“We’ve not stopped. We’ve tested our skills, tested our knowledge, and we’ve supported each other through it all."

- Beth, Atelier Leadership Team

Where has 2025 gone?! In this special end-of-series episode, jpin us as we take a moment to pause, reflect, and celebrate everything we’ve built together this year, as a nursery, as a consultancy, and… as podcasters!

Joined by our full leadership team (Clare, Beth, Lauren and Laura) we’re taking a look back on a landmark year at Atelier: from the launch of our consultancy and this podcast, to professional awards, Reggio study tours, outstanding OFSTED inspections, and of course the magic of everyday nursery life behind the doors of Atelier.

We share what’s moved us, challenged us, and inspired us, from our team CPD days and enrichment experiences, to key pieces of training and research that have helped shape our pedagogy. We hope this episode inspires our fellow educators, leader and early years professionals to make time for your own reflections and we encourage you to take stock of everything you've achieved this year, big or small.

Thankyou for listening and being part of the Atelier Talks community - we can’t wait to be back with you again for Series 2 in the new year.

In this episode:

• The word that sums up our year from each team member
• What we learned from our team enrichment activities throughout 2025
• How we kept our Ofsted Outstanding grading (even during a period of transition and staffing challenges!)
• Reflections on new leadership skills we’ve built on throughout the year, including project management, research roles and public speaking
• A reminder on why we prioritise slow pedagogy and mindful moments for both children and staff
• Our full debrief on launching our podcast this year - challenges and wins that have come our way as a result of Atelier Talks
• What to expect from Series 2 and how we hope to include more guests, more connection and more voices from the sector - could that be you…?

As always, our reflections are grounded in the influence of the educators and theorists who continue to shape our practice:

• Loris Malaguzzi – for inspiring our relational practice and environments via Reggio Emilia
• Friedrich Froebel – for grounding us in seasonal rhythms and slow pedagogy
• Peter Elfer & Elinor Goldschmied – for emotionally attuned care and the Key Person approach
• Jools Page – for Professional Love in leadership and educator-child relationships
• Mona Sakr – for advocacy and research into the rights of babies and transitions
• Dr. Chris Pascal – for leadership in early years research and reflection
• Aaron Bradbury – for championing practitioner voice, play and anti-bias practice

Find out more:

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

@decibelle_creative / www.decibellecreative.com

Keywords: early years podcast UK, atelier talks podcast, early years reflection, slow pedagogy, Froebel training, Reggio Emilia nursery UK, early years...

“You go there to learn about children — but you come back remembering who you are, and why you do what you do.”

Harriet, Early Years Educator at Atelier

In this very special episode of Atelier Talks, we’re reflecting on our recent team study trip to Reggio Emilia, Italy: the city that inspires so much of our practice and pedagogy here at Atelier. Clare & Laura are joined by Harriet and Rosie, two of our incredible team members who have walked the cobbled streets of Reggio and returned home enriched by the experience.

Together we explore what it feels like to immerse yourself in a global community of educators and return with a renewed sense of energy and inspiration for your early years practice.

Whether you’ve visited Reggio yourself, or are simply curious about what it really means to be Reggio-inspired in a UK nursery setting, you’ll finish this episode brimming with ideas.

• What it’s like to step inside the Loris Malaguzzi Centre for the first time
• Reflections from the infant-toddler centres and what it’s like to observe learning in action
• Why Reggio’s approach is as much about values and culture as it is about methods
• Real stories of international connections and cross-cultural dialogue between educators
• What intelligent setups and environments that speak really look like
• How our team are already transforming their spaces with the “Reggio lens”
• What we learned about process over product, and the radical power of respect
• The ripple effect of deep learning and why we believe study tours grow entire teams, not just individuals
• Standing on the shoulders of giants

The thinking behind Atelier's pedagogy draws deeply from the Reggio Emilia philosophy and wider foundational theorists. This episode references the work of:

• Loris Malaguzzi – founder of the Reggio Emilia approach and the concept of the hundred languages of children
• Reggio Children & the Loris Malaguzzi Centre – for inspiring our architectural, social, and relational design thinking
• The Reggio Atelieristas – for reimagining creativity, representation and research in early childhood
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Find out more:

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

Proudly produced by Decibelle Creative – decibellecreative.com / @decibelle_creative

Keywords: Reggio Emilia UK, early years study trip, Reggio Children, Loris Malaguzzi Centre, early years inspiration, international early childhood education, Reggio philosophy, early years leadership, environment as third teacher, hundred languages, process over product, atelierista, reflective practice EYFS, intelligent environments, emotionally intelligent early years, early years consultancy UK

“Our biggest priority is the children. But we can’t keep showing up for them at the level we want to if the system is this broken.”

Clare Crowther - Director, Atelier

“When there’s no consistency from one local authority to another, how are settings supposed to stay compliant?” This is one of the many questions we’re tackling in this episode of Atelier Talks. This episode is essential listening for any Early Years provider navigating the increasingly complex world of fees, funding and “free” entitlement.

Joined by sector trailblazers Jo Morris (Play Steps, CNLF, Early Years Voices) and Jen & Rose from Snapdragons Nurseries, we unpack the real implications of recent government funding changes, from April’s updated guidance to the September expansion of entitlements. We talk about transparency, administration overload, and the widening gap between funding rates and the real cost of delivering quality early years education.

If you’re a nursery owner, manager or educator trying to protect the quality of your provision while staying financially sustainable, this episode offers clarity (and solidarity!) and perhaps some inspiration from other settings navigating these changes.

• What changed in April and September, and what’s coming next…
• Why the “voluntary” charges guidance has made things more confusing
• How the narrative of “free childcare” is misleading families
• What additional services EY settings can charge for and what’s now restricted
• How the changes are affecting family choice, local partnerships, and team morale
• Practical tips for preparing your invoices, agreements and audit trail
• Why providers in multiple LAs are struggling to stay compliant across regions
• What the clawback risk means for your operations
• What Early Years Voices is doing to campaign for real change

Connect with our guests:

• Jo Morris / Champagne Nurseries, Lemonade Funding – Facebook group link (CNLF)
• Early Years Voices – https://earlyyearsvoice.org/
• Snapdragons Nurseries – https://www.snapdragonsnursery.com/

Connect with Atelier

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 / @decibelle_creative

Keywords: early years funding 2024, free childcare, 30 hours funding, voluntary charges EYFS, early years admin, EYFS fee structure, funded hours nursery, sustainability nursery funding, early years voices, champagne nurseries lemonade funding, local authority audits EYFS, clawback childcare, early years DfE guidance, provider agreements, nursery compliance UK