The Privilege of Building a Culturally Inclusive Nursery

Creating a Happy Place Where Every Child Belongs

When we welcome a child who is learning English as an additional language (EAL), one of the most important things we can do is to first get to know the child, not simply as an EAL learner, but as an individual with their own culture, language, family, experiences, traditions and identity.

Before we can truly teach a child, we need to be willing to understand them.

We need to take the time to learn about their culture and background, listen to their family and recognise the language and experiences they already bring with them. We need to see the world from the child's perspective and create an environment where they feel safe, understood, respected and valued.

English should never come at the expense of identity

Teaching English should never mean asking a child to leave their first language or culture at the door.

A child's home language is not a barrier to learning English. It is part of who they are. It represents their family, their history, their relationships and their sense of belonging.

When children are encouraged to continue using their home language while developing English, they can learn a new language without feeling that they have to give up an important part of themselves.

This is why I believe it is such a privilege to build a community nursery where children and families from different cultural and linguistic backgrounds can come together.

Imagine a nursery where a child can hear English alongside their home language. A place where different cultures are visible in books, stories, music, celebrations, food, traditions, displays and everyday conversations.

Imagine a family walking through the nursery door and seeing something familiar — their language, their culture or a tradition that reminds them of home.

Imagine a child realising:

“My language matters. My culture matters. I matter.”

That is more than an educational opportunity.

It is a privilege.

Building a community together

We are fortunate to have the Wolseley Trust and Early Years Department at Plymouth City Council as our partners as we work together to create this happy place for the children who will step into our community nursery.

Having the knowledge, experience and support of early-years professionals alongside us is incredibly valuable. It allows us to work together towards a shared vision: creating an environment where every child has the opportunity to feel secure, develop confidence and reach their potential.

It is a privilege to work alongside partners who understand the importance of giving children the best possible start in their early years.

Our nursery is being built around the belief that education is not simply about teaching children what they need to know. It is also about creating the conditions in which children feel confident enough to learn.

Confidence before school

For an EAL child, starting school can feel like a significant transition. There may be a new language, new routines, new people and a completely new environment to navigate.

Our hope is that by creating a supportive and culturally inclusive nursery environment, children will have already developed confidence in communicating, listening, participating, building relationships and learning through English.

We want them to arrive at school not feeling that they are starting from behind, but feeling:

“I can do this. I belong here. I am ready.”

At the same time, we want them to know that becoming confident in English does not mean leaving their first language or culture behind.

They can carry both with pride.

Understanding the child behind the language

As educators, we have a responsibility to look beyond the words a child may struggle to say.

We need to ask:

Who is this child? What is their story? What language do they speak at home? What matters to their family? What makes them feel safe? What makes them feel confident? How can we help them feel that they belong?

These questions are at the heart of culturally responsive practice.

We cannot truly support an EAL child without being willing to understand the child behind the language.

A nursery where everyone belongs

As educators who have built our own lives in the UK while coming from different cultural and linguistic backgrounds, we understand this journey on a personal level. We know what it can feel like to communicate in a language that is not your first, to adapt to a new education system, to navigate unfamiliar customs and to want your children to feel confident while still holding on to their identity and heritage. This lived experience gives us a deeper understanding of what many EAL children and families may experience.

We do not simply teach from theory; we bring empathy, experience and understanding into our practice. We know how important it is for a child to hear their home language, see their culture respected and feel that the people educating them genuinely understand where they are coming from.

Creating a culturally inclusive nursery is about much more than teaching English.

It is about creating a place where language, culture, identity, education and belonging can exist together.

It is about bringing together qualified and knowledgeable educators, families and people from different cultural backgrounds to create a community where everyone has something valuable to contribute.

It is about celebrating differences rather than seeing them as difficulties.

It is about recognising that every child arrives with strengths, experiences and knowledge that deserve to be valued.

And it is about giving families confidence that their children are not only being cared for and educated, but genuinely understood.

We are incredibly grateful to be on this journey with our partners at the Early Years Department at Plymouth City Council and Wolseley Trust, as we work together to build this special community Happy Hoglets Nursery.

We are not simply creating a place where children learn English or prepare for school.

We are creating a happy place where children can feel that they belong.

A place where they can speak their home language, celebrate their culture, develop confidence in English, build friendships and prepare for the next stage of their educational journey.

A place where every family is welcomed.

A place where every culture has a place.

A place where every child can walk through the door and know:

“I belong here. I am valued. I am proud of who I am. And I am ready to learn.”

That is the privilege of building a culturally inclusive nursery.

“When we understand a child’s language, culture and story, we do more than teach them English, we give them the confidence to believe that they belong.” — Cristina Zolde, Founder of Happy Hoglets

With warmth and purpose,

Cristina Zolde

Founder & Director, Happy Hoglets ~Multilingual ~Nursery

Co-Founder EduArt C.I.C.

Creating a place where every child feels they belong. 🦔