, Alistair Bryce-Clegg is joined again by Ruth Swailes, award-winning Early Years specialist, to discuss school readiness and its implications in Early Years education. They shift the focus from children being ready for school to schools being ready for children, emphasising the unique needs of each child.  

Ruth and Alistair challenge the conventional notion of readiness, which often ties it to compliance and discipline rather than effective learning, especially for neurodiverse children. They highlight that behaviours like 'good listening' vary among children and discuss the critical role of physical development in acquiring skills such as reading and writing. 

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In this episode, Alistair Bryce-Clegg is joined once again by Ruth Swailes, award-winning Early Years specialist, to discuss building skills in the Early Years curriculum. They emphasise that skill development stems from quality continuous provision and offer tips for crafting a curriculum tailored to specific school settings.  

Ruth and Alistair delve into the essential areas for practitioners to consider when building curriculum, from questions about your individual staff and children, to the impact of furniture and timetables. They stress that everything done in the classroom should benefit the children and highlight the role of adults as facilitators of learning rather than rigid enforcers of curriculum. The conversation also underscores the importance of child-led learning in fostering development.  

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In this episode, Alistair Bryce-Clegg is joined by Ruth Swailes, award-winning Early Years specialist, to discuss the current landscape of the Early Years curriculum. They explore what an Early Years curriculum entails, a term that often intimidates practitioners.  

Ruth and Alistair address the pressures of top-down mandates and emphasise the importance of creating curriculums tailored to the individual needs of children. They highlight the flexibility required to adapt to various settings and advocate for challenging the idea that a more formal curriculum is superior. The discussion finally underscores the value of play and where the best learning experiences truly happen. 

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In this episode, Alistair Bryce-Clegg and Ben Kingston-Hughes discuss the transformative power of play for vulnerable children. They highlight how play genuinely changes lives, and is essential for children’s growth and development into resilient adults.  

They focus on strategies for engaging vulnerable children in play, suggesting providing half-built play materials to spark creativity and help children feel more comfortable and supported. The role of adults is emphasised in giving children the freedom to explore, and how dedicating extra time to play can enhance the mental health of an entire family. This episode offers valuable insights and advice for practitioners on how to incorporate play, and creating an environment that benefits everyone involved.  

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In this episode, Alistair Bryce-Clegg and Ben Kingston-Hughes dive into the importance of humour in play and its vital social function. They discuss how humour requires a lot of imagination and creativity, making it a powerful tool for engaging children and enhancing learning.  

Alistair and Ben highlight how humour in play encourages pro-social behaviour, even if what children find funny seems silly to adults. With a more creative and relaxed environment created by humour, children’s wellbeing and openness to learning is boosted. This episode offers valuable insights and practical advice on incorporating humour into play, helping children become creative and socially adept.   

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Alistair Bryce-Clegg is joined once again by Ben Kingston-Hughes to explore the essential role of physical play in children’s development. Outdoor play is highlighted for its unique benefits, including fostering independence and allowing for safe risk-taking. Additionally, they discuss how physical play can actually benefit children’s mental health into adulthood.  

Alistair and Ben delve further into the crucial skills children develop through physical play, such as spatial awareness and improved social interactions. They emphasise that when children enjoy the experience of learning through play, they are more likely to absorb and retain information. This episode offers valuable insights and practical advice for practitioners on encouraging physical play.   

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Alistair Bryce-Clegg is joined by Ben Kingston-Hughes, international keynote speaker, author and multi award-winning trainer. In this episode, they discuss the transformative power of imaginative play, and its role in building confidence, fostering creativity and shaping future problem-solvers.  

They highlight how encouraging children to use items unconventionally becomes a critical part of children’s development. They also stress the role of adults in facilitating rather than directing play, allowing children to experiment and create freely. This episode offers practical advice for practitioners on nurturing creativity and encouraging imaginative play, ensuring children grow up to be innovative and adaptable thinkers.  

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Alistair Bryce-Clegg, Julie Pearson & Richard Knight return for a final episode to summarise their discussion so far on transitions. This time they bring it all together with the topic of emotional intelligence.  

They emphasise the idea that parents also struggle with transitions, for example moving to a new school after building trust at another. Strategies for supporting parents through these transitions are discussed, such as a ‘drip feed’ approach, slowly building a relationship with parents, and ensuring everyone is on the same page about what ‘transitions’ are.  

The importance of getting communication right is also considered, especially when it comes to more challenging conversations with parents, and opening up a non-judgemental dialogue around emotional intelligence and empathy for children.  

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In this episode of the TTS Talking Early Years podcast, Alistair Bryce-Clegg continues the conversation around transitions with Richard Knight and Julie Pearson.  

They delve into how to approach difficult transitions and bigger life events with children. Whether it’s answering questions about death, or simply acknowledging the fact that it’s okay to feel sad. They also explore the importance of letting educators and key people know when a big transition has happened, accounting for a child’s change in behaviour and mood.  

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Alistair Bryce-Clegg is joined once again by Julie Pearson and Richard Knight from the Early Years Alliance. In this episode, they cover some of the bigger changes children tend to experience, and what practitioners can do to support them through these.  

They emphasise the importance of making transitions exciting, whether that’s through using the right language, or making a new space as unthreatening and attractive as you can. They discuss using transitional objects to help too, such as a cuddly toy, and using digital recordings and visuals so a child knows what to expect.  

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Please note: When referencing the speakers views, theory and work for development of your own materials, please ensure academic reference of the speaker is cited.