Today we bring together Prof Dr Ger Graus OBE and Cristian Fabbi, Director of the Fondazione Reggio Children, for a deeply human and intellectually rich conversation about the future of early years education.

Ger and Cristian share personal stories and the work of their friend and colleague Carla Rinaldi — one of the world’s most influential educational thinkers. They explore what it truly means to place children at the heart of learning. From the rubble of post-war Italy to classrooms in Soweto, Nairobi, and Napoli, the Reggio Emilia approach has quietly transformed how educators around the world understand childhood, creativity, community, and the very purpose of school.

This is a conversation full of warmth, courage, and genuine hope — a reminder that when we believe in children’s potential, extraordinary things happen.

https://www.frchildren.org/en

https://www.reggiochildren.it/reggio-emilia-approach/

https://www.gergraus.com

Get the book – Through a Different Lens: Lessons from a Life in Education

https://www.educationonfire.com/

Today we have a brief summary of events happening during the summer of 2026.

• The National Association for Primary Education has transitioned its professional journal, Primary First, to a digital format, enhancing accessibility.
• Mark Taylor, the Vice Chair, expresses gratitude to listeners globally, emphasizing the podcast’s wide reach beyond the UK.
• A noteworthy event is the launch of the book ‘John Coe : An Enlightened Voice For Primary Education,’ celebrating the life of a founding member of NAPE.
• Upcoming events include the Christian Schiller Lecture, focusing on curriculum curiosity, featuring guest speaker Claire Maloney-Banks.
• The NAPE conference on Reading coincides with the national year of reading, offering workshops and keynotes related to literacy.
• Listeners are encouraged to engage with the podcast and participate in upcoming educational events and initiatives.

https://nape.org.uk/

https://www.nape.org.uk/the-schiller-lecture-2026

Digital Copies of Primary First Journal and John Coe – An Enlightened Voice for Primary Education

https://national-association-for-primary-education-shop.fourthwall.com/en-gbp

27th May – LIVE book launch on YouTube

watch at https://www.youtube.com/live/FGy-uPDR8ew?si=HwTYqih5DOhNrxpI

Conference for Reading – 8th May

https://www.trybooking.com/uk/events/landing/105006

Cerys Griffiths is the Head of BBC Bitesize, the BBC’s free, online learning resource for students aged 5 to 16, their teachers and parents. Bitesize also aims to support educating the whole child through it’s Careers, Study Support and media literacy offer, Other Side of the Story, as well as special educational initiatives like the Bitesize Guide to AI.

Takeaways:

• The BBC Bitesize initiative provides comprehensive educational resources tailored for students aged five to sixteen.
• The integration of AI into educational frameworks necessitates a strong emphasis on critical thinking skills for students.
• Research indicates a significant number of teenagers lack awareness regarding effective AI resource utilization and its implications.
• The Bitesize platform aims to empower students by promoting media literacy and informing them about the risks of misinformation.
• Teachers play a crucial role in navigating the complexities of AI and misinformation in educational settings.
• The BBC emphasizes trust and quality in educational content, ensuring all materials are developed with input from educational professionals.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize

Instagram: @bbcbitesize

Chapters:

• 00:03 – Introduction to BBC BiteSize
• 05:55 – Navigating the Future: AI and Education
• 09:35 – Navigating AI in Education: Challenges and Opportunities
• 17:46 – Navigating the New Digital Landscape
• 21:22 – Engaging Young Learners Through Innovative Education
• 29:00 – Empowering Young People Through Education

National Association for Primary Education (NAPE)

Primary First Journal: https://national-association-for-primary-education-shop.fourthwall.com/en-gbp

2026 Conference

Keynote : Reading for Pleasure – Dr Roger McDonald

Workshops focusing on National Year of Reading : Writing, TESOL, Oracy, Drama and Story Telling, Poetry

https://www.trybooking.com/uk/events/landing/105006

https://www.educationonfire.com

Kirsty Heap is the author of Silent Snow, a picture book without words, designed to help you create your own stories with your children. Each page is filled with beautiful illustrations to spark your imagination, making storytime fun and personal. Whether reading has always felt tricky, or you just want to try something different, Silent Snow gives you the freedom to tell stories your own way.

The idea for Silent Snow came from Kirsty’s own experiences as a dyslexic parent. She used to find reading to her children difficult, and when she stumbled over words, she felt like she was letting them down. But instead of giving up, she started making up her own stories based on their lives and the little adventures they had. Bedtime soon became one of their favourite times of the day.

https://kirstyheap.com/silentsnow/

https://nape.org.uk/

Find out more about our Primary First Journal –

https://national-association-for-primary-education-shop.fourthwall.com/en-gbp

Mashood Ahmad is the CEO and founder of Gigabit IQ, an award-winning UK broadband provider dedicated to delivering safer, smarter, and faster internet through fully managed Wi-Fi and industry-leading online safety tools. A recognised voice in digital inclusion and child online protection, Mashood is a Council Member at ISPA UK and a vocal advocate for stronger ISP accountability in protecting families online.

Under Mashood’s leadership, Gigabit IQ has pioneered services like FamilyGuard+, a network-level parental control solution designed to meet the real-world needs of modern families. He has spearheaded initiatives supporting vulnerable communities, including children in care, refugees, and low-income households, through fair access broadband and safety education.

Mashood is the author of the white paper “Beyond the Act: The Hidden Layer of Online Harm No One’s Regulating”, which challenges current UK online safety legislation and proposes a new national ISP Safety Rating System, akin to NCAP for cars or Ofsted for schools.

A frequent speaker on digital safety, Mashood is leading an Online Safety & ISP Accountability session at the UK Internet Parliament Conference with ISPA, and continues to work with regulators, MPs, and safety groups to shape a safer digital future for all.

https://www.gigabitiq.com/

https://parentline.ai/

https://nape.org.uk/

Find out more about our Primary First Journal –

https://national-association-for-primary-education-shop.fourthwall.com/en-gbp