“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
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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 /