Shows / Tapestry Talks
Tapestry Talks
Join the experienced education team at Tapestry the childhood education platform, alongside expert guests, for insightful discussions designed to enrich your practice and pedagogy in early years and primary education. Each episode delves into important topics, offering practical advice, fresh perspectives, and inspiring conversations to support children’s learning, wellbeing, and development.
Episodes
Tapestry TalksThe National Year of Reading
The National Year of Reading: Building a love of reading from the Early Years What does it mean to be a reader, and how can we help more children discover a…
Tapestry TalksInclusion - Supporting Every Learner
Becca and Stephen from the education team explore supporting every child. From building trust with families to recognising the strengths and experiences within…
Tapestry TalksEarly Years Physical Development and Movement Play
Tapestry Ben chats with Helen Battelley and Brianne Pearson about the importance of Physical Development and what inspired them to create PAAP, the Physical…
Tapestry TalksThe Archetype Approach
In this episode of Tapestry Talks, the team go on tour to Cornwall to visit nursery owner and The Archetype Approach founder, Oliver Riddett…
Tapestry TalksScreen Time - Parents ask Sam Wass
Child psychologist and neuroscientist Professor Sam Wass answers questions on how screen time can affect young children.
Tapestry TalksPlay is a Lifeline
Amber Ogunsanya-William joins Ben for a discussion on her role as a play consultant and worker.
Tapestry TalksLittle Minds - Big Tech
Technology in Early Years education, digital literacy, and online safety - what do educators need to know now? On this month's Tapestry Talks, Ben and Kat sit…
Tapestry Talks200 Conversations Later: Big Ideas & Memorable Moments
For Tapestry's 200th podcast, directors Helen and Steve sat down to highlight a few of their favourite previous episodes and reflect on where they see the…
Tapestry TalksSupporting positive transitions from Reception to Year 1
What to consider to ensure child-centred transition from Reception to Year 1, with Michelle Windridge, National Education Lead for School-based EYFS at Twinkl.
Tapestry TalksMagic Lessons - Enhancing Engagement in the Classroom
Becca and Stephen are joined by Dr Ben Levy who is and Educational Psychologist and magician who has developed a framework to enhance pupil engagement and…
Tapestry TalksA specialist centre for autistic girls
Neurodiversity affirming practice for autistic girls and a glimpse into the ethos behind Ashley’s House – a new centre where a life-skills programme is central…
Tapestry TalksCreating inclusive learning spaces
Stephen chats with Simon Airey, who is a neurodivergent teacher and advocate for Inclusion. They discuss what inclusion means to Simon, his top tips for…
Tapestry TalksNeil Leitch on Childcare Deserts, School Based Nurseries and Workforce Sustainability
EYA CEO Neil Leitch discusses current issues and challenges confronting the sector.
Tapestry TalksA conversation about deaf identity and BSL
Join us for a memorable conversation with trumpeter and teacher Sean Chandler, and BSL interpreter Lizzie Wharton. Sean explains the words and terms about…
Tapestry TalksBe an Ally not a Bystander
Stephen chats with educator, author and neurodiversity champion Frances Akinde about her book 'Be an Ally not a Bystander'. They discuss the benefits of…
Tapestry TalksNeurodiversity affirming parenting and practice
Support and advice for parents with an autistic child, learning about children through observation, connection and communication, and what to consider if you…
Tapestry TalksSupporting the early years workforce
Supporting the early years workforce – what staff and leaders struggle with, what they might need, and how Twinkl’s experienced educators can help. With Tracie…
Tapestry TalksCreating a culture of mindfulness and wellbeing in your setting or school
Jules chats with education consultant in nurturing teachers and children, Joanne Lo. They discuss how to develop mindfulness in a learning community, and…
Tapestry TalksEarly Years training and policy
Jules chats with Glenda Tinney and Natalie MacDonald, both academics in Childhood Youth and Education at University of Wales Trinity St David. They discuss the…
Tapestry TalksReflecting on Physical Development in the EYFS and Primary Education
Stephen chats with Andrew Cartwright and Ben Carr who are the Co-Directors of the North East Coaching Company. They discuss the importance of children being…
Tapestry TalksAdvice on opening your own Nursery
Ben and Jules chat with Curtly Ania, nursery owner and mentor for others who are on the journey to opening their own early years setting. Curtly shares…
Tapestry TalksImproving the way Ofsted inspects education: why you should respond
Feeling a bit lost with the current Ofsted consultation (deadline April 28th)? Listen in for a friendly chat with Wendy Ratcliff and Caroline Hearn from…
Tapestry TalksChange and transition in the early years sector
Stephen and Jules chat with Adam Marycz, about his own changing roles and about the changes in the sector, and how we can get back to what we are all striving…
Tapestry TalksHow to practice mindfulness with very young children
Stephen and Jules chat with Julie Robinson and Charlotte Thornton from Mini Minds Matter. They discuss what mindfulness looks like for very young children, how…
Tapestry TalksThe importance of fundamental motor skills in child development
Jules and Ben chat with Dr Leanne Jaye about fundamental motor skills – what they are, the role educators play in developing them, and how to support families…
Tapestry TalksA deep dive into Maya and Marley and the Great Big Tidy Up
Ben and Jules chat with Laura Henry-Allain MBE about her latest children’s book Maya and Marley and the Great Big Tidy Up. They discuss the important themes in…
Tapestry TalksTransforming the early years sector
Peter Moss is Emeritus Professor of Early Childhood Provision at the Thomas Coram Research Unit, UCL Institute of Education. Professor Moss discusses the…
Tapestry TalksMoving and dancing with Naomi and Nigel and BBC Teach
Jules chats with Naomi Wilkinson and Nigel Clarke, familiar faces and voices from CBBC. They talk about their BBC Teach series Let’s Move with Naomi and Nigel…
Tapestry TalksThe Inclusive Early Years Educator
Jules chats with Tapestry SEND Advisor Stephen Kilgour, and Doncaster Early Years Inclusion Officer Ann Lowe, about some of the key themes in their book The…
Tapestry TalksMen In The Early Years Part 3
Stephen chats with Claudio Sisera - Head of Diversity and Inclusion at Male Childcare and Teaching Jobs. They discuss Claudio's route into the Early Years…
Tapestry TalksMen in The Early Years Part 2
Ben and Stephen chat with Rob Fox about his journey to becoming a nursery owner, and the challenges faced in encouraging and retaining males in the early years…
Tapestry TalksMen In The Early Years
Stephen chats with Richard Waite about his long and varied career in the Early Years. They discuss barriers men might face in entering early education, why…
Tapestry TalksUsing books to support transitions
Ben and Jamel talk about the publishing Jamel's book Olu's Teacher, which takes you through the journey of starting nursery and the importance of…
Tapestry TalksThe role of a childminder
Helen and Stephen are joined by Tina Maltman, Executive Director of Childminding UK. They talk about childminding as a career option and the state of the…
Tapestry TalksThe wonder of storytelling
Jules chats with Early Years and Literacy Consultant Olivia Corbin-Phillip about storytelling with young children, how to begin, how to adapt story telling for…
Tapestry TalksExploring contemporary digital childhood and children’s play
Jules and Stephen chat with Dr Yinka Olusoga about children’s digital literacies, how children’s play is evolving, and how we can shift our mindset to…
Tapestry TalksReflecting on being a nursery manager and owner
Ben and Jules chat with Rob Fox who is a nursery manager and owner. They discuss how to share a vision with your team and families, embodying practice and…
Tapestry TalksA conversation about teaching and learning at Wentworth Nursery School
Jules chats with Farzana Chowdhury, headteacher of Wentworth Nursery School and Children’s Centre. They take a deep dive into how one nursery school approaches…
Tapestry TalksSurfing the wave of negativity
Jules and Ben chat with motivational speaker and life coach Jackson Ogunyemi – Action Jackson! – about how to surf the wave of negativity. Jackson shares…
Tapestry TalksWhat does AI mean for teachers?
Ben and Jules chat with teacher, podcast host and bestselling author Lee Parkinson about how teachers can use AI to support them and their children, what are…
Tapestry TalksExtending our use of creativity to focus on children's well-being
Jules and Anya chat with Sonia Mainstone-Cotton about how we can extend our concepts of creativity to focus on children's well-being and understanding of…
Tapestry TalksSupporting positive nutrition in the early years
Jack and Jules chat with Hannah Dolan, food development specialist, about the importance of early years nutrition, the role early years settings play, the many…
Tapestry TalksThe role of grandparents
Ben and Jules chat with Manny Joss Cambridge-Simmons about the role of grandparents in the lives of children. They discuss the importance of intergenerational…
Tapestry TalksHelping to make music accessible for all children with Musical Storyland
This week on the FSF Tapestry Podcast Jules chatted with producer Jen Redmond, trumpeter Sean Chandler, and BSL interpreter Lizzie Wharton, who have all been…
Tapestry TalksThe impact of animal assisted therapy for neurodivergent and disabled children
Jules and Anya talk to Lotte Skinner, chief operating officer of Corey’s Farm, a setting which offers animal assisted therapy to neurodivergent and disabled…
Tapestry TalksTalking a closer look at how we build meaningful relationships with families
Stephen and Jules chat with advisory teacher and anti-racism trainer Jaziea Farag, taking a deep dive into the words and phrases we use when we’re talking…
Tapestry TalksThe importance of school libraries: creating a culture of reading
Jules chats with primary school librarian Rumena Aktar about what libraries bring to children’s reading experiences, creating inclusive spaces so children have…
Tapestry TalksHearing the voices of young Black authors
Ben and Jules chat with best-selling author and publisher Winsome Duncan about the work she does, including the Look Like Me Book Challenge enabling young…
Tapestry TalksThere is no one way to be a family: building an LGBTQIA+ inclusive learning community
Ben and Jules chat with teacher and trainer Caprice Fox about talking with children about LGBTQIA+, the importance of belonging, and the language and resources…
Tapestry TalksThe Power of Storytelling
Stephen chats with storyteller, author and playwright Richard O'Neill about his early memories of storytelling, growing up in a fully nomadic Romani Gypsy…
Tapestry TalksPolicies for Early Childhood: advice for the next government
Helen and Anya talk to Ben Cooper, Research Manager at Fabian Society, about the current state of the early years sector and what needs to change to ensure all…
Tapestry TalksGiving children a voice
Jules chats with teacher Varinder Kaur about the things children think about and the questions they ask; helping all children find their voice; and what…
Tapestry TalksFinding flexibility in education and school – what is possible?
Ben and Jules chat with Sarah Sudea, founder of Finding the Flex, about flexischooling, what this can look like in a school, and what the benefits are for…
Tapestry TalksBeing and becoming – reflecting on the present and the future of Early Childhood Education and Care
Ben and Jules are joined by Beatrice Merrick, Chief Executive of Early Education, in a conversation to recognise the centenary year of the organisation. They…
Tapestry TalksWhere to start your antiracism work
Jules talks with consultant and author Orlene Badu about racial literacy, what schools and individual educators need to consider, and how to start to make…
Tapestry TalksHow can we support children to live in an ever-changing digital world?
Ben and Jules chatted with Hannah Clifford, founder of Seren Kids, which provides children and adults with digital skills and e-safety knowledge. Hannah shares…
Tapestry TalksAn Intersectional approach to cultivating wellbeing
Warda Farah, Professor Eunice Lumsden and Kate Moxley joined Stephen and Jules for a special edition of the Tapestry and Foundation Stage Forum podcast for…
Tapestry TalksDecolonising Baby Massage
Stephen chats with baby massage specialist and hypnobirthing instructor Josette Sticher about the many benefits associated with baby massage, and the…
Tapestry TalksA child-centered approach to PE
Ben and Jules chat with teacher and PE lead Omar Green about what to consider when developing your PE curriculum, building on the strengths of children and…
Tapestry TalksTelling the stories from the Early Years
Jules chats with Elly Roberts, Editor of Early Years Educator, about the importance of creating a community of practice, raising the status of the early years…