The benefits of sustained CPD
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In this article, Kate Irvine from Bristol Early Years discusses the impact of practitioners engaging in a sustained process of CPD through cluster groups and the communities of practice to improve children’s learning and development, with additional benefits for staff wellbeing and retention. When we first embarked on the “Building on EYFS” project back in […]
Resisting intensified accountability: is now the time for inspection reform?
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by Dr Jo Albin-Clark, Edge Hill University and Dr Nathan Archer, Leeds Beckett University Inspection in the news Being involved in education in England involves navigating an intense policy landscape where accountability is entangled with surveillance and performativity (Spencer Woodley, 2014; Kilderry, 2015). Ofsted, the regulatory accountability mechanism in England, has seen heightened scrutiny recently […]
Reflecting on leadership development in the context of workforce crisis
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by Kayla Halls, Early Years Research Fellow at Middlesex University & Mona Sakr, Senior Lecturer in Early Childhood at Middlesex University’ Leaders in the early years (EY) set the tone for the way settings run. Whether it’s nursery managers, pedagogical leaders or room leaders, leadership development is essential for improving how EY organisations work and […]
Enabling environments and their impact on children’s learning
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by Caroline Eaton Creating an enabling environment for play and learning requires careful planning and reviewing. As we all know the impact the environment, we find ourselves in can affect us hugely. In the same way the adults have the power to open or close down learning the environment can also do this. Malaguzzi describes the […]
Treasure baskets and heuristic play
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by Anni McTavish What are treasure baskets? “Treasure Baskets” are a collection of ordinary household objects, that are chosen to offer variety and fascination for babies who can sit up comfortably but are not yet crawling. When babies begin to sit up by themselves, they are often fascinated by the world around them. It can […]
I want to be an inspiring leader…
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by Amanda Ince and Liz Bullough, UCL Institute of Education “I want to be an inspiring leader who can inspire my colleagues in my setting to be the best it can be….” This quote from a participant on the fully funded NPQ Early Years Leadership programme designed by UCL Institute of Education with Early Education […]
Expressive arts and design in EYFS
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by Debi Keyte-Hartland Art in the early years To express, simply means to communicate. The expressive arts, therefore, are languages of communication, able to express and communicate ideas, feelings, working theories children have about how the world works around them. It is interesting to think about how children communicate in musical ways, or how they […]
What is loose parts play in the EYFS?
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by Debi Keyte- Hartland The term “Loose Parts” was coined by Simon Nicholson, a British architect and designer whose parents were artists Barbara Hepworth and Ben Nicholson. He wrote a paper called The Theory of Loose Parts: How not to cheat Children in 1971, and this has become hugely influential in the ensuing decades since. […]
Learning mathematics through play
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by Helen J Williams Early mathematics is essential for children’s full development, it is also predictive of later, wider achievement. Early mathematical learning is critical in sparking interest in STEAM subjects, as long as we approach EYFS mathematics in a way that is engaging for us all – adults and children alike. Too many of […]
Outdoor learning in the early years
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by Kathryn Solly The benefits of outdoor learning in the early years have now been firmly recognised for both educators and young children’s learning and development. Being outside in the fresh air for three hours every day helps benefit brain and body functioning. Simply being outside improves health, social and emotional wellbeing, improved immunity, sight, […]