April 2024 Parenta Early Years Magazine

Issue 113
APRIL 2024
COVER
Strategies to try when
they won’t eat!
Ways to build
self-worth in children
The fascinating
world of schemas
+ lots more
EYFS activities
inside!
This month…
Physical
Development
Celebrating International
Dance Day
Dealing with bad debt in early years settings
Discover how your business is doing compared to others

12
34
24
Hello
Welcome to our family
Welcome to the April edition of Parenta magazine!
We’re not quite sure how the first quarter of the year has passed already, but we are sure the little ones in settings all over
the country are eagerly spotting the flowers, blossoms and insects just about making an appearance!
In April, our focus turns to SEND – we delve into meeting the diverse needs of children and the importance of early
intervention, visual communication, the role of STEM and how we can meet the diverse needs of all children. Our magazine is
packed with insightful advice and guidance on these matters.
Save the date! Join us on 25th April for what will be a highly-engaging webinar, “Your Toolkit for an All-Inclusive Literacy
Curriculum” with Dr Sarah Moseley and Paloma Forde. You can register at www.parenta.com/webinars and don’t forget you
will earn a CPD certificate if you attend!
Just a few of the fantastic articles we have in store for you this month include Joanna Grace’s new eating strategies series,
essential Prevent duty guidance with Yvonne Sinclair, and Dance and Music top tips with Frances Turnbull and Gina Bale.
Don’t forget to share the magic of our magazine with your friends, colleagues, and parents alike. They can receive their own
copy in digital or printed format by signing up at www.parenta.com/magazine.
Allan
22
Regulars
10 Write for us
36 EYFS Activities: Physical development
News
4 Congratulations to our Parenta Learners
6 Counting the costs: dealing with bad debt in
early years settings
8 Childcare news and views
Advice
28
14 Inclusive practice in EYFS: Meeting the diverse needs
of children and the importance of early intervention
22 International Children’s Book Day
26 The role of STEM in SEND
30 Strategies for coping with stress
Industry Experts
38
12 Strategies to try when they won’t eat: Part 1
18 Using visual communication to support children
with SEND
20 Safeguarding: Prevent for early years
24 Ways to build self-worth in children
28 The fascinating world of schemas
32 Musical medicine: A dream to communicate
34 Nature’s makerspace - the magic of sticks: part 2
38 Celebrating International Dance Day: Uniting the arts,
economy, and well-being
2 April 2024 | parenta.com
parenta.com | April 2024 3

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4 April 2024 | parenta.com
parenta.com | April 2024 5

Counting
the costs
Dr Allan Presland
Dealing with bad debt in
early years settings
I was recently reading a post from one of
the many Early Years Facebook groups I
follow. This post was from a nursery owner
asking about bad debt.
The post talked about how a parent had
placed their child at the nursery for about
6 weeks and then left the setting having
paid nothing during that time. The post
didn’t mention funding, but the implication
was that she had lost 6 weeks of income
and the question to the community was
what should she do about it?
To my surprise, many responded to just
put it down to experience and write off
the money. A few were indignant and
suggested fighting back, either through
the courts, and a few more suggested
letting local competitors know, so they
didn’t fall prey to the same situation.
Before we go any further though with
solutions, let’s give some thought to the
true cost of this theft. And before anyone
says it’s not theft, I’m afraid it is – running
a nursery is hard enough as it is, without
people stealing income, and when you
consider that only 50% of nurseries are
profitable, this may be enough to push
some settings too far. So, let’s call it what it
is – it’s theft.
Secondly, let’s consider what it truly costs.
As in my previous articles, let’s make the
maths super simple by assuming that
the full-time place for a child is £ 1,000. If
this child attended for 6 weeks (assuming
without funding) then the cost that the
parent should have incurred is £1,500. So
that’s £ 1,500 of income that has been lost.
That’s not great, but I’m afraid it’s only part
of the story.
6 April 2024 | parenta.com
Let’s assume that the setting in question
has a 5% profit margin. To earn that
£1,500 with a 5% profit margin you would
need to invoice £30,000! This is because
with a 5% profit margin, you earn 1/20th of
everything you bill (100/5=20). Therefore, if
you multiply that £1,500 of bad debt by 20
you get to the earned value.
Armed with this information, I hope this
will have changed the position of many
who said simply write off the money and
put it down to experience. The fact of the
matter is, that you really cannot afford to
do this, and I would recommend using
one of the low-cost online debt legal firms
to issue a “letter-before-action” against
this parent.
Far more important though, is the need to
be proactive about this in the first place.
The most successful settings rarely suffer
from bad debt. They achieve this by:

Childcare news
and views
Decrease in availability of childcare:
Coram family and childcare
In its 23rd annual survey, Coram Family
and Childcare has disclosed a sustained
decline in childcare accessibility throughout
England, encompassing all areas of
provision. Anticipating the forthcoming
expansion of childcare services in April,
councils have expressed apprehension
regarding the implementation of the policy
and the adequacy of available slots.
The survey revealed that a part-time
nursery place for a child under two now
costs an average of £158 per week in
Great Britain, up 7% from 2023.
Purnima Tanuku OBE, Chief Executive of
the National Day Nurseries Association
(NDNA) said: “The findings from the Coram
report echo the concerns we have seen
from providers. Although early years
settings have been working hard to deliver
the places parents need, rising costs,
uncertainty on funding and workforce
pressures have made it a real challenge.
A spokesman for Kensington Palace said:
“The Princess has been kept updated
throughout the process.”
It asked health visitors to use a version of
a tool known as the Alarm Distress Baby
Scale (ADBB), which focuses on a baby’s
social behaviours such as eye contact,
facial expression, vocalisation and activity
levels, to help experts and families better
understand the ways babies express their
feelings.
Those who used it reported an increase in
their knowledge and skills in interpreting
baby behaviour, which left them better
able to support families.
The report recommends expanding the
use of the tool to health visiting teams in
more areas of the UK.
The trial was inspired by the Princess of
Wales’s trip to Denmark in 2022, where
she met families who had benefited from
the ADBB system and returned home
wanting to see if it would translate to
Britain. It has been funded by the Royal
Foundation Centre for Early Childhood.
Health visitors from South Warwickshire
described the training as “hugely
beneficial” and “of great importance” to
their practice, requiring minimal additional
time during appointments. They also
reported that it allowed them to have more
meaningful conversations with parents
about their baby’s emotional well-being,
boosting positive parent-infant attachment
and identifying families in greater need of
support.
The full story, as reported by the
Daily Telegraph can be found here:
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/royalfamily/2024/03/21/catherine-princesswales-works-from-home-early-yearseases/
Latest Early Years Ofsted blog:
The Holiday Activities and Food
programme
In October 2021, the government
announced a 3-year funding settlement of
over £200 million each year for the ‘holiday
activities and food (HAF) programme’;
2023 to 2024 is the second year of
the funding settlement, following the
successful rollout of the programme across
all areas of England in 2021.
“The Holiday Activities and Food (HAF)
programme is funded by the Department
for Education (DfE). The programme aims to
help families with enrichment activities and
food for children throughout the holiday
periods and is for children who receive
free school meals, although providers
are encouraged to make it open to all.
HAF providers are encouraged to check if
they are required to register with Ofsted
and the DfE has updated its childcare
exemptions guidance with information
about HAF provision to clarify the terms of
registration.” The requirement to register
with Ofsted depends on:
The nature of the childcare you are
providing
The ages of the children
The number of days you will provide
care each year
Even if you are not required to register, you
may be eligible to register on the voluntary
part of the Childcare Register if you meet
the requirements. This is necessary if
you want parents to be able to use their
Tax-Free Childcare entitlements. If you are
considering setting up HAF provision, you
should work with your local authority to
determine whether you need to register
with Ofsted.”
The DfE states that this blog provides
some pointers, but please make sure you
read the childcare registration exemption
guidance to determine whether the type
of provision you are offering requires
registration with Ofsted or if you can rely
on a registration exemption. It is your
responsibility to get this right. It is an
offence to provide childcare that requires
registration without being registered with
Ofsted.
The blog can be read in full on the official
government website here:
https://earlyyears.blog.gov.
uk/2024/03/19/the-holiday-activities-andfood-programme-when-you-need-toregister-with-ofsted/
Full details of the holiday activities and
food programme can be read here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/
publications/holiday-activities-and-foodprogramme/holiday-activities-and-foodprogramme-2023
“Our provider survey found a similar
parental fee increase, which puts a lot of
pressure on families, but providers report
that their staffing bill alone will increase
by an average of 14% from April. These
figures are not sustainable.”
“We also know that accessing support
for children with SEND is becoming more
difficult for providers with councils likely to
be overspent in their high-needs budget.
This makes it more challenging to meet
the individual needs of those children
and harder to provide the right places for
them.”
“The Budget was an opportunity to provide
immediate support to the sector but the
much-needed additional funding will not
arrive until 2025. This worrying report
shows that families, providers and councils
are facing immediate challenges ahead of
April’s expansion.”
The story in full can be read on the BBC
website here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/
news/education-68580918
Princess of Wales eases back to work
with childcare project
The Princess of Wales has been working
from home on her early years project to
improve the lives of babies, as she eases
back into normal life after her abdominal
surgery and her recently announced
cancer treatment.
Kensington Palace confirmed that she had
been kept up to date with her campaign
and the “overwhelmingly positive” results
of a study she inspired.
The Princess’s Royal Foundation Centre
for Early Childhood has funded a trial of a
baby observation tool, which is to be used
by health visitors to improve how they spot
signs of social and emotional development
in young children. Having personally
suggested that the tool could be used in
Britain after seeing a similar system during
a royal visit to Denmark, the Princess has
been particularly invested in the fourmonth
trial.
They identified behavioural concerns in 10
per cent of the babies during the study as
a result of using the tool.
Christian Guy, executive director of the
Centre for Early Childhood, said: “The
results of the initial phase of testing are
so encouraging. We now want to move
quickly to ensure we build on this work,
bringing the benefits of this model to more
health visitors across the country so that,
ultimately, more babies and their families
get the support they need to thrive.”
Dr Jane Barlow, professor of evidencebased
intervention and policy evaluation
at the University of Oxford, who oversaw
the evaluation of the trial, said: “It is truly
exciting to think about the impact this
could have on families right across the
country as we enter the next phase of this
research.”
8 April 2024 | parenta.com
parenta.com | April 2024 9

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Congratulations to Frances Turnbull, our guest
author of the month! Her enlightening article,
“Musical Medicine: Building Resilience In Early
Years” explores using music as a coping strategy
for children. Well done Frances!
A massive thank you to all of our guest authors for
writing for us. You can find all of the past articles
from our guest authors on our website:
www.parenta.com/parentablog/guest-authors
10 April 2024 | parenta.com
Call 0800 002 9242 and quote ’Magazine’

Strategies to try
when they won’t
Joanna Grace
eat: part 1
I’m Jo Grace: a Sensory Engagement and Inclusion Specialist and Founder of The Sensory Projects. In this series of articles, I am going to
share some of my passion for understanding the sensory world with you.
In my last article, we explored the reality
of eating difficulties prompted by sensory
differences. I encourage you, if you have
not read it, to click back and read that
article first as for any of these strategies
to work, you need to have a good sense
of what the difficulties are that are being
faced. Suffice to say here as a reminder
that this is very much NOT about children
being naughty and fussy and everything
about them, and the adults who love
them, being frightened and overwhelmed.
As a professional coming into this, you
have a choice between joining in with the
pressure and the fear or standing back
and offering possible ways out. I will say
up front that I have no magic wands,
these are just things I have found useful
in the past when supporting children (and
adults) who have struggled to eat because
of sensory processing differences.
All or nothing
Often when you are supporting a child
who struggles with eating, conversations
with their family become all or nothing.
The question is: “Have they eaten?” and
the answer is yes or no. If you answer
yes, the family member breathes a sigh of
relief, pressure has been taken off them. If
you answer no the family member draws
breath in and fastens their resolve for the
battle they know they have to face when
they get home. Carrying on with this all-ornothing
narrative ignores the complexity
of what the child is facing and can make it
feel like we are getting nowhere.
Try breaking eating down into its sensory
components. There are the smells of
eating, the tastes of eating, the sound of
eating, the look of food, and the texture
of food. To be able to eat, a person has
to be able to manage all of these things.
Suppose I asked you to do five things you
find difficult and asked you to do them all
at once. It would be a bit much,
wouldn’t it?
But what if I gave you a chance to practice
them one by one? Food can be looked at
in photos – that do not pose any threat of
an expectation of consumption, it can be
watched on cooking shows, and in adverts
(often the junk food children are willing to
eat is the food they’ve encountered visually
in a non-threatening way multiple times
through adverts). Food can be played with
outside away from any environment that
suggests a requirement to eat, so that it is
touched and felt.
Things that are not food but share textural
similarities with food can be explored in
a tactile way, and then gradually blended
with food. The smells of food can be
offered without the sight or feel of food
(opaque aware boxes with food inside,
pinged in the microwave to release the
scent and then opened just a fraction). The
sounds of eating can be made at other
times – the monster in the story could
chomp upon an apple, and they can be
heard on sound clips accessed online.
What if at pick-up time you proudly told
that anxious parent: “He’s done well
today, he’s touched two different types of
food and smelled one, we even did some
chomping noises together when we were
playing on the rope bridge at playtime”?
You turn that all-or-nothing conversation
into a journey, a journey you are on with
that family – because it is not just the child
who feels alone and frightened when
faced across the table by the loved one
who usually protects them but who is
asking them to eat, it is the adult too – they
need a friend like you.
Go bold
Sometimes when children (and adults)
struggle with eating through sensory
reasons, people try to start with bland
soft foods, as they would with a child (or
adult) who was nervous about new foods.
This can work, but do you remember how
in article 8 in this series, I explained that
sensing is a skill we develop? There are
early (easier) parts to this skill and later
(harder) parts to this skill. In that article I
gave the example of babies and sight; we
know they see light and dark better than
they see colour; this is because it is easier
to understand what is light and what is
dark than to understand what is yellow
and what is green. The big bold contrasts
were the easier option, and the subtler
more nuanced; gentle aspects were the
harder option.
So it can seem counterintuitive but when
you think about it from the position of
sensory development, it makes sense:
sometimes children who struggle to eat
due to sensory differences respond better
to big bold flavours or sensations than
they do to seemingly ‘easier’ food. Try
crunchy crisps or toasted pitta bread, try
bold flavours- salty, spicy.
At this point, it becomes relevant to tell
you that I was one of these children. I
limited my diet to mostly beige food (at
least that takes the visual stimulation out
of it, one less sensory task to manage)
and repeatedly ate the same foods,
often packaged foods as they are more
predictable than home-cooked foods. I
can pinpoint when I began to eat a wider
range of foods to a moment at university
(notice that this was a moment when the
decision was all in my hands and there
were no external pressures on what I
should do whatsoever) when I considered
that pickled onions might taste similar
to the pickled onion crisps I regularly ate
for my lunch. My starting point for eating
vegetables was pickled onions!
Make sure to read part 2 of Joanna’s
article next month in the May edition
of the Parenta magazine!
Don’t miss out, subscribe now at:
https://www.parenta.com/magazine/
Scan here for
more resources
from Joanna:
12 April 2024 | parenta.com
parenta.com | April 2024 13

Inclusive practice in EYFS:
Meeting the diverse needs of children and the
What is inclusive
practice?
Inclusive practice in education is concerned
with removing barriers to learning so that
ALL children are able to access learning
and everyone has equal opportunities to
learn throughout their time in education.
In early years, this is crucial to understand
because it can set the tone of education
for the child moving onto school and can
sometimes ‘make or break’ the child’s
experience of learning environments,
setting them up to succeed or to fail
later on.
Early identification of children who need
additional help is vital to ensure a positive
learning experience for them and to help
them get the support and resources
they need for future learning. However,
inclusive practice is not just about children
with special needs or disabilities. It is
much more than that and early years
practitioners should understand the wider
aspects of inclusive practice.
The UK Government have defined inclusive
education as:
✏ A fundamental right to education
✏ A principle that values students’
well-being, dignity, autonomy, and
contribution to society
✏ A continuing process to eliminate
barriers to education and promote
reform in the culture, policy, and
practice in schools to include all
students
One of the main aims of inclusive
education is to assist students with
disabilities and other disadvantages to be
taught with their peers in a mainstream
classroom for a majority of the school day.
There is the assumption that all children
have a right to be in the same educational
space and not subject to segregation from
their peers. However, for this to happen,
the United Nations have identified that it
means most educational establishments
importance of early intervention
have to rethink their policies, practices and the delivery of their education to allow this. And
this starts in early years because attitudes and experiences here can affect the person’s
whole life. Inclusive education requires changes to:
Taken from UNICEF’s “Inclusive Education” -
https://www.unicef.org/eca/sites/unicef.org.eca/files/IE_summary_accessible_220917_0.pdf
What are barriers to
learning?
There are many barriers that children
can have that can affect their access to
learning. These barriers can affect anyone,
but often affect children with:
✏ Special Educational Needs (SEN)
✏ Disabilities
✏ Different abilities to others in the class
✏ EAL or those from different countries/
cultures
✏ Different or alternative religious beliefs
✏ Disadvantaged backgrounds
✏ Different learning styles
✏ Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs)
✏ Looked after or previously looked after
children
How can settings ensure
they have inclusive
practice?
For early years settings, inclusive practice
must begin with valuing and respecting
the diversity and differences in our
society and actively promoting the ideas
of tolerance and acceptance as well as
making positive adjustments to include
everyone. Inequalities exist, but the goal
of inclusive practice is to limit the impact of
these. The Equality Act 2010 lists personal
characteristics that are protected under
British law and no child or family should be
discriminated against because of them.
They are:
✏ Age
✏ Disability
✏ Gender reassignment
✏ Race including colour, nationality,
ethnic or national origin
✏ Religion or belief
✏ Sex
✏ Sexual orientation
✏ Marriage or civil partnership status
✏ Pregnancy
Inclusive practice can mean actively
challenging long-held views or beliefs and
educating staff, children and families. It
is not just our staff that we may need to
educate, but prejudice exists in society,
and we can experience this through the
views and ideas that our children and
families present.
Start with a policy
Write an inclusive practice policy and set
out your aims so that you have a clear
vision and guidelines to refer to. You could
consider aims including:
✏ A commitment to inclusive practice
at all levels and in all the setting’s
activities – this will not just affect the
care and education of the children,
but also your recruitment, advertising
and social media too – for example,
are your recruitment practices robust
enough, and is your local community
reflected in your advertising, displays
and social media?
✏ Developing a ‘can-do’ attitude
and ethos
✏ The early identification of children who
need special consideration with their
physical, social, emotional, sensory
needs, communication or cognitive
development
✏ Making it a priority to offer children
relevant and specialist support
✏ A belief that all children can have high
levels of achievement given the right
support
✏ Creating a supportive partnership with
parents and caregivers to expand
the reach of the setting regarding
inclusive practice
✏ Challenging all aspects of
discrimination in practice or beliefs
Practical things you
can do
Once you have written a policy, identify
tasks to lead you towards your goals such
as:
✏ Support staff with training and strong
leadership
✏ Offer parent/carer consultations to
introduce your ideas and promote
good home links
✏ Ensure your curriculum reflects many
different cultures, races and religions
and encourage appreciation of other
cultures – this could be by learning
about and celebrating different
religious festivals for example
✏ Invite community leaders into the
setting
✏ Train staff to be attentive and report
early signs that children may need
additional help
✏ Read stories about diversity and
disability
✏ Audit all your adverts and social
media to ensure they are in line with
inclusivity
✏ Plan events and activities that actively
promote inclusive practice
✏ Write plans for each child to ensure
that their needs are identified and
make adjustments to meet these
needs
✏ Encourage an attitude of reflection
and monitoring so that you can learn
from mistakes – sometimes culture
changes take time
✏ Audit how your curriculum is delivered
and identify improvements – e.g. look
at the design of classroom spaces,
learning styles such as hands-on or
sensory approaches to learning
✏ Work with your SENCo and ensure all
staff are aware of any special needs
that children have and that these are
being fully catered for
✏ Look at your posters and displays – do
they reflect the diversity in society?
✏ Celebrate differences through
awareness days and events and
make diversity the norm as opposed
to the exception
✏ Encourage all children to play and
learn together
✏ Offer additional and specific support
to EAL children
✏ Address all issues of racism, bullying,
sexism and other non-inclusive
attitudes through strong leadership
and modelling good practice
These ideas and tasks are only the start of
the journey. Inclusive practice in education
is and ongoing topic that will require early
years managers to be proactive as well
as reflective, and to keep up with best
practice going forward. However, the
importance of embedding these ideas
and practices cannot be underestimated
if we are going to move society forward
in its views on diversity, inclusion and
disabilities.
References and more
information
✏
✏
✏
✏
https://www.unicef.org/eca/sites/
unicef.org.eca/files/IE_summary_
accessible_220917_0.pdf
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/
media/5c6eb77340f0b647b214c599/374_
Implementing_Inclusive_Education.pdf
https://birthto5matters.org.uk/inclusivepractice-and-equalities/
Promoting Equality and Diversity in the
Classroom | Principles (cpdonline.co.uk)
Scan here for
more references
& information:
14 April 2024 | parenta.com
parenta.com | April 2024 15

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Using visual
communication to
support children
Gina Smith
with SEND
Communication is a tricky business for any
young children. They are just developing
their language skills and are learning
to both understand, and use, spoken
words. When a child has additional needs,
chances are they find communication even
harder.
If a child is unable to communicate using
spoken words, it is likely to affect them in
at least one of two key ways:
1) They don’t understand what is being
communicated to them. This means
that they might not know what is
happening and when - and therefore
don’t understand key information
such as when they are going to be
collected and see their main carer
again. This can make life feel scary
and out of control. Needing to know
what is happening in their day is
particularly important for someone
with autism who might struggle with
change.
2) They can’t communicate their wants
and needs to you. This leaves them
feeling hugely frustrated. When
we are frustrated, our behaviour
changes.
So, what can we do to help children with
SEND in our setting? We can give them an
alternative way of communicating.
AAC stands for augmentative and
alternative communication and refers to
any means of communicating outside of
using spoken words – so, for example,
sign language, facial expressions, physical
prompts and using signs and symbols.
One alternative way of communicating is
to use pictures or visual symbols, and here
are a few reasons why pictures are such
a great way of communicating for small
children, especially those with SEND:

Yvonne Sinclair
The updated Prevent duty guidance
(England and Wales (2023), came into
effect on 31st December 2023.
The statutory ‘Prevent duty’ guidance refers
to the legal obligation placed on schools,
childcare providers, and other institutions
to take steps to prevent individuals from
being drawn into terrorism or extremism
as part of their wider safeguarding duties.
The Prevent duty is part of a broader
counter-terrorism strategy known as
CONTEST.
While it remains rare for children and
families to become involved in terrorist
activity, children may be exposed to
terrorist and extremist influences or
prejudiced views from older siblings and
the adults around them.
In this article, I will be focusing on the key
areas which relate to the responsibilities
for early years settings.
What are your legal
requirements?
Under Schedule 6 of the Counterterrorism
and Security Act 2015, the Prevent duty is
a legal obligation for specified authorities,
including early years settings such as
nurseries, pre-schools and of course
schools.
This is reiterated in Section 3 of the
Statutory Framework for the Early Years
Foundation Stage, Keeping Children
Safe in Education 2023, and reflected in
Ofsted’s current inspection framework for
early years provision.
Safeguarding:
Safeguarding leads, deputies and senior
leaders should familiarise themselves with
the revised Prevent duty guidance: for
England and Wales, especially paragraphs
57-76, which are specifically concerned
with schools and childcare.
The guidance is set out in terms of four
general themes:
1. Risk assessment
2. Working in partnership
3. Staff training
4. IT policies
Prevent for
early years
In addition, the safeguarding team should
be aware of local procedures for making a
Prevent referral.
Preventing radicalisation
Children may be susceptible to extremist
ideology and radicalisation. Similar to
protecting children from other forms of
harm and abuse, protecting children
from this risk should be a part of your
safeguarding approach.
Extremism is the vocal or active opposition
to our fundamental values, including
democracy, the rule of law, individual
liberty and the mutual respect and
tolerance of different faiths and beliefs.
This also includes calling for the death of
members of the armed forces.
Radicalisation refers to the process by
which a person comes to support terrorism
and extremist ideologies associated with
terrorist groups.
Terrorism is an action that endangers
or causes serious violence to a person/
people; causes serious property damage;
or seriously interferes or disrupts an
electronic system. The use or threat must
be designed to influence the government
or to intimidate the public and is made to
advance a political, religious, or ideological
cause.
Early years
The latest EYFS guidance states the
steps which providers must take to keep
children safe and promote their welfare.
This includes being alert to any issues
of concern in the child’s life at home or
elsewhere.
This means consideration should be given
to the risk of extremism and radicalisation.
Inevitably the risk of radicalisation will vary
across settings, but no area, or setting can
be deemed risk-free.
Section 3 sets out the expectations,
requirements, and recommendations, by
following the guidance, it will mean that
you are well placed to comply with the
Prevent duty.
The guidance requires that there should
be a trained designated senior person,
responsible for overseeing Prevent
delivery. The lead person should ensure
staff complete appropriate training to
understand the risk of radicalisation,
manage risk, build capabilities to deal with
radicalisation, share information, record
keeping, escalation pathways including
Prevent referrals, and understand the role
they play in countering terrorism, from
induction.
For early years, the foundation stage
statutory framework supports providers
to do this in an age-appropriate way, by
ensuring children learn right from wrong,
mix and share with other children, and
value others’ views.
The British values include:
⚙ Democracy
⚙ The rule of law
⚙ Individual liberty
⚙ Mutual respect & tolerance of those
with different faiths and beliefs
For early years this simply means that
children should:
⚙ Have opportunities to have a voice
⚙ Have a clear understanding of the
differences between right and wrong
⚙ Accept responsibility for their
behaviour
⚙ Develop self-knowledge and selfconfidence
⚙ Show respect for others, having an
appreciation of their own or other
cultures
Will the updates change the
Ofsted inspection process?
Currently, there will be no changes to the
Ofsted Inspection Framework regarding
Prevent activity. Read the latest Education
Inspection Framework 2023.
What should you do now?
1. The lead person should read the
latest statutory guidance Prevent duty
guidance: for England and Wales.
2. Review relevant setting policies and
consider your Prevent risk assessment
and action plan.
3. Be aware of The Prevent Duty:
Safeguarding learners vulnerable to
radicalisation.
4. Review your settings training needs
to determine who the appropriate
members of staff are and how
frequently training should occur, being
proportionate to the risk of terrorism
and extremism in their local area.
Also, consider what type of training is
needed for staff in different roles.
5. The Home Office offers free GOV.
UK online Prevent duty training to
support those under the duty: Prevent
Duty: Lean how to Support People
Susceptible to Radicalisation.
If you would like interactive, live
trainer-led whole setting training,
details can be found here:
safeguardingsupport.com/
catalogue/90-prevent-awarenesstraining/
Consider the Educate Against Hate
website for valuable resources: www.
educateagainsthate.com/.
Consider information sharing to reiterate
that sharing information on Prevent
should be treated the same as wider
safeguarding. The National Referral
Form (NRF) is being rolled out nationally
with the aim for all Prevent partners to
adopt this approach. The referral form
means that there is greater consistency
of outcome both within and across a local
authority. Providers should continue to
follow their existing processes for sharing
information about learners susceptible to
radicalisation and be aware of the Prevent
referral process in their local authority. It
also highlights existing KCSIE expectations
that, where appropriate, as with any
other safeguarding concern, any Prevent
concerns should be securely transferred
when a child moves school or college.
Resources
⚙ Early Years Statutory Framework
(EYFS): www.gov.uk/government/
publications/early-years-foundationstage-framework--2
⚙ The Prevent Duty Departmental
advice for schools and childcare
providers: www.gov.uk/government/
publications/protecting-children-fromradicalisation-the-prevent-duty
⚙ Home Office Statutory guidance:
Prevent duty guidance: www.gov.uk/
government/publications/preventduty-guidance
⚙ Education Inspection Framework:
www.gov.uk/government/
publications/education-inspectionframework/education-inspectionframework-for-september-2023
⚙ Protecting children from radicalisation:
the prevent duty: www.gov.uk/
government/publications/protectingchildren-from-radicalisation-theprevent-duty
⚙ Work-based learners and the
Prevent Statutory duty: www.gov.
uk/government/publications/workbased-learners-and-the-preventstatutory-duty
⚙ Channel Guidance: www.gov.uk/
government/publications/channeland-prevent-multi-agency-panelpmap-guidance
⚙ Keeping children safe in education:
www.gov.uk/government/
publications/keeping-children-safe-ineducation--2
⚙ Working together to safeguard
children: www.gov.uk/government/
publications/working-together-tosafeguard-children--2
⚙ Educate Against Hate’s Prevent duty
resources: educateagainsthate.com/
⚙ Proscribed terrorist groups or
organisations: www.gov.uk/
government/publications/proscribedterror-groups-or-organisations--2
Scan here for
more resources
from Yvonne:
20 April 2024 | parenta.com
parenta.com | April 2024 21

International
Children’s Book Day
In March, many of us celebrated World
Book Day and lots of schools and nurseries
held dress up days, with children turning
up as their favourite book character. On
Tuesday, 2nd April, there is another chance
to celebrate the great world of literature on
International Children’s Book Day (ICBD),
organised each year by IBBY.
IBBY is the International Board on Books
for Young People, which is a non-profit
organisation representing an international
network of people from all over the world
who are committed to bringing books and
children together. It was founded in Zurich,
Switzerland in 1953 and has 80 national
sections in all corners of the world. Each
year, a different section organises the
International Children’s Book Day and in
2024, it is the turn of Japan. The theme
this year is “Cross the Seas on the Wing of
your Imagination”, and you can show your
support for the day by posting on social
media with the hashtag, #ICBD24.
Their mission is far-reaching and includes
promoting publishing and supporting
developing countries, including:

Ways to build
self-worth in
Stacey Kelly
children
Self-worth, or the intrinsic feeling of being
good enough and deserving of love and
respect, in my opinion, is one of the most
important (if not the most important!)
attributes a person can have. A person’s
self-worth underpins their decisions,
relationships, thoughts, and feelings and
in many instances, contributes to the
different outcomes - both positive and
negative - in life. The impact of having a
lack of self-worth can be so detrimental
because ultimately a person’s choices in
life will be strongly influenced by how they
truly feel about themselves deep inside.
Here are some examples of how a lack
of self-worth could potentially impact a
person:

The role of STEM
This is what inclusive practice is all about –
removing the barriers that students face to
allow them to access the learning.
We’ve listed a few ideas below to help you
do this.
in SEND

Priya Kanabar
The
fascinating
world of
schemas
Transportation
Children take objects from one place to
another; being active in their play and
use a range of contexts to determine the
direction of their play.
You may see:

Strategies for coping
with stress
community can help reduce feelings
of loneliness

Frances Turnbull
Musical
medicine
A dream to communicate
– early support can prevent falling
behind

Nature’s
makerspace
Sandra Duncan &
Dr Zlata Stankovic-
Ramirez
The magic of sticks: part 2
This is a continuation of Sandra and Zlata’s
article from the March edition of Parenta
Magazine, check out part 1 first here:
https://www.parenta.com/2024/02/21/
creativity-sticks/
Makerspaces are messy
Mess is often a natural part of play,
especially when working with loose parts
and natural materials. While it is important
to consider the potential mess that may
arise, it is equally important to recognise
the value of messy play in children’s
development. Children learn through
hands-on experiences. The messier,
the better. In fact, Maria Montessori
(1964) believed that children absorb their
environments and you only have to look
at their clothing at the end of a day of
play to realise that she was absolutely
correct. Embrace the mess as part of the
learning process and offer opportunities
for children to engage in messy play while
maintaining a manageable and organised
Makerspace.
Makerspaces are messy so here are
some considerations when it comes to
managing the mess with natural loose
parts. By implementing these strategies,
you can strike a balance between allowing
for the benefits of messy play with natural
loose parts while also managing the
cleanup process effectively.
Designate an area where
a mess is OK
Select an area where mess is expected
and anticipated. This should be a
designated area that is perhaps a little off
the beaten path or in the back corner of
the classroom. Consider using a large mat,
tarp, or picnic tablecloth (with felt backing)
to contain the mess and make cleanup
easier.
Set expectations of the
space
Establish clear expectations and ground
rules with the children regarding the use
and handling of the natural loose parts.
Model responsibility and emphasise the
importance of picking up and returning
materials to their appropriate places.
Encourage children to be mindful of the
messes they have created and to take
ownership of keeping a tidy Makerspace.
By providing tools for cleaning up, such
as small dustpans, brooms, brushes, and
nearby trash containers, this encourages
everyone to become guardians of the
space.
Use appropriate
containers
Intentionally select storage containers
being sure children can easily manage
and transport them. Storage containers
with handles helps ease the cleanup
process. Clear transparent or low-sided
storage containers help children return
contents to the correct place. Appropriate
storage containers also keep materials
from scattering too far, making cleanup
more manageable. Be sure shelves
are easily accessible for uncomplicated
retrieval and return of loose parts.
Set cleanup routines
Establish consistent cleanup procedures
and encourage children to help with
tidying up by providing guidance and
support as needed. Make the cleanup a
collaborative effort by involving children
in sorting and organising the loose parts
back into their designated containers.
This fosters a sense of responsibility and
promotes their understanding of the
importance of maintaining a clean and
organised environment.
An invitation for story
making with Makerspaces
There’s something powerful about creating
with nature. Natural objects have a special
weight to them when they come with
a story--not just any story, but one that
comes from the children’s hearts and
imaginations. Children’s stories are not just
a string of words, but ideas, notions, and
hypotheses. But, there is something more
that you will find if you listen intently while
they spin their nature stories: wishes and
dreams. Children live in the present, but
they are capable of much more if we give
them the space, time, and materials such
as the simple stick.
Sticks are fascinating to young children
- and so are all of nature’s gifts. The
potential of these gifts is limitless. And,
every moment is open to possibilities.
The day-to-day lives of childhood might
seem mundane to an adult but to a
child, life is filled with adventure and
excitement. Create a nature’s makerspace
in your classroom that celebrates natural
materials, exploration, and creativity. A
nature’s makerspace is fun, engaging,
and paramount to preserving the magic of
childhood.
Safety tips
Although there are risks when playing with
sticks, the benefits definitely outweigh the
negatives. Research studies have shown
that engaging with natural materials has
a positive effect on young children (i.e.,
improved well-being, focus, empathy,
and brain development). Therefore, it is
important to bring the outside in (Duncan
& Martin, 2018) but it is also necessary to
think about children’s safety. Be sure there
are no pointed, jagged, or sharp pieces.
Begin with short and chunky pieces and
gradually increase in size as children
demonstrate safe and appropriate use of
the sticks.
Stick etiquette
There’s been much conversation about
risky play with young children and experts
such as Keeler (2020) and Sandseter
(2009) agree that all children need to have
opportunities to experience risky play.
Examples of risky play include playing at
high heights and speeds as well as roughand-tumble
play. Playing with sticks could
be classified as risky and dangerous. With
simple agreed-upon rules, however, sticks
can become an integral part of classroom
experiences.

EYFS activities:
Physical
development
Physical development lays the foundation for a child’s overall well-being. It encompasses the development of gross
and fine motor skills, coordination, balance, and spatial awareness. By engaging in physical play and sensory
exploration, children develop confidence, resilience, and a positive attitude towards physical activity. Not only that,
but these activities also provide opportunities for social interaction, promoting teamwork and co-operation
among peers.
Mud painting - a favourite with the children!
Painting with mud is a fantastic and fun activity
that the children will love. They can use their
senses and let their creativity run wild.
You will need:
• Mud
• Food colouring or liquid watercolour paint
• Water
• Thick cardstock paper or cardboard
• Pots or containers
• Paintbrushes
Getting started:
1. Scoop some mud into each pot/container
2. Add 1-2 tablespoons of food colouring or
watercolour paint to each one, then add a
small amount of water and mix until you
have a suitable consistency
3. Lay out the cardstock/cardboard onto a flat
surface and place down the paint pots and
paintbrushes
4. Invite the children to begin painting with the
mud paint
5. Keep an eye on the consistency of the paint;
if it becomes too thick, be sure to add a
little more water to thin it out
36 April 2024 | parenta.com
6. Encourage the children to let their
imagination run wild and explore their
creativity as they paint. They can use
their fingers, hands, or brushes to create
different textures and patterns
More on this activity and others can be
found here: http://www.learnplayimagine.
com/2014/03/mud-paint-recipe.html
Rainbow ice – lot’s of fun!
A great and simple activity to get the senses
tingling!
You will need:
• Water
• Ice cube trays
• Food colouring
Preparing the ice cubes:
1. Place the ice cube trays on a flat surface
2. Add a few drops of food colouring to the
trays, adding a different colour to each
compartment to create a variety
3. Fill the ice cube trays with water, being
careful not to overfill them to avoid mixing
colours
4. Place the trays in the freezer overnight or
until the water is completely frozen
Activity ideas:
1. Colour matching: Remove the ice cubes
from the trays and mix them up on the
table. Encourage the children to match the
colours of the ice cubes to corresponding
items or cards with the same colours. You
Glowing rice sensory tray
A simple activity that the children will love!
You will need:
• White rice
• Zip-seal bags
• Neon paint (different colours)
• Water
• Baking paper (optional)
Preparing the rice:
1. Place a cup of uncooked white rice into a
large zip-seal bag, using one bag for each
colour you’re using
2. Add 1 tablespoon of neon paint to each zipseal
bag containing rice
3. Pour roughly 2-3 tablespoons of water into
each bag
4. Seal up the bags and then shake, knead,
and mix until the rice is fully coated in the
paint
can even let the children try picking them
up using various items such as tongs, to
develop their motor skills.
2. Tuff tray exploration: Place the ice cubes
into a tuff tray or shallow container. Let
the children explore the ice cubes, feeling
their texture and observing how the colours
mix as they melt. Feel free to add in other
objects, so they can hunt for the treasure
among the ice.
More on this activity and others can be found
here: https://handsonaswegrow.com/rainbowice-cube-sensory-play-for-toddlers/
5. Open the zip-seal bags and allow the rice
to dry naturally. Alternatively, you can lay
the rice out on baking paper to speed up
the drying process
6. It takes approximately 4-6 hours for the rice
to dry completely
Playtime:
• Ensure the rice is not clumped together
and pour it into a tuff tray or large shallow
container
• Add in some kitchen utensils, scoopers,
cups and other toys
• Let the children explore and play with the
glowing rice, encouraging imaginative play,
sensory exploration, and fine motor skills
development
• Dim the lights to experience the full effect
of the neon paint
More on this activity and others can be found
here: https://www.growingajeweledrose.
com/2013/01/glowing-rice-sensory-play.html

Gina Bale
International Dance Day is more than
just a celebration of movement; it’s a
testament to the profound impact of dance
within the broader context of the arts. As
we delve into the significance of this day,
it becomes evident that dance not only
enriches our cultural experiences but also
plays a pivotal role in our economy and
well-being.
The economic value of dance
According to the Office for National
Statistics (2019), the arts and culture sector
significantly outperforms the wider UK
economy in terms of gross value added*
per worker. This highlights the economic
prowess of the arts, with dance being a
notable contributor. With 2.4 million people
employed in the arts in 2022, it’s clear that
dance plays a vital role in sustaining a
thriving workforce.
Celebrating
International
Dance Day
Uniting the arts, economy,
and well-being
Between 2009 and 2016, the gross value
added per worker in the arts and culture
was £62,000 compared to £46,800 for
the wider UK economy. (Source: Office for
National Statistics 2019.)
Government recognition and
cultural significance
In June 2023, the government underscored
the importance of the creative industries,
emphasising their role beyond economic
contributions.
Did you know that these industries,
including dance, shape our societal fabric,
influencing our values and enriching our
lives? Dance is a quintessential form of
expression. Dance fosters joy, inspiration,
and cultural exchange, which on an
international stage strengthens our global
image.
The intersection of dance and
well-being
King’s College London is at the forefront
of research exploring the therapeutic
benefits of dance. Their initiatives such
as ‘Dance for Parkinson’s’, ‘Melodies
for mums with postnatal depression’,
and ‘Stroke odysseys’ underscore the
profound impact of dance on well-being.
Beyond mere entertainment, dance
emerges as a powerful tool for healing
and self-expression, offering hope and
solace to individuals facing various health
challenges.
As we celebrate International Dance
Day, it’s imperative to recognise the
interconnectedness of dance with the
arts, economy, and well-being. Through
its multifaceted contributions, dance
transcends boundaries, enriching lives,
fostering creativity, and promoting societal
well-being.
Together we need to embrace the
transformative power of dance, not only
on this day but every day, as we continue
to cherish and celebrate its profound
significance in our lives and communities.
Here are some ways you can celebrate
dance and the arts with your little ones.
1. Host a dance party: Encourage the
children to move freely to different
types of music. Encourage them
to express themselves through
movement and explore various dance
styles ranging from hip-hop to ballet.
2. Designate a week of dance in your
setting: Watch a dance performance
(ensure age-appropriate) either live or
streamed.
3. Storytime dance: Choose a
children’s book, with a theme related
to dance or movement. After reading
the story, lead the children in a dance
activity inspired by the characters or
events in the book. This encourages
creativity and imagination while
incorporating literacy skills.
4. Freeze dance: Play upbeat music
and have the children dance around
the room. When the music stops, they
must freeze in place like statues. This
game helps develop listening skills,
coordination, and impulse control.
5. Dance props exploration: Provide
a variety of props such as scarves,
ribbons, or rhythm instruments.
Encourage the children to move and
dance with the props, exploring
different ways to incorporate them
into their movements. This activity
stimulates creativity and fine motor
skills.
6. Animal dance: Assign each child an
animal and ask them to move like that
animal. For example, they can hop like
a bunny, slither like a snake, or flutter
like a butterfly. This activity promotes
gross motor skills and encourages
imaginative play.
7. Dance story sequencing: Choose
a simple dance routine and break it
down into steps. Have the children
practice each step individually before
putting them together to create
a sequence. This activity teaches
sequencing skills, following directions,
and spatial awareness.
8. Cultural dance exploration:
a) Introduce children to dances
from the UK and other countries or
cultures from around the world. Show
videos and try out basic steps of
dances such as the Maypole, Tango,
Adumu (Maasai jumping dance),
Irish stepdance (Riverdance), Bon or
Awa Odori AKA Fools Dance (Japan),
Flamenco, Kathakali, or Bollywood
together.
b) Look at the different musical
instruments used to create the specific
sounds for the dance.
c) The traditional costumes and makeup
worn when performing.
d) The history behind the dances and
when and why they are performed.
9. Dance collaborations: Pair children
up or form small groups and
encourage them to create their dance
routines. Provide them with props,
music, and guidance as needed.
Allow them to perform their routines
for the class, fostering collaboration,
creativity, and confidence.
10. Dance and emotions: Discuss
different emotions with the children
and how they can be expressed
through dance. Play music that
evokes various feelings such as
happiness, sadness, or excitement,
and encourage the children to dance
accordingly. This activity promotes
emotional awareness and selfexpression.
11. Dance relay race: Set up a simple
obstacle course or markers around
the room. Divide the children into
teams and have them take turns
dancing, from one point to another.
This activity combines physical
activity with dance, teamwork, and
coordination.
These activities are not only fun but also
promote physical development, creativity,
social skills, and cultural awareness in
early years students.
As we celebrate International Dance Day,
it’s imperative to recognise the profound
significance of dance in uniting the arts,
economy, and well-being. Beyond mere
movement, dance is a catalyst for cultural
exchange, economic growth, and holistic
health. From its economic contributions
highlighted by the Office for National
Statistics to its therapeutic benefits
explored by institutions like King’s College
London, dance embodies the essence of
human expression and connection.
So together, let’s embrace the
transformative power of dance, fostering
creativity, resilience, and community,
not only on this day but every day as it
enriches our lives and shapes our shared
future.
* Gross value added (GVA) is an economic
productivity metric that measures the
contribution of a corporate subsidiary,
company, or municipality to an economy,
producer, sector, or region.
Scan here for
more resources
from Gina:
38 April 2024 | parenta.com
parenta.com | April 2024 39

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take your children on a magical
journey of learning and lots of
fun!
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www.littlemagictrain.com
www.littlemagictrain.com
Or email: Hello@littlemagictrain.com
Or email: Hello@littlemagictrain.com