Our podcast

Simon is a Co-director of Froebelian Futures, an international training and research programme which aims to develop and deepen Froebelian pedagogy and leadership in Scotland and beyond. He teaches on the Froebel and Social Justice MSc at The University of Edinburgh. Simon also works as a senior practitioner with young children at Cowgate Under 5's Centre in Edinburgh. He has a diverse leadership background in the arts, social justice and environmental sectors in Scotland and has served on a number of third sector boards. Simon is the founder of the Scottish social change charity, Take One Action.

Simon is a guest in Episodes 1, 2 and 3 of the podcast series.

Annamaria Bevan is Head of Centre at the Ely and Careau Integrated Children's Centre in Cardiff. The centre is embedding a Froebelian approach and offers nursery education through the medium of both Welsh and English. The centre works with a range of partners to offer services to local children and families - including flexible childcare, day care, after school clubs, groups for parents/carers and holiday clubs.

Annamaria is also co-manager of early years advisory teachers for Cardiff non-maintained nursery settings.

Annamaria is a guest in Episode 9 of the podcast series.

Gaynor was appointed Professional Adviser to the Foundation Learning team in Welsh Government in 2020. She has helped to shape policy guidance across Wales through documentation, ‘A Curriculum for Funded Non Maintained Nursery Settings’ and most recently 'Assessment Arrangements for Funded Non Maintained Nursery Settings’.

Gaynor has long had an interest in young children and how they learn, with most of her teaching career spent in reception classes in socially deprived areas in Wales. She has a deep interest in children’s communication – particularly their creative expressions through mark making and drawing. She gained an MA in Early Literacy Difficulties in 2003 from the Institute of Education, London. Gaynor has completed the Froebel Trust Short Courses and is one of the founding members of the Wales Froebel Network (currently in its seedling stage).

Gaynor is a guest in Episode 6 of the podcast series.

Sally is Headteacher at Guildford Nursery School and Family Centre. She has a successful track record in the fields of school improvement and pedagogy which has been recognised at national level. Froebelian principles guide her work with children, parents and staff. She specialises in working with children from birth to seven. Sally is a co-director of The Froebel Partnership, a three-year Froebelian training and research programme.

Sally is a guest in Episodes 1, 2 and 3 of the podcast series.

Beverley Dickinson is a Froebel Trust Travelling Tutor and a founding member of the Wales Froebel Network. She has over 17 years’ experience as an Early Years educator and is passionate about early childhood experiences and development, with a particular emphasis on outdoor play, exploration and engaging with nature.

Beverley is the Nursery Manager at Tiddlers Wraparound in Wales, which has been recognised as a Lead Setting - offering support, guidance and good practice to other nurseries and early years settings.

Beverley is a guest in Episode 5 of the podcast series.

Dr Robyn Dolby is a psychologist In Australia who has worked in the field of infant mental health for 40 years. Robyn is co-founder of the practice Secure Beginnings, that provides relationship-based learning, and reflexive mentoring for early childhood educators, teachers and clinicians.

Robyn and her colleagues are concerned with the emotional work of educators and practices that build a secure base culture in a group environment. They introduce educators to the way being still gives them room to see themselves and the children and be curious about what is happening in the moment.

Robyn is a guest in Episode 7 of the podcast series.

Peter Elfer is Honorary Research Fellow in the School of Education at the University of Roehampton. He is also a member of the Froebel Trust Research Sub-Committee and was a Froebel Trust trustee for eight years.

He has spent nearly all his career in early years settings, observing how educators work with babies and young children and listening to what they have to say about their work. With funding from the Froebel Trust, he has developed the role of 'Work Discussion' groups, as professional reflection forums, where educators can think deeply together about their pedagogy. Peter's publications include:

- 'Key Persons in the Early Years: Building relationships for quality provision in early years settings and primary schools' (Routledge) by Peter Elfer, Elinor Goldschmied, Dorothy Y. Selleck

- 'Talking with Feeling in the Early Years: ‘Work Discussion’ as a Model of Supporting Professional Reflection and Wellbeing' (Routledge) edited by Peter Elfer

- 'Nursery attachments and the Key Person role' (Froebel Trust Research Highlight) by Peter Elfer

Peter is a guest in Episode 7 of the podcast series.

Lauren is Senior Early Years Officer at Larbert Village Nursery and Primary School in Falkirk, Scotland. She has completed the Froebel in Childhood Practice course and is part of the Falkirk Froebel Family - a network of settings and educators who are committed to a Froebelian approach to early childhood education.

Lauren is a guest in Episode 4 of the podcast series.

Jessica is a primary school teacher and a certified Froebelian practitioner (University of Roehampton). She created a Froebelian nursery at Newland Spring - a mainstream primary school in Essex. She has received national Teacher of the Year awards. The nursery she helped to design was featured in Nursery World magazine, nominated for a national Early Years award and given a silver award for sustainability.

For over 13 years, Jessica has been immersed in the world of education, serving as a fully qualified teacher, writer and lecturer. Jessica's journey has taken her through the halls of primary schools and universities, sharing her passion for creativity and sustainability. She has explored and lectured on diverse subjects such as the role of the arts in education, emphasising dance and music, the importance of education for sustainable development and storytelling in early years.

Jessica is a guest in Episode 9 of the podcast series.

Matt has worked in the Early Years sector for 10 years and is currently working with Outdoor Owls - a full time Forest School nursery. Matt was named Nursery Practitioner of the Year at 2023 Nursery World Awards.

"Throughout my years of practice I have noticed that the Personal, Social and Emotional Development of children is something that is extremely interesting to me, and also the starting point for all areas development of a child right up until they are adults."

Matt has recently completed a Level 6 qualification at Kingston University in Early Years Teaching and Learning.

Matt is a guest in Episode 8 of the podcast series.

Stella is Lead Tutor for the Froebel Trust Short Courses. She is an early years consultant, trainer and author working with individual nursery settings, parents, nursery schools, local authorities, government departments and charities. She provides training and consultancy and is particularly interested in observation and its part in developing learning, especially through children’s schemas. Stella has worked both in the United Kingdom and internationally, in South Africa and Australia, where she worked with teachers to develop a Froebelian approach to teaching and learning. Stella is author of numerous books and articles including Observing Learning in Early Childhood (Sage), Understanding Schemas in Young Children (Bloomsbury) and How to use Group Supervision to Improve Early Years Practice (Routledge).

Stella is a guest in Episodes 1, 2 and 3 of the podcast series.

Janice Marriott is Head of Tuffkid Nursery which is part of Kisharon Charity Organisation. Kisharon offers education, opportunity and support for people with learning disabilities and their families throughout life’s journey.

Tuffkid is a Jewish nursery for mainstream children and those with disabilities and special educational needs, with an integrated approach to learning through play. Tuffkid has been recognised by Ofsted three consecutive times as ‘Outstanding’.

Janice has been working as Head of Tuffkid for 22 years and has a background in Education and Therapy. Having completed four Elements of the Froebel Trust Short Courses at Tuffkid, Janice has introduced Froebel to Kisharon School which has been participating in the yearlong Froebel Trust Online Course. Janice has promoted parent involvement with Froebel in the nursery with Dr Stella Louis supporting Parent Evening.

You can find out more about Janice in this Nursery World article (published in August 2022).

Janice is a guest in Episode 5 of the podcast series.

Lynn is Head of Cowgate Under 5's Centre in Edinburgh. She is a Lecturer in Early Childhood and Froebel at the University of Edinburgh. Lynn has almost 40 years' experience working in Early Years Education and is also an award-winning author. Lynn is a trained Froebelian, attaining her certificate at the Froebel Institute at the University of Roehampton. Lynn is the Programme Director of Froebelian Futures, an international training and research programme which aims to develop and deepen Froebelian pedagogy and leadership in Scotland and beyond.

Lynn is a guest in Episodes 1, 2 and 3 of the podcast series.

Pete Moorhouse is an Early Years Creative Consultant and works regularly as an artist educator in settings. Froebelian principles very much inform his work with children. Pete is a Froebel Trust Travelling Tutor and an associate trainer for Early Education and delivers CPD training and conference presentations throughout the UK and overseas.

Pete is the author of several books and journal articles including ‘Learning through Woodwork: Introducing Creative Woodwork in the Early Years’ (Routledge 2018), and ‘Outdoor Environments’ and 'Learning Outdoors' (Community Playthings 2019). Pete is an Honorary Research Fellow at the University of Bristol, researching children's progression in their creative and critical thinking. He is a Churchill Fellow through which he researched woodwork in early childhood education around the world and in 2019 Pete was awarded the national award from the Creative Learning Guild for his work promoting creativity in education.

You can download for free Pete's Froebel Trust pamphlet The Wonder of Woodwork (2021)

Pete is a guest in Episode 8 of the podcast series.

Dr Jools Page is based at the School of Education at University of Brighton. Her research on attachment-based relationships between adults and children under three years in group day care provision has brought her national and international recognition.

Throughout her career Jools has worked closely with young children and their families and she is committed to research and practice that places the rights of infants, toddlers and young children at the centre; it is this view of children which inspired her academic research into the complex notion of attachment, intimacy, care and love in the earliest years of life. Most notably it is her characterisation of ‘Professional Love’ which has captured the interest of contemporary scholars and practitioners alike and which led to her being awarded: The Association of Infant Mental Health UK Louise Emmanuel Award 2021.

Jools is a guest in Episode 7 of the podcast series.

Chris is Director of Centre for Research in Early Childhood (CREC), based at the St Thomas Children's Centre in Birmingham. She holds professorships with the University of Wolverhampton and Birmingham City University. She is a Founder and President of the European Early Childhood Education Research Association and a Vice President of Early Education. Chris is also a co-director of The Froebel Partnership, a three-year Froebelian training and research programme. She has researched and written extensively on the policy and practice of early childhood education and development and the quality of early education services.

Chris is a guest in Episodes 1, 2 and 3 of the podcast series.

Paula Phillips has been a senior leader in Early Years for more than 20 years - including being a Group Manager and a Director of Quality for two large nursery groups in the South of England.

Paula has a Masters in Early Years Education through the University of Roehampton.

She became a Froebel Trust Travelling Tutor in 2017 and delivers the Froebel Short Courses in schools and settings across England and Wales. She is also a Froebel Trust trustee.

Paula is a guest in Episode 4 and Episode 9 of the podcast series. Since recording these episodes Paula has changed her name and is now Paula Lester.

Craig is a Registered Childminder who works alongside his wife at Taylor Tots In Newport. Their childminding business is based in a dedicated space in their home in South Wales.

"Simple values are at the core of our setting - safety and nurture."

Craig is a keen cook and loves spending time with his family and their dog called Floki.

Craig is a guest in Episode 9 of the podcast series.

Dr Shaddai Tembo is lecturer in Early Childhood Studies at Bath Spa University, an associate lecturer at the Open University and an independent speaker, trainer, and consultant through Critical Early Years.

Shaddai's current research (funded by the Froebel Trust) is looking at diversity and inequality in early childhood education. He's a trustee for the Fatherhood Institute and part of the steering group for the Men In The Early Years (MITEY) campaign.

Shaddai is a guest in Episode 8 of the podcast series.

Felicity Thomas is a Froebel trained Early Years teacher with over 47 years’ experience of teaching, leading and training others in this sector. She has worked in schools, Family Centres, Children’s Centres and within the community. She is the former Head of Earlham Nursery School in Norwich.

In 2020 she co-authored a Froebel Trust book Growing a Nursery School from Seed (free to download) - detailing her experience of leading a Froebelian nursery school and developing over an acre of natural learning environment for young children.

Felicity is a Froebel Trust Travelling Tutor bringing Short Courses to schools and settings all over the UK.

Felicity is a guest in Episode 5 of the podcast series.

Louie Werth is currently completing a (Froebel Trust funded) PhD at the University of Cambridge (Clare Hall College) exploring how male teachers conceive of and express care in the classroom. A significant part of this work is exploring how Froebel’s ideas around gender, care, and the role of the teacher have influenced ideas and expectations of male teachers. Louie has also contributed to 'The Routledge International Handbook of Froebel and Early Childhood Practice' (2019) and more recently the 'The Bloomsbury Handbook to Friedrich Froebel' (2023).

Louie is a guest in Episode 8 of the podcast series.

Jane Whinnett is an associate tutor on the Froebel in Childhood Practice course at the University of Edinburgh and a Travelling Tutor for the Froebel Trust. She is author of the Froebel Trust pamphlet on Froebel’s Gifts and Block Play Today and co authored Sewing with Young Children. She has published chapters in 'Early Childhood Practice: Froebel Today' in 2012 and co-edited the award winning book 'Putting Storytelling at the Heart of Early Childhood Practice' in 2020. Most recently she has been co-editing an international handbook on Froebel. She is a member of the Froebel Trust Education and Research Committee and a member of the executive committee for the International Froebel Society. In 2019 Jane was awarded an MBE for services to Early Childhood Education.

Jane is a guest in Episode 4 of the podcast series.

Holli Williams is Head of Schools at Linden Tree Nursery Schools, a small chain of privately-owned settings in Southwest London. The team at Linden Tree has completed three of the Froebel Short Courses - this training began their transformation, adopting a Froebelian educational approach in all their settings.

Holli is a Trustee of the Froebel Trust and also became a Froebel Trust Travelling Tutor in 2022. Holli is now a proud parent as she and her wife welcomed their first child in July 2023.

Holli is a guest in Episode 5 and Episode 7 of the podcast series.