Between now and September, nurseries will be identifying their practice training needs for the streamlined EYFS. While the early learning goals have been drastically reduced in number, practitioners will need a depth of skills and knowledge to meet the framework requirements and create the best outcomes for children.
At York Nurseries in Burnley, Lancashire, owner and manager Heather Langridge believes it is important not be frightened of change and says she will be mentoring her staff to ensure the change is as seamless as possible.
She says, 'We have read the new guidance and have already started introducing the changes to our staff at monthly staff meetings. They have all been given a copy of the EYFS summary of changes detailed on the education.gov website so that they can read and digest these and have general discussions. Any issues that cannot be dealt with as a group can be addressed on a one-to-one basis. We believe this will open discussion and concerns can quickly be settled before they become big issues.'
At the Childcare Corporation, director of childcare Sue Meekings reports that a summer programme of training is mapped out, with a focus on the new EYFS. This will draw together key personnel from each nursery to work collaboratively. This is how the group originally successfully introduced the framework.
'We have revisited and, where appropriate, re-designed assessment and planning systems and this will be a key focus of our training,' says Ms Meekings. 'The new system will be used as a vehicle for familiarizing staff with the new framework. Areas such as transitions and partnership working have been focus areas for the last few months, and reading the new framework persuades me that hopefully we are prioritising correctly.'
Laura Henry, managing director of the Childcare Consultancy, advocates a holistic approach which involves face-to-face training, reading widely, visiting other quality settings, developing supervision and attending staff meetings. She says, 'The staff team should revisit their mission, values and vision, thinking about what they offer that supports children's learning and development.
'They should be given the opportunity to read, make notes and highlight areas they are not sure about within the EYFS review. The manager should timetable this during the working day; for example, in the staff room during non-contact time. There should be focused training sessions around areas such as supporting the developmental needs of two-year-olds to plug gaps in understanding.'
She believes consideration should be given to how staff are able to reflect on their practice. 'This is about how they provide a quality learning environment for children and how staff help children to feel emotionally secure via the key person approach.'
Recognising the need to support all staff, Claire Richmond, manager of Goslings Day Nursery in Coventry, has signed up every member of her management team for NDNA training. Ms Richmond says, 'We want staff to be involved in the changes to ensure they get on board, rather than have procedures thrust upon them. Staff are concerned about the forms that will need to be changed and I am nervous that practitioners may interpret the new framework as being more academic because of the use of the term "school readiness" and the mathematics and literacy headings in the specific areas of learning.'
Without a doubt, the revised EYFS brings renewed impetus to training. At the Pre-School Learning Alliance, chief executive Neil Leitch says, 'We welcome the reduction in paperwork that early years practitioners will face, and the decrease in the number of Early Learning Goals from 69 to 17.
'The Government may have inadvertently introduced ambiguity into the planning of children's activities. That is why we are developing resources, including free online training, to support day-to-day delivery.'
KEY RECOMMENDATIONS FOR TRAINING
By Laura Henry, managing director of the Childcare Consultancy
- Child development This is crucial for practitioners in understanding how children learn and develop. They need to understand children's starting points and what they can do in practice to support them in their unique development.
- Partnership with parents Practitioners need to understand how they can work in partnership and recognise parents as a child's first educators. To create true inclusivity, there must be a professional relationship built up with parents, which feeds back to the nursery setting in terms of knowing the child, including the child's likes, and planning for the next steps in their learning.
- Observation, assessment and planning This lays the foundation for practitioners to observe and assess children and, more important, plan for their next steps in learning. Skill is needed to track this development; reflective questions must be asked such as, 'Has this child made progress?' and, if not, 'What can I plan to encourage learning and support this child with their development?'
- Supporting two-year-olds Careful consideration needs to be given to children of this age group; how is the developmental report going to be written, is it a true reflection of the child's learning and development? What do we know about children with additional or special needs and how might we work effectively with other professionals?
GUIDE TO PRACTICE COURSES
Centre for Research in Early Childhood (CREC)
- EYFS. Implications for policy and practice
Childcare Consultancy
- The EYFS Review in Practice - an overview. Highlights the main points of the EYFS review and how practitioners can reflect and improve on current practice (19 May)
- EYFS Prime Area: It's Not Just at Circle Time - Personal, Social and Emotional Development. Explores how practitioners can support children all through the day
- EYFS Prime Area: Every Child Natters - Communication and Language Development. A course to build on existing practice and show how this links to guidance on promoting language skills
- EYFS Prime Area: Let's Get Physical - Physical Development. Highlights why physical development is important for a child's overall development
- EYFS: Neither One nor Three - Supporting the Developmental Needs of Two-Year-Olds. Strategies to carry out effective observations and communicate with parents (22 September)
Concept Training
- EYFS Progress Check. One-day course about the EYFS Progress Check and the role of staff in its success. (17 October, Birmingham)
Early Education
- Snapshot of a Young Learner. Practical strategies for reviewing children's progress
- Count me In
Early Excellence
- Understanding the New Landscape. Explains the context for the recent review of EYFS and explores its position within the developing Government policy for supporting children and families from birth to five years. An optional half-day briefing is available for managers and head teachers
Early Learning Consultancy
www.earlylearningconsultancy.co.uk
- Look again at Learning and Development in the EYFS - Implications of the Tickell EYFS Review. Hear about theory and research on children's development as self-regulated learners; and focus on ongoing formative assessment and changes to summative assessment
- All to play for: what does playful learning and playful teaching mean in the EYFS?. Considers the meaning and value of play and playful approaches to teaching. Learn about research on effective pedagogy and current practice, as well as develop responses to challenging issues in learning, playing and interacting in scenarios across the EYFS age range.
Early Years Matters
- Facilitating Children's Learning and Development in the Specific Areas of the revised EYFS. The course will support judgements about the changing balance between the specific and prime areas as children develop. It will also explore approaches to supporting and reporting on the characteristics of effective teaching
Future creative
- Welcome to the new EYFS! Update procedures, ensure all staff are fully trained, and bust the myths
Play learning life
- Outdoor active learning programmes linked to EYFS
NDNA
- EYFS - making it happen.This covers the learning and development requirements of the new EYFS; the prime and specific areas; and understanding the new progress checks for children aged 24-36 months
Nursery World
- Planning, Observation and Assessment. A half-day masterclass on the revised EYFS framework (London, 10 July)
Pen Green
- Documenting Children's Learning and Development
Playtoz
- Provides tailored courses featuring treasure baskets and sensory play
Primed for life
www.wix.com/i35644/primed-for-life
- Prime nature of physical development
The Totem Pole
- Beginning with Babies. Seven workshops to inspire practitioners working with babies under the EYFS
- Fun on the Floor. Through the eyes of a toddler in an early years setting.
