Speaking of responding to the proposed changes to the EYFS, the education team here at the FSF have added our views. We discuss our thoughts and responses in our latest podcast, coming out on Thursday 16th January. You can find our podcasts on App…
We have added a wide range of articles to the FSF this month.
Mine Conkbayir has written about Self regulation, discussing what the term really means and how adults can support children to self-regulate. We have an article by Emma Cook from O…
This month on the FSF we have a much needed article by Jenny Barber exploring the ways you can offer CPD for your staff even when the budget is tight. Sarah Ottewell inspires us with her piece about the continuing journey her setting has embarked …
The FSF and Tapestry team are all at home, working remotely to continue to create content for our members, visitors and users. On the FSF this month we have a focus on SEND. Stephen Kilgour, our SEND Advisor, has begun a series about pre-verbal co…
Here at the FSF we remain working at home but staying connected to keep articles, podcasts and resources coming your way. This month we have had an inspiring article from Mine Conkbayir, looking at ways in which families can support children to le…
Here at the FSF and Tapestry we are quite used to working remotely now, and we have been busy preparing some new articles for you: in our Primary section, Clare Hancock reflects on Teaching and Learning in the 'New Norm' and Georgina Walker explai…
This month we have something interactive for you! We have created a short survey relating to your experiences over the last few months and looking to the future. Responses are anonymous and we will use them to inform our article themes and to supp…
We've been busy creating some content for you to read or listen to, and even watch, over the summer period.
In our Early Years section we have an article from Mine Conkbayir, EI or IQ? Which Matters Most to You?, offering thoughts and practica…
In the Primary Section of the FSF this month we have Jack's article debating the pros and cons of homework - have you done yours? In the Early Years section, Jenny Barber discusses CPD in the 'new normal' and our SEND Advisor Stephen shares the Pl…
As well as the content already mentioned about the new Development Matters, we have lots of other things for you too. Our articles this month come from Alistair Bryce-Clegg who writes about balancing new adaptation requirements with the good pract…
Twenty top tips for helping to develop self-discipline for positive behaviour management in young children
With increasing numbers of children being diagnosed with special educational needs such as ADHD and autism, managing challenging behaviour i…
Child Development: fact or fiction?
Knowledge about child development is an important tool which enables practitioners to make appropriate provision for young children; but if we are not careful it can also be a dangerously limiting illusion that…
Ofsted Inspection Reports for Childminders (Part 2) In this article we look at the quality and standards of the early years provision and outcomes for children.
The Practitioner as an Explorer: Effective Observation Techniques Observation is …
After our popular articles covering recent Ofsted reports last year we've brought out a new series, updated after studying over 100 new Ofsted reports from the last three months. We can see certain recurrent themes and in the reports we outl…
Since Christmas we have published two articles by extremely prominent Early Years folk. Our first article, Being 'Outstanding' - Passion, with bucket loads of enthusiasm and commitment thrown in, by Jenny Barber was very well received with members …
How do young children learn to make decisions?
Babies and young children are able to make decisions that are relevant to their lives. This article examines what kinds of decisions children can make at different stages of their development and …
Since our last newsletter, we have published articles written by Alistair Bryce Clegg and by Penny Tassoni. Alistair asks us to think about how we prepare and present our setting to ensure that we are encouraging children to be ambitious, inquisit…
Jenny Barber wrote for us this half term 'Shake up! Refresh! How to reflect and move your setting on...'. Jenny's article encourages us to consider how we make changes to our provision that are necessary, understood and consistently implemented by…
A Reception Teacher's Blog (4)
I teach in the Reception class on Wednesdays. This Wednesday I am in the middle of the usual early morning chaos in my house (me, a husband, two teenagers and a 9 year old all attempting to leave at approximately the…
Choosing 'Next Steps' from your observations
One of the biggest concerns when the EYFS was first published was about doing observations of children. How will there be enough time? How could you observe every child? How much paperwork was this goin…
Objective-led Planning (Alastair Bryce-Clegg)
Objective-led planning has to be the most effective way of taking teaching into children’s play that I have ever used. With objective-led planning you would still group the children by ability based o…
Are You Ready for Your Joint Observation? Observing Practice under the OfSTED Inspection Framework
Why does the joint observation element of OfSTED inspections cause us panic and anxiety? Providers and senior management are the people who have ove…
Characteristics of Effective Learning: creating and thinking critically
The EYFS describes creating and thinking critically as when ‘children have and develop their own ideas, make links between ideas, and develop strategies for doing things’ (Df…
The Role of the Adult in Early Years Settings: Part 2
Part 2 continues the journey of exploring our role in supporting young children’s learning and development. It outlines the five remaining ‘selves’ of the ‘plural practitioner’ framework that …
At the beginning of November we published an inspiring article written for us by Julian Grenier. 'Supporting and Motivating your staff team' encourages those of us in management positions to involve and consider the staff around us and use their s…
