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Foundation Years February Bulletin | |
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Support to develop a Climate Action Plan in your setting | |
As part of the Department for Education’s Sustainability and Climate Change Strategy all education settings are expected to have a climate action plan in place by 2025.
In the face of increasing climate challenges, the role of early years education in creating a sustainable future is crucial, with the values and behaviours children develop during their early years having a lasting impact towards environmental responsibility and a greener future.
There is lots of support available through the Department’s sustainability programme: | |
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New toilet training guidance for early years educators | |
Using the toilet is a new skill that children need to learn. Early years educators can play an important role in supporting children and their parents/carers with toilet training.
The Department for Education has published new toilet training guidance on the Help for Early Years Providers website. This will help educators understand how to support babies and young children with toilet training in early years settings. The guidance includes information and resources on:
- When to start toilet training
- Common toilet training challenges
- Supporting children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities
- Working in partnership with parents and carers.
You can read the guidance here: Help for early years providers : Toilet training. | |
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Education Sector Protect & Prepare Webinar | |
The Department for Education and the National Counter Terrorism Security Office will be hosting a webinar to provide an overview and update on the proposed ‘Protection of Premises Bill’, known as ‘Martyn’s Law’, and its implications for the education sector.
This will include going through the published resources which will be available to support the sector, and a briefing from the National Protective Security Authority on how to consider terrorism protection and preparedness. There are two dates available, the content of these will be the same, attendees do not need to attend both.
27th February 2025, 12:00 – 13:30 - Please click here to sign up to the event
20th March 2025, 16:00 - 17:30 - Please click here to sign up to the event You may wish to read on this topic by visiting the gov website.
(Note: This content may be subject to change as the bill progresses through parliament.) | |
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Childcare Choices campaign toolkit | |
The Childcare Choices campaign aims to raise awareness of the financial support available for childcare costs and the benefits of early education. We want to help all parents find the support that fits their family, whether it’s funded hours to help balance costs, or wraparound childcare to juggle those early morning school drop-offs.
We are pleased to share the new Childcare Choices partner communications toolkit featuring our new look and feel with new leaflets, posters, and social graphics, as well as newsletter/blog copy that you can incorporate into your communications. We would be extremely grateful if you could help us to spread the word about government childcare support and the 31 March deadline for parents to apply for their childcare code to start in April.
You can download the toolkit in our guidance and resources section on the website: Guidance and resources | Childcare choices. | |
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Reminder: Survey of recent recruits to early years roles | |
Have you started a role working in an early years setting with children under 5 in the last ten months? Or have you recently applied for a role like this?
The Department for Education want to hear about your views on jobs and careers in early education. Click here to complete a short 5-10 minute survey: www.iffresearch.com/eyfi/web
The Department has commissioned IFF Research to conduct this research in 40 local authorities across England. Simply click the link above, and if the role you’ve started/applied for is in one of those areas, you will be able to complete a short 5-10 minute survey, and will receive £5 on completion as a thank you for taking part.
Your feedback will help the Department to learn more about what attracts people like you to work in early education. They will use this information to make decisions about working conditions and pay.
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Ofsted consultation: Improving the way Ofsted inspects education | |
We have launched a major consultation seeking the views of parents, carers, professionals and learners, on a new approach to inspecting and reporting on education providers, including early years providers. The consultation sets out a series of proposals that aim to serve the interests of the parents and children Ofsted works for, while strengthening the trust and cooperation of professionals working in the services we inspect and regulate. Please take the time to read through our proposals and share your views: Improving the way Ofsted inspects education - GOV.UK. | |
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Updated: Become a childminder: pre-registration briefing | |
Ofsted has recently updated the pre-registration briefing guidance for local authorities. Prospective applicants may find this helpful to determine whether they want to register as a childminder or childminder without domestic premises. You can find this published on our website Become a childminder: pre-registration briefing - GOV.UK
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A Special Approach to Making it REAL Webinar – Thursday 13th March, 2025 | |
Hurry there’s still time to book on the last of our Special Approach to Making it REAL Webinars. Join National Children’s Bureau (NCB) to learn about: - Research including the effects of screen time on the home learning environment
- What we’ve learned from an early literacy programme – A Special approach to REAL - Raising Early Achievement in Literacy programme - and what’s made it successful
- Tips and techniques for giving parents of children with SEND confidence in improving the quality of the home learning environment for their children
A Special Approach to Making it REAL can be booked here: A Special Approach to Making it REAL to support families and practitioners Tickets, Thu 13 Mar 2025 at 19:00 | Eventbrite | |
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In an early years environment, whether at home or in school, it’s never too early to begin introducing the topic of music. Music is not only made by recognised musical instruments in the confines of a music room, but can be produced by the voice, household objects and machines, and by insects or animals. Music is around us if we stop and listen. It consists of different notes and noises but also rhythms.
We should listen out for sounds and rhythms and think if we can create our own. This is a collaborative experience that can be enjoyed together.
Here are some ideas for learning about music together with children.
Music forms part of the Expressive Arts and Design learning area in the Early Years Foundation Stage framework, you can find more information and support on how to include music in your curriculum through these links:
Development Matters - GOV.UK
Help for early years providers : Expressive arts and design
Check out the Education Endowment Foundation’s Early Years Evidence Store as it is updated with more evidence-based research and activities to engage with children’s learning and development: Early Years Evidence Store | EEF | |
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New early years research funding available | |
The Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) has recently launched their latest research funding round, which includes opportunities for early years programmes.
This funding round aims to support and evaluate existing programmes in the early years, with a specific focus on improving self-regulation or executive function in children or projects that support these as part of broader developmental goals. This funding will help build the evidence-base of ‘what works’ within early years settings across England, specifically in raising attainment and closing the education gap for children growing up in poverty.
The deadline for applications is 11am on Friday 14th March 2025. Please visit the EEF website here for more information on the funding round and how to apply. | |
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NDNA’s Healthy Body, Happy Me is back for 2025 with ‘Busy Bodies’ | |
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It’s back! NDNA’s week long Healthy Body, Happy Me campaign returns on Monday 24 March.
Get ready to jump, stretch, wriggle and roll, as this year we are celebrating all things active with our theme Busy Bodies. Even before birth, babies move instinctively, showing that physical activity is not simply about burning energy. It’s the foundation for learning, growth and long-term health.
NDNA’s annual Healthy Body, Happy Me campaign encourages better health and happiness, by giving nurseries free resources for play, learning and fun, to aid children’s development for all ages.
Be prepared for Healthy Body, Happy Me. You can download your free resources, home learning pack and check out all of the week’s activities: https://ndna.org.uk/ndna-campaigns/healthy-body-happy-me/?utm_source=website&utm_medium=foundation_years_newsletter&utm_campaign=NDNA_healthy_body_happy_me_07_02_25
Healthy Body, Happy Me is proudly sponsored by Hope | |
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Foundation Years is funded by the Department for Education and brought to you by Begin Bright. |
Our mailing address is: foundationyears@beginbright.com | | | |
