Jules

The phrase ‘leadership and management’ can seem daunting. I have no doubt that simply hearing those words is enough for some educators to decide against progressing up the career ladder. Whether you are considering taking on a leadership role for the first time or are already a leader or manager, it is a constant learning process. It is vital to reflect regularly on your experiences, positive or negative. Anyone who works in Early Years is aware of the power of reflections for staff, children and their families. It is a word I use a lot, reflect. It is a thread throughout this article and throughout my practice. Reflection is a skill. On a personal level this is a hugely important part of my character, to reflect and be the best version of myself in everything I do. This includes my professional role. I have been a manager for nearly 6 years and part of a management team for over 8, across age ranges from 0-11 including nursery, pre-school, and wraparound provision. I have opened new settings and closed settings too, but I am still evolving. Each role is different, the structure of the staff team, the cohort of children and the socioeconomics of the area may all differ but irrespective of this I believe there are some basic guiding principles that remain the same. First and foremost, you HAVE to spend time in the room regularly. Whether this is in ratio or not. I prefer a mixture of both - time in the room in ratio (then you can't get distracted and dragged elsewhere) and time in the room out of ratio. But regardless of whether it's in ratio or not, spending time with your colleagues and children and their families is what matters the most. Why is time in the room important? As with the majority of key decisions in Early Years over recent months, this in part links directly to the Early Years Foundation Stage 2021 reforms. I suspect most people reading this will already know that as part of the reforms it is down to individual settings to design their curriculum - what they want children to learn and when in addition to the emphasis continuing to be on the setting to decide their pedagogy - how they are going to educate children and deliver their curriculum. Whilst it is important that the development of both the curriculum and pedagogy is a whole team approach, it's also important to remember leaders and managers are part of this team too. The curriculum is an ongoing evolution. The intent, the way it is implemented and the impact will need to be constantly reviewed and adapted. The curriculum in your setting will directly influence your provision, the layout, the resources included within it. To analyse the effectiveness of your provision, how the children engage with it and whether it supports the children to build the skills you have laid out in your curriculum then you need to be on the ground, witnessing this first-hand. Leaders and managers also make decisions daily which have a direct impact on the day-to-day experiences of the staff, children and their families. It can be easy to make changes based upon the intent of your ethos and attempt to evaluate the implementation and impact of these changes from afar, but I would argue you can't get a true understanding if you haven't seen it in action. We acknowledge that children engage in the most meaningful learning when it involves first-hand experiences so why, as adults would that be any different? Without those first-hand experiences of the changes you have planned you can quickly become disengaged from the process and your team. When reflecting on anything in life it is preferable to try and see things from the view of others. This applies to Early Years too. Being an effective leader requires the ability to consider the experiences of others in comparison to your own. With this in mind, ask yourself these questions: what is it like to be a child / member of staff in the setting? How does your daily routine impact their experience? Another reason for leaders to be involved in the day-to-day practice within in the room is to help ensure the needs of all children are being met. Especially children with learning differences. Enhancing and adapting your provision, routines and practice to best support all children is a collective effort. When evaluating the impact of support provided to children with learning differences, it is usually the role of the child's key person and the settings SENCO, however I would also say to all leaders / managers that if neither of those roles are yours that you should be involved too. I ensure I am involved in all such evaluations. There are a couple of reasons for this but the main one is accountability. What do I mean by accountability? The role of a leader / manager in any industry comes with great responsibility and with that also there's accountability. You are ultimately accountable for the safety of both your colleagues and children and ensuring the children are properly supported and make developmentally appropriate progress. Therefore, it is only natural to want a first-hand understanding of this. What about supporting your colleagues’ well-being and development? Leaders / managers are not just responsible for progressing the development of the children and supporting their well-being, they also support the well-being of the whole team. This can take many forms and as with every aspect of Early Years there is no blanket approach that will fit every setting and every team. On social media there are so many wonderful and calming staff spaces and ideas to support staff well-being in addition to so many CPD opportunities beyond the usual mainstream providers. Unfortunately, some settings, like mine (privately-owned but based in a school) do not have the space available which we can use to create our own calming staff area but that doesn't mean there aren't other ways to support their well-being and professional development. In my setting I try to instil a calming and natural aesthetic. As many inspirational leaders point out, staff often spend the majority of their lives in work, so it is essential to ensure your environment is comfortable and meets the needs of your colleagues too. Despite not having a staff space we can call our own in our setting, I have created a CPD library for staff in an area of the room too high for the children to access (it is on Instagram if you want inspiration.) Even simple ideas such as having a coffee machine, a treat box or a sharing library for books that aren't related to CPD are just some ways to help staff feel valued and unwind. Furthermore, as a leader / manager you must always be ready to listen. Your team must feel you are approachable. I understand that staff are given the opportunity to speak to managers in private roughly every half term during supervisions when their well-being and training needs etc are discussed. I do, however, consider this to not be enough. If a colleague is struggling with their mental health, personally, professionally or both, would you really want them to wait weeks before sharing this with you? I certainly wouldn't. Instead, I would want my colleagues to feel they can ask for a chat any time they want. Whether they want this to be during the working day or even before or after it. We are here for them as well as the children. It is also crucial that we as leaders and managers also look after ourselves. I do admit that this is a flaw of mine, I am terrible at prioritising my own mental health and well-being. It can be hard to take time for yourself, especially when you are so focused on improving the outcomes and experiences for your colleagues, children and their families. But you are just as important, even though there might not be a leader above you in your setting who is able to look out for your well-being. How can you help to embed the ethos in your setting? The answer to this question links directly to the purpose of this article. Spend time with your staff and children. This is the most powerful way to embed your ethos. By choosing to do this you can model how you envisage it will work in practice. To help further you should observe the interactions in your setting, the interactions between staff members, between staff and the children and how the children interact with their peers. These interactions will enable you to understand how successful you are being at creating the desired experience for your colleagues and children. They will also clearly demonstrate if your ethos is building on your children's knowledge and skills and if they are making progress. The other critical impact that spending time in the room can have on how effectively you are able to embed your ethos is the opportunities for immediate analysis and discussion it provides. It is becoming more widely accepted that for children, the most powerful learning takes place 'in the moment', when engagement is highest and learning is scaffolded and built on there and then, not planned for a week’s time. I firmly believe that is exactly the same for adults. With this in mind, observing practice and being in the room means leaders / managers can reflect and have those discussions as a critical friend 'in the moment' when it is most relevant. I hope over the course of this piece I have provided some useful tips on why I believe spending time in the room on a regular basis is absolutely essential for all leaders and managers and that I have highlighted the huge scope of the role we undertake. Reflecting on our practice and the impact of it is so important - for every aspect of Early Years and we as leaders and managers are no different. But finally, I hope I haven't put any future leaders / managers off accepting the role. While the responsibility is vast, the rewards it brings are far greater.

In the last 18-month period, our lives, our work, family life and routines have all changed. We have all been shaken in some way or another. We have been united, however in our love for the outdoors. From pensioners to pupils, our green space has been invaluable. It is a place where we have found comfort, joy and safety. The science has said we are safer outside and this has been the guidance for schools too. This lends itself to taking the learning outside for the whole day and using science to engage our pupils. Whether it is to learn about habitats, animals, life cycles, plants or seasonal change, the outdoors can provide bountiful resources, that are free, and on our doorstops, quite literally. Teaching science outdoors is a great way to learn. It is also fun and memorable We could be investigating who lives in our local space, by closely observing a specific space for an amount of time. Making short notes as Darwin would have done in his notebook, we can then try to identify the minibeast, birds or other animals we see. Figure 1: Children with learning differences observing closely and being aware of a range of habitats We could also go on a nature walk and collect seeds, leaves, and twigs. These could be sorted based on a criterion. They could also be used to make a piece of artwork or collated as a journey stick. These cross curricular links are a way to add more science to your week, with as little stress as possible. Using one hour to teach two subject areas. Children often do not feel that they are working and learning when we are outside, as they are so used to the classroom environment. The freedom of taking the learning outside is something we can all relate too. Figure 2: Creating a piece of artwork as you walk through a green space The school timetable is bursting at the seams, it has been for years and now there is the added weight of ‘recovery planning’ and ‘catching up’. Cross curricular planning helps to add in some of the subjects in case they are being neglected or to teach them for a bit longer. It also allows for more time to be spent on subjects. Take for example, burying a broken plant pot or plate and then asking the children to be archaeologists and take part in a school dig. They can then explore patterns, shape, materials, touching upon history, geography science, and be working outdoors. Creating links between subjects deepens our knowledge of the learning. That is the idea of immersing yourself in a topic for a period of time. Consider any period of history, there were usually inventions and progress that was made. Sometimes the progress or regression can lead to a great discussion: for example, believing that the world was flat. This leads to a debate and then learning about the earth tilting on an axis, Why is there day and night?, and the science around this. The same can be said for discussions around Evolution, Gravity, and other forces. Sometimes cross curricular links can be as simple as growing vegetables from seed and then cooking with them. Here the nurturing, caring and responsibility for one plant, one growing space, can be beneficial to many or to a small group. Those skills around growing, nurturing, caring and feeding are very much based around our PHSE curriculum. Owning a plant, a space, allotment, windowsill, albeit shared, is a huge deal for young and old. Having a space to call yours has been vital these past two summers. It helped us with our sanity through the first National Covid lockdown in 2020. Those key skills of having a responsibility, communicating, working together, sharing, pride and teamwork are all key when growing as well as personal skills for life. Figure 3: A gardening club working together at lunch time. Once you start growing, children begin to consider other fruits and seeds, for example, what would happen if we planted the seeds from a pepper? Can I grow a tomato plant from the seeds? Lots of investigations, data, observation over time - so lots of science. Couple that with the harvested produce and then what to do with it - using the produce for food technology. Part of the design and technology curriculum teaches pupils life skills which can be shared at home and at any age. Making a simple salad or a pumpkin pie, using fresh produce you have grown - how fab! And it’s schoolwork! It is learning, and it is based in the English national curriculum. Figure 4: Harvesting produce- happy faces Science is a core subject. Not news for some people but it is worth remembering. Our children should be aware of the nature around them in the form of trees, plants, habitats, materials and animals. Taking in a science trail around the playground, the perimeter of the school grounds or along the road outside of school, is a way of focusing in on a specific area of science - be it light, materials, sounds, plants or animals. Encouraging children to use their senses, really look and listen. Make notes or try to retain as much as they can. Discussions around why a specific material is used for a bench, for flooring, for the lamppost, for the shed? All these are very valuable conversations and make the pupils aware of their surroundings. There is overlap here with geography and drawing out key features of their locality. Mapping skills and learning about directions and why certain trees and animals live where they live. The learning is very connected. Learning outdoors is not a new idea. There are numerous websites and lesson plans dedicated to this and even annual Outdoor Classroom days, the next of which is on 4th Nov 2021. Looking at the structure of trees, leaves, taking bark rubbings and creating pieces of art whilst sat outdoors - bliss. Through the art lesson, you can reinforce, revisit and sometimes extend science learning by discussing leaf patterns, trunk sizes, measure tree heights, or the width and age of a tree. Textures and colours can all help create a story or poem and also help with describing the nature around them. Pausing and reflecting on what is around us is a great activity for all ages. Listening to birdsong and seeing different birds and being able to identify them based on their distinguishing features is both great science learning and very good for our wellbeing. Figure 5: Adults listening to birdsong Climate change is very much in the news at the moment, with the COP24 summit in Glasgow. In terms of the primary curriculum, climate change does not fall neatly into one subject. It is very much a part of science, geography and PHSE as well. Measuring pollution, whether in sound, air, or water quality can be done using data loggers, water testing kits and diffusion tubes. The collecting and analysing of data also involve mathematical skills. A simple activity like placing sticky back tape in various parts of the school environment and then observing them after a period, allows us to see what pollutants have stuck to it. This is a simple way of showing young children how particles can be carried in the air, and we breathe in that air too. Links can also be made here to recent events reported in the news, like changes in weather patterns in terms of temperature, rainfall, and also variations in the lengths of seasons. Social media and often the news are now more frequently sharing videos of whales, dolphins and other sea life, losing their way and swimming into shallow waters. Where are the whales meant to be going? Where do they live? Why are we seeing more beached whales? Using research from secondary sources or by interviewing zoologists and marine biologists, pupils may want to find the answers to these questions or others of their own. Figure 6: Measuring PH levels in the river water In recent times, the world has had a huge focus on science. It has raised the subject to the forefront. It is our job now to keep it at the forefront of our teaching and ensure pupils are exposed to science regularly, making links with other subjects, everyday life, and their local area. Science is about connecting us with the world around us, and it is a very relevant subject because it is happening all the time. As you read this, your heart is pumping around your body, and you are using one of your senses to read. Many schools will tell you that they lack resources or have no resources, but the biggest science resource that we have, that is readily available, is the outdoors, and we could be using it weekly if not daily in our teaching and as human beings in our daily life. All our primary articles have been moved to Tapestry.info. You can read them and lots of other articles there.

As a “Scots lass” I was proud when our country became the first devolved nation to directly incorporate the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child into domestic law. Rights are about more than being safe from harm and discrimination – they are about freedom, respect and the ability to make choices. The UNCRC demands that “children, including the very youngest children, be respected as persons in their own right. Young children should be recognised as active members of families, communities and societies, with their own concerns, interests and points of view.” (UNCRC General Comment No 7). All children are unique, and that uniqueness should be nurtured and celebrated by the adults around them. That’s why I have come to see that the work that I have been involved in around gender stereotyping is very much a matter of children’s rights. I don’t think anyone would disagree that all children should have the freedom to interact with the world, to dream dreams, and to imagine a future where they can be whatever they want to be and do whatever they want to do. Yet I believe that outdated gender stereotypes are still getting in the way. Gender Stereotypes Gender stereotypes limit our children in many ways, sending messages about what is appropriate or not appropriate for boys and for girls. They teach children that they ought to fit into one of two boxes which determine so much about what they can expect out of life. The rules around these “gender boxes” are taught from birth. Through the prism of pink and blue, the actions and reactions of those around us, and through the opportunities we are given, we learn what’s expected of us. Studies show that adults act differently around very young infants depending on their sex. Boys are seen as stronger and more capable, we tolerate and encourage their risk taking, we expect them to be sporty, and may even teach them to be tougher by taking slightly longer to respond when they cry. We speak to baby girls more, especially about emotions and we get concerned when they are too loud or boisterous. Through our words, tone of voice and facial expressions we encourage or discourage behaviour in children to fit these gendered norms – usually unconsciously. In 2019 Hopster looked at representation across mainstream children’s television in the UK and found gender stereotypes alive and well. Dominant male characters, a lack of strong females, few examples of caring boys or courageous girls – that sort of thing. They found a lack of disabled, LGBT+, working class and ethnically and racially diverse characters. Representation matters – all children have the right to see people who look like them in the world around them. The Let Toys Be Toys campaign has done stellar work in demonstrating how the toy industry produces and markets specific toys to boys and girls in ways which reinforce stereotypical gender ideals. And don’t even get me started on the clothing industry… I could list example after example showing the ways in which children are exposed to and learn from these gender stereotypes. How these stereotypes mean that little boys learn from a young age to hide their emotions, and how young girls learn that much of their value in society is placed on how they look. The shared characteristics, behaviours and interests we think we see in groups of girls and groups of boys may be more to do with this gendered socialisation than as a result of innate biological differences, which remain slight right up till puberty. The Vital Role of Early Years Settings By the time they reach you in early years settings many of these ideas about gender roles will have taken root in children’s minds. However, I am convinced that early years settings can play a vital role in challenging these ideas, not only through minimising stereotypes in our settings, but by providing a new narrative which can inspire and empower children. So, what advice would I give to anyone who wants to make changes to their practice? Find Your Why?: Change isn’t easy, particularly when it’s tied up in the way we’ve been taught to understand the world, or goes against the way “things have always been done”. If we find a motivation for making these changes, something we can remind ourselves of when we are finding it hard, then it can really help. For me, I can already see how my own children are being limited by these stereotypes. I have a passion for preventing suicide and can see how ideas about strong self-sufficient boys and men are feeding into the increased suicide rate amongst men. As a woman who has never felt comfortable in her own skin, I can see how pressures to conform to stereotypical body and beauty ideals have impacted on me and I don’t want this for my children (or any children!). The impacts of gender stereotypes are wide and affect us all. I believe that when people understand this, and find a reason that resonates with them, then they are usually on board. Use your passion to drive your action. Find your allies: As individuals we can make an impact – I’ll always believe this – but together we can do much more. I have found a network of like-minded people who just “get it”, who I can turn to for advice and support. Going it alone is never easy, so my advice would be to rally others to your cause. Perhaps you could look to organise some whole staff training which might help others in the team to find their why? Feed your knowledge: Even though I’ve been doing this stuff for quite some time, I am learning every day and I continue to participate in CPD around related topics whenever I can. As a result, my thoughts and opinions have evolved, and we have refined our approach. For example, we have moved away from a gender neutral approach to one rooted in gender equity. I believe that as long as we live in a world full of gender stereotypes we need to recognise and address the different impacts these will have on specific groups of children – for example boys and girls are subjected to quite different messages and expectations. Gender neutral approaches may not always allow us to provide the counter balance which I believe is needed to address these. So, look out for courses, webinars or events and keep learning. Get on Twitter and follow some of the brilliant organisations who are regularly sharing articles and opinion pieces on this topic. Small Changes, Big Impact: I know from experience that early years staff are already doing loads of brilliant equality focused work. We’ve always sought to recognise and celebrate this, but then provide inspiration and tools to take things even further. This is not about ripping things up and starting again – but about making small tweaks and changes which can have a big impact. It might be about buying in resources which show a variety of characters undertaking stereotype busting activities, or changing to gender neutral Christmas gifts or changing how you greet the children as they arrive at nursery each day. Every little helps. Look Across Your Setting: Taking a look at all aspects of your setting through a gender lens and making changes where you see room for improvement can really help. Take time to reflect on your environment, toys, books and resources, displays, policies, interactions with children and parents, the language you use, the activities you run. While small changes can have a big impact – lots of small changes can have even more! What We Permit We Promote: I believe that we need to challenge and call out gender stereotypes and sexist language whenever we come across it. This isn’t always easy, but it’s important if we are going to change the culture around this stuff. It is clear that staff in these settings have brilliant relationships with parents and children, which places you in an ideal position to gently challenge and influence in non-confrontational ways. For example, one staff member told us that when one dad showed some discomfort about his son playing with a doll and pushchair she asked him how he was planning on getting his son home that night. Simple! I believe that if we all play our part, if we start to make these changes, then we can make a big difference. We can ensure that gender stereotypes are minimised in our settings and challenge these stereotypes when we come across them. Children have the right to be free of these expectations, and as educators we have a duty (as per Article 29 of the UNCRC) to ensure that the education we provide develops every child’s personality, talents and abilities to the full. Reducing gender stereotypes is one small way we can do this. Let’s make sure the potential in our children is limitless.

The need to understand more about speech, language and communication development and making this a core focus of CPD is frequently discussed within the Early Years. As we move to work in Key Stage 1, the focus on this essential area of development often lessens. Shifting our focus away from speech, language and communication skills as we begin to focus more on formal learning, literacy, maths and knowledge is a false economy. For all children, there is still a great need for us to understand more about speech, language and communication development. Although, for many children, the basic skills are in place as they leave the EYFS, they still have so much to learn. To name just a few, narrative, negotiation and the language skills surrounding problem solving need to develop way beyond the basic level of skill which will have been established by the age of 5. Non-literal understanding, allowing children to understand and then use humour, sarcasm and metaphors, also develops within this next phase of Education. Understanding more about the speech, language and communication skills children still need to develop between the ages of 5 and 7, can allow us to think specifically about the opportunities we create for our children. These opportunities could be created within the learning environment, our planning and the games we play. For example, if we are making some play-based learning available to children within our learning environment, we can make more informed decisions about what we add to the environment and how we might evolve the opportunities over time. This is because we have a greater understanding of the correlation between the purpose of the opportunities we make available and the skills we are wanting to facilitate in our children. Although understanding more about this crucial area of child development has applications for all children aged 5-7, it becomes even more important when a child presents with skill gaps. Many children leaving the EYFS will continue to present with some or all areas of speech, language and communication at an earlier stage of development than would be expected for their age. This is known as delayed development. The more we know, the easier it is to establish which area or areas of a particular child’s development are delayed and which are not. Even more essentially, understanding more about the order of speech, language and communication development, allows us to establish what a child can do, moving away from just describing what they cannot. It is from the child’s level of success that we must work from as we set next steps and facilitate progression. Developmental Language Disorder can be easily missed within the EYFS and it is often between the ages of 5 and 7 that children with disordered patterns of language development begin to stand out a bit more. As the other children’s higher-level skills develop, especially with social communication, inference, prediction and non-literal understanding, it becomes apparent that these skills are not as automatic for some children. It is essential that, if we work in this age bracket, we know more about this so that we can spot Developmental Language Disorder and not confuse a child’s issues with behaviour, lack of listening or rudeness. As our expectations with reading comprehension, problem solving and creative writing rise quite quickly and significantly, it is essential that we understand the impact that disordered patterns of development may have. Understanding pragmatic development/social communication is essential if we want to know how to support a child who is not mixing with or struggling to socially engage with the other children. Pragmatic issues are often the core root issue, with many children struggling with Personal, Social and Emotional Learning. Understanding more about speech, language and communication development links in very strongly with Ofsted’s agenda with, as they term it, ‘The lowest 20%.’ It becomes very difficult to decide and talk about what this group of children need if we do not understand more about child development and what the barriers to learning and progression are for this group of individuals. Building a Skill Profile for children who are causing us concern and who need and deserve a little more thought is often the best place to start. From this point, we can then think about what each child needs and decide how we might achieve that. At this point, our thoughts often turn to interventions alongside some Quality First Teaching Strategies. More often than not though, we will reach for isolated Intervention Programmes or follow a pattern of giving these children more of that same, but simply in smaller groups. Although there is nothing intrinsically wrong with Intervention Programmes, it is essential that we understand what the gaps are that need closing. Otherwise, we are trying to fix a problem that we haven’t understood ourselves. We also need to think about what we do outside of that Intervention Programme. How can we support closing the gap within our interactions, within the opportunities we create within our learning environment, etc? Understanding more can also help us to understand that more of the same, is not always the best way to ensure progression. For example, visual discrimination issues will impact on a child’s ability to retain graphemes, especially similar, confusable ones or to move on to di- and trigraphs. Issues with sequential auditory memory are often the root cause of children not being able to blend. Although a strong and consistent SSP is crucial, we will be much more effective if, alongside, we identify and tackle these barriers rather than ignoring them. Not only is this more likely to facilitate progression, but it is also a fairer and more empowering approach to take when children are finding things tricky, no matter how many times you repeat the same thing. Issues with auditory memory and sequential auditory memory may also be the hidden reasons why a child can’t hold a sentence, remember what to do when they get to the table, struggle with problem solving and reading comprehension. Issues with semantic development/vocabulary skills may also be the hidden reason why certain children struggle with inference, prediction, generating ideas of things to write about and why they still tend to take everything that is said or read literally. Understanding more about the links between these core skills and the things we are trying to teach and ensure progression with can make things a lot less frustrating when a child can’t do something. Most importantly, it allows us to understand why this might be the case and what we need to do about it. Knowing more about the specific nature of different children’s skill gaps and the incremental skills that need to be facilitated to close the gaps, will allow us to think about the exact Quality First Teaching Strategies we need to put in place for different children. It also allows us to begin to embed interventions into our interactions, our planning, the learning environment and the speaking & listening games we choose to play. This means that ‘interventions’ become more frequent, are less labour intensive, more sustainable and are woven into what the child is learning and communicating about already. Often, we turn to isolated Intervention Programmes as they seem easier, particularly when we don’t have the knowledge or confidence to embed our own. Understanding more about speech, language and communication development can also really support us when we need to work with Outside Agencies. Deciding which children need referring elsewhere is greatly supported the more we know. The extent of the mismatch between a child’s stage of development and their age, along with disordered patterns of development would be the main factors that would indicate that a referral might be needed. Understanding more about this area of development also allows us to avoid over referring as we begin to feel more confident about these decisions and being able to set next steps for children ourselves. Multidisciplinary working also becomes more two-way, the more we understand about speech, language and communication development. It allows our referrals and reports to contain more specific detail and offers clarity to our thoughts about what a child can do well and what they find more difficult. A greater level of knowledge also allows us to interpret reports from Speech and Language Therapists, Educational Psychologists, etc. Most fundamentally, it allows us to understand what their assessment findings mean to a child’s learning and what we need to put in place for that child. To find out more about Launchpad for Literacy, visit the website. All our primary articles have been moved to Tapestry.info. You can read them and lots of other articles there.

In Part 1 of this series, we considered methods of observation and assessment in the light of the revised EYFS and new Development Matters document. It’s clear from the guidance that we now have a great opportunity to reduce the number of observations and assessments we record for our children, and at the same time, make sure those that we do make are effective while not taking time away from being with children. In Part 2, we looked at the Prime Areas of Learning and how we might use the new EYFS programmes along with some open questions, to write narrative observations of your children to explicitly identify and celebrate their learning and development. Without a ticklist in sight! Here, in Part 3, I offer some open questions to support your observations in the Specific Areas of Learning. When you’re observing a child, think about one or two of these questions below - maybe even print them off and have them close by as a prompt. There are no right or wrong questions to answer; these are just prompts to help you and your colleagues think about what you’re looking for when you’re observing children. If you see a question that interests you, with a particular child in mind, then that’s the one to go for. Literacy The EYFS 2017 version states: Literacy development involves encouraging children to link sounds and letters and to begin to read and write. Children must be given access to a wide range of reading materials (books, poems, and other written materials) to ignite their interest. The new 2020/21 version states: It is crucial for children to develop a life-long love of reading. Reading consists of two dimensions: language comprehension and word reading. Language comprehension (necessary for both reading and writing) starts from birth. It only develops when adults talk with children about the world around them and the books (stories and non-fiction) they read with them, and enjoy rhymes, poems and songs together. Skilled word reading, taught later, involves both the speedy working out of the pronunciation of unfamiliar printed words (decoding) and the speedy recognition of familiar printed words. Writing involves transcription (spelling and handwriting) and composition (articulating ideas and structuring them in speech, before writing). Comprehension and Word Reading · How do they demonstrate an interest in books? · Can you describe the language they use which reflects their experiences of books? (e.g. repeating words or phrases from familiar stories or rhymes). · How do they demonstrate an understanding of a story that has been read to them? · In what ways do they retell stories or narratives? · What is their understanding of the way stories are structured? · What is their understanding of rhyme? · In what situations are they able to anticipate what is going to happen in a story? Or consider alternative endings? · How would you describe their increasing range of vocabulary? · How do they contribute to discussions about stories? · What kinds of books interest them most? Fiction/non-fiction? Rhymes and poems? · In what ways do they demonstrate an understanding of letter sounds and the alphabet? Writing · What do they tell you about the marks they make, or about marks they see elsewhere? · Can you describe their ability to write recognisable letters? · How do they demonstrate an understanding that speech is made up of separate words? · Can you describe their level of understanding in linking sounds to letters? · How do they make use of phonic knowledge in their writing? · Can you describe their level of expertise in writing short phrases or sentences? Mathematics The EYFS 2017 version states: Mathematics involves providing children with opportunities to develop and improve their skills in counting, understanding and using numbers, calculating simple addition and subtraction problems; and to describe shapes, spaces, and measure. The new 2020/21 version states: Developing a strong grounding in number is essential so that all children develop the necessary building blocks to excel mathematically. Children should be able to count confidently, develop a deep understanding of the numbers to 10, the relationships between them and the patterns within those numbers. By providing frequent and varied opportunities to build and apply this understanding - such as using manipulatives, including small pebbles and tens frames for organising counting - children will develop a secure base of knowledge and vocabulary from which mastery of mathematics is built. In addition, it is important that the curriculum includes rich opportunities for children to develop their spatial reasoning skills across all areas of mathematics including shape, space and measures. It is important that children develop positive attitudes and interests in mathematics, look for patterns and relationships, spot connections, ‘have a go’, talk to adults and peers about what they notice and not be afraid to make mistakes. Number · How do they show an awareness of a change in the number of objects, images or sounds? · What is their level of understanding of number names and counting? · In what ways do they categorise objects? · How do they use manipulatives in their activities that demonstrate their growing mathematical understanding? · Which examples of mathematical language do they use? · What is their understanding of the concepts of addition and subtraction? · In what ways do they demonstrate an interest in number problems? · Which instances of subitizing have you observed? · How do they represent numbers? (e.g. using fingers, marks on paper). · Can you describe their level of understanding in recognising numerals? · How do they demonstrate their knowledge of number bonds? Numerical patterns · What is their level of interest in exploring patterns? · In what ways do they recognise pattern within the counting system? · What is their understanding of comparisons between quantities? Shape, space and measures · How do they demonstrate an understanding of the pattern of daily routines? · In what ways do they investigate and manipulate 2D and 3D shapes? · Under what circumstances do they notice simple shapes and patterns? How do they talk about them? · In what ways do they categorise objects according to size? When do they use the language of size? · What is their understanding of time passing, or of events in the past or future? · In what ways is their understanding of length, weight or capacity developing? · Can you give examples of the language they use in relation to position, money, or sequencing events? Understanding the world The EYFS 2017 version states: Understanding the world involves guiding children to make sense of their physical world and their community through opportunities to explore, observe and find out about people, places, technology and the environment. The new 2020/21 version states: Understanding the world involves guiding children to make sense of their physical world and their community. The frequency and range of children’s personal experiences increases their knowledge and sense of the world around them – from visiting parks, libraries and museums to meeting important members of society such as police officers, nurses and firefighters. In addition, listening to a broad selection of stories, non-fiction, rhymes and poems will foster their understanding of our culturally, socially, technologically and ecologically diverse world. As well as building important knowledge, this extends their familiarity with words that support understanding across domains. Enriching and widening children’s vocabulary will support later reading comprehension. Past and present · In what ways do they show curiosity about people around them? · What is their understanding of the past? · Which comparisons between the past and the present interest them? People, culture and communities · In what ways does their play reflect their own family and home-life? · How do they demonstrate a respectful understanding of the similarities and differences between us? · How do they show an interest in the lives of others? · Under what circumstances do they talk about familiar people and significant events? · Can you describe their levels of interest and understanding of the world about them? · What is their understanding of their environment? · Which comparisons do they understand, between life in this country and elsewhere? The Natural world · In what ways do they explore the natural world? · How do they show an interest in objects around them? · In what ways do they demonstrate an interest in the features of objects? · In what ways do they show care and concern for the living world and for the environment? · How do they demonstrate an understanding of similarities, differences, patterns or change? Expressive Arts and design The EYFS 2017 version states: Expressive arts and design involves enabling children to explore and play with a wide range of media and materials, as well as providing opportunities and encouragement for sharing their thoughts, ideas and feelings through a variety of activities in art, music, movement, dance, role-play, and design and technology. The new 2020/21 version states: The development of children’s artistic and cultural awareness supports their imagination and creativity. It is important that children have regular opportunities to engage with the arts, enabling them to explore and play with a wide range of media and materials. The quality and variety of what children see, hear and participate in is crucial for developing their understanding, self-expression, vocabulary and ability to communicate through the arts. The frequency, repetition and depth of their experiences are fundamental to their progress in interpreting and appreciating what they hear, respond to and observe. Creating with materials · In what ways do they enjoy sensory exploration? · In what ways do they demonstrate an interest in making marks? · How do they engage in exploring colour, shape, texture, or construction materials? · Can you describe their level of independence and skill in selecting and using tools and techniques to shape and join materials? · In what ways do they construct with a design or purpose in mind? · How do they describe their creations and the processes they have used? · How do they make use of props, materials and other resources in their imaginative play? Being imaginative and expressive · In what ways do they express themselves through physical action or sound? · When and how do they demonstrate an understanding of pretend play? · How do they demonstrate an enjoyment of music? · How do they create movement in response to music, or demonstrate their increasing understanding of rhythm? · In what ways do they create stories or engage in role play? · What forms of creative expression do they prefer? Currently, around 2,800 schools chose to be early adopters of the revised EYFS, many of whom are trialling new ways of offering a stimulating early years curriculum whilst observing children’s progress without the need for ticklists. Some positive feedback is now coming through: ‘We are following children’s interests more and with greater fluidity. Nothing now seems forced (to complement tick lists of objectives). So far, a very positive impact. (Twitter mabel @MadeUpTeacher 1) ‘Nice to be able to try some new things out this year with the new framework’ (EmmaP @Elp_littletink) ‘I’m using ‘on track’ or ‘not on track’ as we go through the year. Targeting those not on track so hopefully more and more will be on track as we move through the year.’ (Victoria de Villiers- facebook early Adopters Schools 2020). Remember the guidance available to you, among others, is the revised EYFS which becomes statutory in September (2021), the new Development Matters, and Birth to 5 Matters.

Firstly, it’s essential to realise writing in the early years doesn’t always consist of paper, pencils and letters. There are a range of resources we can utilise for ‘writing’ as well as many factors to take into consideration to encourage children to engage in this activity; physically and mentally. The 2017 EYFS framework, development matters and outcomes shares a child’s writing is based on their skills and understanding which they develop as babies and toddlers, before they can write, they need to learn to use spoken language to communicate. Later they learn to write down the words they can say. ‘Children can only write what they can say’ During many Literacy CPD sessions I have heard “children can only write what they can say” and this applies in the Early Years as it does throughout primary school and beyond. Are we engaging in meaningful conversations with children? Asking open ended questions, allowing them to expand on their answers? Do we as practitioners model this (generally throughout the day, not only when it comes to the time to complete a task) by describing what we can see, sharing how our day was or what our lunch tasted like? Does the context of the conversation relate to the child and their experiences? If we’re discussing a jungle, do we have visual aids – real life photographs and videos as opposed to animated images. If we want children to write about decorating a cake, how much more exciting and engaging would it be to actually decorate the cake, then write down the colours and flavours we chose? What about the books children have access to around the setting? Do children see themselves represented in these books – skin colour, religious articles, local environment? All of this is vital for a child to make relations between texts they read and to then write their own ideas. Mark making Let’s take a look at some of the initial steps of writing in the early years – mark making. Do children give meaning and distinguish between the marks they make? Can they ascribe meanings to marks they see in different places? Mark making can happen with · a paint brush and a pot of water outdoors on the wall or the ground · twig in the mud · paint and fingers or brushes · in sand · pasta sauce or mushy peas · a window with condensation Do children speak as they are mark making? What are they saying? This differentiates the sensory activity to giving meaning to the marks they make. The use of different materials and resources encourage children to explore how they can make different marks and control tools with their fingers, wrist and hands. Their bodies are in different positions to utilise tools effectively, the range of tools and positions also builds a child’s physical strength which will support them when having to use a pencil and sit at a desk to write. Physical strength I think we might all be familiar with ‘disco dough’ or the use of play-doh and slime to stimulate children’s fine motor skills. This really does allow children to build strength in their fingers, wrists and hands which will support them to hold and control both the tool to write and the resource to write on. I have been aware that because of Covid, ‘messy play’ has unfortunately been more limited in some settings, but it’s vital to allow children to have access to this. Messy play allows children to explore movement with their fingers, hands and wrists, as they pinch, squeeze, roll and all sorts. They develop their communication and language skills by saying what they are doing, the colours they can see and the textures they can feel. These activities also encourage children to be creative. Gross motor skills are also vital to develop as this supports the child’s core strength and posture when having to write. We can encourage this development by climbing and lifting, and access to outdoor equipment will support this. Also having writing materials on the carpet and allowing children to lie on their stomach to write builds core strength, sort of like tummy time for babies. Opportunities We all know, in the Early Years setting there are many opportunities to encourage writing and allow children to access writing materials. The Role Play area for example – depending on what you have set up: post office, shop, café, family home, there can be whiteboards, post it notes, pads of paper and envelopes available for children to jot down notes and shopping lists, write letters to post. When using visual aids on displays, I think real-life images and handwritten prompts work much more effectively as they are realistic. Also modelling the use of these materials and how they tie in with the role play area, with specific language, will encourage children to access this more effectively. Take writing outdoors – nature walks, writing down what they can see, hear, feel or the ticking of lists (bringing in their reading skills), depending on what space, resources and equipment you have available. Children can write in their books or use clipboards on benches, play equipment, the grass, even sitting in a tyre. Again, this builds their physical strength, encourages them to be creative and allows them to explore different materials and settings – not restricting writing to a desk. Writing comes in different stages, from early mark making to clearly representing sounds when writing labels, captions and short sentences. When children reach this later stage, giving them a purpose to write works effectively, for example writing labels for the play equipment or for facilities such as the sink or toilet. Creating posters themselves, instead of using printed ones, explaining how to wash our hands, can be displayed and also provide a practical use. Show and tell We see a lot of show and tell when children bring precious items from home (maybe not now due to Covid) but what about sharing their writing, have they written a poem, a song or a letter? Do we see children’s writing displayed around the setting? I know a lot of writing is used for evidence in children’s journey logs but what about photocopying some of these fantastic pieces so they can take them home to share. I also like the idea of children writing captions and labels of something practical they have made in the construction area or with Lego etc. It gives them purpose and another relevant opportunity to write. A fantastic opportunity for keeping writing relevant when children start writing captions and labels would be to have real-life photographs from home, which we can photocopy and display, with the child writing who or what is in the photo and sharing this with their peers. I remember during my Early Years practice, I had some children who were reluctant to write. I focussed on encouraging all of the above: writing outdoors, using different materials, building their physical strength and relationships with their parents/carers and staff around the school. I also praised children for their effort and gave children a sense of pride by sharing their writing with parents/carers or staff and photocopying this for children to take home. If a child is motivated and feels a sense of pride, they will put the effort in to write and even if it doesn’t meet our ‘standards’, if we encourage this effort, it will develop their confidence and their skill. In conclusion, we have many opportunities to encourage writing across the Early Years setting. Using a range of materials (some that might be considered unconventional), it’s important to get the child to enjoy the task first, relate to the context given and build their physical strength - this is a big one, if they struggle to control the pencil due to poor fine motor skills, we won’t see their best writing. Let’s use real-life images rather than animated ones so a child can actually see what a whale or whatever it might be looks like. Sometimes developing relationships with parents/carers can be a difficult one for many reasons, as we have children with different circumstances at home as well as taking into consideration that some children might not have access to writing resources at home. But sharing children’s work and praising them for their effort can build their confidence and motivation to attempt this activity again. Building their communication and language will widen their vocabulary and this will support them when they come to write – remember they ‘will only write what they can say’. Make the writing relevant and realistic so children will be able to use the experiences and knowledge they have. Encouraging creativity through messy play, the role play area and topics we are looking at will develop their imagination and creativity when writing. There are so many elements to take into consideration when looking at writing. I hope some of this helps!

Is there a ‘right’ number? It is incredibly easy to become obsessive about the number of observations you are recording about a child. Whether you are an educator, leader or manager, it is an easy path to go down. It is almost subconscious to feel that it is essential to have documented evidence for every statement from an assessment framework or to justify the intent and impact of every decision you make. As discussed at the end of Part 2, despite the shift in the narrative of the day being that data collection and documenting supporting evidence really isn’t essential, it can still feel that way on the ground. So that means the question of ‘how many’ is as relevant today as ever. Firstly, let me clarify, this article will not give you a definitive answer at the end. There will be no you should be completing ‘x’ number of observations per term per child. Instead, I hope you will reflect on your current approach based upon the variety of factors considered throughout Part 3 and adapt your observation and assessment process as a result. The first consideration is your answer to the question: who are your observations for? Once you’ve answered this then you can begin to explore ‘what is the right number for you and your children?’ The reality is that everyone’s ‘right’ number will be different. It will differ from setting to setting, from educator to educator. But if you are like me, it is a constant debate you have both internally and amongst your team. The way you plan and the paperwork you use when planning (that’s a whole other topic!) will influence how reliant you are on documented observations to support your planning. If you use observations to document your planning journey for example, to justify your intention and subsequently evaluate its impact then clearly you are going to be documenting more than if you don’t. Some leaders and managers prefer to be able to follow the observation, planning and assessment cycle in a documented manner too. Both as evidence that the educator is supporting a child’s learning and development to improve their outcomes and also to help assess the performance and effectiveness of their provision and curriculum they have implemented. Another factor which will contribute to the number of observations you document will be the child themselves. For example, the observation of a child with learning differences is crucially important, and we should do this very carefully and thoroughly. However, it is worth noting that as with all children, we will only be documenting moments of learning for that child, regardless of whether those moments happen more or less often. If you have children who are vulnerable, 2 year funded or who receive Early Years Pupil Premium, you will most likely be documenting observations to evidence the extra support they receive or show where the additional funding has been used to improve the provision you offer them which will, in turn, improve their outcomes. As the changes to the EYFS come into effect in September 2021, local authorities may change their expectations regarding evidence they require to align with the shift away from a data-centric approach. It is worth considering this and consulting with your local authority when you are reflecting on the number of observations you document. With this in mind, the next question that often gets asked probably answers itself. Does each child need to have the same number of observations? At the beginning, I explained how the number of observations documented will differ from setting to setting and educator to educator. However I would go further and say it alters from child to child. For all of the factors discussed above. Whilst I don’t believe there should be a limit on the number of observations documented, I do think we have to be cautious they don’t become an obsession. We have all witnessed educators walking around with a notepad or tablet glued to their hands photographing every movement a child makes or noting down everything they say. As an adult I find nothing more intimidating than being shadowed by an adult with a clipboard, feeling like I’m being watched, and my every move judged. Now, think about how it must feel to be a child in that situation, not understanding what is happening or why. In addition, consider the discussion in Part 1 concerning whether observing children in such detail in the moment has an impact on the quality of the interaction and the teaching and learning experience of the child. Is there a minimum number of observations that should be documented on a child? Your answer to this question will be linked to your reflections on who do you document observations for and why. For example, it depends on whether you are focussing on how you share each child’s learning with their family, or if you are using them to inform your provision for each child by documenting their learning. Or if you are a Private, Voluntary, or Independent setting who may be thinking about how to demonstrate the quality of the service you offer and the experiences the children receive. Naturally the more reasons you have to document observations, the more you are likely to gather. Irrespective of what you believe the ‘right’ number is, it is vital for individual educators, leaders and managers that they do not become overwhelmed by the volume of observations they are expected to document. The more observations you collect, the easier it is to fall behind, and the more pressure that is added for all. And the greater the potential for staff well-being and the quality of interactions to be negatively impacted. Therefore, I would argue it’s best to not put a number on it and to instead consider what you have read in parts 1, 2 and 3 of this observation series to reflect on your own observation and assessment process. To build a strategy which works for you, for all. Children. Parents. Staff. Use your professional judgement. Trust what you decide. As long as you are able to justify it when you are asked then you have made the right decision.

Who are observations really for? In Part 1 of this miniseries about observations in Early Years I explored when it can be best to document an observation. This next part will focus on the question ‘who are observations really for?’ With the third and final part of the series examining if there really is such a thing as a ‘right’ number of observations to collect on an individual child. Observations are one of the most important parts of being an Early Years Educator. They are a fundamental part of any Early Years Educator qualification and there is an expectation that all staff know how to complete them, but how often do we reflect on why we collect them? When working in Early Years we are ‘programmed’ to collect observations: we spot a moment that we consider to be ‘observation worthy’ and can end up robotically working through our methodical observation, recording and assessment process. Over recent years I’ve seen observations from many different settings and from a wide range of educators and they all follow a similar format: photo / videos + a description of what took place + assessment against a developmental framework + evaluation of a child’s well-being and involvement against the LEUVEN scales (links to more information on these at the end too). For the purpose of this however I want to dig deeper into the first two parts of an any observation - the use of photos / videos and the written description. In Part 1 of this miniseries we reflected on whether it’s easiest to get photos / videos ‘in the moment’ and write the narrative part and / or assessment later or not. The answer to that could be influenced by considering who the observation is actually for. There are several different possible target audiences for an observation. Are observations meant to be memories for the children? We all have those photo albums from when we were children that are brought out during family events, so if we are wanting to create a record of a child’s learning journey through Early Years, does part of this have to include memories from their childhood? This could be where videos play a key role - a video can make a memory come alive, they can convey the engagement and joy in ways a photo or written observation can struggle to. This isn’t to say the written narrative is not important, however. There are some brilliant ways you can include a written observation to bring alive the moment and to make the child feel at the heart of the journey, even when they look back in the future. Learning stories, originally developed by Margaret Carr and Wendy Lee, for example are a wonderfully rich way of writing the narrative observation (see the further reading at the end for more information), but very briefly they are written to the children directly, as a narrative of their experiences in an objective way, for example “you played with the blocks and built…” rather than “child A was playing with the blocks and building…”. Are observations for the families? Observations being gathered for the families themselves links to the previous idea of them being created as a journey of memories for the children, except rather than them being documented for the child to look back on in the future, they are provided as a way for the family to see a child’s engagement, learning and development in the present. They are also really important to enable families to ensure their children are happy in your setting, not just as evidence of their development. They can be used to demonstrate to parents / carers how you are supporting their well-being, especially when a child is new or struggling emotionally. When documenting an observation for a parent / carer, try and think about it from their point of view; would you rather see photos / videos of your child with an accompanying story of their learning as previously discussed? For observations that are aimed to provide both the child and their family with a memory for them to enjoy there is a really important question we must consider. Is assessment of these observations really necessary? These ‘wow moments’ could be included without being linked to any assessment framework. If this is the case, should we complete and share these observations immediately with parents / carers, in as close to real time as we can? It could be argued that this is particularly pertinent in the PVI sector where parents are not just our partners but also customers. Therefore we need to consider should we be providing observations as evidence of the experiences of their children in our care and to evidence the quality of the service the parents / carers are paying for? Are observations documented for assessment purposes? It is easy to feel pressured to document observations as supporting evidence for baseline / summative assessments. This pressure can be our own internal pressure to justify the impact of the teaching and learning we are providing for our own key-children or can come externally from leaders and managers, the need for external moderation or visits from external organisations such as your local Early Years team or Ofsted. Despite the current rhetoric, both now and ahead of the EYFS reforms effective from September 2021, that the collection of data and documentation is less important than previously, does it really feel that way on the ground? When reflecting on who observations are for and how many we should document it is important to consider how our observations help us. They are a prompt to remind us what a child can do, about the teaching and learning experiences they have had and they support us to understand where a child is on their developmental journey. They also help us to get to know a child and they help to build up a picture of the child for all adults. With that in mind, there is one last question to consider regarding observations. ‘Is there a right number?’. Can there be too many? What number is too few? And should each child have an equal amount? I will explore this in the 3rd and final part of this miniseries of observation in Early Years. Finally, in reflection on Part 2, it is probably the case that observations should be documented for a combination of audiences, factoring in all of the above. An observation made for the purpose of assessment could still provide a memory for a child and their families, for example. It is however vital we consider who the target audience is when we evaluate how we are documenting an observation as there are multiple different ways of collecting evidence and the why we are collecting it definitely has a BIG impact on the how.