Tapestry Talks

Stephen and Jules chat with early years educator and SENCO Fifi Benham about the importance of reflection as you work towards creating a gender inclusive environment in your setting, looking closely at the story content of children’s books, having discussions about gender-based statements with children, and thinking about the language that we use. If you enjoy these podcasts from the Education Tea...

Stephen and Jules chatted with Rhia Gibbs, Founder and CEO of Black Teachers Connect. They discussed why community and connection is so important for Black educators, and for all educators. Why it is vital that Black children see themselves represented in those who teach them, and why it is important for white children to have Black teachers as we reflect on the society we hope for our children’s...

Tania Swift, physical development expert and founder of b inspired, discusses the impact of physical activity on children's development. She offers advice on incorporating inclusive physical activities into all areas of the EYFS, and outlines what children need to become proficient in the physical skills of balance, coordination and spatial awareness. If you enjoy these podcasts from the Education...

Stephen and Jack are joined by Charlotte Peck who is the director of MOVE Europe and Simon Wright who is the MOVE coordinator at Cherry Garden School. Charlotte and Simon tell us about the benefits of the MOVE programme which enables disabled children and young adults to gain independent movement. They also discuss the additional challenges that disabled children have faced over the last 12 months...

Jack and Jules chat with Latifa Akay and Emily Mason about Maslaha’s Schools with Roots Project. They discuss the impact of our Eurocentric Curriculum, the need for sustainable anti-racist practice in schools, the different ways schools can engage with their families and communities and the benefits of that engagement for families, staff and children.

Stephen and Jules chat with Joanna Grace, founder of The Sensory Projects, about the importance of knowing how to use the sensory resources you have, being reflective in your practice, how to listen with all your senses, and why the best sensory resources are tailored to the individual child. If you enjoy these podcasts from the Education Team at Tapestry, make sure to subscribe to be notified whe...

Ben and Jack chat with Aaron Bradbury Coffey, chair of the LGBTQIA+ Early Years Working group. They discuss the launch of the magazine and the importance and reasons for ensuring that our teaching in early years is as inclusive and diverse as possible. If you enjoy these podcasts from the Education Team at Tapestry, make sure to subscribe to be notified when we post new episodes. For more informat...

Listen to primary school teacher and special educational needs coordinator, Manny Awoyelu as we talk about his work as a primary school teacher, SEND coordinator and Director of The Reach Out Project, working with young people living in inner-city London. If you enjoy these podcasts from the Education Team at Tapestry, make sure to subscribe to be notified when we post new episodes. For more infor...

Jo Caswell is an early years consultant with almost 30 years in the sector as a teacher, day nursery manager, local authority advisor, and Ofsted inspector. She now runs her own consultancy ‘JLC Early Years Consultancy’, hoping to drive improvement in the early years settings she visits. Today we spoke about how to get your practice and provision right for every child, as well as the qualities and...

Let your day be filled with sunshine as you listen to Action Jackson talk about the importance of self-belief and leaving a heart print on those around you. You can find Action Jackson on twitter or youtube: https://twitter.com/Actionjackson https://www.youtube.com/user/Actionjacksonlive If you enjoy these podcasts from the Education Team at Tapestry, make sure to subscribe to be notified when we...

This week, Jules and Jack speak to Gareth who shares his experience on adopting a "bring your whole self to work" ethos. We discuss the possible barriers and numerous benefits of being a more authentic version of yourself at work. As well as some sage advice for anyone thinking about pursuing a similar journey. If you enjoy these podcasts from the Education Team at Tapestry, make sure to subscribe...

This week Stephen and Jules chat with Kirstie Page, founder of Launchpad for Literacy. Kirstie explains why it is so important for educators to have a knowledge of language and communication development as well as an understanding of each child, and the value of embedding interventions to make them part of your daily practice. If you enjoy these podcasts from the Education Team at Tapestry, make s...

Ben and Jack chat with Martin Williams (@EarlyImpact1), an early years teacher and founder of Early Impact . Taking a look at different ways to encourage children to become confident writers from an early age, Martin shares some simple but effective ways to keep mark making fun. Find out more about Martin's work here: www.earlyimpact.co.uk If you enjoy these podcasts from the Education Team at Tap...

Jules and Stephen chat with Leon Wenham, who shares his experiences as a black, gay, adoptive father. They discuss the importance of having a supportive community, what settings and schools need to do to recognise and represent every version of family, and the difference between celebrating and normalising diversity. If you enjoy these podcasts from the Education Team at Tapestry, make sure to sub...

Stephen and Jules chat with teachers Rachna Joshi and Carla Jones about the approach to rough and tumble play adopted in their school, prompted by their action research project. They explain why rough and tumble play is so important for children, how they teach it in their PE sessions, and the positive impact this has had on children’s physical and social literacy. If you enjoy these podcasts from...

Helen and Ben are joined by admins Vic, Helen and Sharon as well as moderators Corrie, Anna and Kathryn. Together they manage the hugely popular Early Adopters Facebook group. Vic set up the group to support Early Adopters and it has quickly grown to 8000 members, all benefiting from the expertise provided by this enthusiastic bunch of teachers. We spoke about how they managed to adjust to the new...

This week, Ben and Jules chat with Olivia Dicker, Year 5 teacher at Arundel CofE School to hear how they use Tapestry’s Child Login feature to support independent learning, parental engagement, and the celebration of children’s work throughout the school community. If you enjoy these podcasts from the Education Team at Tapestry, make sure to subscribe to be notified when we post new episodes. For...

Ben and Jules talk with experienced Head Teacher and Independent Education Consultant Alison Kriel about wellbeing, recognising what is enough, and the importance of belonging. If you enjoy these podcasts from the Education Team at Tapestry, make sure to subscribe to be notified when we post new episodes. For more information on Tapestry please visit our website or contact us by email: https://tap...

Stephen and Jules talk with early years consultant Leslie Patterson about the language and labels we use with or about children and the impact this has on them. The conversation covers the measures we use to assess children and ways to explore CPD in settings. If you enjoy these podcasts from the Education Team at Tapestry, make sure to subscribe to be notified when we post new episodes. For more...

Helen and Jack are joined by Annie Richardson, a university lecturer with over 20 years experience in the early years sector We discuss with Annie her journey, how qualifications in the early years have changed, some of the current challenges in the sector and what needs to change in the future. If you enjoy these podcasts from the Education Team at Tapestry, make sure to subscribe to be notified...

The education team discuss the newly published book Working with the revised Early Years Foundation Stage: Principles into Practice by Dr Julian Grenier. If you enjoy these podcasts from the Education Team at Tapestry, make sure to subscribe to be notified when we post new episodes. For more information on Tapestry please visit our website or contact us by email: https://tapestry.info/index.html c...

The Education Team chat about the new Development Matters guidance, what it looks like on Tapestry, and the thought process that led to this opportunity for change. If you enjoy these podcasts from the Education Team at Tapestry, make sure to subscribe to be notified when we post new episodes. For more information on Tapestry please visit our website or contact us by email: https://tapestry.info/i...

This week Jules and Ben chat with early years ambassador Jamel Carly-Campbell. Jamel shares his own journey into the early years, the importance of having mentors, what needs to change to encourage more black men into the sector and the impact early years educators have on the children they work with. If you enjoy these podcasts from the Education Team at Tapestry, make sure to subscribe to be not...

This week, Ben and Jack from the education team talk with Jenny Barber - an early years trainer, consultant, and author with over 30 years experience. We discuss the importance of CPD, how things have changed in the current climate, and some top tips on how you can access quality CPD at your setting. If you enjoy these podcasts from the Education Team at Tapestry, make sure to subscribe to be noti...

Stephen and Jules talk with Doreen Barton from Sounique Child. Doreen shares her experience of running a childminding business and opening a pre-school nursery, encouraging independence in children and connecting with families – listen out for lots of advice for childminders. You can find more on Sounique Child here: http://www.souniquechild.co.uk/ If you enjoy these podcasts from the Education Te...