Nicola Burke

Developing your music provision and practice – delivered by Nicola Burke

This course or programme is accompanied by Musical Development Matters, the free guidance available to download from Early Education. It introduces participants to the guidance and explores how music can be meaningfully embedded into everyday practice in any early childhood setting, without practitioners needing previous musical knowledge or experience.

The training can be tailored to meet the needs of individual settings, teams or organisations and delivered as a one-day course, across multiple days or as a programme of sessions spread over several terms.

Through practical, interactive, and workshop-style activities, participants will explore how music nurtures children’s learning, development, communication, and wellbeing. The training also addresses the common fears that can prevent practitioners from singing and making music with children, helping participants discover that you don’t need to be a trained musician to become a confident and responsive musical partner.

Fun, practical and informative, the sessions provide ideas, approaches and experiences that can be put into practice straight away, while supporting practitioners to develop their confidence, musical understanding, and everyday music provision.

Creating enabling musical environments – delivered by Nicola Burke

In this course participants will be encouraged to reflect on music making and music listening opportunities within their continuous provision. Participants will be offered lots of practical ideas and suggestions to support them to create enabling musical environments including the auditory environment. Throughout the session we will consider the unique child and the musical interests, preferences, and identities of children and how educators can connect with and nurture this.

Leading through coaching: supporting growth without micromanaging – delivered by Nicola Burke

Explore what coaching really is and how it can be used as a powerful leadership approach in early years settings. This topic helps leaders develop others through curiosity, reflection, and trust.

You will explore:

• Coaching approaches and practical techniques
• The fundamental principles of effective coaching
• Using the GROW model to structure coaching conversations
• Asking powerful questions that encourage ownership and reflection
• Understanding how values and beliefs influence behaviour and performance

Creating culture: from vision to everyday practice – delivered by Nicola Burke

This topic focuses on ensuring that vision and values are not just words on the wall, but lived every day through culture, relationships, and practice.

You will explore:

• What vision, values, and culture really mean in practice
• Reflecting on whether your setting truly lives its values
• Building a positive, psychologically safe team culture
• Using a strengths-based approach to empower your team
• Ensuring your team understands, owns, and lives the shared vision and values

Leading with emotional intelligence: leading with awareness, empathy, and emotional skill – delivered by Nicola Burke

This topic builds understanding of emotions, both your own and others’, and how emotional intelligence underpins effective leadership, communication, and wellbeing.

You will explore:

• What emotional intelligence is (and what it isn’t)
• Common myths and misunderstandings about emotional intelligence
• The four domains of emotional intelligence
• Developing a richer emotional vocabulary
• Managing emotions in yourself and others
• Applying emotional intelligence within leadership practice

Better conversations: communicating clearly, confidently, and compassionately – delivered by Nicola Burke

This topic supports leaders and teams in approaching conversations with intention, reducing misunderstanding, and managing challenging discussions with confidence.

You will explore:

• Different types of conversations and the mindsets behind them
• How misinterpretation and miscommunication occur
• Perspective-seeking and developing shared understanding
• Navigating digital conversations effectively
• Strategies for managing difficult or sensitive conversations

The power of listening: building trust through being truly heard – delivered by Nicola Burke

Strong teams are built on people feeling heard and understood. This topic develops teams ability to listen deeply and intentionally.

You will explore:

• What listening really means
• Different levels of listening
• Personal listening habits and patterns
• Active listening skills
• Empathetic listening to strengthen relationships and trust

Leading well: sustaining yourself – delivered by Nicola Burke

Working in the early years can be emotionally demanding. This topic supports leaders and teams in caring for themselves with the same intention they care for others.

You will explore:

• Managing self-talk and your inner critic
• Cultivating self-compassion
• Practical ways to take care of yourself
• Building self-trust and confidence
• Understanding and overcoming imposter syndrome