Hello everyone I'm Zuzanna,
I’m currently completing the CACHE Level 3 Diploma for the Early Years Workforce (Early Years Educator), and as part of the final stages of the course, we are required to explore theoretical perspectives on reflective practice and engage in professional discussion with peers. Joining this forum allows me to take part in that requirement by exchanging ideas with other early years professionals, deepening my understanding of reflective models, and learning how others use them in real settings. This discussion supports both the qualification’s emphasis on reflective development and my own goal to become a more thoughtful, responsive practitioner.
In this post, I’ll summarise several key theories of reflection I’ve researched, explain how they relate to practice in EYFS settings, and share which models I find most effective in supporting my professional growth.
Kolb’s Experiential Learning Cycle (1984) shows reflection as a continuous cycle of doing, observing, thinking, and trying again. This fits well in early years work, where we often plan an activity, see how children respond, reflect on what worked or didn’t, and adjust our approach for next time.
Gibbs’ Reflective Cycle (1988) helps break down reflection into clear steps, including how I felt during a situation and what I’ve learned. I like how it supports thinking about emotional responses, which is so important when working closely with young children and families.
Schön’s theory (1983) introduced the idea of reflecting during an activity (in-action) and afterwards (on-action). I often find myself making quick changes mid-activity to meet children’s needs in the moment, then later reflecting more deeply on what happened and why.
Rolfe’s ‘What? So What? Now What?’ model (2001) offers a simple but useful structure. It’s helpful when I don’t have much time but want to quickly process an event or a moment in my practice.
Driscoll (1994, 2007) built on this idea and added more focus on what action to take next. I’ve used this in my written reflections during the course to make sure I’m not just thinking about what happened but also what I will do differently.
Brookfield’s Four Lenses (1995) encourages looking at my work through different perspectives, such as my own experience, feedback from colleagues, how children experience the activity, and what theory says. It has helped me broaden my thinking and take on other people’s viewpoints more often.
In relation to the EYFS, reflection is essential for planning, assessing, and responding to children’s individual needs. It’s not something we do once in a while—it’s part of the ongoing process of adapting and improving what we offer. Reflection also helps ensure that our practice stays up to date and high quality, which is important for the children and families we work with.
The models I personally connect with the most are Kolb, Gibbs, Rolfe, Driscoll, and Brookfield. Kolb gives me a strong structure to build learning on. Gibbs helps me explore my emotions and plan practical changes. Rolfe and Driscoll are useful for writing quick reflections during a busy week. Brookfield encourages me to include other perspectives in my thinking. I’ve used all of these throughout the course, especially when writing observations or evaluating activities, and I feel I’ve grown more confident in identifying what’s working and what could be improved.
