Bristol’s Baby Room Practitioner Networks
What are they?
Bristol’s Baby Room Practitioner Networks provide a lively and dynamic opportunity for professional conversations around the needs of our youngest learners. They take place three times a year in settings across the City. The networks are provided for people who work day-to-day in Baby Rooms to give them time to reflect on practice and to share ideas with colleagues.
The networks were inspired by the work of Kathy Goouch and Sacha Powell at Canterbury Christchurch University, and their Baby Room Project (2009), which showed Baby Room practitioners had few opportunities for networking or accessing baby-specific, professional development opportunities.
What happens at a Network meeting?
Each meeting involves an opportunity for discussion, sharing celebrations, an opportunity to problem-solve as a group, the sharing of recent research and articles and a tour of the indoor and outdoor environment provided for the setting’s babies. Other professionals may join the group to talk about baby-friendly subjects. During the year we visit the local Nursery School and Children’s Centre, as well as other local nurseries.
How can I join Bristol’s Baby Room Practitioner Network?
Network dates: North Bristol: Monday 26th April
East & Central Bristol: Thursday 29th April
South Bristol: Wednesday 28th April
Contact your local Birth to Three SLE (Specialist Leader of Education) if you have any questions or to book a space:
- North: Rosie McCallum-Faraday (Brentry & Henbury Children’s Centre): rosie@bhchildrenscentre.org.uk
- South: Rachel Stoyell (Knowle West Nursery School & Children’s Centre): rachel.stoyell@bristol-schools.uk
- East & Central: Rachel Pirie (St Paul’s Nursery School & Children’s Centre: rachel.pirie@bristol-schools.uk
Read more about Baby Room projects:
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/277614435_The_Baby_Room_Project_Findings_and_implications
Early Learning Contacts
Nicola Theobald, Early Years Improvement Officer
Nicky Bale, Foundation Years Bristol Standard Consultant
Smi Pearce, Foundation Years Consultant Assessment and Transition
Kate Hubble Foundation Years Consultant
Beth Osborne Foundation Years Consultant Birth to Three