This training is being delivered by Lucy Driver, lead of the Stronger Practice Hub.

We all sometimes get stuck when we need to say some hard things to people. This session will provide you with the opportunities to explore what might be stopping you from doing this, consider different ways of approaching and leading the conversation, and provide space to practice them. You will be offered a variety of strategies from which you can apply your new learning to that next tricky conversation you need to have.

These leadership courses are for early years setting leaders and managers, room leaders and those aspiring to be leaders. Childminders working with assistants may also find it useful.

Lucy Driver leads the Stronger Practice Hub and Bristol EYs Hub, is Head of St. Pauls Nursery School and a National Leader of Education.

Book with the Stronger Practice Hub: Courageous Conversations: Leadership – Bristol Early Years Teaching Hub

These sessions will explore educators’ role in tuning in to babies, reflecting upon listening to their voice, supporting co-regulation and tuning in during the settling period. We will consider the key person’s role in deeply tuning in to babies’ identities, making links with babies’ experiences outside of the setting. The sessions will explore the barriers to tuning in to babies’ parents and carers. The sessions will support educators in building a toolbox of strategies to tune in to babies, such as serve and return, schemas, and sensory development. Finally, the sessions will reflect upon how babies learn, how they plan for their unique children, and the role of the enabling environment. These sessions work best when educators have already attended Getting it Right for Babies and Talking with Babies but it can be done as a standalone.

Please note: This is a two-part event on Tuesday, July 15th, 2025, and Tuesday, July 29th, 2025, from 6:15 pm to 8:15 pm. Attendees are required to attend both events.

Book with the Stronger Practice Hub: Tuning in to Babies – Bristol Early Years Teaching Hub 

This session is for all Early Years practitioners, including Early Years settings, schools, and childminders.

This online workshop will involve input about typical language development from speech and language therapists, followed by supportive discussion around strategies for support and useful resources.

Please Note: This session is part of regular SALT sessions planned from now to the end of March 2026. More dates will follow.
Each event is an individual session with unique content.

Book with the Stronger Practice Hub: Identifying and Supporting Speech, Language and Communication – Bristol Early Years Teaching Hub

Come along to the wonderful (sometimes sunny!) Severn Beach to find out all about Beach School experiences.  Woodland House Nursery  (Clifton, Bristol) has been running Beach School sessions with their Pre-School children since 2012. They won the Nursery World Award for Enabling Environments in 2013, where they were praised for their use of the beach environment to support children’s wellbeing and development.  Bristol Beach Schools was created in 2016 by Woodland House Nursery and Archfield House Nursery to help spread the word about the fantastic learning opportunities that attending regular sessions at the beach can have.

Woodland House Nursery children and staff travel to Severn Beach from central Bristol on the train. We strongly encourage participants attending the study day to travel via train to get the most out of your Beach School experience as well as travelling sustainably. The train runs from Bristol Temple Meads to Severn Beach and stops at 10 Bristol stations on the way. You can find out more about the train line here.

This is an event for early years practitioners; unfortunately, children are not invited to this session. Please be aware that we will be spending the entirety of the session outdoors without any shelter. The section of beach we will be using is uneven and is entered via a narrow, steep pathway.

Timings

• 9:20 am – Meet at Severn Beach Train Station (train due to arrive at 9:24 am)
• 9:40 am- Introductions and story of Beach Schools
• 10:00 am – Play!
• 10:40 am – Reflections – being at the beach; wellbeing, community and joyfulness
• 11:00 am- Working groups – physical activity and self-regulation
• 11:45 am Work our way back to Severn Beach Train Station (train due to depart at 12:01 pm)

This session will be hosted by Cassie and Ria from Woodland House. Cassie and Ria have been running Beach School sessions for children, families, and the local and early years community for many years. Cassie and Ria will be leading the session, reflecting upon the physical experiences at Beach School and their influence on children and staff members wellbeing as well as co and self-regulation. Cassie is a qualified Beach School Leader, and Ria is a qualified Forest School Leader.

Book with the Stronger Practice Hub: Brilliant Beach Schools – Reflecting Upon Physical Activity and Self Regulation: A Study Day Hosted by Woodland House Nursery – Bristol Early Years Teaching Hub

Are you a bit daunted by the DFE’s Sustainability Strategy? Are you not sure where to start with developing a Climate Action Plan for your setting? As you move forward with this, it’s very important to understand the need for it and to do it in a way that is appropriate for the early years so we build eco-empathy, not eco-anxiety. This session will help participants to:

• Understand what is meant by ‘the Anthropocene’ and its impact on childhood.
• Understand ‘Education for Sustainability’ in early childhood.
• Consider how we might design pedagogies that help babies, toddlers, and young children shift from eco-anxiety to eco-empathy as they grow older.

This research-informed session will link with DFE guidance and the need for settings to develop Climate Action Plans. It will also help participants make links between sustainability and children’s learning and development.

We will also be finding out about your interest in a sustainability network and the possibility of online follow-up sessions.

This workshop is face-to-face. Check the location before you book. Spaces will be limited; however, there are two sessions to choose from.

If this event is sold out, you can request to be added to our waiting list by emailing sph@beyth.co.uk.

Millie Colwey is delivering this workshop. She leads an outdoor early years setting in Bristol and is an SPH Partner. Millie has years of experience working as a childminder and outdoor educator and engaging with systems leadership beyond her own settings. She is currently doing postgraduate research into early childhood education for sustainability.

Book with the Stronger Practice Hub: Building Eco-Empathy in the Early Years With Millie Colwey – Bristol Early Years Teaching Hub

Teacher Talk: Part A – Encouraging Language Development in Early Childhood Settings.

Based on Learning
Language and Loving
it™ – The Hanen Program® for Early Years Practitioners/Teachers/Professionals

Learn how to:

•      
identify children’s conversational styles and the
roles teachers play

•      
let the child lead in individual and group interactions

•      
help children become better conversational partners

For enquires,
email: sirona.sltearlyyearstraininginformation@nhs.net

Please note, this is a whole day course in person and there will be
opportunities for whole group and
small group discussion.

You will need to purchase a workbook to attend this training
(£15.99) These can be found here:

www.winslowresources.com/encouraging-language-development-in-early-childhood-settings-book-by-hanen-teacher-talk-series.html

As early years educators, we know that writing starts long before children pick up a pencil—it begins with movement, play, and the development of strong, coordinated bodies.

In this session, we’ll explore how physical development lays the groundwork for mark-making and early writing. From core strength to fine motor skills, we’ll look at the building blocks that help our young learners become confident, capable scribers.

Expect practical ideas, playful activities, and plenty of opportunities to join in as we connect movement to early literacy in a fun, hands-on way. Let’s get scribbling—and moving!

Please Note: The webinar will be recorded and available online afterwards.

The session will involve a 30-minute networking/discussion session, during which participants are encouraged to discuss their learning, what they have put into practice, successes, and challenges as we build this learning community. The network section of this event will not be recorded.

Helen Battelley is an internationally renowned consultant, trainer, author and speaker in Physical activity/movement in Early and Primary Education with an MA in Early Childhood Physical Activity. The movement philosophy Helen promotes is to embed movement within the curriculum and framework to enable a movement philosophy. Young children learn through movement, and early years practice must adopt an approach which is accessible to all. Learn more about Helen here.

Book with the Stronger Practice Hub: Physical Development – Super Scribers With Helen Battelley – Bristol Early Years Teaching Hub

A 3-Part Continual Professional Development Opportunity for Early Years Educators

Attendees are required to attend all three sessions.

Appropriate for all Bristol nurseries, schools, nursery schools, childminders or any educators working with two-year-olds.

With the government’s recent expansion of funded childcare entitlements for two-year-olds, early years educators are at the forefront of delivering high-quality care to a growing number of children. Join us for this engaging and evidence-informed CPD course designed to deepen your understanding and enhance your practice with two-year-olds. This three-part professional development series will explore the unique developmental needs, behaviours, and learning potential of two-year-olds and empower you to create high-quality, responsive provision in your setting.

Whether you’re new to working with this age group or an experienced educator or leader looking to refresh and refine your approach, this course will provide practical strategies, reflective opportunities, and a strong grounding in current research and best practice.

Course Dates:

Day 1 – Friday 26th September, 9:30 am–3:00 pm
In-person at Engineers House, Bristol | Lunch included
Focus on child development at two, the importance of attachment and relationships, and creating enabling environments tailored to two-year-olds’ needs.

Day 2 – Friday 24th October, 9:30 am–3:00 pm
In-person at Engineers House, Bristol | Lunch included
Deep dive into effective adult interactions, supporting language development, emotional regulation, and the role of play and routines in high-quality two-year-old provision.

Final Session – Friday 14th November, 9:30 am–11:00 am
Live online session
A reflective follow-up to share practice, consolidate learning, and explore next steps in your setting.

Session topics are subject to change across the dates.

Why attend?

• Build your confidence and expertise in working with two-year-olds or leading provision for two-year-olds
• Network and share experiences with other early years professionals
• Receive practical tools and resources to take back to your setting
• Engage in reflective practice that leads to real impact
• Spaces are limited—early booking is recommended. Settings will be limited to a maximum of 2 places.

Please let us know if you have any specific requirements for accessing the training.

Book with the Stronger Practice Hub: Getting it Right for Two-Year-Olds (Bristol Only) – Bristol Early Years Teaching Hub

This EDI network will allow Early Years professionals to come together in a safe space and reflect on Equality, Diversity and Inclusion.

The three sessions will explore our individual values and influences, and how they inform our professional selves. We will learn how to know and understand the identities of unique children, their families, and our communities and how we can use our knowledge to change practice in our settings.

Session 1: Self-reflection- Starting the journey
Session 2: Valuing identity, the unique child, family, and community
Session 3: Making a difference – Vision and values, and ethos of your setting.

Session 1: Wednesday 8th October 2025, 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm
Session 2: Thursday 6th November 2025, 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm
Session 3: Thursday 27th November 2025, 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm

Please Note: A commitment to attend all sessions is required.

Book with the Stronger Practice Hub: Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Bundle – Bristol Early Years Teaching Hub

As early years educators, we are at the forefront of building strong physical foundations that support not just movement but confidence, coordination, and a lifelong love of being active.

In this session, we’ll explore how early physical development naturally progresses into more structured physical education, supporting fundamental movement skills. We’ll look at key movement milestones, developmental readiness, and how to create purposeful movement transitions from play-based physical activity to more formal PE in the early years and beyond.

You’ll leave with practical strategies, activity ideas, and a deeper understanding of how to support every child’s movement journey—from crawling and climbing to catching and kicking. Let’s jump in and get moving!

Please Note: The webinar will be recorded and available online afterwards.

The session will involve a 30-minute networking/discussion session, during which participants are encouraged to discuss their learning, what they have put into practice, successes, and challenges as we build this learning community. The network section of this event will not be recorded.

Helen Battelley is an internationally renowned consultant, trainer, author and speaker in Physical activity/movement in Early and Primary Education with an MA in Early Childhood Physical Activity. The movement philosophy Helen promotes is to embed movement within the curriculum and framework to enable a movement philosophy. Young children learn through movement, and early years practice must adopt an approach which is accessible to all. Learn more about Helen here.

Book with the Stronger Practice Hub: Physical Development – Gross Motor Skills to PE With Helen Battelley – Bristol Early Years Teaching Hub