Blog

As we discuss the power of play in early childhood development – it is important to also understand child-led learning and how this can impact a child’s cognitive, physical, and emotional development during their early years.
Today we will be discussing what child-led learning means and what its role is in the EYFS.

Let’s explore open-ended questions and sustained shared thinking in early years education—how we use them as educators and what they mean for children’s learning and development. Educators play an important role in supporting children’s learning and development. We offer encouragement, comfort, information, and guidance through our interactions.  In our previous blog, What Are Teachable Moments…

The term “teachable moments” is often used in early years education, but do we fully understand what it means? While it might sound straightforward, understanding the true concept can help us maximise these opportunities to support a child’s development. In this blog, we’ll explore teachable moments, how to create environments that encourage them, and how…

Happy World Nursery Rhyme Week! Launched by Music Bugs in 2013, this special week celebrates nursery rhymes’ huge role in early childhood learning and development. Nursery rhymes aren’t just fun but foundational for developing early literacy, language, and social skills that support a child’s growth. This week, we’re exploring why nursery rhymes are so impactful…

This is your friendly reminder that from last Friday (1st November 2024), all early years providers must transition to the updated Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) framework. Make sure you’re working from the correct version—either download, view it online, or print a copy—because this is the document that legally guides your practice. Using the updated…

In May 2024, the Government launched a consultation on proposed changes to improve safeguarding in the early years sector. We shared a summary of these proposals in a previous blog, which you can read here. Since then, working parents of children as young as nine months have started accessing 15 hours of funded childcare each…

In recent years, the approach to observations in the early years sector has seen significant changes. Practitioners no longer need to provide physical evidence of a child’s progress and needs. They can rely on their professional judgment instead. Fortunately, we no longer just check off children’s milestones on lists using frameworks like Development Matters —…

Cultural capital is a key concept in early years education, highlighted in the ‘Quality of Education’ section of the Ofsted Early Years Inspection Handbook. This guidance explains how early years settings are judged on how well they use the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) framework to enhance children’s learning experiences. According to Ofsted, cultural capital…