POD-CACHE

Join us for this episode about positive parenting, making changes and setting boundaries in challenging environments. We'll be back with a whole new episode on Wednesday 1 May. In this episode we meet with Kathy Bowers to talk about parenting, communication and relationship improvement work. Kathy discusses her experience in social care and family support work, highlighting the importance of experience, knowledge, and training in dealing with challenging cases. She emphasises the value of being open and learning from families, as well as asking questions to understand their situations better. Kathy has worked as a nursery nurse, family support worker, and practitioner in children's settings. She has worked directly with families, including teenagers, to improve their relationships and create harmony. Kathy also discusses the challenges of parenting, including the need for consistency, setting boundaries, and managing emotions. She encourages parents not to compare themselves to others and to learn from their mistakes. Want to hear more from Kathy? Website: https://www.life-change-coaching.co.uk/about-kathy If you enjoyed this podcast, please share it with your colleagues and remember to like, subscribe and leave us a review. Visit cachealumni.org.uk to join 25,000 members from across care, health, early years and education. Membership starts at free, and you'll gain access to our member magazine, events, resources and a member discount and benefits scheme.

In this episode we meet with Dr Helen Bilton, Author and Professor of Outdoor Learning and Play, to talk about recapturing the lost value of play and independent problem-solving, as well as how different early years settings can support outdoor learning. We also touch on the courses Helen has written for FutureLearn on Supporting Successful Learning in Primary Schools and in Secondary Schools, which explore how we can teach children to navigate risk and how we can reflect upon our own attitudes and perceptions of the outdoors. Want to hear more from Helen? Website: https://www.drhelenbilton.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/drhelenbilton FutureLearn Courses: https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/supporting-learning-primary https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/supporting-learning-secondary Want to skip ahead? PART 1: (0:00-03:15) Introduction to Helen: how her love of outdoor play developed and her book writing journey (03:15-05:35) What makes ‘outdoor play’ magical and the ‘can-do’ environment (05:35-09:38) The battle of evidencing outdoor play’s benefits and bias associated with it (09:38-11:15) How the modern world doesn’t prepare us for the outdoors and our fear of losing comfort (11:15-12:48) How settings can navigate children’s preparedness for the outdoors (12:48-17:35) Families’ anxiety of children being ‘on show’, the need to re-think education and language associated with the outdoors (17:35-20:54) How technology has affected outdoor education & the importance of being ‘present’ outdoors [CACHE Alumni ad break] PART 2: (21:14-26:40) How settings without access to an outdoor space can support outdoor learning (26:40-32:50) FutureLearn courses on ‘supporting successful learning in primary and secondary schools’ - reflecting on our own attitudes & teaching children to navigate ‘risk’ (32:50-36:45) Challenging own viewpoints and recognising cultural differences in perceptions of ‘outdoor learning’ PART 3: (36:45-47:00) The lost value of outdoor play and problem-solving, and modern conveniences (47:00-52:00) Wellbeing and resilience (52:00-57:08) Tips on how to easily create an outdoor space and final notes --------------------- Don't forget that you can watch this episode on our website, as well as other video-versions of our previous episodes. --------------------- You can find our podcast on numerous different platforms, including PodBean, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Google Podcasts, YouTube, and more. If you enjoyed this podcast, please share it with your colleagues and remember to like, subscribe and leave us a review. Visit cachealumni.org.uk to join 24,000 members from across care, health, early years and education. Membership starts at free, and you'll gain access to our member magazine, events, resources and a member discount and benefits scheme.

Welcome to the latest episode of POD-CACHE, the award-winning professional development podcast from CACHE Alumni. Join us for this fascinating conversation with Bethan Harding MBE, a seasoned education professional working to pioneer the 'Winning With Numbers' teaching platform. In this episode, Bethan shares her professional journey and brings real-world insights from her experiences in various school systems, including the US, and discusses her instrumental role in establishing teaching hubs and support. We explore Bethan’s dedicated efforts towards the development and support of tools for number fluency and the episode covers in-depth discussions on 'Winning With Numbers'. Designed to revolutionise primary maths education, this platform provides a comprehensive array of resources for teachers, parents, and students with the objective of making maths simple yet engaging. Bethan highlights the necessity of fostering a strong foundation in education and instilling fluency and confidence in subjects from an early age. Find Winning With Numbers on their website at https://www.wwnumbers.com/ or on their social media pages; Twitter: https://twitter.com/_WWNumbers Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wwnumbers Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_wwnumbers LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-harding-a84b682a/ If you enjoyed this podcast, please share it with your colleagues and remember to like, subscribe and leave us a review. Visit cachealumni.org.uk to join 24,000 members from across care, health, early years and education. Membership starts at free, and you'll gain access to our member magazine, events, resources and a member discount and benefits scheme.

Join us as we meet with Yasmin Mukadam and learn about Mindfulness in Early Years. Find out more about the conversation below, and subscribe for more interesting conversations in care, health, early years and education. We'll be back with a whole new episode on Wednesday 7 February. 00:00 Introduction and Background 01:14 Importance of Mindfulness 05:03 Mindfulness in Early Childhood 06:37 Mindfulness for Practitioners 07:00 Mindfulness in Early Years Settings 14:58 Connection Between Mindfulness and Yoga 19:30 Mindfulness in Transitions and Circle Time 21:27 Making Yoga and Mindfulness Accessible 23:49 Mindfulness during Commute 26:49 Journaling and Reflective Practice 29:44 Benefits of Mindfulness in Early Years 31:58 Practical Tips for Implementing Mindfulness 34:36 Importance of Wellbeing Policies 38:49 Promoting Mindfulness in Early Years 41:50 Book Recommendation and Conclusion Summary In this conversation, Yasmin Mukadam discusses the importance of mindfulness in early years education. She explains that mindfulness is about being in the present moment with awareness and without judgment. Yasmin emphasizes the benefits of mindfulness for both practitioners and children, including improved focus, reduced stress and anxiety, and enhanced social and emotional learning. She suggests practical ways to introduce mindfulness into early years settings, such as mindful walks, breathing exercises, and journaling. Yasmin also highlights the connection between mindfulness and yoga, and the positive impact of mindfulness on transitions and circle time. She concludes by recommending her book, 'Mindfulness in Early Years,' as a resource for implementing mindfulness practices in early years education. In this conversation, we explore the importance of mental health and discuss common mental health issues, stigma, support and resources, and self-care and coping strategies. The conversation emphasises the need to prioritise mental health and provides valuable insights and resources for individuals facing mental health challenges. Takeaways Find Mindfulness in Early Years on the Routledge website here; https://ww.routledge.com/Mindfulness-in-Early-Years-Strategies-and-Approaches-to-Nurturing-Young/Mukadam/p/book/9780367142087 or via Amazon here; Mindfulness in Early Years: Strategies and Approaches to Nurturing Young Minds: Amazon.co.uk: Mukadam, Yasmin: 9780367142087: Books If you enjoyed this podcast, please share it with your colleagues and remember to like, subscribe and leave us a review. Visit cachealumni.org.uk to join 24,000 members from across care, health, early years and education. Membership starts at free, and you'll gain access to our member magazine, events, resources and a member discount and benefits scheme.

Join us as we learn about behaviour as communication in care with Victoria Bartle. Find out more about the conversation below, and subscribe for more interesting conversations in care, health, early years and education. We'll be back with a whole new episode on Wednesday 7 February. This journey into Victoria's day-to-day provides a comprehensive insight into understanding and interpreting the delicate balance in care-receiving and care-giving situations. From tackling discrimination at work to understanding the vital role of non-verbal communication in care settings, Victoria's journey helps us to understand our impact in the professional, social, and personal sphere. Uncover the physical and emotional issues surrounding people's experiences of disability as Victoria covers the holistic impact of her everyday hurdles. Learn from her experiences dealing with the complexities of the healthcare and social systems to explore a fresh perspective on the emotional backdrop and behaviours exhibited by people receiving care to help build effective care strategies rooted in humanity and empathy. As Victoria shares the raw reality of balancing her desire for control and the necessity to rely on others, she offers precious insights for carers to enhance their technique, forming a beneficial relationship based on clear boundaries, mutual respect, and good communication. Listen in and gain a deeper understanding of the need for excellent communication skills and self-awareness in care-giving encounters. Want to hear more from Victoria? Find her on the CACHE Alumni website, her LinkedIn page, via her work with Newcastle University or on her website. If you'd like to see this podcast as a live video, you can see Victoria and her slides on the (members only) events and video learning page of the CACHE Alumni website, alongside lots of other great CPD. If you enjoyed this podcast, please share it with your colleagues and remember to like, subscribe and leave us a review. Visit cachealumni.org.uk to join 24,000 members from across care, health, early years and education. Membership starts at free, and you'll gain access to our member magazine, events, resources and a member discount and benefits scheme.

Join us as we meet with Lucy Norris and learn about the Wizzybug. Find out more about the conversation below, and subscribe for more interesting conversations in care, health, early years and education. We'll be back with a whole new episode on Wednesday 24 January. 00:00 Introduction 00:46 Introducing Lucy Norris and Designability 01:18 What is Wizzybug? 02:46 Age Range for Wizzybug 04:33 Importance of Independent Movement 06:28 Benefits of Wizzybug for Children and Families 08:43 Developmental Milestones and Agency 09:56 Equal Footing with Peers 10:18 Why is Support with Powered Mobility not Widely Available in Early Years? 12:07 Motor Skills and Spatial Awareness 13:32 Story of a Child's Experience with Wizzybug 14:05 Transitioning to Powered Mobility 16:19 Developmental Benefits of Early Mobility 19:38 Loan Scheme and Loan Extension 20:36 Removing Barriers to Applying for support 23:46 Empowerment and Transitioning to Mobility Aids 26:50 Multimodal Mobility and Range of Equipment 28:16 Transitioning to Powered Mobility as an Adult 33:15 How to refer parents to Wizzybug 37:46 Measuring and Setting Up Wizzybugs 42:56 Funding and Support for Wizzybugs 45:22 When Wizzybug is Not Suitable 45:55 Thank You - More Help from CACHE Alumni Summary Lucy Norris, Partnerships and Engagement Officer for the charity Designability, discusses the Wizzybug, a small powered wheelchair designed for young children with mobility challenges. The Wizzybug enables children to move independently and participate more fully in social activities. In this episode, Lucy and Dawn talk about the importance of independent movement for child development and the benefits of early mobility. Lucy also addresses the current barriers to accessing mobility equipment and talks about the loan scheme provided by Designability. Takeaways Find Wizzybug on the Designability website here; https://designability.org.uk/assistive-solutions/wizzybug/ Or on their social media pages; Instagram Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn If you enjoyed this podcast, please share it with your colleagues and remember to like, subscribe and leave us a review. Visit cachealumni.org.uk to join 24,000 members from across care, health, early years and education. Membership starts at free, and you'll gain access to our member magazine, events, resources and a member discount and benefits scheme.

Join us for this throwback episode of POD-CACHE and re-listen to Dr Helen Williams' wisdom on making maths playful. We'll be back with a whole new episode on Wednesday 10 January. 0:00 Introduction to Dr Helen J Williams and her journey with maths 2:30 Moving from a dislike to a love of maths 4:50 Maths' evolution since the 80s and use of manipulatives in maths teaching 7:42 The challenges of applying more practical approaches 9:20 Challenging perceptions of being good vs. bad at maths and how taking risks translates into development 11:50 Problem-solving and Pirate's Gold problem 14:45 Break 15:00 How practitioners can recapture the joy of maths 18:40 Resources available for teaching maths 20:40 Shape and space (geometry) and recalling vs. applying knowledge 27:18 Progress in understanding how primary school children learn maths 30:20 What is subitising and what activities can help children develop the skill 33:00 Helen talks about her book 'Playful Mathematics: For Children 3 to 7' and final notes Dawn's been leaning into the magic of Christmas, reading The Indisputable Existence of Santa Claus, and can't help thinking back to this magical conversation with Dr Helen Williams about making maths more playful. Join us as we listen back to this popular episode from Season 4 of POD-CACHE and take some time to look through our catalogue on your favourite podcast platform. Are there other gems that you've missed? Dr Helen J Williams is the author of the award-winning 'Playful Mathematics: For Children 3 to 7', who shares her journey towards becoming passionate about mathematics and her mission to change perceptions of maths as a dry and uninteresting subject. Dr. Williams also provides practical recommendations for educators and families on how to make maths lessons more fun and engaging for young children. You can hear more from Helen on her twitter @helenjwc Links mentioned in podcast: British Society for Research into Learning Mathematics - https://bsrlm.org.uk/ Association of Teachers of Mathematics - https://www.atm.org.uk/ Early Childhood Mathematics Group - https://earlymaths.org/ NRICH Maths Resources - https://nrich.maths.org/ Helen's Book - Playful Mathematics: For Children 3 to 7 If you enjoyed this podcast, please share it with your colleagues and remember to like, subscribe and leave us a review. Visit cachealumni.org.uk to join 24,000 members from across care, health, early years and education. Membership starts at free, and you'll gain access to our member magazine, events, resources and a member discount and benefits scheme.

00:00 Introduction - Welcome to POD-CACHE, the portable professional development podcast from CACHE Alumni 00:48 Fey Cole - An introduction to Fey 02:24 Why intergenerational practice? Fey explains how she first got involved with bringing intergenerational learning to an educational setting 03:50 Making the project student-led and establishing an intergenerational café 04:50 Embedding existing learning aims and outcomes into the project delivery 06:00 The impact of lockdown on intergenerational learning and the café group 07:09 Intergenerational Practice in Schools and Settings - Fey's book proposal 08:53 The benefits of intergenerational care - Collaborating with Health and Social Care teams and the community 10:35 Engaging partners and participants in intergenerational projects 13:10 Why write a book? Fey talks about her own career progression and enjoyment of writing and journaling for reflection 15:35 Intergenerational learning means intergenerational support - our own experiences support those around us and we can learn from those we teach 16:43 POD-CACHE 17:06 Project-based learning - finding structure to support our curiosity 18:21 Community learning - advocating for our project and acting on feedback 19:27 The community online - growing your own personal learning network and building your community 21:50 Using Facebook as a teaching tool - Fey wins an award for her use of social media in education 24:00 How do you manage it all? Fitting passion projects around work and life 26:20 Staying accountable to your audience and to yourself to avoid overwhelm and manage self-care 28:42 Saying yes more: making time to enjoy life 29:55 Setting priorities, understanding your values and deciding what to say no to 32.20 Play is important for everyone - Why we should get grown ups involved in play for creativity, problem solving and wellbeing 34:20 What did Fey learn through the intergenerational learning project? Taking a step back and learning about community together 36:55 What’s the worst that could happen? - Developing confidence and empowering learners, the wider community and yourself 39:00 Start your own intergenerational learning project - the many benefits of our café for learners and how to find support 40:15 Thanks for listening! Fey Cole is an Early Years lecturer, and a Teaching and Learning Advisor for the Confucius Hub, which allows her to support teachers who come to work and share practice in the UK from China. Her book, Intergenerational Practice in Schools and Settings provides guidance through the many approaches in education that bring generations together. Join Dawn as she chats to Fey about inter-generational learning, project-based learning and engaging students and the community in learning, practice and play. Want more? Find articles about animals in education and care setting written by Fey Cole in CACHE Alumni's quarterly member magazine, Aluminate, or listen to another episode of POD-CACHE as we talk reflection with Annie Pendrey. If you enjoyed this podcast, please share it with your colleagues or take time to click like, subscribe and leave us a review to help us grow. Visit cachealumni.org.uk to join 24,000+ members from across care, health, early years and education. Membership starts at free, and you'll gain access to a host of member benefits, including our quarterly member magazine, Aluminate.

(00:00) Introduction - Welcome to POD-CACHE, the portable professional development podcast from CACHE Alumni (00:48) Jenny Phillips - An introduction to Jenny (02:52) They say never to work with children or animals... Jenny's dream job (04:52) A love of animals - Bringing animals into the classroom (05:28) George the Cat - The teaching power of animals (06:46) Making the unpredictable understandable - The process behind introducing children to animals and animal therapy. (11:18) We are nature - Jenny's relationship with animals, professional curiosity and the theory behind farm and animal therapy. (12:57) The micropig experience - Working with teacup pigs and other animals to help children to develop relationships, provide therapeutic intervention in hospitals and experience the 'humanity' of animals. (16:32) Purring chickens - The physiological impact of animal interactions on mental and emotional health (17:40) Who says you can't cuddle a snake? - Book recommendations from Jenny and signposting to other resources supporting farm therapy (19:00) CACHE Alumni signposting (19:16) Risk assessing animal interactions - Finding the way through controlled exploration (22:05) Never work with children or animals - Exploring Jenny's passion for animals and education (24:55) Jenny's advice on finding (or inventing) your own career path through academic research and study (27:32) Find your passion and unlock your real potential - Mixing and matching career paths to make a perfect career. (30:00) Overcoming objections and articulating ideas - Jenny explains how she draws her own boundaries and factors in health and safety and costings to her planning (34:27) 'No' is not the end. It's a starting point for conversation - Practising professional conversations to construct an argument or business case (37:24) Jenny's dreams for the future 'Don't let anyone tell you that you can't… you might get there a bit slower, but you'll get where you need to be' - Jenny Phillips is a highly qualified early years and education professional with lots of experience of working with animals to provide the best possible care and support. Join Dawn as she talks to Jenny about the way that animal and human care intersects, Jenny's passion for care farming and shaping her own career to fulfil her dreams. Want more? Find articles about animals in education and care setting written by Jenny Phillips in CACHE Alumni's quarterly member magazine, Aluminate, or listen to another episode of POD-CACHE with Dr Helen Bilton, Professor of Outdoor Learning and Play. If you enjoyed this podcast, please share it with your colleagues and remember to like, subscribe and leave us a review. Visit cachealumni.org.uk to join 24,000 members from across care, health, early years and education. Membership starts at free, and you'll gain access to our member magazine, events, resources and a member discount and benefits scheme.

00:00 Introduction - Welcome to POD-CACHE, the portable professional development podcast from CACHE Alumni 00:50 Alix Robertson - Alix introduces herself and the Centre for Education and Youth 01:18 Sarah introduces herself and Big Education 02:08 Meet PEPA - What is the Primary Extended Project Award? 04:30 Project-based learning 05:24 Choosing a project - Collaboration, theme setting and helping children to find their interests 06:53 Flexibility by design - Creating opportunities to signpost to learning that excites and engages little learners 08:22 Looking beyond the curriculum and making links with life - The role of the expert 11:27 It's not all about the project outcome - Finding links back to the curriculum, evidencing soft skills and career pathways 14:32 Research, teaching and assessment - Friendly but rigorous 15:00 It's OK not to be good at things, but to enjoy them anyway 15:52 Accessible by design - The PEPA is for everyone 16:42 Empowering young people - the value of guiding your own learning, shaping your own skill-set and owning your own future 18:35 CACHE Alumni 18:52 Non-linear learning and trying new things - Feeling safe in exploration 20:34 PEPA is a commitment - Successfully embedding the PEPA into schools 23:08 Support materials and delivery support for streamlining implementation 24:24 How did the PEPA project begin? Teachers coming together to solve challenges and jump into opportunities to benefit primary students 27:20 The benefits of the EYFS in holistic education - Enabling enquiry and project based learning throughout education 31:00 Find out more about PEPA, get in touch and get involved in the project 32:47 Thank you and signposting The Primary Extended Project Award (PEPA), developed by The Centre for Education and Youth (CfEY) and multi-academy trust Big Education, will give pupils the chance to be more creative and take control of their own learning. Created with support from the educational charity and leader in technical and vocational learning NCFE through its Assessment Innovation Fund, the PEPA aims to address specific problems in the ways primary pupils are currently assessed. Join Dawn as she talks to Alix Robertson and Sarah Seleznyov from the PEPA Project and find out more about how they've been able to challenge the overemphasis on summative assessment that’s linked to school performance measures. CfEY and Big Education are now looking to prototype elements of the PEPA programme with a small number of year six pupils ahead of a large-scale impact pilot. You can discover more about the pilot project and read the final report here. If you enjoyed this podcast, please share it with your colleagues and remember to like, subscribe and leave us a review. Visit cachealumni.org.uk to join 24,000 members from across care, health, early years and education. Membership starts at free, and you'll gain access to our member magazine, events, resources and a member discount and benefits scheme.

00:00 Welcome to CACHE Alumni - What can you expect in this episode of POD-CACHE? 00:40 Jawad Bhatti introduction - Who is Jawad and what is the Spark story? 03:40 The impact of the pandemic on loneliness, routine and mental health 05:30 Mental Health support online and through talking to others 07:23 Mental Health in the workplace - Jawad's experiences at work 10:20 Why do people drop out of mental health support? 12:10 How does Spark measure the improvements in mental health in the workplace? 13:15 What tools are helpful for mental health understanding and support? 15:00 What is the Spark app now? Tools for individuals and organisations 19:30 What's in a name? - Spark is a 'little click' that helps us change things 21:20 POD-CACHE Ad break 21:32 Building good habits - How a journal can help us to understand ourselves and make lasting changes 24:00 Your journal as a record - reflecting on our progress and remembering better days 26:42 Sparking ideas - Journalling prompts, blank pages and the benefits of guided journals 30:17 Changing lanes - Jawad talks about changing careers, sectors and becoming a member of CACHE Alumni from a background in data science 33:41 Mental Health First Aid - the challenges of following up on mental health support as an organisation 35:00 Providing support with mental health before there's a problem 38:10 Knowing which interventions make the most impact to facilitate organisational change around mental and emotional health 39:25 Journalling as a tool to support groups who might not traditionally engage with mental health support 43:49 Finding help in crisis or if you're feeling low 44:00 Signposting and invite to Spark 45:40 Thanks for listening - cachealumni.org.uk Jawad Bhatti is a senior data professional on a personal mission to help improve mental health and has launched an app to support organisations to reduce presenteeism & absenteeism and improve health & wellbeing through data-driven insights After launching a Facebook group to support easier mental health discussions, Jawad started a YouTube channel to help get men to talk about their mental health and launched an interactive mobile journalling tool called Spark. How to download the app - https://sparkyourhealth.co.uk/#download Spark's LinkedIn page - https://www.linkedin.com/company/sparkyourhealth/ Spark's Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/sparkyourmentalhealth/ Spark's X page - https://twitter.com/sparkyour_mh Listen as Jawad talks to Dawn about reflection, journalling and using data to drive change. If you can, join us for our Reflect and Recharge event on 30 November 2023, where Annie Pendrey will be supporting us to start our own reflective journals as part of our amazing line-up of speakers. Until next time, take care!

00:00 Welcome to POD-CACHE, the portable professional development podcast from CACHE Alumni 00:23 Coming up in this episode - thinking outside of the box with Annie Pendrey 00:43 Annie's career so far. From Early Years Teaching Assistant to training, writing and research 02:43 Creativity and changing careers - How Annie found her path 03:50 Three books in two years - Reflection and reflective spaces in Early Years Education 07:46 What makes reflection important to Annie? The power of reflection in supporting engagement and attainment. Reflection helps us to be better and feel better. 09:13 We all have different gifts and experiences. How to improve, develop and progress. 10:01 Japanese philosophy - Learning to celebrate your perfectly imperfect self, slow down and understand your reason for being. 11:24 Standards, values and actions - Understanding what we need to succeed outside of set metrics. 12:55 Get started with reflective practice; How to make time to listen to yourself. 15:56 How to start your own reflective journal and overall journey 19:00 It might not be words - you might want to draw something. How talking to yourself can help you to be your own coach and stop you from feeling stuck. 20:08 CACHE-Back promotion 20:25 Building the habit of reflection - Observations and reflections aren't always the same thing. How not to lose yourself in other people's feedback. 23:48 Starting again with reflective practices after negative experiences. Owning your own journey and understanding your gifts. 26:40 Overcoming fear and asking for feedback from others. The value of other people's insight and opinions of your work. 30:33 Continual feedback - gratitude and building a culture of feedback and reflection 32:00 There is no 'just' in Early Years - Owning your own power and accepting compliments and positive feedback 35:00 Finding spaces that children can really be part of. The need for research in Early Years roles. 36:21 Prompts and support for journaling and ongoing reflection 37:00 Thanks for listening Annie Pendrey started her career as an NNEB working across Early Years and the Primary sector before becoming a lecturer and Professional Development Manager. Today, Annie is freelance, an External Examiner for Open University, an author and on her way to becoming Doctor Pendrey. Annie has written several academic journals, has publications within books and writes regularly for educational columns alongside her own book publications which include, The Little Book of Reflective Practice and Reflection and Reflective Spaces in the Early Years. Annie has created her own online platform and hashtag #Reflect Connect, a weekly space over on Twitter where you can connect with others in a quiet reflective thread. Listen as Annie talks to Dawn about reflection, self-confidence and reflective spaces in the Early Years and, if you can, join us for our Reflect and Recharge event on 30 November 2023, where Annie will be supporting us to start our own reflective journals as part of our amazing line-up of speakers. Until next time, take care!

POD-CACHE is back with a new season! In our debut episode, we chat with Amy Baird from the Discovery Museum in Newcastle. Amy tells us about her early years sessions called 'Tiny Sparks', organised for families with 3-5 year old children, which are themed around STEM subjects. We explore how connecting museum objects from diverse collections with stories and interactive play can aid children in learning and developing both their fine and gross motor skills. Amy also walks us through her plans for future sessions and her goal towards making them more accessible, working together with a number of community partners. Want to skip ahead? (0:00-1:42) Introduction to Amy from the Discovery Museum, Newcastle (1:42-3:50) Planning for varied groups and formal/informal sessions (3:50-5:45) What is the Discovery Museum? (5:45-8:20) Museums as a place of learning (8:20-9:52) Early years sessions - Tiny Sparks (9:52-13:55) Maximising learning in a 1 hour session (13:55-18:27) Engaging returning families and accessible sessions (18:27-18:40) Break (18:40-20:37) Choosing session topics & skill development (20:37-23:30) Amy's journey into her role (23:30-24:55) Development between collections at the museum (24:55-26:00) Learning through play (26:00-27:30) STEM's importance in the sessions (27:30-29:43) Planning for the next academic year (29:43-33:04) Following children's transitions between different life chapters (33:04-35:24) How nursery/school groups can get involved (35:24-36:33) Final notes and goodbye Links: Discovery Museum: https://discoverymuseum.org.uk/ --------------------- This episode was brought to you by CACHE Alumni, a free, award-winning membership platform for practitioners from across care, health and early years education. By signing up with us, you gain access to various CPD resources, including our member magazine Aluminate, latest news from the sector, careers advice, a range of special offers and discounts and more. --------------------- You can find our podcast on other platforms, including PodBean, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Google Podcasts, and more.

As we conclude season 4, we bring you an incredible story which showcases the power of education and mentorship. Join us as Janet King assumes the role of interviewer to speak with Andreas Kalli, who shares his journey from substance addiction to completing a Psychology degree with a first class honours. We also find out how having a mentor supported Andreas through this process, and learn how his lived experiences are helping him make a difference for others in challenging circumstances. Want to skip ahead? (0:00-3:00) Introduction to Andreas (3:00-3:59) Starting university (3:59-5:43) Starting from scratch. You don't know what you don't know. (5:43-7:37) Getting a mentor to support with work (7:37-9:10) Expanding mentorship to personal life - how personal issues impact work (9:10-11:27) Learning from feedback and working as a team (11:27-12:28) Becoming a mentor (12:28-13:55) A new sense of self-worth - putting skills into practice (13:55-14:07) POD-CACHE Ad break (14:07-15:40) Using lived experiences to make a difference (15:40-18:08) Combining learning with lived experience (18:08-19:57) The wider impact of working with people who need support (19:57-21:25) What’s next – applying learning and mentorship to the future (21:25-21:45) POD-CACHE, CACHE Alumni and close --------------------- This episode was brought to you by CACHE Alumni, a free, award-winning membership platform for practitioners from across care, health and early years education. By signing up with us, you gain access to various CPD resources, including our member magazine Aluminate, latest news from the sector, careers advice, a range of special offers and discounts and more. --------------------- You can find our podcast on numerous different platforms, including PodBean, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Google Podcasts, YouTube, and more.

In this week's episode, we welcome back Lucy Lewin, Founder of 85-Place Day Nursery and The Profitable Nursery Academy. Lucy shares with us the value of adopting a strength-based approach in early years settings and embracing one's natural abilities. We also discuss the importance of fostering a work culture of psychological safety, open communication and one that encourages a collaborative mindset, seeking solutions together. Lucy highlights how leaders and managers can effectively engage with their staff, celebrating the uniqueness of each individual, as well as how they can build trust and partnership with the children's families. Want to skip ahead? (0:00-2:50) Introduction to Lucy and a strength-based approach (2:50-7:05) How to facilitate a strength-based approach in your setting (7:05-15:40) How to encourage staff to open up about what makes them uncomfortable (15:40-20:10) How to work with people who don't yet understand how you work (20:10-25:33) Finding courage to be direct as a leader during performance feedback (25:33-28:00) Transitioning into a leader that isn't afraid of difficult discussions and the importance of journalling (28:00-28:13) Ad break (28:13-32:10) Being open, honest and vulnerable, without sharing the burden of leadership (32:10-37:00) Being honest with children's families and the importance of partnerships (37:07-39:26) Seeing behind the filtered/perfect versions of people's work and success (39:26-42:42) How Lucy keeps herself motivated through all the challenges (42:42-45:50) Adapting your leadership in recognition that everyone's unique (45:50-48:40) Striving for 50% of your day to be made up of the tasks you love & ensuring the right people are doing the right job (48:40-50:03) Lucy's book on empowering yourself to lead through the lens of strengths (50:03-50:59) Final notes and goodbye Links Lucy's previous POD-CACHE episode: https://podcache.podbean.com/e/s3e04/ The Profitable Nursery Academy: https://theprofitablenurseryacademy.com/ --------------------- This episode was brought to you by CACHE Alumni, a free, award-winning membership platform for practitioners from across care, health and early years education. By signing up with us, you gain access to various CPD resources, including our member magazine Aluminate, latest news from the sector, careers advice, a range of special offers and discounts and more. --------------------- You can find our podcast on numerous different platforms, including PodBean, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Google Podcasts, YouTube, and more.

In this episode, we're thrilled to welcome back Jake Forecast for a third time, as he provides us with an exciting update on his career journey from student teacher to now nursery manager. Throughout our conversation, Jake highlights the significance of continuous learning and shares how he balances learning alongside work. Moreover, we touch upon reflection and seeing the bigger picture in your work, as well as the importance of coaching and mentorship. We also cover Jake's transition back to early years and how the sector's collaboration and team work makes it such a special environment to work in. To check out Jake's full journey starting from his first episode, you can listen to episode 1 here and episode 2 here. Want to skip ahead? (0:00-1:43) Introduction to Jake and his career journey (1:43-3:15) Starting a new job in nursery management (3:15-5:15) Preparing for the change in role with a supported transition (5:15-7:52) Never stop learning - keeping your enthusiasm for education as a busy educator (7:52-11:39) Tips for reflection - avoiding negativity (11:39-14:15) Gap assessments, mentoring and coaching - tools for self understanding (14:15-14:36) CACHE Alumni signposting (14:36-17:41) Coming home - moving back to Early Years from Primary Education (17:41-20:35) Collaboration and instant support - well-being in nursery teams (20:35-23:24) Passion, determination and the things that drive success in Early Years (23:24-27:57) Making the most of team skills and interests for progression planning (27:57-30:00) The importance of community and working collaboratively (30:00-32:19) Jake's career journey so far... (32:19-33:42) What a difference a few years makes - listen to Jake's previous POD-CACHE interviews to see his progress from Level 3 to where he is now. (33:42-34:54) Thank you to Jake, last words of wisdom and signposting ------------------------- Links: First episode with Jake: https://podcache.podbean.com/e/dawn-interviews-jake-forecast-student-teacher-and-nursery-nurse/ Second episode with Jake: https://podcache.podbean.com/e/s3e08/ --------------------- This episode was brought to you by CACHE Alumni, a free, award-winning membership platform for practitioners from across care, health and early years education. By signing up with us, you gain access to various CPD resources, including our member magazine Aluminate, latest news from the sector, careers advice, a range of special offers and discounts and more. --------------------- You can find our podcast on numerous different platforms, including PodBean, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Google Podcasts, YouTube, and more.

Join us on this week's episode as we meet with Dan Bartley from Skillzminer, an innovative AI tool transforming the job market. We explore how Skillzminer objectively assesses skills, bridges skill gaps, and streamlines recruitment for both job seekers and employers. We also delve into the changing landscape of careers, the importance of succession planning and skills-based systems, and the shift from passive to active recruitment. You'll also hear how AI recruitment can increase confidence and help employers find the best candidates based on skills rather than application prowess. (0:00-2:05) Introduction to Dan and Skillzminer (2:05-4:22) How Skillzminer helps job seekers and employers (4:22-8:06) Being objective about your own skills (8:06-10:15) Understanding what your skills mean to an employer (10:15-14:08) Skillzminer for employers and how AI recruitment can help reduce skills gaps (14:08-16:04) The evolution of careers, 'job hopping' and how we find work (16:04-19:05) Succession planning, progression plans and retaining talent through skills-based systems (19:05-21:47) Passive recruitment no longer works. Making it easy to identify the skills that you need at work and for your workforce (21:47-24:17) Shifting the sifting. Reducing the time burden at shortlisting (24:17-27:53) Increasing confidence through automated skills identification and improving application quality (27:53-31:37) Accessing the hidden workforce and attracting economically inactive talent (31:37-32:00) Skillzminer on CACHE Alumni advertising break (32:00-34:20) Finding the best person for the job, not the best person at applying (34:20-38:02) Objective links and overcoming impostor syndrome. Can it reduce inequality? (38:02-41:02) The most engaged people in your workforce aren't looking to change jobs (41:02-42:00) Personal development planning to find CPD that works (42:00-44:05) Widening the search without increasing the resource burden (44:05-45:05) Get involved. How you can use AI recruitment to find your next job, opportunity or star employee (45:05-45:31) Goodbye and thank you Don't forget to listen to our earlier podcast with Skillzminer here. Try the tool for yourself on the CACHE Alumni website to find your next job, promotion or career goal or, if you're an employer, get in touch to get access to Skillzminer's recruitment portal through CACHE Alumni. --------------------- This episode was brought to you by CACHE Alumni, a free, award-winning membership platform for practitioners from across care, health and early years education. By signing up with us, you gain access to various CPD resources, including our member magazine Aluminate, latest news from the sector, careers advice, a range of special offers and discounts and more. --------------------- You can find our podcast on numerous different platforms, including PodBean, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Google Podcasts, YouTube, and more.

Join us on this week's podcast as Famly's Education Editor, Julia Rose, takes the interviewer's seat to explore T Levels for early years and childcare settings. Our panel of experts, including NCFE's Janet King, Stacy Mann and Angie Rogers, and Ben Bausor from Always Growing, will discuss what T Levels entail, the progression opportunities they provide, and address concerns from employers. The panel will also share insights on the benefits of students gaining real-life experience in placements, including recruitment and retention advantages for smaller settings, as well as the resources available to them. Want to skip ahead? (0:00-2:50) Introduction to Janet, Stacy, Angie, Ben and Julia (2:50-4:56) Who T Levels are for and the collaboration with employers (4:56-7:40) What core year entails in education and childcare; the 12 elements (7:40-9:50) What second year entails (9:50-11:20) Addressing employer concerns and information on the qualifications (11:20-12:40) Progression after T levels and the CPD carousel (12:40-14:06) How to find a student for a placement that's relevant to your setting (14:06-15:23) Supporting the next generation and T levels as a hybrid of apprenticeships and further education (15:23-17:28) Health and safety, and bespoke placements (17:28-17:43) Break (17:43-20:00) How 'Always Growing' provides placements, and the importance of treating students as employees (20:00-23:00) The benefits of placement students on your staff and recruitment (23:00-26:00) Assessment as a 'two-way process' and how it relates to second year of the T Level in education and childcare (26:00-27:35) The benefits of T Level students for smaller settings' recruitment (27:35-29:40) How assessments produce experienced individuals that can match your employment requirements (29:40-33:00) What settings with no prior experience can expect and support available (33:00-38:10) What are employer validated/set projects and to what extent employers are involved (38:10-39:14) Final notes Links to to our guests: www.ncfe.org.uk www.famly.co www.alwaysgrowing.co.uk --------------------- This episode was brought to you by CACHE Alumni, a free, award-winning membership platform for practitioners from across care, health and early years education. By signing up with us, you gain access to various CPD resources, including our member magazine Aluminate, latest news from the sector, careers advice, a range of special offers and discounts and more. --------------------- You can find our podcast on numerous different platforms, including PodBean, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Google Podcasts, YouTube, and more.

Alison Featherbe joins us for the latest episode of POD-CACHE, to talk about mentoring and supervision in Early Years settings. Alison is a learning and development practitioner working within early years as a consultant and shares her approach and thoughts on career progression, personal development, support and supervision as she chats to Dawn Newman, CACHE Alumni Communities Manager. Want to skip ahead? (0:00-3:05) Introduction to Alison Featherbe and her Early Years work as a 'critical friend' (3:05-5:28) Mentoring, leadership and the power of community (5:28-7:25) Professional values, growing and making mistakes (7:25-9.20) The role of our community in creating policies, procedures and safe and healthy workplaces (9:20-12:00) Finding our culture: What kind of practitioner are you when nobody is watching? (12:00-15:20) Social Media, the internet and the impact on our practice: knowing our children is key to doing the right thing (15:20-15.43) Skillzminer (15:43-20:20) 'Pinterest pedagogy' - Planning, idea sharing and the power of boredom. (20:20-23:30) Play, partnering and time management in settings (23:30-28:30) Should adults play? (28:30-31:25) Bringing your own hobbies, interests and experiences to work (31:25-34:10) Coaching our team and providing supportive supervision (34:10-36:21) Setting our goals and planning our development and progression (36:21-37:48) Alison talks about her online presence - find her online. (37:48-38:09) CACHE Alumni You can find Alison on; Facebook Twitter Instagram LinkedIn alison@alisonfeatherbe.co.uk This episode was brought to you by CACHE Alumni, a free, award-winning membership platform for practitioners from across care, health and early years education. By signing up with us, you gain access to various CPD resources, latest news from the sector, careers advice, a range of special offers and discounts and more. --------------------- You can find our podcast on numerous different platforms, including PodBean, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Google Podcasts, YouTube, and more.

For the second episode of POD-CACHE S4, our team at NCFE, Mike Potts and Janet King, meet with Stella and Michelle from Global Nanny Training, who tell us about their Customised Qualifications, their collaboration with NCFE and the difference they are making for nannies across the US and beyond. Want to skip ahead? 00:00-01:20 - Introductions to Stella and Michelle 01:20-02:14 - Collaboration between Global Nanny Training and NCFE 02:14-05:25 - What is Global Nanny Training, their mission and what they've achieved 05:25-06:47 - Introduction to Janet King and her experience in the childcare industry Discussing Customised Qualifications and their benefits to nannies: 06:47-09:45 - Newborn care course and Stella's history with CACHE 09:45-13:20 - 'Foundation Practice for Nannies' and 'Childcare in the Nanny Setting' Courses 13:20-16:55 - G.N.T.'s mission and impact on the US nanny industry and beyond 16:44-20:10 - How NCFE collaboration embodies 'the old meets new' 20:32-22:08 - Nannies' progression journey and understanding child development 22:08-26:05 - How to prepare a nanny without any experience Matching families with nannies and how to support nannies with the responsibilities of newborn care: 26:05-29:23 - Matching families with nannies 29:23-32:40 - Proof and documenting your work experience 32:40-36:12 - Being 'ahead of the curve' and validation from NCFE relationship --------------------- Don't forget that you can watch this episode on our website, as well as other video-versions of our previous episodes. This episode was brought to you by CACHE Alumni, a free, award-winning membership platform for practitioners from across care, health and early years education. By signing up with us, you gain access to various CPD resources, latest news from the sector, careers advice, a range of special offers and discounts and more. --------------------- If you'd like to find out more about Global Nanny Training, you can visit their website here. --------------------- You can find our podcast on numerous different platforms, including PodBean, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Google Podcasts, YouTube, and more.