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Issue 110<br />
JANUARY <strong>2024</strong><br />
Planning: Risk<br />
Assessments<br />
COVER<br />
Inclusive Early Years<br />
World Religion Day<br />
+ lots more<br />
EYFS activities<br />
inside!<br />
This month…<br />
Literacy<br />
Promoting language<br />
development with music<br />
Improving the business of childcare - part one<br />
Implementing the new EYFS changes
6<br />
28<br />
20<br />
Hello<br />
Welcome to our family<br />
Welcome to the <strong>January</strong> edition of <strong>Parenta</strong> <strong>magazine</strong> and a happy new year to all our readers!<br />
We hope that everyone has had a lovely festive break and is ready to take on <strong>2024</strong> and all it brings. We kick start the new<br />
year with a packed issue, with articles covering a variety of topics, including essential energy-saving tips for the winter,<br />
exploring ways to help with inclusion in your setting, getting serious about professional learning and crucially, how to<br />
implement the new changes to the EYFS.<br />
Our focus in <strong>January</strong> is on the many elements of planning in early years education; so don’t forget to register for our webinar<br />
on the 16th and join us, together with experienced early years experts, where we’ll delve into effective planning strategies<br />
and practical solutions. You can register at www.parenta.com/webinars and remember you will earn a CPD certificate if you<br />
attend!<br />
Also, in this issue, Joanna Grace helps us to unlock children’s learning potential, Gina Bale and Frances Turnbull encourage<br />
us to keep the children active with music, movement and dance, and we explore World Religion Day and the International<br />
Day of Education.<br />
Don’t forget to share the magic of our <strong>magazine</strong> with your friends, colleagues, and parents alike. They can receive their own<br />
copy in digital or printed format by signing up at www.parenta.com/<strong>magazine</strong>.<br />
Allan<br />
12<br />
Regulars<br />
10 Write for us<br />
36 EYFS Activities: Literacy<br />
News<br />
4 Congratulations to our <strong>Parenta</strong> Learners<br />
6 Improving the business of childcare: part 1<br />
8 Childcare news and views<br />
Advice<br />
14 Big Energy Saving Week<br />
22 World Religion Day<br />
26 Planning: risk assessments<br />
30 Celebrating International Day of Education<br />
34 How to implement the new EYFS changes<br />
24<br />
Industry Experts<br />
34<br />
12 I think they have sensory needs what can I do?<br />
Part 2 - provide and adopt<br />
18 Inclusive early years: Meeting the needs of all<br />
20 Recognising early years learning potential<br />
24 Embedding culture in your early years ethos<br />
28 Professional learning for baby room educators<br />
32 Promoting language development with music<br />
38 Child development: Dance and movement - part 1<br />
2 <strong>January</strong> <strong>2024</strong> | parenta.com<br />
parenta.com | <strong>January</strong> <strong>2024</strong> 3
What do our customers<br />
say this month?<br />
“The support we have received from Shauna has been<br />
fantastic, she will always do everything she can to help<br />
us. Thank you!”<br />
Sheffield Hallam<br />
“Very helpful in sorting out my queries especially when<br />
I’ve made silly errors. <strong>Parenta</strong> explain everything so I<br />
can remember for next time. I love the new thing when<br />
<strong>Parenta</strong> send records of the conversation so I can go<br />
back to them when errors arise, so I can remember<br />
what steps I need to take. <strong>Parenta</strong> are very friendly and<br />
make me feel at ease.”<br />
Rosendale<br />
“Brilliant!<br />
I am really impressed with the support we have<br />
received so far. A big thank you to Charlotte for her<br />
patience and explaining invoices to me again.<br />
Much appreciated.”<br />
Liesl de Villiers<br />
“Just finished my Level 3 Early Years course with<br />
<strong>Parenta</strong> and they supported me so well with passing<br />
my exams! Both of my tutors I had, Darryl Jones and<br />
Ayse Drew, were amazing. Very friendly and easily<br />
approachable when I needed help with anything.<br />
When I needed extra support, they were very quick<br />
to get back to me, and also gave me good advice<br />
whenever I needed it.”<br />
Zoe Staples<br />
“Absolutely fantastic. Mel has been super supportive<br />
and made observations and teaching and learning<br />
sessions feel comfortable. Mel has been easy to<br />
contact and approachable to ask for help and I’ve<br />
always felt confident in all I do due to Mel having<br />
faith in me especially at EPA time!<br />
Thank you so much Mel!”<br />
“Always lovely to talk to Jamie - he is and always<br />
has been really easy to chat with and pass on his<br />
knowledge and ready to help.<br />
Keep up the good work and being such a<br />
lovely person.”<br />
Winterbourne<br />
Congratulations<br />
to all our <strong>Parenta</strong> learners!<br />
Jason Smith<br />
“Thank you so much for the <strong>website</strong>, it’s perfect.”<br />
Kaira Gowers<br />
Massive CONGRATULATIONS to all our <strong>Parenta</strong><br />
learners who have completed their apprenticeships<br />
and gained their qualifications!<br />
4 <strong>January</strong> <strong>2024</strong> | parenta.com<br />
parenta.com | <strong>January</strong> <strong>2024</strong> 5
Improving the<br />
business of<br />
Dr. Allan Presland<br />
childcare: part 1<br />
In 2017, I published the book, “Improving<br />
the Business of Childcare” which went<br />
to number 1 on the Amazon chart in two<br />
categories, Nursery & Pre-school and<br />
Coaching & Mentoring. I wrote the book<br />
having visited over 1,000 settings during<br />
my career, which enabled me to see the<br />
patterns between settings which were<br />
successful (profitable) and those who were<br />
not. The response to the book has been<br />
far more than I could ever have conceived,<br />
and I am both humbled and thrilled.<br />
But it wasn’t until a recent webinar that<br />
<strong>Parenta</strong> held in November of last year<br />
that I truly understood the impact. The<br />
webinar, Financial Solutions for Early<br />
Years Settings, featured both myself and<br />
an incredible lady, called Ann Speight, a<br />
setting owner, who gave a presentation<br />
which encompassed her journey to<br />
make her setting successful, including<br />
her recognition of the importance of<br />
profitability.<br />
After both presentations, as always, we<br />
opened the floor for Q&A, and this is<br />
where I realised the true value of the book<br />
to someone like Ann. Now, I don’t know<br />
Ann. In fact, I had never met her before the<br />
webinar. And yet here was a lady talking<br />
about me as if she knew me, and telling<br />
story after story about her learnings from<br />
my book and explaining how she made<br />
all her staff read it too! And then to top it<br />
all, in front of everyone on the webinar,<br />
she pulled out a very dog-eared copy, with<br />
little sticky labels poking from loads of<br />
pages, and explained that every time they<br />
got stuck, and whenever they were at a<br />
loss, they turned back to the book.<br />
The most staggering part of all though,<br />
was Ann’s closing words. She explained<br />
that, whilst she always knew that she ran<br />
an independent business on a commercial<br />
basis, the book gave her ‘permission’ to<br />
be open about the need to be profitable,<br />
and for her, this acknowledgement to<br />
herself was the game-changer.<br />
Thank you, Ann. Your kind words have<br />
inspired me to commit to writing this<br />
monthly column, and I hope I can add<br />
value and ideas to many, many more<br />
nursery operators to help them to become<br />
more successful.<br />
So let me start this month by talking about<br />
the first item I always ask any business<br />
owner when I’m looking to support them.<br />
That first question is “How much is a lead<br />
worth to you?” And the reason I ask the<br />
question is because most businesses are<br />
constrained by sales in some way, and<br />
those who understand the answer to this<br />
question usually have the rest of their<br />
business sorted out.<br />
And so, let’s work through that question in<br />
the context of childcare. To keep the maths<br />
super simple, we’ll assume a full-time<br />
place at our make-believe setting is £1,000<br />
per month. Of course, you can adapt the<br />
maths to your own set of circumstances.<br />
Let’s assume that a lead comes in from the<br />
parents of a baby who is 6 months old. In<br />
this case, the child is likely to be with you<br />
for around 4 years. So, the value of that<br />
lead is:-<br />
4 years, 12 months @ £1,000 a month =<br />
£48,000 in total.<br />
Let’s just round this up to £50,000 to<br />
account for any extras you charge.<br />
Now, let’s just stop for a moment and take<br />
stock. Did you realise that a lead is worth<br />
£50,000 to you? And now you do know,<br />
are your systems for generating new leads<br />
sufficiently robust to ensure you are 100%<br />
full? Is your <strong>website</strong> genuinely generating<br />
enough leads to ensure you are 100%<br />
full? Have you refined your show-rounds<br />
to ensure they are optimal and clearly<br />
explain why your setting is unique? Do you<br />
compare the success rates of those who<br />
conduct show-rounds? (Hint: Ann does).<br />
And most importantly of all, do you ask<br />
for the business and try to close the sale<br />
during the show-round?<br />
I know already that there are many of you<br />
who will be saying: “I can’t do that” or “this<br />
is not how we operate”. I don’t know if it’s<br />
a British thing, or it just doesn’t feel right<br />
for a sector full of kind and caring people.<br />
Irrespective, if you are not 100% full, this is<br />
what you need to be doing. If your <strong>website</strong><br />
is not generating the leads you need,<br />
replace it with one that will. Create ‘scripts’<br />
for those who do show-rounds so that<br />
your messaging is consistent, and most<br />
important of all, measure the success of<br />
each person who does a show-round to<br />
identify those who have the highest close<br />
rate. This is not to ‘beat up’ those who are<br />
not so good. The opposite is true, you ALL<br />
need to be learning from the best so that<br />
you can bring everyone up to their level.<br />
The point here though, is the most<br />
successful settings are full. And I mean full,<br />
full. No gaps, - with a waiting list. I have<br />
lost count of the number of setting owners<br />
I have argued with who say that 72-75%<br />
occupancy (as the industry average) is<br />
full. It is not. This is false logic. Again,<br />
those settings that are truly successful<br />
have sold 100% of their capacity. And<br />
again, some will ask, “Why is he using the<br />
word capacity?” The answer, is that those<br />
setting owners who think this way, tend to<br />
be more successful.<br />
In conclusion, the most important thing<br />
you can do to move the dial on the success<br />
of your setting is to get full. If you aren’t,<br />
there are numerous further explanations<br />
of how to solve this in my book, but make<br />
sure you start by getting a good lead<br />
generator at the start of your business<br />
processes. That means a <strong>website</strong> that<br />
generates enough leads to ensure you are<br />
truly and absolutely, full.<br />
Allan will continue this series each<br />
month for the rest of the year, so keep<br />
an eye open for next month’s article.<br />
Want to know more? Allan Presland’s<br />
book is on Amazon: “Improving the<br />
Business of Childcare”, by Allan<br />
Presland.<br />
(amazon.co.uk)<br />
Or, take our quiz to see how successful<br />
your setting is compared to others we<br />
work with: https://scorecard.parenta.<br />
com/parenta<br />
6 <strong>January</strong> <strong>2024</strong> | parenta.com<br />
parenta.com | <strong>January</strong> <strong>2024</strong> 7
Childcare news<br />
and views<br />
New EYFS statutory framework<br />
On 11th December 2023, The Department<br />
for Education published the two versions of<br />
the EYFS statutory framework which apply<br />
from 4th <strong>January</strong> <strong>2024</strong>:<br />
EYFS statutory framework for<br />
childminders<br />
EYFS statutory framework for group<br />
and school-based providers<br />
These incorporate the changes set out<br />
in the Government’s response to its<br />
consultation on the proposed changes.<br />
The main changes for group-based<br />
providers include:<br />
A change from “must” to “may” in<br />
relation to “take reasonable steps to<br />
provide opportunities for children to<br />
develop and use their home language<br />
in play and learning, supporting their<br />
language development at home.”<br />
Removing the requirement for staff<br />
to have a Level 2 Maths qualification<br />
alongside a full and relevant Level<br />
3 qualification to count in ratios (NB<br />
Level 2 English will still be required).<br />
Setting managers employed on or<br />
after 4th <strong>January</strong> <strong>2024</strong> must hold a<br />
Level 2 Maths qualification, or they<br />
must achieve one within 2 years of<br />
starting in the position.<br />
The flexibility for “Suitable students on<br />
long-term placements and volunteers<br />
(aged 17 or over) and staff working as<br />
apprentices in early education (aged<br />
16 or over) may be included in the<br />
ratios at the level below their level of<br />
study if the provider is satisfied that<br />
they are competent and responsible.”<br />
“No change over unqualified staff” – DfE<br />
confirms.<br />
The Department for Education (DfE) has<br />
clarified that unqualified staff in early years<br />
can maintain their regular work in early<br />
years settings. This clarification comes in<br />
response to confusion within the sector<br />
regarding a new qualifications guidance<br />
document.<br />
The new early years qualification<br />
requirements and standards states that:<br />
“To be included in the staff:child ratios<br />
at Level 2, Level 3 or Level 6, staff must<br />
hold a qualification that is recognised<br />
by the Department for Education as full<br />
and relevant at the appropriate level. Any<br />
individual that does not hold a full and<br />
relevant qualification can only work as an<br />
unqualified member of staff in an early<br />
years setting and therefore cannot count in<br />
the staff: child ratios”, meaning that under<br />
the revised Early Years Foundation Stage<br />
(EYFS), unqualified staff could no longer<br />
work in early years settings.<br />
DfE has confirmed that there have been no<br />
changes to the rules on unqualified staff<br />
and that this guidance does not mean<br />
that unqualified educators are unable to<br />
work in early years settings – only that they<br />
cannot be counted in Level 2, 3 or 6 ratios,<br />
as is currently the case.<br />
The DfE has stated that this document “is<br />
a technical change that puts the existing<br />
information about qualifications that is<br />
currently held on various GOV.uk pages<br />
into one easily accessible document” and<br />
that it “does not introduce any new policy<br />
or requirements, other than the changes to<br />
the Level 2 Maths requirement and use of<br />
students and apprentices in ratios, which<br />
the Department is bringing in following the<br />
consultation.”<br />
The full story, as reported by the Early<br />
Years Alliance can be found here: https://<br />
www.eyalliance.org.uk/news/2023/12/<br />
dfe-confirms-no-change-over-unqualifiedstaff-rules<br />
EYFS profile results 2022-23<br />
The annual statistics on early years<br />
foundation stage profile assessments in<br />
England relating to the 7 areas of learning<br />
and the 17 early learning goals have been<br />
released by the DfE.<br />
These statistics report on teacher<br />
assessments of children’s development<br />
at the end of the early years foundation<br />
stage, specifically the end of the academic<br />
year in which a child turns 5. They cover<br />
the following at national and subnational<br />
levels, including breakdowns by child<br />
characteristics of:<br />
the percentage of children assessed<br />
to be at the ‘emerging’ or ‘expected’<br />
level in the 17 early learning goals<br />
across the 7 areas of learning<br />
the percentage of children with a<br />
good level of development<br />
the average number of early learning<br />
goals for which children are at the<br />
expected level<br />
Headline facts and figures;<br />
The percentages of children with<br />
a good level of development and<br />
at the expected level across all 17<br />
early learning goals have increased<br />
by around 2 percentage points in<br />
2022/23<br />
The increases seen may be<br />
attributable to gradual recovery from<br />
disruption caused by the COVID-19<br />
pandemic (rises were also seen<br />
over the same period in the most<br />
recent phonics and key stage 1<br />
statistics release) and practitioners<br />
having greater familiarisation with<br />
the new assessment framework. For<br />
example, there was also a sharp rise<br />
in assessment outcomes between<br />
2012/13 and 2013/14 following the<br />
EYFS Profile being previously revised at<br />
the start of the 2012/13 academic year<br />
In 2022/23, the average number of<br />
early learning goals at the expected<br />
level remained at 14.1 per child<br />
Physical development was still the<br />
area of learning with the highest<br />
percentage of children at the expected<br />
level (85.2%) in 2022/23, whilst<br />
literacy was still the lowest (69.7%).<br />
Gross motor skills was still the early<br />
learning goal (ELG) with the highest<br />
percentage of children at the expected<br />
level (92.1%), whilst writing was still<br />
the lowest (71.0%)<br />
Compared with a year earlier, all<br />
areas of learning and most ELGs<br />
increased at least slightly<br />
The full results can be found here: https://<br />
www.gov.uk/government/statistics/early-<br />
years-foundation-stage-profile-results-<br />
2022-to-2023<br />
A round-up of some news stories that<br />
have caught our eye over the month<br />
Do you have an early years news story you’d like to see featured in the <strong>Parenta</strong> Magazine?<br />
Send one in today to marketing@parenta.com to be featured in next month’s edition!<br />
We can’t wait to read all about it!<br />
Almost 4 million children not<br />
physically active for at least an<br />
hour a day<br />
Fewer than 1/2 of children are meeting<br />
the Chief Medical Officers’ guidelines of<br />
taking part in an average of 60 minutes<br />
or more of sport & physical activity a day.<br />
www.nurseryworld.co.uk/news<br />
What is the plan for 30 hours of<br />
free childcare and how will<br />
it work?<br />
The government has announced more<br />
details about the extra help with childcare<br />
costs which it promised in the Spring<br />
budget.<br />
www.bbc.co.uk/news/education<br />
Young children’s understanding<br />
of language nearly back to prepandemic<br />
levels<br />
A new study suggests that young<br />
children’s understanding of language<br />
is nearly back to pre-pandemic norms,<br />
despite ‘pressures on today’s families’.<br />
www.nurseryworld.co.uk/news<br />
8 <strong>January</strong> <strong>2024</strong> | parenta.com<br />
parenta.com | <strong>January</strong> <strong>2024</strong> 9
Write for us!<br />
We continuously seek new<br />
authors who would like to<br />
provide thought-provoking<br />
articles for our monthly<br />
<strong>magazine</strong>.<br />
If you have a subject you’re eager to explore<br />
in writing, why not submit an article to us for a<br />
chance to win?<br />
Every month, we’ll be awarding Amazon<br />
vouchers to our “Guest Author of the Month.”<br />
You can access all the information here:<br />
https://www.parenta.com/sponsored-content/<br />
Congratulations<br />
to our guest author competition winner, Frances Turnbull!<br />
Congratulations to Frances Turnbull, our guest<br />
author of the month! Her article, “Creative Balloon<br />
Painting In The Early Years – “99 Red Balloons”<br />
looks at how inspiring using balloons in early years<br />
activities can be!<br />
A massive thank you to all of our guest authors for<br />
writing for us. You can find all of the past articles<br />
from our guest authors on our <strong>website</strong>:<br />
www.parenta.com/parentablog/guest-authors<br />
Call 0800 002 9242 and quote ’Magazine’<br />
10 <strong>January</strong> <strong>2024</strong> | parenta.com
Joanna Grace<br />
I think they have<br />
sensory needs<br />
what can I do?<br />
Part 2 - provide and adopt<br />
I’m Jo Grace: a Sensory Engagement and Inclusion Specialist and Founder of The Sensory Projects. In this series of 10 articles, I am going<br />
to share some of my passion for understanding the sensory world with you.<br />
If you, as the professional supporting<br />
them, have noticed it, have reflected on<br />
what they are doing and why they are<br />
doing it (as well as when and where<br />
they are doing it) and you’ve started<br />
to have those open conversations with<br />
their families, those families are going<br />
to feel much safer holding the possibility<br />
of this difference in their minds, and not<br />
sweeping it under the carpet or hoping it<br />
will go away, if you also show them that<br />
you are confident in supporting their child.<br />
This isn’t a case of needing to have all<br />
the answers or being confident of what<br />
to do, it is you showing that there will<br />
be professionals like you who see their<br />
children for who they are and want to<br />
understand them and support them.<br />
You are showing them that the world is<br />
changing, not everyone looks at difference<br />
and declares it bad anymore. Some<br />
people notice the difference and are<br />
curious about it. You are those people!<br />
Here are three things to think about:<br />
Developmental or neurological<br />
Some people have sensory processing<br />
differences because they have not yet fully<br />
learned how to process the information<br />
they receive from their senses. We<br />
all learn at different speeds and the<br />
possibility of our learning is affected by<br />
the environments we inhabit (to give an<br />
extreme example, a child brought up in<br />
darkness is not going to have learned how<br />
to use their sight).<br />
People tend to think of sensing as purely<br />
physiological – either you have sense<br />
organs that work, or work partially, or you<br />
do not. But it is more complex than this.<br />
To sense, you need to have the relevant<br />
sense organs working AND your brain<br />
needs to understand how to make sense<br />
of the information those organs bring<br />
to it. Making sense of the information is<br />
something we learn to do over time. It is<br />
why you might offer a baby a black and<br />
white picture book over a more colourful<br />
one, you are recognising that when people<br />
are very young, they have not yet figured<br />
out how to understand all the colour<br />
information, but the information that tells<br />
them that this is light, this is dark, is much<br />
easier to understand, so we start with that.<br />
Children who, for one reason or another,<br />
have not developed their sensory<br />
processing capacities at the same rate as<br />
their peers, may appear to have sensory<br />
processing differences. If offered the<br />
developmentally relevant experiences to<br />
their current level of sensory capabilities,<br />
they may in time be able to master all the<br />
skills and become people who process<br />
sensory information in line with their peers.<br />
Many successful treatments work on this<br />
basis.<br />
However, not all children who have<br />
sensory processing differences can<br />
develop “normal” processing. For some<br />
children, the processing differences are<br />
not due to a delay in that aspect of their<br />
development but instead are a result of<br />
a neurological disability. Here it helps to<br />
think about what we do when we sense.<br />
Yes, we look, we listen, we feel, but it is<br />
more complex than that. Have you ever<br />
asked someone to “shhh” in the car as<br />
you came up to a roundabout you were<br />
unfamiliar with? You asked them to stop<br />
giving you auditory input because you<br />
needed to concentrate on the visual<br />
input. You needed to stop listening to<br />
see better. Our senses interact with each<br />
other in all sorts of ways like this. I often<br />
imagine the sensory control centres in<br />
our brain to be like the mixing decks you<br />
see used in recording studios, with all the<br />
different knobs and sliders available for<br />
turning various aspects of the sound up<br />
and down. Children with developmental<br />
sensory differences are still learning to<br />
control these knobs and sliders.<br />
The children with neurological sensory<br />
processing differences are working with a<br />
control deck that has some broken bits. It<br />
does not matter how much they practice, it<br />
will be very unlikely that they will be able to<br />
achieve ‘normal’ processing.<br />
Keeping this distinction in mind will be<br />
helpful as you maintain your curiosity and<br />
continue your open conversations with the<br />
child’s family.<br />
Find out more in the next part of<br />
Joanna’s article next month in the<br />
February edition of the <strong>Parenta</strong><br />
<strong>magazine</strong>!<br />
Sign up to be the first to read:<br />
www.parenta.com/<strong>magazine</strong>/<br />
Scan here for<br />
In this pair of articles, we are considering<br />
how to react to a child in your setting who<br />
appears to have sensory needs. In the first<br />
article, I spoke about the importance of<br />
being curious and seeking to understand<br />
what sensation the child’s behaviour<br />
serves to provide or avoid. I talked about<br />
extending this curiosity into considering the<br />
‘when’ and the ‘where’ of their behaviour<br />
as well as the ‘what’. Are there particular<br />
times or places where they engage with<br />
the behaviour? What do you notice about<br />
these circumstances?<br />
I also wrote about how valuable it<br />
is to have open, non-judgemental<br />
conversations about your understanding of<br />
this child’s differences with their family. It is<br />
not your role to diagnose children or even<br />
to suggest that they should be diagnosed,<br />
but by sharing what you have noticed and<br />
commenting openly on your curiosities,<br />
you create a safe space for families to chat<br />
with you.<br />
Often noticing that your child is a little<br />
different to how you expected them to be,<br />
can be very disorientating, bewildering<br />
and even frightening for families. Families<br />
may even try and stop the behaviour<br />
without seeking to understand it first.<br />
From the outside, this can seem uncaring,<br />
but it is a reaction of fear, and their fear<br />
stems from very deep caring. They know<br />
the world can be cruel to people who are<br />
different so they do not want their child<br />
to be different, and figure if they can stop<br />
the behaviour then they can protect them<br />
from the prejudices they might otherwise<br />
encounter.<br />
It is very normal to want to shy away from<br />
such things, and to try to believe that it is<br />
something they will grow out of or just a<br />
phase, and who knows…. maybe it is. But<br />
if it is not, if this is a child who is processing<br />
the world in a sensorial different way, then<br />
having the people in their life understand<br />
that sooner rather than later, is going to<br />
result in the best outcomes for that child.<br />
more resources<br />
from Joanna:<br />
12 <strong>January</strong> <strong>2024</strong> | parenta.com<br />
parenta.com | <strong>January</strong> <strong>2024</strong> 13
Big Energy<br />
Saving Week<br />
Everyone’s talking about saving energy<br />
– not only to save the planet through<br />
reduced CO2 emissions, but we all need<br />
to make our pennies go a little further.<br />
It’s not always easy to know what to do<br />
though, so Big Energy Saving Week might<br />
be just the thing you’re looking for to get<br />
some tips and advice. Read on to find out<br />
how you can not only save money for your<br />
setting and help the planet, but we’ve also<br />
listed some ways that you can help the<br />
families in your setting too.<br />
What is Big Energy Saving<br />
Week?<br />
Big Energy Saving Week is an initiative to<br />
help people take control of their energy<br />
consumption and help the planet. At its<br />
heart, Big Energy Saving Week aims to<br />
help people:
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M O N E Y<br />
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Call 0800 002 9242 and quote ’Magazine’
Dr. Sarah Moseley<br />
In the quest for inclusion in early childhood<br />
education, the framework of Universal<br />
Design for Learning (UDL) emerges as a<br />
powerful tool. UDL promotes the creation<br />
of learning environments that cater<br />
to the diverse needs of all learners by<br />
offering multiple means of representation,<br />
engagement, and expression. Embracing<br />
UDL principles ensures that educational<br />
settings are not only accessible but also<br />
welcoming and conducive to learning for<br />
every child. Recognising and embracing<br />
diversity among learners is not only a<br />
moral imperative but also essential for<br />
fostering an environment that nurtures<br />
the growth and development of every<br />
child. In early years education, laying the<br />
foundation for inclusivity is crucial, setting<br />
the stage for a lifetime of learning and<br />
social interaction. So, what do we need<br />
to know to ensure that our early years<br />
settings are truly inclusive and cater to the<br />
needs of all learners?<br />
Understanding diversity<br />
Inclusion begins with a deep<br />
understanding of the diverse needs,<br />
strengths, and abilities of each child.<br />
We must understand that neurodiversity<br />
includes a wide range of cognitive<br />
functions, such as autism, ADHD, dyslexia,<br />
and other neurological variances. These<br />
differences do not signify deficits; instead,<br />
they reflect diverse ways of thinking,<br />
perceiving, and experiencing the world.<br />
Embracing these differences fosters<br />
an inclusive environment where every<br />
child’s unique strength and ability are<br />
valued - and support can be given where<br />
needed. By recognising and celebrating<br />
neurodiversity, we can contribute to<br />
creating a nurturing space that respects<br />
individuality and promotes the holistic<br />
Inclusive<br />
early years<br />
Meeting the needs of all<br />
development of their children within the<br />
early years of education.<br />
Communication, understanding, and an<br />
open-minded approach play pivotal roles<br />
in nurturing a supportive environment<br />
where all children can flourish and thrive.<br />
Recognising and celebrating these<br />
differences contribute to creating a vibrant<br />
learning environment.<br />
Universal design for<br />
learning (UDL): a pathway<br />
to inclusivity<br />
UDL recognises that children possess<br />
varying learning styles, strengths, and<br />
challenges. By employing multiple<br />
means of representation, educators can<br />
present information in diverse ways,<br />
such as through visual, auditory, or<br />
tactile means. For instance, incorporating<br />
pictorial representations alongside<br />
text in storybooks caters to both visual<br />
and linguistic learners, ensuring that<br />
engagement is at the heart of all learning<br />
opportunities and experiences.<br />
By offering multiple means of<br />
engagement, you are encouraging<br />
active participation and motivation from<br />
the start. Interactive learning activities,<br />
games, and collaborative activities provide<br />
opportunities for children to engage<br />
based on their preferences and strengths.<br />
For instance, a child who struggles with<br />
verbal communication might excel in a<br />
collaborative art project, allowing them to<br />
express their understanding and creativity.<br />
Furthermore, UDL supports providing<br />
multiple means of expression,<br />
enabling children to demonstrate their<br />
comprehension and knowledge in various<br />
ways. Some children might prefer verbal<br />
explanations, while others might excel in<br />
conveying their understanding through<br />
drawings, model-making, or other forms<br />
of expression. Allowing diverse avenues<br />
for expression celebrates the individual<br />
strengths of each learner.<br />
Total communication<br />
environment: enriching<br />
inclusive settings<br />
Another critical aspect of fostering<br />
inclusivity in early years education<br />
involves creating a total communication<br />
environment. Total communication<br />
encompasses various modes of<br />
communication, including verbal<br />
language, sign language, visual<br />
supports, gestures, and augmentative<br />
and alternative communication<br />
(AAC) systems. By embracing a total<br />
communication approach, educators<br />
ensure that all children, regardless of their<br />
communication abilities, can effectively<br />
participate and engage in learning<br />
experiences.<br />
For instance, incorporating visual<br />
schedules, picture exchange systems, or<br />
communication boards supports children<br />
with communication challenges, facilitating<br />
their understanding and participation<br />
in daily routines and activities. It’s<br />
important to engage children in regular<br />
conversations about their day, interests,<br />
and feelings. Ask open-ended questions to<br />
encourage them to share more details and<br />
expand their language skills. Or describe<br />
daily activities or routines as you do them<br />
together. This helps build vocabulary<br />
and comprehension skills. For example,<br />
when cooking, talk about the ingredients,<br />
actions, and steps involved.<br />
Ensure that the opportunity to read<br />
books aloud together happens as often<br />
as possible. Encourage children to ask<br />
questions, make predictions about the<br />
story, and discuss the characters and<br />
events. This fosters language development<br />
and strengthens engagement. Incorporate<br />
visual supports like picture books,<br />
flashcards, or drawings to reinforce<br />
learning. Visual aids can assist in<br />
understanding concepts and encourage<br />
communication, you can then expand on<br />
their words or sentences. For instance, if<br />
they say, “doggy,” you can respond with,<br />
“Yes, that’s a big brown doggy playing in<br />
the park.” Additionally, introducing basic<br />
sign language or simple gestures in the<br />
classroom promotes communication<br />
and understanding among all children,<br />
creating an inclusive and supportive<br />
atmosphere.<br />
Above all foster an environment<br />
where communication is encouraged<br />
and valued. Encourage turn-taking<br />
during conversations, and praise and<br />
acknowledge your child’s efforts to<br />
communicate effectively. Remember<br />
every child develops at their own pace.<br />
Be patient, supportive, and encouraging,<br />
celebrating their progress and efforts<br />
along the way.<br />
Collaboration with<br />
specialists and families<br />
In building an inclusive early childhood<br />
education environment, collaboration with<br />
specialists and families is paramount.<br />
Specialists, such as speech therapists,<br />
occupational therapists, and behavioural<br />
analysts, offer invaluable expertise and<br />
support in addressing the diverse needs<br />
of children. Working together with these<br />
professionals enables educators to<br />
implement targeted strategies that cater to<br />
individual requirements.<br />
Moreover, fostering strong partnerships<br />
with families creates a supportive network<br />
that reinforces inclusive practices both<br />
at home and in educational settings.<br />
Families provide invaluable insights<br />
into a child’s strengths, interests, and<br />
challenges, facilitating a holistic approach<br />
to supporting each child’s development.<br />
Continuing professional<br />
development in UDL and<br />
inclusive practices<br />
To effectively implement UDL and<br />
create inclusive environments, ongoing<br />
professional development is essential for<br />
educators. Training sessions, workshops,<br />
and seminars focused on UDL principles,<br />
assistive technology, inclusive teaching<br />
strategies, and understanding diverse<br />
learning needs, empower educators<br />
to refine their practices continually. It<br />
equips them with the knowledge and<br />
tools necessary to adapt and tailor their<br />
approaches to meet the changing needs<br />
of learners in an inclusive classroom.<br />
Nurturing inclusive<br />
environments for lifelong<br />
learning<br />
In conclusion, the journey toward<br />
inclusive early years education involves<br />
embracing diversity, implementing UDL<br />
principles, fostering a total communication<br />
environment, collaborating with specialists<br />
and families, and investing in continuous<br />
professional development. By integrating<br />
these elements, educators create<br />
nurturing environments where every child<br />
feels valued, supported, and capable of<br />
reaching their full potential.<br />
Ultimately, the commitment to inclusivity<br />
in early childhood education extends<br />
far beyond the classroom; it lays the<br />
groundwork for a future society where<br />
diversity is not merely acknowledged but<br />
celebrated. Empowering young learners<br />
with inclusive experiences during their<br />
formative years paves the way for a more<br />
equitable and inclusive world.<br />
Useful links
Recognising<br />
symbolically and engage in more<br />
imaginative play, creating stories and<br />
exploring new worlds.<br />
Dr. Kathryn Peckham<br />
In this article, taken from the course of the<br />
same name at the Nurturing Childhoods<br />
Academy, we are going to be looking at<br />
how you can nurture children’s learning<br />
from the first day you meet them - from the<br />
stimulating environments you create, to<br />
the experiences you offer them.<br />
We all want our children to do well and<br />
achieve all they are capable of in life and<br />
nowhere is this more pronounced than<br />
with their learning. However, there is so<br />
much more to early years learning than<br />
development goals and school readiness,<br />
and the worst thing we can do is look<br />
to accelerate them into the unfulfilling<br />
styles and methods of teaching you may<br />
remember well!<br />
If we want to advance our children’s<br />
interests, capabilities, and motivations, we<br />
need to offer them experiences that ignite<br />
their passions and interest in their world.<br />
early years<br />
Learning techniques for children involve<br />
helping them see how capable they are of<br />
learning, right when their attitudes about<br />
themselves are forming - and all of this<br />
begins from the first time they open their<br />
eyes.<br />
From the moment they are born, a baby’s<br />
brain is hard at work, forming intricate<br />
connections and laying the foundation for<br />
future learning and experiences. At birth,<br />
their brain already comprises billions of<br />
neurons forming the basic building blocks<br />
of the brain’s intricate neural networks.<br />
It is wired for connection and interaction<br />
with others, with billions of synapses being<br />
formed, strengthened or pruned based on<br />
their experiences and interactions with the<br />
world.<br />
The early years are an extraordinary<br />
period filled with boundless energy,<br />
exploration and rapid development,<br />
as a child’s brain undergoes incredible<br />
transformations within their cognitive,<br />
social and emotional growth. During<br />
this stage, a child’s curiosity knows no<br />
bounds as they explore, imagine, and<br />
learning<br />
potential<br />
engage with the world around them,<br />
laying the groundwork for the years to<br />
come when they are more mobile, vocal,<br />
and full of past experiences to fine-tune.<br />
These experiences, received through<br />
their senses, allow the brain to process<br />
information, shaping neural pathways and<br />
facilitating their understanding of the world<br />
around them.<br />
A child is also born with the capacity to<br />
learn any language and young brains<br />
are primed to absorb and understand the<br />
intricate nuances of speech. This is why<br />
language development is a key area of<br />
brain development and why engaging<br />
in conversations, reading, singing and<br />
exposure to a rich linguistic environment<br />
are so important. You will hear language<br />
development leap forward during the<br />
toddler years as children begin to form<br />
sentences, understand instructions, and<br />
engage in basic conversations.<br />
All of which these things supply the<br />
experiences children need for the<br />
remarkable surge in language and<br />
communication skills in the years to come<br />
as they begin constructing more complex<br />
sentences, absorbing words, grammar<br />
and social cues from their environment.<br />
Children also exhibit some remarkable<br />
cognitive milestones as understanding<br />
develops, nurtured through symbolic<br />
play, cause and effect and engaging in<br />
problem-solving abilities. As thinking<br />
becomes more logical and abstract,<br />
children can begin to solve more<br />
complex problems, understand concepts<br />
From the first flutters of their tiny fingers<br />
to the first time they ride a bike, a child’s<br />
brain is also working tirelessly to develop<br />
their motor skills and coordination. The<br />
brain’s motor cortex and cerebellum play<br />
crucial roles in controlling and refining their<br />
movements, allowing children to explore<br />
and interact with their surroundings. But<br />
this needs lots and lots of practice as they<br />
gain greater balance and exhibit more<br />
precise coordination, developing their<br />
fine motor skills, becoming more able to<br />
handle small objects and engage in more<br />
precise movements.<br />
The brain is also responsible for emotional<br />
and social development. Areas such as<br />
the limbic system and prefrontal cortex all<br />
play integral roles in regulating a child’s<br />
emotions, forming their attachments<br />
and developing their social skills. In the<br />
early years, the limbic system undergoes<br />
periods of maturation as children learn to<br />
identify and express their feelings... but<br />
I do mean learn and this will sometimes<br />
come with some familiar frustrations. But<br />
as the prefrontal cortex matures, you will<br />
begin to see better impulse control and<br />
emotional regulation, nurtured through<br />
positive relationships and environments<br />
as children develop healthy emotional<br />
regulation.<br />
So, how do we stimulate all this brain<br />
development then?<br />
✏ First, provide a consistent, nurturing,<br />
and responsive environment that<br />
fosters a sense of loving, security and<br />
emotional well-being<br />
✏ Engage in face-to-face interactions,<br />
talking and singing to develop<br />
language and social skills<br />
✏ Encourage exploration and hands-on<br />
discovery, especially outdoors as you<br />
engage their senses and physical<br />
development<br />
✏ Offer puzzles, sorting games, memory<br />
games and hands-on activities to<br />
stimulate cognitive growth<br />
✏ Encourage curiosity by asking openended<br />
questions that promote critical<br />
thinking and problem-solving skills<br />
✏ Allow free and unstructured time<br />
for imagination and independent<br />
discovery<br />
✏ Read to children, sing songs and<br />
engage in interactive play to expose<br />
them to a variety of words, sounds<br />
and ideas<br />
✏ Offer creative opportunities through<br />
art, music and imaginative play<br />
✏ Support social interactions with<br />
opportunities for parallel and<br />
cooperative play<br />
✏ Emphasise the joy of learning at<br />
every age as you celebrate their<br />
achievements and foster a growth<br />
mindset<br />
✏ Talk to them, with eye contact, smiles<br />
and genuine engagement - every<br />
chance that you get!<br />
Through this whirlwind period of growth<br />
and discovery, a child’s brain is rapidly<br />
evolving to absorb the world around<br />
them, blossoming into a powerhouse<br />
of knowledge, creativity and social<br />
understanding. You have the incredible<br />
opportunity to provide a loving and<br />
stimulating environment that supports<br />
and nourishes growing minds. Embrace<br />
the wonders of this journey, celebrating<br />
the strengths, interests and milestones of<br />
each unique child as their development<br />
unfolds, shaping their brain and laying the<br />
foundations for their future learning and<br />
development.<br />
So, whether you are a parent, practitioner,<br />
or family worker, join me at the Nurturing<br />
Childhoods Academy where you can listen<br />
to talks and access lots more tips and<br />
suggestions. And there are also materials<br />
for you to print out and keep handy, giving<br />
you all the key bits of learning at your<br />
fingertips.<br />
If you become a member of the Nurturing<br />
Childhoods Community, you can come<br />
and talk with other parents and carers<br />
about the experiences you are having. You<br />
might like to swap a funny story or ask<br />
for some advice. You can also read all the<br />
new blogs or have a go with a Childhood<br />
Challenge!<br />
Scan here for<br />
more resources<br />
from Kathryn:<br />
20 <strong>January</strong> <strong>2024</strong> | parenta.com<br />
parenta.com | <strong>January</strong> <strong>2024</strong> 21
World Religion Day<br />
Arts and crafts<br />
There are lots of craft ideas around the<br />
internet associated with different religions<br />
and you could create different religious<br />
symbols in paper crafts, playdough,<br />
cookery or even outdoors in mark-making<br />
sessions in mud and sand. Think about<br />
making:<br />
⭐ A mobile or bunting to hang around<br />
the setting<br />
⭐ A religion corner or shrine with<br />
different religious statues and symbols<br />
⭐ A map of the world showing where<br />
different religions originated<br />
⭐ A collage of different religious imagery<br />
– look for unusual ideas too such as<br />
totem poles and animal deities<br />
⭐ Lotus flower – represents purity for<br />
Buddhists and Hindus and is also<br />
important in Islam<br />
⭐ Yew – a symbol of rebirth<br />
⭐ Olives, figs and grapevines -<br />
considered plants given to Muslims<br />
by Allah<br />
⭐ Sage – considered by Native<br />
Americans to have healing and<br />
cleansing properties<br />
Take your children on a sensory, natural<br />
journey around world religions using<br />
plants.<br />
Food<br />
religion. You could hold a peace party or<br />
set up a unity tree. Bring a large branch in<br />
from outside and set it securely in a pot.<br />
You can wrap it in paper, ribbon or wool<br />
to add colour if you want to. Ask children<br />
what their wishes are for a peaceful world<br />
and then write them on a piece of card to<br />
hang them on the tree.<br />
However you celebrate, remember to<br />
let us know by sending your news and<br />
pictures to us at hello@parenta.com.<br />
Answer:<br />
The lotus flower is considered the most<br />
sacred flower in the world due to its<br />
symbolism associated with rebirth, healing<br />
properties, and significance in many<br />
Eastern and Western religions alike.<br />
Do you know the difference between<br />
Hanukkah and Diwali? Can you define the<br />
Five Pillars of Islam or the makeup of the<br />
Holy Trinity? And what would you say was<br />
the world’s most sacred flower? (Answer<br />
at the end).<br />
Nearly seventy-five percent of people in<br />
the world follow one of six major religions,<br />
being:<br />
⭐ Christianity<br />
⭐ Islam<br />
⭐ Judaism<br />
⭐ Buddhism<br />
⭐ Sikhism<br />
⭐ Hinduism<br />
However, there are also many other<br />
religions such as Taoism, Daoism,<br />
Zoroastrianism, Paganism, Confucianism<br />
and hundreds of indigenous religions and<br />
sacred beliefs and practices too.<br />
World Religion Day gives you an<br />
opportunity to not only celebrate these<br />
different religions, but to share new ideas<br />
with your little ones, help them learn about<br />
the world, and promote tolerance and<br />
understanding as set out in the British<br />
Values. And all this whilst having some fun<br />
along the way.<br />
How did it start?<br />
World Religion Day is celebrated around<br />
the world on the third Sunday in <strong>January</strong><br />
each year, so, in <strong>2024</strong>, it falls on Sunday<br />
15th <strong>January</strong>. The day was originally<br />
set up in 1950 by the National Spiritual<br />
Assembly by followers of the Baháʼí Faith<br />
with the aim of promoting understanding<br />
and peace between all religions. In the<br />
Bahá’í faith, all religions are thought to<br />
have common features and should be<br />
respected equally because they believe<br />
there is one God who is known by different<br />
names in all religions.<br />
Religions often differ in their beliefs about:<br />
⭐ Gods and deities<br />
⭐ Holy books and scriptures<br />
⭐ Fundamental ideas on life and death<br />
⭐ Geographical origins<br />
⭐ Major festivals<br />
⭐ The significance of, and rules around<br />
food<br />
⭐ Creation stories<br />
All these topics would make interesting<br />
and fun lessons for your children, and<br />
we’ve listed some ideas to help you<br />
celebrate the day in your setting.<br />
Storytime<br />
Use your storytime to introduce some<br />
of the main stories behind different<br />
religions to your children. There are a lot<br />
of storybooks which tell different religious<br />
stories in age-appropriate ways for<br />
toddlers, and there are also videos and<br />
animations on YouTube.<br />
Creation stories are often fun to read and<br />
compare. You could even ask the children<br />
to come up with their own creation stories<br />
too. How do they think the world was<br />
created?<br />
Remember that you can use drama to act<br />
out some ideas and stories and if you did<br />
a Nativity play, then this is an example of<br />
one religious story.<br />
Songs and music<br />
Music and singing are fundamental to<br />
many religions and there are hundreds<br />
of songs, hymns, mantras and prayers<br />
that you could use to teach the children<br />
about different beliefs. You might want<br />
to focus on songs that sing about unity<br />
and tolerance which would be in keeping<br />
with the day. A traditional folk song which<br />
celebrates this is “We’ve got the whole<br />
world in our hands” which you can find at:<br />
https://www.songsforteaching.com/folk/<br />
wevegotthewholeworld.php, but there are<br />
many others too.<br />
Gardens and outdoor<br />
spaces<br />
Why not celebrate by creating a sensory<br />
area or a trail through your outdoor space<br />
that uses different plants or items of<br />
religious significance like a treasure hunt?<br />
You could make small wooden crosses or<br />
Star of Davids, place Buddha statues or<br />
keywords from religious texts.<br />
Some plants also have different religious<br />
significances such as:<br />
⭐ Basil – important to Christians and<br />
Hindus<br />
⭐ Passionflower – representative of<br />
Jesus’ life<br />
⭐ Mistletoe – important to Druids and<br />
Celts<br />
Use the day to try new foods that are<br />
important to different religions. You could<br />
have small pieces for the children to try or<br />
do some simple cooking with them too.<br />
You could invite people in to share their<br />
knowledge too. Think about:<br />
⭐ Bread – significant to Christians and<br />
many other religions in different forms<br />
⭐ Baklava – a Greek dish made of<br />
33 layers of puff pastry to represent<br />
the years in Jesus’ life, but also<br />
significant in Islam around the month<br />
of Ramadan<br />
⭐ Modak – a sweet dumpling filled with<br />
coconut, thought to be a favourite of<br />
the Hindu gods<br />
⭐ Mooncake – a Chinese bakery<br />
favourite or Simnel cake celebrating<br />
Easter<br />
⭐ Easter eggs and hot-cross buns -<br />
with their symbolism of new life and<br />
regeneration<br />
⭐ Figs and dates – significant to many<br />
Middle Eastern religions<br />
Remember to check about allergies for<br />
both children and staff before introducing<br />
any new foods.<br />
Peace and togetherness<br />
Perhaps one of the best ways to<br />
celebrate World Religion Day is to come<br />
together and celebrate unity, peace and<br />
togetherness, regardless of age, race or<br />
More ideas can be<br />
found at:<br />
⭐ https://www.bbc.co.uk/teach/worldreligion-day-teaching-resources/<br />
zs6fsk7<br />
⭐ https://www.twinkl.co.uk/event/<br />
world-religion-day-<strong>2024</strong><br />
⭐ https://www.woodflowers.com/<br />
blogs/how-to-sola/how-flower-areused-in-world-religions<br />
⭐ https://nowpressplay.co.uk/5-worldreligion-day-activities-blog/<br />
Scan here for<br />
more references<br />
& information:<br />
22 <strong>January</strong> <strong>2024</strong> | parenta.com<br />
parenta.com | <strong>January</strong> <strong>2024</strong> 23
Embedding<br />
culture in your<br />
“That’s because, in a healthy culture,<br />
there are clear expectations. Expectations<br />
around how work gets done, why that<br />
work is important and how teams are<br />
expected to treat each other. There is<br />
also a sense of alignment between the<br />
company vision and core values and how<br />
those values and vision show up in the<br />
workplace.”<br />
What do we look like? What do we sound like? What do we act like?<br />
How do we present ourselves<br />
and our environment; what do<br />
people see?<br />
Our dress code – can we<br />
express our individuality?<br />
How do we communicate with<br />
colleagues, parents and children?<br />
Language – what kind of language<br />
do we use in the staff room/on the<br />
floor/with parents?<br />
How do we behave at work?<br />
Which attributes are evident?<br />
Gossiping<br />
Helpfulness<br />
Pam McFarlane<br />
I am a globetrotter, a wayfarer and a<br />
wanderer. I have visited twenty-two<br />
countries and made my home in four. For<br />
every traveller, the most fascinating part of<br />
travelling is experiencing the local culture<br />
of the places we visit. I have wrestled<br />
(unsuccessfully) in an impromptu wrestling<br />
competition next to a clear blue river in<br />
Mongolia, survived a 7.2 earthquake in<br />
The Philippines and enjoyed the dubious<br />
pleasures of long-drop toilets in the hills of<br />
Venda, South Africa. I have ridden a very<br />
grumpy camel under a moonlit Saharan<br />
desert sky and had a full-blown panic<br />
attack in a crowded, chaotic Moroccan<br />
medina.<br />
Planning to set up a school on a tropical<br />
island seemed a good idea when I was<br />
living in the suburbs of Johannesburg.<br />
However, when I disembarked from a local<br />
ferry onto a seaside market on a small<br />
Philippine island, with the smells of dried<br />
fish and mangoes heavy in the humid air,<br />
I realised I hadn’t quite taken the cultural<br />
difference into account. This was a very<br />
different world, one whose norms I could<br />
not comprehend. I knew instantly that this<br />
society worked in ways that I had to learn<br />
and understand.<br />
There are commonalities between cultures,<br />
especially today in the age of globalisation<br />
and easy online access. In the middle<br />
of a very deprived community in Addis<br />
Ababa, I swapped Facebook details with<br />
a local teacher. Last month I connected<br />
with a teacher in Botswana – we met<br />
over WhatsApp and shared our areas of<br />
interest. I scroll through TikTok as I relax on<br />
my bed and am connected with a myriad<br />
of different cultures whilst dressed in my<br />
pyjamas.<br />
early years ethos<br />
Today, almost worldwide, there is a<br />
common dress code; jeans and T-shirts,<br />
business suits, tracksuits and trainers are<br />
found wherever you go. However, when<br />
you are in a different country, the subtle<br />
and not-so-subtle differences are there.<br />
Architecture, music, transport, language,<br />
clothing, and food, all tell us where we are.<br />
These things tell us what is important and<br />
what is expected.<br />
Culture is defined by the Cambridge<br />
Dictionary as:
Planning: risk<br />
assessments<br />
Are you compliant with your Health &<br />
Safety responsibilities? Do you have all<br />
your necessary risk assessments in place,<br />
working and up-to-date?<br />
Planning is important in early years work,<br />
but planning to reduce risks around<br />
young children is essential. All early years<br />
workers have a duty of care towards<br />
the children they look after to prevent<br />
accidents and injuries, so read on to make<br />
sure your planning is robust in this area.<br />
Why do risk assessments?<br />
It is usually the responsibility of the<br />
owner or the Health and Safety Officer<br />
to ensure that all risk assessments are<br />
completed, and that effective procedures<br />
and protocols are set up using the<br />
information collected. However, ALL early<br />
years staff should have knowledge of risk<br />
assessments to be able to assess each<br />
situation in real time, so that they do not<br />
put children in harm’s way.<br />
Everything has a risk associated with it.<br />
Even lying in bed doing nothing carries<br />
a risk of developing bed sores and<br />
wasted muscles, so there is nothing<br />
that is 100% ‘risk-free’. The purpose of a<br />
risk assessment is to identify potential<br />
dangers and then take action to reduce<br />
them. It is not possible to eliminate every<br />
risk for every situation, but it is possible<br />
to minimise risk. There will be times that<br />
you will have to cross the road or travel on<br />
public transport for example, which have<br />
their own risks, but planning the route<br />
carefully, using a zebra or pelican crossing,<br />
having enough staff to supervise the<br />
children, and wearing high-viz jackets will<br />
minimise these risks. Where this has been<br />
done and the risk is considered low, then<br />
activities can usually go ahead.<br />
When should a risk<br />
assessment be done?<br />
Risk assessments should be undertaken<br />
whenever there are activities or practices<br />
which could pose a risk to the children,<br />
OR to the adults involved in their care.<br />
So, for example, most settings will know<br />
that a risk assessment needs to be done<br />
for a trip out of the setting, but did you<br />
know that it is good practice to do a risk<br />
assessment if a member of staff becomes<br />
pregnant and continues to work in the<br />
setting?<br />
Since there are an infinite number of<br />
things that could happen every day in<br />
any setting, identifying all of them would<br />
be impossible and there is always the<br />
potential for a freak accident that no one<br />
could foresee. However, by considering<br />
what ‘could’ happen carefully, and<br />
identifying common hazards and risks,<br />
you will be doing the best you can to keep<br />
everyone safe.<br />
Below is a list of common situations where<br />
risk assessments should be undertaken in<br />
early years settings:<br />
Access to the centre such as staff<br />
access and security<br />
Children and parents arriving and<br />
leaving the setting<br />
Transport<br />
Feeding children including<br />
lunches and snack times<br />
Allergies<br />
Children needing to use the toilet and/<br />
or personal care routines<br />
Hand washing and teeth<br />
cleaning<br />
The storage,<br />
administration<br />
and recording<br />
of any<br />
medication<br />
All aspects of<br />
outdoor<br />
playgrounds<br />
and play areas<br />
such as gardens, sand pits or ponds/<br />
water<br />
All indoor areas and play equipment<br />
Safety features such as fire alarms/<br />
extinguishers/gates and fences<br />
Additional needs of any babies or<br />
children with SEND<br />
Excursions outside the setting<br />
including going for a walk or on a<br />
visit/trip<br />
Playing with different materials such<br />
as mud, water, sand, art materials<br />
Pregnant members of staff or those<br />
with additional needs<br />
Home visits and personal safety with<br />
parents or visitors<br />
Working from heights or lifting/<br />
carrying/moving things<br />
Storing, preparing and cooking food<br />
Spillages and accident management<br />
Using chemicals such as cleaning<br />
routines<br />
Maintenance of all sites and<br />
equipment<br />
Emergency evacuation and<br />
procedures (e.g. intruder)<br />
Each setting may have additional specific<br />
areas that need risk assessments, (e.g.<br />
Forest School, swimming/paddling pool<br />
etc.,) but the above list is a good start.<br />
Look also at your Health and Safety policy<br />
and legislation from the Health and Safety<br />
Executive www.hse.gov.uk/ for more<br />
information on workplace safety.<br />
How to conduct a risk<br />
assessment<br />
The actions needed for a risk assessment<br />
are:<br />
1. Identify hazards – look for the<br />
dangers involved<br />
2. Assess the risk - decide who/what is<br />
in danger and to what level<br />
3. Identify the precautions and<br />
control measures needed to<br />
reduce the risk to an acceptable<br />
level – what should be done? By<br />
whom? And by when?<br />
4. Record the findings – create a<br />
document and log actions<br />
5. Review the process regularly –<br />
especially in the light of changes, near<br />
misses or accidents<br />
The table to the right is an example of a<br />
risk assessment template that you could<br />
use, and some example entries.<br />
Obviously, these are just examples and<br />
other templates are available on various<br />
<strong>website</strong>s, either free or for a small fee<br />
including:<br />
mindingkids.co.uk/downloads/riskassessments-pack/<br />
www.twinkl.co.uk/resource/riskbenefit-assessment-template-cfeslm-40<br />
www.earlylearninghq.org.uk/latestresources/early-years-setting-riskassessment-template/<br />
In some cases, you may need to do<br />
individual risk assessments for specific<br />
people, for example, for children with<br />
SEND.<br />
Accidents<br />
Early years settings should also pay<br />
particular attention to the risk assessments<br />
for the prevention of accidents because<br />
young children will not always understand<br />
danger in the way that adults do. The six<br />
most common accidents amongst children<br />
are:<br />
Falls/slips<br />
Burns<br />
Area to be assessed<br />
Choking<br />
Drowning<br />
Hanging/suffocating<br />
Poisoning<br />
See www.rospa.com/policy/home-safety/<br />
advice/accidents-to-children for more<br />
information on accident prevention.<br />
Legislation<br />
Playground<br />
equipment<br />
The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974<br />
places responsibility on the employer<br />
(i.e. your setting’s governance board or<br />
owners) to ensure that the work setting is<br />
as safe as possible. Insurances must be<br />
in place and each setting must display<br />
a Health and Safety Executive poster<br />
detailing who is responsible for safety in<br />
the setting. Information leaflets should also<br />
be distributed to workers.<br />
Your setting must also comply with<br />
other legal responsibilities such as<br />
keeping COSHH (Control of Substances<br />
Hazardous to Health) files and RIDDOR<br />
(Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and<br />
Dangerous Occurrences Regulations). Risk<br />
Person assessing area<br />
Mrs Jones<br />
Date of assessment 1/9/23 Date of next review 1/9/24<br />
What is the<br />
hazard?<br />
Swings:<br />
children could<br />
fall and injure<br />
themselves<br />
Swings:<br />
chains/ropes<br />
could fail and<br />
children fall<br />
Who is at<br />
risk?<br />
Children,<br />
staff<br />
Children,<br />
staff<br />
Risk before<br />
control<br />
measures<br />
High<br />
Medium<br />
Control<br />
measures put<br />
in place<br />
Child-safe<br />
surfacing<br />
provided around<br />
and under all<br />
equipment<br />
Adult supervision<br />
in required ratio<br />
at all times when<br />
children using<br />
equipment<br />
First aider always<br />
on site<br />
Maintenance<br />
contract in place<br />
with supplier<br />
Date of last<br />
inspection<br />
checked and<br />
recorded<br />
Control<br />
measures<br />
checked/<br />
dates<br />
Yes – 1/9/23<br />
Site Manager<br />
Yes – ongoing<br />
All staff<br />
Yes –<br />
ongoing daily<br />
checks<br />
H&S Officer<br />
Yes –<br />
25/4/23<br />
Office<br />
Manager<br />
Yes – 14/9/23<br />
H&S Officer<br />
Low<br />
Low<br />
Final risk<br />
rating<br />
assessments will be a major part of these<br />
procedures too.<br />
Risk assessments are essential, so plan<br />
them well, record and review them<br />
regularly to stay compliant and keep your<br />
staff and children safe.<br />
Scan here for<br />
more references<br />
& information:<br />
26 <strong>January</strong> <strong>2024</strong> | parenta.com<br />
parenta.com | <strong>January</strong> <strong>2024</strong> 27
Dr. Mona Sakr<br />
In this article, we consider what makes<br />
working in the baby room different to<br />
working in other parts of the nursery and<br />
why it is essential that more professional<br />
learning is designed, specifically with baby<br />
room educators in mind. We need to grow<br />
the sense of community and confidence<br />
among baby room leaders so that they<br />
can get the support they need to meet the<br />
demands of the job.<br />
The baby room:<br />
distinct experiences<br />
and challenges<br />
Working in the baby room is different to<br />
working in any other part of the nursery<br />
and comes with distinct challenges. To<br />
give just a few examples:<br />
Professional<br />
learning for baby<br />
room educators<br />
❤ Educators in the baby room are at<br />
the forefront of dealing with parents’<br />
anxieties around leaving their babies<br />
in the care of others for the first time.<br />
At the same time as responding to<br />
babies’ intense settling emotions,<br />
educators are also effectively ‘settling<br />
in’ the parents<br />
❤ In the baby room, educators have to<br />
manage individualised routines of<br />
sleep, bottles and feeding, while also<br />
ensuring that getting through these<br />
routines doesn’t completely take over<br />
the day and leave no time for rich<br />
interactions and mindful play<br />
❤ Another challenge in the baby room<br />
is getting outdoors. While children<br />
in the toddler and pre-school rooms<br />
can wander outside by themselves,<br />
babies often have to be carried. This<br />
can make it tricky to spend as much<br />
time in nature or the local area as<br />
you’d like to<br />
The ‘infant practicum’<br />
Research in early childhood education and<br />
care recognises the different experiences<br />
that those working with babies have.<br />
Researchers Susan Recchia and Minsun<br />
Shin coined the term ‘infant practicum’<br />
to talk about the special knowledge,<br />
understanding, expertise and skills that<br />
those working with the very youngest<br />
children develop and contribute. The<br />
infant practicum involves a special kind<br />
of wonder and curiosity that baby room<br />
educators develop as they engage with<br />
babies. Rather than rushing in to do things<br />
for babies or setting up more structured<br />
activities, baby room educators master<br />
sitting back and intently observing. Recchia<br />
and Shin argue that we need to celebrate<br />
this special approach and support all<br />
early years educators to learn from what<br />
happens in the baby room.<br />
Professional learning<br />
for baby room<br />
educators<br />
Given the distinctiveness of what<br />
happens in the baby room and the<br />
special knowledge and skills that baby<br />
room educators need, you would think<br />
that targeted support for baby room<br />
educators would be readily available. You<br />
would think that the availability of this<br />
professional learning would be growing<br />
at this point, when it looks as though<br />
UK nurseries will be asked to extend the<br />
provision in the baby room with subsidised<br />
funding for much younger children to<br />
attend nursery than ever before. Though,<br />
there is a severe lack of professional<br />
learning courses, resources, networks and<br />
coaching that speaks specifically to the<br />
experiences of those working and leading<br />
in the baby room.<br />
Nadine, a baby room leader working<br />
in a seaside town nursery in Scotland<br />
explains that “We are always having<br />
to adapt training that is designed with<br />
older children in mind. We must take the<br />
guidance that is given about working with<br />
toddlers or pre-schoolers and think about<br />
how we can make it work for the babies.<br />
It’s so hard to find anything specific to<br />
what happens in the baby room”.<br />
This must shift. What we need is a<br />
movement of support for baby room<br />
educators. This would look like a growth<br />
in the number of courses and resources<br />
to support what happens in the baby<br />
room. It would look like an opportunity for<br />
baby room leaders to come together and<br />
develop communities of reflection and<br />
connection.<br />
Baby Rooms –<br />
Inspiring Leaders<br />
I set up the project Baby Rooms – Inspiring<br />
Leaders (BRIL) to contribute to this shift.<br />
An initial pot of funding came from the<br />
British Education Leadership Management<br />
and Administration Society (BELMAS) to<br />
support a group of nursery managers,<br />
baby room leaders and early years<br />
trainers to come together and imagine<br />
what a course for baby room leaders<br />
would involve and how it would work.<br />
In September 2022, we ran the first BRIL<br />
course: “An Introduction to Baby Room<br />
Leadership”. The attention the course<br />
received was absolutely overwhelming.<br />
I opened the course with 20 places but<br />
these had gone within the first hour of<br />
mentioning the course on social media. I<br />
increased the number of places to 50 and<br />
these had disappeared within 24 hours.<br />
The waiting list of baby room leaders<br />
eager to join quickly grew. Running the<br />
course for the second time in Autumn of<br />
this year, the response has been equally<br />
positive. It shows just how much of a<br />
demand there is for targeted baby room<br />
leadership development.<br />
Building on the amazing responses to<br />
these free courses, BRIL now has a life of<br />
its own. We’re running a wide range of<br />
courses, from intensive reflection-driven<br />
courses looking at how we respect the<br />
rights of babies in the baby room, to oneoff<br />
workshops brainstorming ideas to grow<br />
more creativity in the baby room. We’ve<br />
also released workbooks and resources<br />
looking at different aspects of baby room<br />
education and baby room leadership,<br />
and we’ve introduced a coaching service.<br />
Everything is targeted specifically to those<br />
working in the baby room.<br />
All of this though is just the tip of the<br />
iceberg. The mission, which is so much<br />
bigger than BRIL, is to generate increasing<br />
levels of confidence and community<br />
among baby room educators so that they<br />
can not only demand better professional<br />
learning, but also generate more of it for<br />
themselves. Baby Room Leader, Nadine,<br />
who was involved in the design of the first<br />
BRIL course, has now gone on to create a<br />
local network of baby room leaders who<br />
regularly visit each other in their settings<br />
and meet up to exchange experiences<br />
and solve problems together.<br />
This is an inspiring example of what can<br />
happen when we commit to valuing what<br />
baby room educators do and taking<br />
seriously the professional learning needs<br />
of those who work with the very youngest<br />
children in the nursery.<br />
Scan here for<br />
more resources<br />
from Mona:<br />
28 <strong>January</strong> <strong>2024</strong> | parenta.com<br />
parenta.com | <strong>January</strong> <strong>2024</strong> 29
The International Day of Education,<br />
observed globally on 24th <strong>January</strong>, is<br />
“dedicated to promoting the significance<br />
of education in fostering peace and<br />
sustainable development”. For us in the<br />
early years industry, it’s an opportunity<br />
to infuse excitement into learning while<br />
involving both children and staff in a<br />
celebration that transcends the early years<br />
setting.<br />
In this article, we’ll explore the essence<br />
of the International Day of Education<br />
and discuss engaging activities that can<br />
benefit both children and staff, along with<br />
strategies to get parents actively involved<br />
in the celebration.<br />
Understanding the<br />
International Day of<br />
Education<br />
The International Day of Education,<br />
declared by the United Nations, aims<br />
to underline the transformative power<br />
of education and advocate for its<br />
accessibility to all. It serves as a reminder<br />
that education is not only a fundamental<br />
human right but also a key driver of<br />
progress and development worldwide.<br />
Celebrating<br />
International Day of<br />
Education<br />
A joyful journey of learning in early years<br />
lift many out of poverty and pave the path<br />
for a promising future.<br />
According to UNESCO’s statistical data,<br />
an estimated 258 million children are<br />
not in school. The situation is worse for<br />
marginalised communities, those living<br />
in areas with higher inequality, and<br />
underdeveloped countries. The bitter<br />
reality is that there are countless societies<br />
around the world today where education<br />
is dismissed as unnecessary.<br />
International Day of Education is a call<br />
for action - bringing individuals, civil<br />
society, and policymakers to take solid<br />
steps towards ensuring that education<br />
is given to children, as well as improving<br />
youth engagement in education. Learning<br />
programmes should be designed for<br />
the needs of different demographics,<br />
converging to one main goal; equipping<br />
children with the education needed for<br />
employment and better futures.<br />
Here’s how to get the<br />
children, the team<br />
and the parents<br />
involved!<br />
Global learning adventures<br />
Transport children on a journey around<br />
the world by organising activities that<br />
explore different cultures, languages, and<br />
traditions. Incorporate storytelling, music,<br />
and art to make the learning experience<br />
immersive and enjoyable.<br />
Creative arts and crafts<br />
Engage children in hands-on activities<br />
like creating their own crafts related<br />
to different countries. This not only<br />
enhances their creativity but also<br />
reinforces educational concepts.<br />
Why not try these activities<br />
for staff which can be used<br />
for CPD training?<br />
Professional development sessions<br />
Plan professional development sessions<br />
for staff to explore innovative teaching<br />
methods, discuss current trends in early<br />
childhood education, and share best<br />
practices. This can contribute to their<br />
continuous growth as educators.<br />
Collaborative learning<br />
Foster a collaborative learning environment<br />
among staff members. Encourage the<br />
sharing of ideas, strategies, and success<br />
stories, creating a supportive community<br />
within your setting.<br />
Reflective practice sessions<br />
Organise sessions where staff can reflect<br />
on their teaching practices and share<br />
insights. This can enhance self-awareness<br />
and contribute to a culture of continuous<br />
improvement.<br />
Involving parents<br />
Open day celebrations<br />
Designate a special day for parents<br />
to visit the early years setting.<br />
Showcase children’s projects, conduct<br />
demonstrations of learning activities, and<br />
involve parents in interactive sessions.<br />
Communication channels<br />
Utilise various communication channels<br />
such as newsletters, emails, and social<br />
media to keep parents informed about<br />
the significance of the International Day<br />
of Education. Share updates on planned<br />
activities and encourage their active<br />
participation.<br />
Volunteer opportunities<br />
Provide parents with opportunities to<br />
volunteer in organising and participating in<br />
events. This not only strengthens the sense<br />
of community but also demonstrates the<br />
collective commitment to education.<br />
Supporting charities<br />
Aligning itself with the objectives of the<br />
UN’s International Day of Education,<br />
<strong>Parenta</strong>’s charity, the <strong>Parenta</strong> Trust,<br />
aims to support disadvantaged children<br />
across the world by providing them<br />
with the opportunity to receive a quality<br />
pre-school education, in a safe and<br />
loving environment. It is committed to<br />
helping orphaned and underprivileged<br />
children across the world reach their full<br />
potential. The charity’s mission is to make<br />
a difference to these children’s lives and<br />
give them the best possible start - one<br />
that every child deserves. You can find<br />
out more about the early years charity at<br />
www.parentatrust.com.<br />
As we celebrate the International Day<br />
of Education in early years settings, let’s<br />
embrace the opportunity to create a<br />
joyful and enriching learning experience<br />
for children, staff, and parents alike. By<br />
fostering a sense of global awareness,<br />
collaboration, and continuous<br />
improvement, we contribute to the holistic<br />
development of our young learners and<br />
nurture a community that values education<br />
as a beacon of progress. Together,<br />
let’s make every day an educational<br />
celebration!
Frances Turnbull<br />
While many children start speaking early,<br />
not all children do. In fact, for parents<br />
whose children do not start speaking early,<br />
it can be heart-breaking to hear other<br />
parents talk about their frustrations with<br />
children who won’t stop talking.<br />
Children may not speak fluently for many<br />
reasons, from physical impediments to<br />
neurological or learning differences. When<br />
a delay is identified, it is helpful for parents<br />
to be guided towards medical assessment.<br />
Not only can this eliminate more serious<br />
conditions, but it can also open doors<br />
for early intervention. One easy and<br />
accessible activity that can support<br />
intervention is singing familiar songs.
How to implement the<br />
new EYFS changes<br />
Over the years there have been several<br />
changes to the EYFS, and a revised version<br />
has recently been published.<br />
The Government also recently published<br />
the results of this consultation, with some<br />
changes being rejected.<br />
Settings should now:<br />
☑ Implement any statutory changes –<br />
things you MUST do<br />
☑ Reassess areas where changes are<br />
recommended or suggested – things<br />
you COULD do<br />
☑ Inform and train your staff<br />
☑ Tell your parents/carers about the<br />
changes you implement<br />
Recent changes are designed to:<br />
☑ Offer settings more flexibility on<br />
staffing and relevant qualifications<br />
☑ Make things more practical for<br />
different types of settings<br />
☑ Reduce known burdens, especially in<br />
recruiting and training staff<br />
☑ Help settings provide children with a<br />
high-quality education<br />
The principles of good practice,<br />
characteristics of effective learning, and<br />
curriculum areas are unchanged. The<br />
main changes have to do with staffing<br />
ratios and who can and cannot be<br />
included in calculating staff ratios. These<br />
changes may ease burdens on many<br />
settings as finding qualified staff is difficult,<br />
and budgets are squeezed.<br />
The main change is that the statutory<br />
minimum staff ratio for children aged 2,<br />
has changed from 1:4 to 1:5. This means<br />
that if you have 20 children aged 2 in your<br />
setting, you would need 5 staff under<br />
the old system, but only 4 staff under the<br />
new ratio measures. Although this has<br />
been controversial and opposed by many,<br />
the Government says that the change is<br />
optional, and settings are still free to work<br />
with more staff if they prefer. Managers<br />
will need to decide what is right for their<br />
setting, the children they look after and the<br />
staff they have.<br />
Students and apprentices are not normally<br />
counted in ratios for qualified staff but may<br />
now be counted as unqualified staff in<br />
some circumstances. The 2023 changes<br />
now allow some suitable staff to be<br />
included in the level below the one they<br />
are studying. Therefore, if an apprentice<br />
is studying for a Level 3 qualification, they<br />
can be counted in the ratio of staff with a<br />
Level 2 qualification as long as they are<br />
considered “competent and responsible”<br />
by the setting. If you do this, however,<br />
be prepared to support your decision if<br />
questioned. In truth, Ofsted has said that<br />
they are unlikely to “count heads” as they<br />
inspect a setting, however, the real test,<br />
is whether management feels that they<br />
have left children in the care of enough<br />
competent people, and this would be a<br />
safeguarding concern if the answer is ‘no’.<br />
The changes now also remove the<br />
requirement for Level 3 staff to hold a<br />
Level 2 Maths qualification (equivalent to a<br />
GCSE). Instead, settings must ensure that<br />
their staff are sufficiently knowledgeable<br />
in maths to deliver high-quality provision<br />
in this area. This may relieve the pressure<br />
on settings where staff have good maths<br />
knowledge, but no paper qualifications.<br />
Settings should satisfy themselves that<br />
there are enough staff with a good<br />
enough knowledge of maths or upskill<br />
workers if needed.<br />
In all these areas, the Government is keen<br />
not to be too prescriptive about how staff<br />
are deployed and stresses that the ratios<br />
work across the setting as a whole, not for<br />
each room.<br />
See earlyyears.blog.gov.uk/2023/04/20/<br />
how-staff-to-child-ratios-work for more<br />
information on how ratios work across<br />
the setting.<br />
EAL students<br />
Another change which may alleviate<br />
staffing issues is the requirement that<br />
providers “must” support children with<br />
English as an Additional Language (EAL)<br />
to develop their home language. This<br />
has changed from “must” to may”, which<br />
can help if you have been struggling to<br />
find staff or volunteers who can speak<br />
the child’s first language. However, best<br />
practice would say that helping children<br />
with their first language as well as<br />
teaching them English, benefits them in the<br />
long term, so you may still want to seek<br />
out opportunities to promote this in your<br />
setting.<br />
Changes to supervision<br />
during snack and mealtimes<br />
There is an important word change around<br />
the supervision of children when eating.<br />
Adequate supervision when eating now<br />
requires staff to be in sight AND sound of<br />
children to reduce choking risk. This is a<br />
change from “sight OR sound”. This means<br />
that staff need to be in the same room and<br />
looking at/listening to the children during<br />
snack and lunch times.<br />
There are some other minor changes<br />
around qualifications and the new<br />
separate EYFS versions can be viewed at:<br />
www.gov.uk/government/publications/<br />
early-years-foundation-stageframework--2.<br />
The Government response to the<br />
consultation can be found at:<br />
assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/<br />
media/653a7a0ee6c9680014aa9bc6/<br />
Early_years_foundation_stage_regulatory_<br />
changes_-_consultation_response.pdf.<br />
How to implement change<br />
Some people find change stressful, so as<br />
a manager or leader, you will need to take<br />
steps to ensure a smooth transition from<br />
one way of working to another. Always<br />
stress the positive aspects of the change<br />
and try to avoid the tendency to focus on<br />
negative aspects. Make sure you inform<br />
and train your staff accordingly - and offer<br />
them support as and when needed. You<br />
may need to support managers too if they<br />
are responsible for delivering changes.<br />
Practitioners are called on a lot to make a<br />
“professional judgement” so it’s important<br />
to support your staff and managers to<br />
make these, be reflective about what<br />
is working and what is not, and adjust<br />
procedures and practices when needed.<br />
It may be a good idea to contact other<br />
local nurseries, or review industry advice<br />
to see how others are coping with the<br />
changes, and perhaps contact your Local<br />
Authority to see if they have any further<br />
advice or courses relevant to the changes<br />
needed. Some companies like <strong>Parenta</strong><br />
offer CPD for staff which could be useful.<br />
Embedding the changes<br />
As with most aspects of the statutory<br />
guidance, the best way to prove that you<br />
are compliant and following the rules, is<br />
to have strong evidence and to embed<br />
things across the setting. Ofsted inspectors<br />
want to see practices embedded across<br />
the whole setting, rather than a one-off<br />
example as a tick-box exercise.<br />
Creating a parent guide<br />
If you have not already done so, sending<br />
parents a short guide to the changes and<br />
how this will affect their children is useful.<br />
This could be done as:<br />
☑ Article or blog on your <strong>website</strong><br />
☑ Newsletter or information sheet –<br />
either printed and sent/handed out,<br />
emailed home or published online<br />
☑ A video or vlog outlining the changes<br />
☑ An in-person parent information<br />
session<br />
☑ Telephone calls home<br />
At the very least, you should signpost<br />
your parents to sites which show them<br />
the general changes that have been<br />
introduced, but it would be good practice<br />
to personalise the changes so that they<br />
are relevant to their children in your setting.<br />
☑ nationalnurserytraining.com/<br />
navigating-the-2023-changes-to-theeyfs-a-comprehensive-guide/<br />
☑ app.croneri.co.uk/feature-articles/<br />
what-changes-eyfs-mean-providersseptember-2023<br />
Scan here for<br />
more references<br />
& information:<br />
34 <strong>January</strong> <strong>2024</strong> | parenta.com<br />
parenta.com | <strong>January</strong> <strong>2024</strong> 35
EYFS activities:<br />
Literacy<br />
In the EYFS, literacy plays a pivotal role in fostering crucial developmental skills in young children. Early exposure to<br />
literacy activities, including reading and language-rich interactions, lays the foundation for effective communication<br />
and comprehension.<br />
It not only promotes achievement in language but also enhances cognitive abilities, critical thinking, and problemsolving<br />
skills. Moreover, it nurtures a love for reading and learning, setting the stage for a lifelong journey of<br />
exploration and knowledge.<br />
The emphasis on literacy in the early years is integral to preparing children for academic success and equipping<br />
them with essential tools for communication and self-expression.<br />
Word tracing with pom-poms<br />
You will need:<br />
• Printed word templates or marker pen and<br />
paper<br />
• Plastic tweezers<br />
• Small pom-pom balls<br />
• Collect printed word templates or use<br />
a marker pen to write words on sheets<br />
of paper. Write simple words or create<br />
sentences on the paper, either using<br />
printed templates or a marker pen<br />
• Make sure to write in large print, or use<br />
large word templates for easy placement of<br />
the pom-pom balls<br />
• Introduce the plastic tweezers to the<br />
children and explain the activity, then<br />
instruct them to use the tweezers to pick up<br />
the small pom-pom balls<br />
• Encourage the children to trace the outline<br />
of the words on the paper using the pompom<br />
balls<br />
• Emphasise feeling the words as they trace,<br />
associating the tactile experience with word<br />
recognition<br />
• Make the activity more engaging by<br />
allowing the children to create their own<br />
patterns or designs while tracing the words<br />
• If using sentences, discuss the meaning of<br />
the words and the context of the sentence<br />
to reinforce understanding<br />
By combining a sensory experience with word<br />
learning, this activity provides a playful and<br />
effective way for children to engage with<br />
language while refining their motor skills.<br />
More on this activity and others can be found<br />
here: https://kindergarteniscrazyfun.com/10-<br />
ways-to-teach-sight-words-for-literacy-stationand-guided-reading-group-activities/<br />
Alphabet matching puzzle<br />
You will need:<br />
• Paper plates<br />
• Coloured marker pens<br />
• Child-friendly scissors<br />
• Cut the paper plates in half using scissors<br />
• Aim for slight variations in the cuts for each<br />
plate<br />
• After cutting a plate, use the coloured<br />
marker pens to write a lowercase letter on<br />
one half and the corresponding uppercase<br />
letter on the other<br />
• Consider starting with the letters of the<br />
child’s name for a personalised touch<br />
• Continue this process for all the plates,<br />
creating sets of puzzle pieces with<br />
matching uppercase and lowercase letters<br />
• Once all puzzle pieces are ready, shuffle<br />
them around on a flat surface<br />
• Encourage the children to match the pieces<br />
by connecting the uppercase and lowercase<br />
letters<br />
• Prompt discussions about the alphabet<br />
letters and their sounds as the children<br />
engage in the matching game<br />
• While playing, discuss the similarities and<br />
differences between the uppercase and<br />
lowercase letters<br />
• Reinforce learning by emphasising the<br />
importance of recognising both forms<br />
This simple and interactive activity not only<br />
enhances letter recognition but also provides<br />
an engaging way for children to explore the<br />
alphabet and its characteristics.<br />
More on this activity and others can be found<br />
here: https://toddlerapproved.com/alphabetpaper-plate-puzzles/<br />
Storytime fun<br />
You will need:<br />
• A fun storybook<br />
• Choose an engaging and age-appropriate<br />
storybook that captivates the children’s<br />
interest<br />
• Begin reading the story, and after each<br />
sentence or page, encourage the children to<br />
participate actively<br />
• Prompt them to act out the actions of the<br />
story characters<br />
• Engage the children by asking questions<br />
related to the story<br />
• Encourage them to express themselves<br />
by answering questions and sharing their<br />
thoughts on the narrative<br />
• Watch as their imagination shines through<br />
as they bring the story to life through<br />
actions and responses<br />
• Use this interactive approach to enhance<br />
comprehension skills by ensuring the<br />
children understand the storyline and<br />
characters<br />
• Utilise this opportunity to promote<br />
communication skills by encouraging the<br />
children to articulate their thoughts and<br />
experiences related to the story<br />
• Experiment with different stories and<br />
adapt the level of interaction based on the<br />
children’s age and preferences<br />
• Allow room for creative interpretations and<br />
adaptations of the story actions<br />
By transforming traditional storytime into an<br />
interactive experience, this activity not only<br />
makes reading enjoyable but also contributes<br />
to the holistic development of children,<br />
encompassing comprehension, confidence, and<br />
communication skills.<br />
More on this activity and others can be found<br />
here: https://www.firstdiscoverers.co.uk/earlyyears-literacy-games-activities/<br />
36 <strong>January</strong> <strong>2024</strong> | parenta.com
Child<br />
development<br />
Gina Bale<br />
Dance and movement - part 1<br />
This is a two-part article on<br />
dance and movement with<br />
information, simple guides,<br />
and questions to help you<br />
include this valuable activity<br />
in your setting.<br />
Dance and movement<br />
Dance and movement allow children to<br />
use their whole body as they explore<br />
movement and develop an awareness<br />
of their physical abilities. It is also unique<br />
as it is both very physical and expressive<br />
all at the same time. Movement is the<br />
fundamental means of human expression.<br />
It doesn’t cost anything to do as no<br />
equipment is needed apart from their<br />
own body (the instrument) and the area<br />
or space (the medium) in which they can<br />
move. This is incredible when you think<br />
of all the skills movement and dance<br />
promote in developing personal, social,<br />
and emotional development, critical<br />
thinking skills, and movement memory,<br />
that will help them in school and life.<br />
Movement memory: is the ability to copy,<br />
repeat and remember actions, phrases,<br />
and patterns. This starts with actions and<br />
rhymes with babies and progresses to a<br />
movement phrase or dance that lasts for<br />
several minutes.<br />
Sadly, despite this, movement and dance<br />
are almost invisible if you compare them to<br />
the volume of music and other visual arts<br />
that are all around us through the medium<br />
of social media, TV, radio, art galleries,<br />
cinemas, <strong>magazine</strong>s, advertisements and<br />
books.<br />
Question: Have you researched the<br />
age-appropriate, opportunities in your<br />
local community for children to dance and<br />
watch dance?<br />
The art of expression<br />
Dance and movement are the universal<br />
language of communication. The way<br />
the body expresses our emotions and<br />
thoughts is critical as we read body<br />
language before we hear and listen to<br />
what is being said. This is known as the<br />
‘Communication Rule Theory’ (created by<br />
Professor Mehrabian and Morton Wiener<br />
in 1967). The 3 C’s of communication are<br />
divided into spoken words, tone of voice,<br />
and body language.<br />
The chart below shows how much we<br />
express our thoughts and emotions with<br />
our bodies.<br />
Question: Have you thought about how<br />
you express your emotions of happiness,<br />
excitement, anger, and sadness in your<br />
body movements?<br />
Body<br />
language<br />
55%<br />
Dance and movement is<br />
for ALL!<br />
Everyone can move and dance no matter<br />
their needs and physical abilities. The<br />
biggest hindrance to children’s movement<br />
is adults. Adults, unconsciously, bring in<br />
their assumptions to the class of children’s<br />
abilities and potential. In our diverse<br />
population, it is also important to be<br />
sensitive to varied beliefs and attitudes<br />
about movement and dance as an activity<br />
in your setting.<br />
Question: What are the obstacles to<br />
incorporating movement and dance<br />
in your setting and how can they be<br />
overcome?<br />
With movement, some children may be<br />
anxious, or resistant and find it easier to<br />
work with adult support and guidance,<br />
while others are confident and selfassured.<br />
Our role is to facilitate and<br />
engage them in the activity.<br />
Spoken word<br />
7%<br />
Tone of<br />
voice<br />
38%<br />
If you are enthusiastic, having fun, and<br />
confident in your movement, this will<br />
encourage your children to become<br />
involved. When they are involved, you are<br />
helping to nurture their physical, creative,<br />
imaginative, emotional, and cognitive<br />
skills.<br />
By incorporating movement and dance in<br />
your setting, you are helping to prepare<br />
them to lead healthy, active lives and feel<br />
confident with the activities within the PE<br />
National Curriculum when they transition<br />
to primary school.<br />
Cultural exploration<br />
All dance has a cultural context and can<br />
be explored with your children. Dance<br />
defines communities but can also bring<br />
them together through the universal nonverbal<br />
communication that is the language<br />
of dance and movement.<br />
Question: Have you explored dance from<br />
different cultures and countries with your<br />
children?<br />
What can our bodies<br />
do?<br />
✨ Actions<br />
Our bodies can travel, turn, jump, gesture<br />
and be still. All children can join in all<br />
these activities with your assistance and<br />
adaption to their physical needs.<br />
Travelling: The transfer of weight to move<br />
across space either by using our feet or<br />
other body parts.<br />
Turning: The body rotates around an axis.<br />
It can be varied by the body shape, size of<br />
the rotation, use of feet, level, and speed.<br />
Jumping: Leaving and landing on the<br />
floor and this can be done with different<br />
types of jumps.<br />
Types of Jumps<br />
One foot to the same foot, one foot to the<br />
other foot, both feet to both feet, one foot<br />
to both feet and both feet to one foot.<br />
Gesture: Moving a part of a body that<br />
does not involve a transfer of or bearing of<br />
weight. This is used to communicate the<br />
meaning of the movement.<br />
Stillness: The ability to control or stop a<br />
movement.<br />
✨ Dynamics<br />
The qualities of movement and dance<br />
are known as the dynamics and how the<br />
body moves. This provides the colour and<br />
textures of a movement. Laban’s analysis<br />
of movement has given us four elements.<br />
Weight, space, time, and flow as every<br />
action the body does has energy, speed,<br />
and continuity.<br />
✨ Space<br />
Where the body moves provides the visual<br />
design of dance. The use of space helps to<br />
communicate the meanings using shape,<br />
level, and air patterns.<br />
✨ Relationships<br />
How we move and dance with each other<br />
varies from the simplest relationship of<br />
leading, following, copying, and mirroring<br />
to the complex use of counterpoint.<br />
Now we know what the body is capable<br />
of, we are ready to create and move and<br />
dance together.<br />
In part 2 of this article, I will cover<br />
movement and dance as an ‘Art’<br />
model and how you can incorporate<br />
this in your setting for ALL children.<br />
Scan here for<br />
more resources<br />
from Gina:<br />
38 <strong>January</strong> <strong>2024</strong> | parenta.com<br />
parenta.com | <strong>January</strong> <strong>2024</strong> 39
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