Early Years Development Zone

By the end of this course learners will:

• Understand different theories relating to play, learning and development and schemas and how these link to current practice
• Recognise the types of schematic behaviour you may see in a child in your setting
• Understand how to support schematic behaviour with the enabling environment in your setting
• Understand how to support schematic behaviour with the positive relationships in your setting
• Gain ideas and knowledge about how to support parents with schematic behaviour in the home learning environment.

Who should complete this course?

Suitable for all practitioners working with young children. It covers the different theories relating to play, learning, development and schemas and how these link to practice.

Through research and best practice ideas, this course aims to help baby room leaders to provide the highest quality of care for under twos*.

*This course has been written to cover the 3 Home Nations; England, Scotland and Wales. Therefore some of the terms may differ from one nation to another and may not be familiar or used within that nation e.g. throughout the course we have used the term key person, this relates to the key worker in Scotland and Wales.

This course covers:

• Qualities of an effective leader
• How to lead quality practice within under twos provision
• What high-quality baby room practice is
• Hygge and mindfulness and how these concepts can support the well-being of staff and children within the baby room.

By the end of this course you will be able to: 

• Outline how science in the early years manifests itself through play and exploration
• Describe how scientific opportunities can support children's development across all areas of learning
• Create sensory opportunities for younger children
• Design an environment that provides provocation for children to learn about science and the world around them.

Who should complete this course?

This course is suitable for individuals working with children in early years, e.g. nursery practitioners, pre-school practitioners, playgroup practitioners and childminders. The content is tailored to early years frameworks within the Home Nations.

By the end of the course you will be able to:

• Describe what is meant by 'Outstanding Practice'
• Identify the key areas that contribute to outstanding provision
• Understand the importance of leadership in providing a clear vision and the steps to getting there
• Understand the role of evaluation and reflection in becoming and outstanding practitioner
• Describe how to evaluate and improve your early years environment
• Understand the importance of partnerships
• Identify the impact of practice on outcomes for children.

Who should complete this course?
This course is suitable for individuals working with children in early years, e.g. nursery practitioners, pre-school practitioners, playgroup practitioners and childminders. The content is tailored to early years frameworks within the Home Nations.

The aims of this course are to improve early years practitioners’ knowledge and understanding of:

• Physical activity and its impact on the well-being of young children
• How to develop children’s physical literacy
• The role of the practitioner in delivering physical activity.

This course aims to equip practitioners with the necessary knowledge and skills to work effectively with young children and their families in promoting positive behaviour in the childcare setting. By the end of the course you should be able to:

• Define what we mean by positive behaviour, common behaviours that challenge and the reasons why we define them in this way
• Identify the key theories of behaviour and their implications for promoting positive behaviour in young children
• Identify your impact as a role model for behaviour
• Explain effective communication strategies for building positive relationships with children and their families
• Explain the importance of consistent routines, expectations and boundaries
• Recognise and understand the role of the physical, emotional and social environment in promoting positive behaviour
• Define why an engaging, inclusive environment plays a pivotal role in behaviour
• Analyse active listening and conflict resolution strategies
• Recognise the importance of observation techniques, documentation and record keeping
• Identify strategies for self-care and stress management.

Who should complete this course?

This is suitable for anyone who works in early years who works with children in their setting, e.g. nursery practitioners, pre-school practitioners, playgroup practitioners and childminders.

By the end of this course you will be able to:

• Identify key skills of being a successful teacher
• Select key elements of teaching in early years
• Recall key play theorists and their contribution to play
• Outline key elements to create a high quality early years environment
• Classify key elements of higher order thinking and learning questions
• Describe the role of the adult in supporting ZPD
• Explain the role of the early years practitioner in supporting high quality teaching and learning.

Learn about the theories and approaches to early years that practitioners use to support child development.

The course will help practitioners to understand the ways in which young children learn, based on evidence from theories and research. Learners will explore how some of the most widely recognised whole-setting approaches support children’s learning and development.

Course key topics

• Scientific research into child development: brain development
• Theories of child development
• How do young children learn?
• Evidence-based early years approaches

This course will help you understand the three key ‘Characteristics of Effective Learning’ – Engagement, Motivation, and Thinking. These characteristics must be central to the planning and guiding of children’s activities.

This course covers the essential information you need to effectively carry out Progress Checks with two year-olds. It includes details on when you need to do it and it discusses some of the tools available.

The Early Years Foundation Stage Framework sets the standards that all early years providers must meet to ensure children learn, develop, stay safe and keep healthy. Throughout this course you will explore theory and practice to increase your knowledge of how to effectively support birth to two-year-olds in their learning and development.

The Early Years Foundation Stage Framework sets the standards that all early years providers must meet to ensure children learn, develop, stay safe and keep healthy. Throughout this course you will explore theory and practice to increase your knowledge of how to effectively support two-year-olds in their learning and development.

The Early Years Foundation Stage Framework sets the standards that all early years providers must meet to ensure children learn, develop, stay safe and keep healthy. Throughout this course you will explore theory and practice to increase your knowledge of how to effectively support three to five year-olds in their learning and development.

This course will share the key aspects of exemplary practice for staff working with babies with ideas to support a stimulating environment and exciting experiences.

By the end of this course you will be able to:

• Recall and match the development stages for babies
• Describe best practice for developing communication with parents and families
• Identify ways that babies and young children learn and how babies communicate
• List the aspect of the characteristics of effective learning.

You will also be given the opportunity to create a plan for development for your own setting based on what you have learnt.

This course will give you an increased understanding of how to provide exemplary practice in the two-year-old room.

By the end of this course you will be able to:

• Match the key stages of development for a two-year-old
• Recall the key areas of positive relationships in supporting children's development
• Select the key areas of the learning environment needed to support developmental stages for two-year-olds.

You will also be provided with a template to create a plan for development for your own setting based on what you have learnt.

This course will give you an increased understanding of how to provide exemplary practice in the preschool room.

By the end of this course you will be able to:

• Match the key stages of development for three, four and five year olds
• Recall the key aspects of scaffolding learning and supporting the zone of proximal development
• Select key statements about free-flow play for three to five year olds
• Relate what you have learnt about the unique child, the relationships and the environment and design a plan for development for your own setting.

By law, all food handlers must have an understanding of the basic principles of food hygiene and know how to work safely so as to protect the food they serve from contamination. This course will give the learner the knowledge to safely and confidently prepare and serve food in their setting. By applying this knowledge they should not be responsible for causing harm to anyone consuming their food. Identify food safety hazards and understand how food poisoning occurs Apply controls in order to handle and prepare food safely and hygienically at all stages from delivery to service. Appreciate the consequences of not handling food safely including food poisoning. Understand food safety law and how requirements apply to the setting Explain food safety management systems and HACCP principles.

This Basic Health & Safety course will provide an understanding of the health and safety considerations, in an early year’s environment. It will provide learners with an understanding of health and safety law and safe operational practices in the workplace including when caring for young children. This course will cover the following learning outcomes: Understanding the roles and responsibilities relating to Health & Safety in the early years’ workplace Understanding the role risk assessments perform in contributing to a safe working environment Understanding how to identify, assess and control, risks from a range of hazards commonly found in an early years environment Understanding the procedures for dealing with accidents and incidents in a typical early year’s environment.

This course provides an insight into the process of evaluating practice in your setting.

In the course, you'll learn about the key principles of evaluative practice, with models to follow and tools to support you.  You'll also learn about the measurement of impact on your practice as a result of evaluating and implementing improvements.

Who should complete this course?

The course is suitable for anyone working in early years who has a need/desire to evaluate their practice, but in particular is aimed at owners, managers, room leaders and childminders.

This online course encourages nursery owners and managers to support and engage their staff on the positive methodology behind the appraisal system.
It highlights the benefits of conducting appraisals for individuals and the organisation.
It also provides good practice advice and tips to help managers prepare their staff for the appraisal process and ensuring appraisals are conducted in a consistent and competent manner.

By the end of this course learners will:

• Understand the purpose and benefits of appraisals 
• Improve their knowledge of the appraisal process
• Be able to conduct appraisals effectively and consistently
• Contribute effectively and encourage staff to contribute to appraisals 
• Communicate ideas constructively and effectively regarding appraisals.

Who should complete this course?
This course is primarily aimed at nursery owners, managers and those with responsibility for conducting staff appraisals. This course provides you with three guided learning hours which contributes towards your Continuous Professional Development.

This online course provides nursery staff with an awareness of time management tools and techniques to improve their working routines.
Learners will be able to understand different personality styles and how this affects the way people manage their time.
It also provides learners with methods to prioritise work and set realistic and relative priorities for themselves and others to enable them to work effectively.

By the end of this course learners will:

• Have knowledge of time management theories
• Understand different personality styles and how these affect the way people manage their time
• Understand time management tools and techniques to help them prioritise work
• Be able to prioritise work and set realistic and relative priorities for themselves and others.

Who should complete this course?
This course is primarily aimed at nursery owners, managers and practitioners who want to improve their time management and managerial skills. This course provides you with three guided learning hours which contributes towards your Continuous Professional Development.

The aim of this training is to provide practitioners with skills and knowledge to increase emotional intelligence, identify practical strategies to build emotional resilience and explore how to improve and maintain a healthy mental well-being in and out of the workplace.

This online course supports nursery managers to understand why it is critical to have robust policies and procedures for the recruitment process, to support the safeguarding and welfare of children in the nursery.

Learners will follow best practice guidelines and will be able to understand their responsibilities as an employer.

By the end of this course learners will:

• Have knowledge of the recruitment process from developing a job description, to advertising, short-listing, interviewing and selection
• Be able to implement and review recruitment policies and procedures
• Have knowledge of employment laws relevant to a nursery business
• Develop a greater understanding of grievance procedures.

Who should complete this course?
This course is primarily aimed at nursery owners, managers and those with a responsibility for recruiting nursery staff. This course provides you with three guided learning hours which contributes towards your Continuous Professional Development.

Phonics is a method of teaching children the relationship between written letters of the alphabet and the sounds of spoken language.

Let's look at Phonics is a short introductory course that will give practitioners a basic understanding of phonics. This course is aimed at all practitioners at all levels - whether you're new to phonics or if you'd like to update and refresh your skills.

Key topics include:

• Phonic sounds and the sound groups
• The letters and sounds programme
• Using phonics in children's stories
• Activities to use with staff to improve knowledge of phonics
• Activities to use with children.

Who should complete this course?

This course is designed for any practitioner who wants to raise their confidence and understanding in supporting writing development.

In this course, you'll cover:

• Why writing is important
• How physical development and motor skills relate to writing development
• Stages of writing that children go through
• Ideas for activities to support physical and literacy development
• How to work with parents to extend learning from the nursery to home

The aim of this training is to develop practitioner's knowledge and strategies to support children’s vocabulary and early language skills.

This online course will help you understand why reading is important in early years. You will learn how to create exciting storytelling environments and experiences for children. You will understand what makes a story exciting and how to develop your own storytelling skills. It gives practical tips on engaging children in books and bringing stories to life as well as key strategies for engaging parents in storytelling activities.

Key topics include

• Why reading is important for young children
• Develop your own storytelling skills 
• Identify how to develop a passion for reading in young children
• The importance of providing a range of diverse story books 
• How to review of your own story provision using a story audit  
• Strategies for supporting parents with their child's reading
• Identify practical ideas to create exciting storytelling spaces

By the end of this course learners will:

• Understand the key stages of development children may go through within shape, space and measure
• Recognise how to support shape, space and measure with the needs of the unique child, enabling environments and positive relationships
• Learn different ways to integrate shape, space and measure into other areas of learning and areas of the setting through these approaches.

Who should complete this course?
Suitable for all early years practitioners working with young children in England. This course complements and builds on the knowledge provided in the Maths in Early Years for England and 'Let's look at...' Maths: Number courses.

By the end of this course you will:

• Discover what maths in the early years is
• Explore different teaching methods for different ages and stages of children in maths
• Discover the benefits of the continuous provision in supporting mathematical development
• Investigate different methods for observing, assessing and planning for maths across the different ages of children in the setting
• Utilise ideas in the setting to develop maths with the early years children

Who should complete this course?

Suitable for anyone who works in early years who works with children in their setting, e.g. nursery practitioners, pre-school practitioners, playgroup practitioners and childminders.