Tiny Chair Podcast

► James Tunnel is the Director of NurseryNook, a specialist Early Years coaching and consultancy company. He is a coach, consultant and trainer, as well as a former teacher, and has over a decade of experience in education. His expertise is in curriculum, loose parts, schema play and purposeful provision.► 00:00 Welcome and introduction: Meet James Tunnell of Nursery Nook 02:02 – Early Years Ick & Pick: Fancy displays and ditching the chairs 06:22 – The funniest thing a child's ever said to you 07:57 – Purposeful provision: community, play diet & funds of knowledge 14:46 – Aesthetics vs. purpose in your provision 18:27 – Moving from "areas" to "zones" 26:40 – Introducing new resources in Early Years 32:32 – Trends, off-the-shelf pedagogy and knowing your own cohort 38:48 – Rotating vs. keeping continuous provision 42:46 – Final thoughts and where to find James► Community and culture: the foundation of Early Years provisionDesigning an Early Years environment should begin with a deep understanding of the community and culture it serves, rather than replicating aesthetics seen online or in catalogues. Educators must consider children's "play diets," funds of knowledge, and local community experiences to avoid imposing their own assumptions onto the provision. ► "Settings that lean too heavily into the aesthetics, mostly because I've seen pictures online of really beautiful settings and they copy that style, learn eventually that there's a mismatch here to what the children need. But settings that ignore it and perhaps have utilitarian, completely white walls, harsh lighting, I think they also recognise that actually, it's not a comfortable place to sit, it's not a comfortable place to be. So we need to find that balance."James Tunnell, Director, NurseryNook► Should we divide our rooms into learning areas?Organising provision into broader zones (e.g. a movement zone combining construction, maths, Small World, and loose parts) rather than strict, separated areas supports deeper, more connected learning. Allowing children to move resources freely across spaces mirrors how adults naturally use their own environments. ► "Exploration is a fantastic resource; it's a fantastic thing that we, as human beings, use to make sense of things. It's a sensory experience; we pick things up, we shake it, we smell it, we sniff it, we have a go and see what happens. But it's destructive, which is why when you put those china cups out, they get smashed, because children are just learning what happens if I do this. And that's perfectly normal, but what we can do is we can think, 'Okay, what's the jump between what they don't know and what they do know?' The jump to china cups from the plastic tippy cups is huge. What can I do to break these little steps up into smaller steps?"James Tunnell, Director, NurseryNook► What about loose parts and open-ended resources?Loose parts provision is most effective when built gradually from resources children already understand, such as Play-Doh, sand, water, and construction blocks, before introducing more abstract materials like pine cones or dried oranges. Starting with what is familiar and co-exploring alongside children helps establish open-ended play. Continuous provision should remain stable; enhancements drive change. Continuous provision should stay consistent throughout the year to allow children to develop deep, sustained learning, with enhancements layered on top to introduce novelty.

Richard Knight is a Children's Services Manager for the Early Years Alliance with a variety of experience working in Early Years education over the last 18 years. Richard manages Early Years settings, writes and delivers training, and he has supported many providers to meet the requirements of the EYFS so that they are compliant and inspection-ready. Through his work he has the opportunity to be hands-on and collaborate with educators, children, and families, so he understands the challenges that the sector faces, and he is passionate about making a difference. Richard has firsthand experience of supporting children's behaviour, working in nurseries, preschools, stay-and-play groups, out-of-school clubs, and creches over the years.

Dr. Jacqueline Harding is an international child development education expert and the author of The Brain That Loves to Play. She's been a headteacher and consultant as well as a government advisor and a BBC education editor working on programs like Peter Rabbit, Teletubbies, Clangers, Bing, Baby Vibes, and is a contributor to CBeebies Parenting. She is an honorary visiting research fellow at Middlesex University and the chair of the Bright Start Foundation. Rachel Barnett-Jones is a writer, producer, and educator with a particular passion for writing for young people. You'll have seen her work on Pip and Rosie and Magic Light Pictures. She's worked extensively within education settings and is currently working with Equity Spotlight, BBC Safeguarding and the TV Human Rights Foundation, as well as the Network of Children in Unemployment and Education. Rachel recently set up Sensible Creative, which seeks to create a safer and kinder arts landscape, especially for young professional performers.

Safeguarding expert Ann Marie Christian joins Matt and Julia for a frank conversation about keeping children safe in Early Years settings. With over 30 years of experience as a social worker, LADO, DSL, and safeguarding consultant, Ann Marie shares hard-won lessons from real investigations. We cover CCTV in nurseries, the 2026 KCSIE and Safer Sleep changes, spotting grooming, the grey areas of physical touch, and how to build a setting where staff feel safe to speak up.

Her website:
https://annmariechristian.com/

Laura Henry-Allain MBE is an award-winning international educator, author, speaker, and consultant. She knows Early Years inside out and has been everything from a nursery manager to an Ofsted inspector, and is vice-president of The British Association for Early Childhood Education. Laura received a Nursery World lifetime achievement award in 2021. Laura also plays many roles in children’s media, including educational consultant for the BBC and board member for The Children's Media Foundation. She is also the mind behind, “My Skin, Your Skin”, “Maya and Marley”, and “JoJo and Gran Gran”. Laura is a patron of the Grenada Community Library and Expert Commissioner on the ‘Raising the Nation’ Play Commission’s national inquiry into play. She was awarded her MBE in the Queen's New Year Honours list in 2021 for services to education.

Her website
https://www.laurahenryallain.com/