Level 3 Diploma for the Children and Young People's Workforce, Part 4: Promote Learning and Development in the Early Years

Child-initiated learning through play, which is at the heart of the Early Years Foundation Stage, is the focus of a key unit in the new Level 3 Diploma for the Children and Young People's Workforce.

The unit, EYMP2 Promote Learning and Development in the Early Years, requires learners to demonstrate their understanding of both the purposes and requirements of the early learning goals and also show how they put that knowledge into practice.

The unit falls into three elements: the knowledge and understanding of the relevant early years framework - in England the EYFS - and its associated documentation; the concept of play and how to support child development; and the need to reflect on and evaluate what you do.

They must be able to engage effectively with children to encourage children's participation, using appropriate language that extends children's learning. They should be able to prepare, set out and support activities and experiences that encourage learning and development in each area of the relevant early years framework.

Practitioners should utilise different sources such as children's interests and preferences, observations and assessments, mothers, fathers and carers, colleagues in the setting and professionals - such as health visitors - to plan work for an individual child or group of children.

As always, practitioners must be able to reflect on their own practice in supporting learning and development of children in their early years.

Cathy Bryant, senior childcare and management tutor with Smart Training, says, 'All three elements are given equal weighting in the unit, and can be linked so that in providing evidence for it, the practitioner can produce a plan based on observations of a child in their setting, and can follow this through with implementing the activity, to evaluation and then reflection and back to planning the next step for that child.

'The main difference between this unit and the one it replaces is that reflection of the practitioner's own practice is a bigger factor. The phrase "sustained shared thinking" will be new to many practitioners, and refers to how the individual and the whole setting reflect on their practice. It should make learners think more about why they do what they do, and how they can do it better.'

Ms Bryant feels that the element of reflection will be the biggest challenge for learners. She says, 'This is because, although many will evaluate their activities at work, or have seen others doing this, it is likely to have been an exercise focused on how the activity itself was successful or not, and whether the children enjoyed it - rather than how it met individual or group needs, and whether it helped a child or children move on to the next step.

'It is often difficult for learners to reflect, and developing this skill is a large part of the teaching sessions that we offer for this unit.'

FROM THE CHILD'S PERSPECTIVE

Nicola Jackson, from Cherubs Day Nursery, Rochester, who is taking the Diploma, says that studying this unit has given her a new perspective and insight into her practice.

'When I started this unit I found it fairly tough,' she says. 'I didn't really understand it, but quite soon I could see how it all connected up to the Early Years Foundation Stage and it is very interesting.

'It has made me think much more about how a child develops into a person and I am looking now at things from the child's perspective. I am not a key person, but when I am doing something with the children I am thinking now much more about what they are getting out of the activity and what interests them. I am looking now at ways I could do things differently so they can get even more from their play.'

She is just one of six staff studying for the new award at the setting. Manager Sara Browning says it is really noticeable how much they are all now engaging in reflective practice.

'I have been working in childcare for 20 years,' says Ms Browning. 'When I first started in childcare, we did as we were told. You maybe thought to yourself when something didn't work out that you could have done things differently, but you didn't talk about it and you certainly did not discuss it.'

Ms Browning is delighted to see staff in the rooms putting what they are learning into practice. 'They are really thinking about it,' she says. 'They are taking lots of photographs and they are linking the activities into the EYFS. We have just changed our planning, and they had a big input into that.

'I have been really impressed with the new qualification. I like the way it is all set out and the way they are putting into practice what they are learning. Obviously they were all aware of our policies and procedures, but now they are really embracing them.'

Ms Bryant says that if learners are going to become effective at reflecting on their practice, they need to become more open to asking for receiving feedback from their colleagues and supervisors. This is something which people can sometimes find challenging.

'Reflection is a skill that can be practised, and a lot of the resources on our Online Training Academy encourage the learners to do this. Encouraging honest feedback and open lines of communication is essential and the resources and tasks that we provide for workplace mentors to help them provide support for learners certainly encourage this.'

TOP TIPS

Gill Mason, enterprise director for Vauxhall Neighbourhood Council, specialising in training and education for the Children's Workforce, gives her top tips for EYPM 2:

• Talk to parents and carers to find out more about children's specific interests and use that information alongside your own observations and input from colleagues and other professionals when planning.
• Think about how you are communicating with the children - use language that is appropriate for them, and ask open-ended questions, which require more than a yes/no answer and will get the children thinking and talking further.
• Remember that the children will copy you, so be sure to model the use of language that is accurate and grammatically correct.
• Think about your choice of words when working with the children and try to use language that extends their vocabulary, introducing new words.
• Keep a reflective diary, noting how you planned and delivered an activity, so you can review the process and think about how you might do things differently next time.
• Always check that whatever framework you are implementing, activities meet the individual needs of children; make use of outdoors and indoors; use play as the main tool for children's learning.

KEY ELEMENTS OF EYMP 2

This unit, which is the second-largest Early Years Mandatory Unit, is worth five credits, has five learning outcomes and requires 40 guided learning hours. It focuses on the real nitty-gritty of working in the early years and requires the learner to demonstrate both the knowledge and practical skills to support young children in their learning and development.

• Understand the purposes and requirements of the areas of learning and development in the relevant early years framework (in England the EYFS).
• Be able to plan work with children and support children's participation in planning.
• Be able to promote children's learning and development according to the relevant early years framework.
• Be able to engage with children in activities and experiences that support their learning and development.
• Be able to review their own practice in supporting the learning and development of children in their early years.