196 - Which 100 Acre Woods Colleague Are You?
Release Date: 07/21/2025
217 - The Courage to Change: Behind the Scenes of Our Bravest Year Yet
Get Inspection Ready - For Early Years Nurseries and Preschools to Finally Feel Confident for Ofsted!
What does a full year of choosing courage actually look like behind the scenes? In this episode, we reflect honestly on the risks we took, the fears we pushed through, and the moments we nearly talked ourselves out of big decisions, the kind of courage that doesn’t look flashy, but quietly changes everything. Within this episode, you will... Get a real, unfiltered look at the decisions that shaped our year A powerful insight into how courage shows up in everyday leadership, not just big moments A perspective that helps you reflect on your own year with kindness and clarity Hit play...
info_outline
216 - Supporting Every Child's Voice, The Importance of The Environment
Get Inspection Ready - For Early Years Nurseries and Preschools to Finally Feel Confident for Ofsted!
How confident are you that your early years environment is truly supporting children’s speech and language development, especially for those who communicate in different ways? In this episode, Vanessa explores new research that examines how the structure, quality and consistency of early years environments influence children’s communication. If you’re aiming to improve interactions, support non-verbal communicators, or strengthen the way your team uses total communication approaches, this conversation will help you reflect on current practice and identify meaningful improvements. Within...
info_outline
215 - The New Planning Call: What’s Changing, What Matters, and How to Shine!
Get Inspection Ready - For Early Years Nurseries and Preschools to Finally Feel Confident for Ofsted!
Are you fully prepared for what really happens during the new Ofsted planning call? With the inspection framework shifting towards a more collaborative, observation-focused process, many providers are unsure what information to share, how to structure that initial call, and how to confidently shine rather than panic. This episode breaks down exactly what you need to know so you can step into your next inspection with clarity instead of overwhelm. Within this episode, you will... - Learn the key questions inspectors now ask on the planning call and how to answer them with confidence. -...
info_outline
214 - Teamwork To Make The Dream Work
Get Inspection Ready - For Early Years Nurseries and Preschools to Finally Feel Confident for Ofsted!
Do you ever feel like miscommunication or a lack of teamwork is holding your nursery team back from being at its best? In busy Early Years settings, where everyone’s juggling endless tasks, it’s easy for teamwork to break down and for communication to feel like a game of Chinese whispers. This episode explores how to strengthen your team dynamic, whether you manage a large nursery or a small, close-knit group, so that everyone feels heard, valued, and motivated. Within this episode, you will... Discover how understanding your team’s “love languages” can transform morale and...
info_outline
213 - Belonging for All: How to Bring Inclusion to Life in Your Nursery
Get Inspection Ready - For Early Years Nurseries and Preschools to Finally Feel Confident for Ofsted!
Are you sure every child in your setting truly feels like they belong, or could some be getting unintentionally overlooked? With inclusion now forming one of the seven evaluation areas in the updated inspection toolkit, inspectors will no longer take your word for it; they’ll want to see how you’re identifying needs, adapting practice, and ensuring every child is actively involved and thriving. Within this episode, you will... Explore what genuine inclusion looks like in everyday practice, far beyond policies and paperwork. Take away realistic ways to adapt your routines,...
info_outline
212 - 9 Years Strong & Inspection Ready!
Get Inspection Ready - For Early Years Nurseries and Preschools to Finally Feel Confident for Ofsted!
Are you ready to celebrate Jigsaw’s 9th birthday and discover the brand-new Get Inspection Ready book that’s set to transform how you approach inspections? In this episode, we’re marking nine incredible years of Jigsaw and unveiling the brand-new Get Inspection Ready book, your complete step-by-step guide to navigating the new Early Years inspection toolkit. From understanding grading changes to preparing with confidence, this episode explores how the book can support you and your team every step of the way. Within this episode, you will... Gain clarity on how to apply the new...
info_outline
211 - The Difference Between Safeguarding and Children's Welfare and Wellbeing
Get Inspection Ready - For Early Years Nurseries and Preschools to Finally Feel Confident for Ofsted!
Are you confident your team truly understands the difference between safeguarding and children’s welfare and wellbeing, or could confusion be putting your inspection rating at risk? In this episode, we break down the latest updates in the inspection toolkit, helping you avoid a common pitfall many early years settings face: blurring the line between safeguarding and welfare responsibilities. If you’ve ever wondered why your risk assessments or hygiene practices aren’t being recognised under safeguarding, this episode will give you the clarity you need. Within this episode, you will... ...
info_outline
210 - Save Time, Stay Compliant: The Power of Impact Early Years
Get Inspection Ready - For Early Years Nurseries and Preschools to Finally Feel Confident for Ofsted!
Are you spending hours rifling through paperwork and still feeling unprepared for inspections in your early years setting? In this episode, we dive into how the Impact Early Years platform has evolved to save time, streamline compliance, and give managers real clarity—solving the daily frustrations of managing staffing, safeguarding, and operations. By listening, you’ll discover how to: Quickly identify and address safeguarding, staffing, and operational concerns with intuitive RAG dashboards. Streamline your staff supervisions, peer observations, and return-to-work processes—all...
info_outline
209 - How Your Environment Shapes Children's Voices
Get Inspection Ready - For Early Years Nurseries and Preschools to Finally Feel Confident for Ofsted!
Have you ever wondered how the very layout, lighting, and feel of your nursery could directly influence children’s speech and language development? With growing concerns about communication delays in early years, this episode explores groundbreaking research that could transform how practitioners design learning spaces. If you’ve ever felt stretched for time or wished your environment could “do more of the talking,” you’ll want to hear what this study discovered. Within this episode, you will... Gain insight into a brand-new, research-backed tool that helps audit environments to...
info_outline
208 - In The New Framework: Safeguarding
Get Inspection Ready - For Early Years Nurseries and Preschools to Finally Feel Confident for Ofsted!
With the new Early Years inspection framework changing how safeguarding is judged, shifting to a simple ‘met’ or ‘not met’ outcome, it’s never been more crucial to ensure your whole team understands what safeguarding looks like in practice every single day. This episode helps you avoid the small oversights that could lead to a big impact on your inspection result. Within this episode, you will... Learn exactly what inspectors will look for when assessing safeguarding under the new framework. Discover common pitfalls that cause settings to fall short and how to avoid them. ...
info_outlineWhen Ofsted calls, do you become a bouncing Tigger, a panicked Piglet, or a calming Pooh Bear?
We all react differently under pressure, but how you personally respond during an inspection can make or break the atmosphere in your setting. This episode uses a playful Hundred Acre Wood lens to help you reflect on your behaviour and support your team in doing the same.
Within this episode, you will...
-
Discover which Winnie the Pooh character you channel when the inspector arrives
-
Understand the strengths and blind spots that show up in each personality under pressure
-
Gain insight into how self-awareness can make your team stronger, calmer, and more inspection-ready
Press play now to find out who you really are when Ofsted comes calling, and how that self-knowledge can help you lead with confidence.
For more resources, visit: www.jigsawearlyyearsconsultancy.com