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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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 …
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…
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…
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 …
On our forums it has been a very full month with staff beavering away to ensure they have everything ready for the ‘end of the year’ handovers. We constantly monitor our forums to ensure that threads are constructive and welcoming. We also use the …
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…
This term we have published two articles designed to help you and you staff team set ‘Next Steps’ effectively. There seems to be an ongoing conversation about the best way to approach ‘Next Steps’ and hopefully our articles will give you things to …
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…
Positive Behaviour Management
What do we mean by "good behaviour"? We are often quite clear about the behaviour that we don't want to see in our settings! Can we be proactive about this and plan consistent positive behaviour strategies where a…
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 …
Safeguarding for managers
We have recently published a series of articles about safeguarding for managers. They are aimed at new managers undertaking the management responsibility for the first time but would also be very useful as refre…
This half-term we published David Wright's article Men in childcare, an ongoing debate which discussed the perceptions that people have about men who work in early years. You can comment on the article from here and see David's response to questio…
We have published several excellent articles recently. Nancy Stewart, who co-authored 'Development Matters', wrote a fantastic piece about why it is so important that practitioners do not use the Development Matters document as a 'tick list'. You …
Resilience and early years experience: child, family, community
Kate Cairns invites us to consider the interaction between resilience and trauma, the key aspects of resilience, and the links between resilience and experience in the early years…
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…
The New Ofsted Inspection Framework
Summarising the revised inspection framework documents, we include reflective questions and some useful proformas for you to use in evaluating your provision in the light of the new framework.?
Characteristics …
We've been very busy this half term writing and commissioning articles to extend your knowledge and to challenge your thinking. We have brought you details from two masterclasses held at the Nursery World South show. Kate Cahill reported back to u…
Using the Mosaic Approach to Listen to Young Children Developed at the Thomas Coram Early Childhood centre, the Mosaic Approach uses children's photographs, tours and maps to gain an in-depth understanding of children's lives and what is importan…