TTS Talking Early Years

Ruth Lue-Quee is joined again by Anna Speke, to discuss building relationships with parents and carers to support SEN pupils. Anna introduces early years and inclusion, before explaining how to involve parents and carers, rather than just inform them.  Anna and Ruth then discuss strategies for effective communication, including forging good relationships at the point of meeting of meeting a parent...

Ruth Lue-Quee is joined by Anna Speke, Early Years Education Officer at nasen, to discuss how to collaborate with different groups of people in order to support SEN pupils. In this first episode, Anna explains that everybody plays a role in supporting SEN children and she explains how to collaborate effectively for positive outcomes.  Anna shares valuable insights for practitioners working with ch...

Ruth Lue-Quee is joined by Shardi Vaziri for a final episode, to focus on a clutter-free and visually calming environment. The episode highlights the importance a tidy environment can have on children’s behaviour, helping them not to become distracted by a messy workspace, or being overwhelmed by not knowing where equipment is.   Shardi shares insights into how to look at a classroom with fresh ey...

In this episode, host Ruth Lue-Quee is joined by Shardi Vaziri to discuss building strategies to create an inclusive outdoor environment. Shardi discusses the difference between indoor and outdoor learning, citing the need to consider the skills that need to be developed in each setting.  Ruth and Shardi discuss the development of gross motor skills within an outdoor setting, as well as considerin...

Ruth Lue-Quee is joined again by Shardi Vaziri, to discuss building strategies to create an inclusive indoor environment. Shardi highlights how designing an accessible classroom helps with children’s independence and supports their overall learning journey. The conversation highlights the need for practitioners to be mindful of how children approach and interact with as space, citing the need for...

Ruth Lue-Quee is joined by Shardi Vaziri, an Early Years specialist, writer, and consultant, to discuss the importance of creating inclusive environments within the Early Years. Shardi explains the different types of Early Years settings and how to create inclusive spaces to support children in their learning and development, particularly those who may not yet be at age related expectations.  Shar...

Ruth Lue-Quee is joined by Helen Battelley for a final episode, to explore the concept of the "third teacher" and its impact on children's development. The episode highlights how the environment, often considered the "third teacher", plays an important role in fostering physical, emotional, and cognitive development in young children. Helen shares insights into how educators can create rich, inclu...

In this episode, host Ruth Lue-Quee is joined by Helen Battelley to discuss the eight senses. Expanding beyond the traditional five senses - Helen introduces the vestibular, proprioceptive, and interoceptive systems, and their crucial roles in children's physical, social, and emotional development.   Practitioners are encouraged to incorporate a variety of movement activities into their settings t...

Ruth Lue-Quee is joined again by Helen Battelley, to discuss the key role practitioners play in supporting children's movement and growth. Helen highlights how educators’ behaviours and attitudes can directly influence children's development, as young children tend to mirror the adults around them. She emphasises the need for practitioners to be mindful of their actions and language, ensuring they...

Ruth Lue-Quee is joined by Helen Battelley, expert in early childhood physical development, to discuss the critical role of reflexes and their impact on development. Helen explains the difference between primitive and postural reflexes, and how delays can affect children’s physical and emotional development. They highlight how early years practitioners can identify these delays and support childre...

In this episode, Ruth Lue-Quee and Andre Imich discuss whether the Early Years sector is adequately equipped to support children with SEN. They highlight that the volume of children needing attention often surpasses the available support, particularly in areas like speech and language therapy. While there is strong ambition to improve, the sector still faces challenges with providing the right lev...

In this episode, Ruth Lue-Quee and Andre Imich delve into the complexities of supporting children with multiple types of SEN in the early years. They explain that most children with SEN have more than one need, such as a child with hearing impairment also facing speech and language challenges. Understanding these co-occurring needs is essential, as conditions like autism can involve a range of iss...

Host Ruth Lue-Quee is joined again by SEN expert Andre Imich as they discuss identifying SEN needs in Early Years. In this episode, they explore how to balance developmental expectations with a child’s individual needs, and the benefits of adapting the curriculum to support them better.   Ruth and Andre share practical tips for identifying SEN, such as paying attention to how children communicate...

Ruth Lue-Quee kicks off this new series with expert guest André Imich, as they dive into the complexities of Special Education Needs in the Early Years. With over a decade of experience as the SEN and Disability Professional Adviser for the DfE, Andre brings a wealth of knowledge on identifying and supporting children with SEN.  Ruth and Andre discuss what SEN truly means in an Early Years context...

In this episode, Alistair Bryce-Clegg is joined by Ruth Swailes, award-winning Early Years specialist, to discuss the transition from Early Years education. They emphasise the importance of maintaining familiarity for children, suggesting that Year 1 should retain elements of the foundation stage, such as having an art area for children who enjoyed art in foundation.    Ruth and Alistair advocate...

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 oft...

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...

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 ind...

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...

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 si...

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...

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 child...

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 the...

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 l...

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 unthreat...