Liverpool City Region Early Years Stronger Practice Hub Hub Home Events Newsletters Blogs Programmes Documents Subscribe Childminders Recruitment ‘Lost words’ reflected through the three pillars of sustainability and the SDGs. By Diane Boyd As early years practitioners we recognise the importance of our role in supporting children’s oral skills through holistic development. Influential research by Hart and Risley (1992,1995) stated that early year’s children living in poorer disadvantaged situations experienced significantly less adult directed words than their higher socio-economic peers. The research implied there was a ‘30-million-word deficit’ for the lower socio-economic children by the time they were four. That is a lot of missing words! These crucial findings draw attention to the importance of what quality practitioners can do to support and narrow the gap for children through quality interactions and using their quality environments (SDG 4 Quality Education). So, how can we close the gap and support children’s communication skills? The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS DfE, 2024, p9) clearly states the importance of “back-and-forth interactions” as a necessary requirement for language and cognitive development in young children. Sameroff and Fiese (2000) suggest back-and-forth interactions are more important than the quantity of the vocabulary children are exposed to, because the bi-directional conversations shared together are closely entwined with Personal, Social and Emotional Development, a universal prime area (EYFS, DfE,2024). As practitioners we need to focus on ensuring all children have opportunities to encounter through modelling and scaffolding, complex language input with a high level of longer, richer sentences (Rowe, 2008). This aligns with the Education Endowment Foundation – Communication and Language toolkit, which reminds practitioners to support and model effective linguistic aspects of communication. However, reflecting on pedagogical interactions Margaret Donaldson (1978) says this must make ‘human sense’ to the children, suggesting the need to draw on the socio-cultural aspects of community too (SDG 11 Sustainable Cities and communities). Within the Specific Area Understanding the World (EYFS, DfE,2024, p11) practitioners are asked to guide “children to make sense of their physical world and their community.” Taking children out beyond the gates of your setting allows them to experience holistically their neighbourhood, and what makes sense to them. Every neighbourhood is different (think of smells in a city compared to a beach town!) but as the EYFS (DfE, 2024, p 11) states “the frequency and range of children’s personal experiences increases their knowledge and sense of the world around them”. One such example is walking with your children through the town daily or weekly, past the local shops and engaging in back-and-forth conversations, adding new vocabulary as they walk. Exchanging hellos and making conversation with shop keepers will help children to become familiar with new vocabulary that is seemingly being lost due to the overuse of supermarkets. In large supermarkets everything is there and available in one stop – just come in and buy! There are limited interactions, relationships and vocabulary shared. Sadly now, how many children know for instance, what a cobbler is and what their work comprises of, linking here to SDG 8 Decent Work and Economic Growth. By visiting in a natural organic way through a neighbourhood walk, children will become familiar with the shop keepers such as an optician, haberdasher, greengrocer, butcher, chemist, and baker (remember use this core language) that reside on their high street. When do children ever hear these occupational words now? So, it is imperative early years practitioners highlight these words before they become ‘lost’. Reinforce the words further through reading non-fiction books and revisit language associated with each profession, for example, Dylan the Shopkeeper by Guy Parker Rees. Set up your role play as different shops visited to consolidate language further. The new vocabulary can be extended to understand the produce they can purchase from the different shops, resonating with SDG 8, SDG 9, and SDG 11. The EYFS (DfE,2024) asks practitioners to build ‘positive relationships’, and this is a way of doing this through your locality. For example, in the greengrocer discuss the type of apple with the children and then taste test them. Granny Smith or Royal Gala which are sweet or bitter? Think of the lovely describing words or faces here! Other extension activities could include memory games- I went to the baker and I bought bread, a cake, some pastries; or I went to the butcher, and I bought some pork sausages, a bacon chop, some beef burgers; this consolidates the produce from each shop and the repetition aids the children’s cognition. After visiting the high street, the children could make their own big story book from each shop rather than buying books to support. This would be very effective as this supports children’s understanding of text - words and images together have meaning, that there is a beginning, middle and end in books which will make ‘human sense’ to them as this connects them to their community high street shops, and the satisfaction of knowing they wrote the book. Due to plastic credit cards being used in supermarkets there are other words that are now less frequently used in the terms of monetary currency. How often do children hear in purchasing back and forth conversations, or the words pennies and pounds being used? By highlighting during your neighbourhood walks not just the local shop keepers, their profession and produce sold, take the children into the shop, and model the use of real money. As the EEF Communication and Language states “settings should use a range of different approaches to developing communication and language skills.” It is important that children hear your “back-and-forth interactions” (EYFS, DfE,2024p, 9) with the shop keepers, as they are valuable conversations of both produce and currency together. The EEF (Early numeracy approaches) research shows that by utilising holistic pedagogy it has “a higher impact than when maths was delivered as a supplementary activity.” Through these conversations children will hear pennies, pounds, change and cost which they can replicate in role play back at your setting because this makes “human sense” (Donalson,1978) to them. Moving out into the locality and community children will have countless opportunities to use their 5 senses – hearing, smelling, tasting, seeing, and touching. By visiting local parks, gardens, or beaches regularly children will develop empathy and care for their environment. The emphasis is that you always use correct terminology with the children. For example, not the generic term ‘flower’ but daffodil or snow drop, and you encourage the children to observe the fauna but not pick them. There is a fabulous book called Lost Words by Robert MacFarlane and Jackie Morris (2021) which focuses again on disappearing words but this time in the natural world. The book states “all over the country, there are words disappearing from children's lives. These are the words of the natural world; Dandelion, Otter, Bramble, and Acorn, all gone. A wild landscape of imagination and play is rapidly fading from our children's minds. The Lost Words stands against the disappearance of wild childhood”. This book could be used as a follow up to walks or scientific observations in woodland. Crucially for the planet we need to ensure young children hear, use, and understand key words from nature. As the EEF- Early Literacy approaches state you must ensure that “your early literacy strategy is well-balanced and combines approaches that will support the development of skills, knowledge and understanding”. From a sustainable perspective we need to invest in our locality whether this is the high street or park or woodlands or coastline. If children develop a relationship with their community and locality then they will love the area, respect the area and care for the area. EEF- Early years evidence highlights “approaches for teaching early literacy should, therefore, be used in ways that build on approaches that support communication and language, which are fundamental to children’s literacy.” This resonates with the Specific Area Knowledge and Understanding which asks practitioners to “foster their understanding of our culturally, socially, technologically, and ecologically diverse world” EYFS (DfE,2024, p11). Extending and developing these ‘lost words’ of the high street and environment builds “important knowledge,” and “extends their familiarity with words that support understanding across domains” (EYFS, DfE, 2024, p11). Economic sustainability through regular opportunities to use and understand words associated with currency, socio-cultural sustainability through engaging and connecting with your local community high street shops and environmental sustainability with care and empathy because of a relationship with the natural world. This clearly demonstrates the interconnected and holistic approaches to both early childhood and sustainability. Strategic Partners Stronger Practice Hub Privacy Notice

Everton Nursery School and Family Centre is based in the Everton ward of Liverpool. As a maintained nursery school and children's centre, the school and centre has high quality early childhood education with care at the core of its provision. We are a Ofsted Outstanding Provider. Child places available. Welcome to Everton Nursery School and Family Hub Mission Statement The mission of Everton Nursery School and Family Hub is to promote the children’s educational and social development and help families have and achieve high expectations for themselves and the community. Contact us to arrange a visit to Nursery. Telephone: 0151 233 1969 Places For 2, 3 and 4 Year Olds Available Now Child Application Form See Our Prospectus 1/5 Up Look at the activities we explore at Everton Nursery School and Family Hub We have 2, 3 and 4 year old funded places available. Apply here Up On behalf of all the Staff and Governors, welcome to all children and their families. We look forward to working with you. The Nursery School and Family Hub is open 8.00a.m. to 3.30p.m. Telephone: 0151 233 1969 Telephone calls to the Nursery School and Family Hub can be supported during this time period. Outside of these times the telephones and reception are not staffed. If you wish to report a child's absence please use Arbor or leave a message on the answer machine. See Our Nursery Prospectus > At Everton we believe that the earliest years of a child’s life are the most powerful for shaping curiosity , confidence , and a love of learning . Rated Outstanding by Ofsted, our nursery school is a vibrant, yet natural environment where children flourish through purposeful play exploration, and discovery. Rooted in the timeless educational philosophies of Friedrich Froebel and Maria Montessori , our approach honours each child’s individuality while fostering independence, creativity, and social connection. Froebel’s belief that “play is the highest expression of human development in childhood” guides our daily rhythm, while Montessori principles empower children to make choices, solve problems, and engage deeply with hand-on materials in thoughtfully prepared play spaces. The children at Everton Nursery School are encouraged to follow their interests , ask questions , and learn at their own pace . Our skilled teachers observe, guide, and celebrate each child’s journey ensuring that learning is joyful, meaningful, and developmentally rich. At Everton Nursery school children thrive from their individual starting points. All children join as individuals and leave as part of the Everton Nursery school community. We invite you to discover a unique nursery school where play is not just an activity, but a foundation for lifelong learning. At present, visits to our Nursery Class are by appointment only. In the meantime please see virtual tours of our classroom learning environments. Heyworth is our 2-3 years classes and Cresswell and Spencer are our 3-4 year olds classes. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact me on evertonnsfc@evertoncentre.liverpool.sch.uk Yours sincerely Dr. Lesley Curtis OBE Headteacher/Head of Centre Coses per fer avui

Liverpool City Region Early Years Stronger Practice Hub Hub Home Events Newsletters Blogs Programmes Documents Subscribe Childminders Recruitment ENGAGING GROWTH WITH ‘THE GARDEN CLASSROOM’ By Tracie Dowling My name is Tracie Dowling, I have worked in childcare for over 30 years. I’m an OFSTED Registered Childminder, Mentor for the Department of Education , Northwest Childminder Representative and Childminding Network Co-ordinator, PEEP Facilitator and Childminder Employer based in Liverpool. I employ an amazing assistant, Debbie and together we care for eight children under the age of five years. Throughout my career as a Registered Childminder, I have incorporated holistic learning into my practices. Over the years this has evolved, and I refer to my way of teaching as ‘The Garden Classroom’ which you can read about on my blog . Although this way of learning is primarily outdoors, the learning is year-long and therefore I have created ways of learning no matter the season. The Garden Classroom practices always incorporate the three prime areas of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) and the Characteristics of Effective Teaching and Learning. Read on to learn how I weave these key components into outdoor play. OUTDOOR LEARNING The Garden Classroom is a space where children can learn and grow, connecting to nature and the world around them. Outdoor exploration not only connects toddlers and babies with the seasons and everchanging weather, but also promotes physical activity, a sense of wonder, and an appreciation for the natural environment. Providing gardening activities for my children has proven to be great way to engage them with hands-on learning, including growing food from seed to plate, food sensory education , pond-dipping and lifecycles, and practicing sustainability through composting and recycling. The children learn vital skills such as adaptability and resilience by witnessing their environment going through the cycles. This helps them understand the concept of change and builds resilience in the face of transitions. In one area of our garden, we have a pet cemetery. Here, we have buried our family pets and other creatures who have come and gone. This space allows us to teach the children about the life-death cycle and accept change. Similarly, every year we experience frogspawn, giving us the opportunity to learn about birth and growth as we watch their little tails shrink and their legs grow. To support the children’s cognitive skills, we provide activities to observe and understand nature through investigation. The children’s favourite activities at the moment are pond dipping and growing and harvesting flowers, fruit, and vegetables. Some of the learning objectives within these activities are linked to lifecycles, categorising, comparison and pattern recognition in nature. Supporting the children to experience the wonders of changing seasons has a positive effect on their emotional well-being, mine, and Debbie’s too! The children take naps outside and participate in meditation while the birds are singing away. These activities provide opportunities for relaxation and promote a sense of calm and happiness. It is proven that spending time in nature has mental health benefits as well as emotional and physical benefits . SEASONAL LEARNING Every season and even every different day outdoors, brings a new set of sensory stimulation by exploring the sights, textures, aromas, even the noises of the natural world. The experiences are endless. The children love finding the strawberries and munching away, and there is no better taste than a sun-ripened cherry tomato, if they leave me any! Unfolding the characteristics of seasonal vocabulary during our activities also contributes to early language and provides children with the skills to articulate their observations and experiences. Whether its playing in the muddy puddles, counting the frogs or learning to sow seeds, the language opportunities are endless. The seasons are also a lovely way to promote cultural celebrations and traditions. We love the harvest festival where we like to gather our produce and share with our families, or Diwali where we cover the garden with lights and have a magical Diwali feast. There are many ways to weave cultural traditions into your very own Garden Classroom. “Lovely to watch her be so interested in how it grows. How she cares for it, and that she’s happy with the end result, we’ve even started growing our own strawberries and sunflowers at home” – Elsie’s Mum. By incorporating a Garden Classroom into your setting, your children can foster environmental awareness, develop a sense of responsibility and appreciation of the natural world, which in turn lays the groundwork for their future environmental consciousness. Seasonal changes spark natural curiosity and wonder within the children, giving them the opportunity for questioning and exploration, cultivating a mindset of inquiry and lifelong learning. The Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) The Early Years Toolkit brings together the best available evidence on key areas of learning and development. It can support all childminders when making decisions on how to improve learning outcomes. Physical development approaches | EEF educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk) Other research Useful resource: Garden activities for September :: The Garden Classroom - NurtureStore The Edible Garden – Alys Fowler (book and BBC Series 2010) Strategic Partners Stronger Practice Hub Privacy Notice

Sensory Garden Blog Liverpool City Region Early Years Stronger Practice Hub Hub Home Events Newsletters Blogs Programmes Documents Subscribe Childminders Recruitment Sensory Garden Video blog Everton Nursery Teacher Kate Doyle and Dr Diane Boyd present The Authentic development of a Sensory Garden through the 17 SDGs 1. The 'otherness' of the non-human world - highlighting worms! 2. Agency in Action – Children voicing their thinking through mark making. 3. Discovering recycling waste and contamination through a community visit. 4. Understanding Construction and Positioning of a Bug hotel in our garden. 5 Sparking interest through visiting Everton Park Nature Garden in our neighbourhood 6. The Fix-it Shop! Shopping lists, money, decision – making in action. 7. Sensory cognitive explorations using recycleable sustainable resources through tyres, hurricanes and the rain! Strategic Partners Stronger Practice Hub Privacy Notice

Liverpool City Region Early Years Stronger Practice Hub Hub Home Events Newsletters Blogs Programmes Documents Subscribe Childminders Recruitment Maths Champions As part of NDNA's recruitment of settings for the Maths Champions programme, we are holding a number of information sessions. Led by our team of expert Early Years Advisors, these sessions will provide a comprehensive explanation of the programme, the eligibility criteria for settings to take part, and the commitment involved. There is also an opportunity for settings to ask direct questions to the Early Years Advisors, followed by clear instructions of next steps and how to sign up. Maths Champions Information Sessions - NDNA Strategic Partners Stronger Practice Hub Privacy Notice

Liverpool City Region Early Years Stronger Practice Hub Hub Home Events Blogs Childminders Programmes Documents Subscribe Early Years Professional Development Programme Newsletters Recruitment Early Years Professional Development Programme (EYDP) https://www.earlyyearspdp.com/ I cannot recommend the Early Years Professional Development Programme enough to any early years practitioner whether they are new to the sector or have many years of experience. Being able to adapt ideas from the training and talking to colleagues on the webinar has been invaluable. Understanding children’s depth of knowledge in Early Maths has allowed me to enhance activities allowing me to see the immediate, positive impact on their learning. Ten simple hints and tips could make any setting become “language rich” and the ability to spot and fix communication “cold spots” personally I am so glad I signed up. June Cargill Ofsted Registered Outstanding Childminder Strategic Partners Stronger Practice Hub Privacy Notice

Liverpool City Region Early Years Stronger Practice Hub Hub Home Events Newsletters Blogs Programmes Documents Subscribe Childminders Recruitment Autumn the time of apples By Diane Boyd By immersing early years children in place-based learning and letting them become part of seasonal experiences, will strengthen their environmental sustainability lens. Children can only become empathetic and caring about their world, if they understand how their world works. A wonderful way to be aware of the seasons is to follow a seasonal calendar. The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) are keen for children to become gardeners and provide resources to support this process -RHS Crop Planner Additionally, The Horticultural Society provides a month-by-month guide for you to use - Vegetable Planting Guide By Month In The UK | Horticulture At Everton Nursery School and Family Centre recently the children were very lucky to have an amazing Autumnal experience using a crop of apples. The crop of locally grown apples comprised of Keswick Codling, Ribston Pippin, Ladies Finger of Lancaster, Scrumptious and Egremont Russett. What a wonderful array of names for apples! The children were introduced to the different varieties initially to observe, feel and taste them. This simple sensorial activity will enhance the children’s communication and language development in a holistic and organic way. Consider the language that describes the taste of different apples – bitter, tart, sweet but also some apples seem fluffy to eat, whereas others are hard or crunchy. Apples also come in all shapes and sizes, so this simple activity provides easy opportunities for early numeracy to be developed. As the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) Early Years evidence store for Communication and Language states, “Vocabulary instruction that explicitly draws pupils’ attention to words, their meanings and their features appears to be effective”. (EEF | Communication and Language ) The bowls of apples inspired Intergenerational conversations that were both cultural and social, allowing children to hear the conventions of a conversation, that reflect social sustainability with parents and grandparents reminising about tradititional October activities with apples. They recalled apple bobbing with apples floating in bowls of water or hanging from string, with the aim of trying to eat them! Research from the EEF Personal, Social, Emotional Development Early evidence store ( EEF | Personal Social and Emotional Development ) highlights the importance of showing “children good examples of social communication,” and by listening to these cultural narratives provides such examples for children. Supporting children to repeat the names of the apples tasted or to engage in a conversation about cultural stories will aid “children’s early literacy”, which “is dependent on their oral language skills” (EEF Early Years Evidence Early Literacy)( EEF | Early Literacy ). The National Literacy Trust emphasises the importance of quality pedagogical experiences especially in disadvantaged areas such as Liverpool, Birmingham and Manchester where research (Pro Bono Economics) identified that more than a quarter of five-year-olds have low levels of literacy. These authentic teaching moments need to be extended with songs, stories and high-quality conversations revisiting the experiences. Ensure your setting or home has a variety of stimulating books to revisit the experiences and develop their communication and language. Examples here reflect both apples (starting point of original provocation) and the seasonal element of falling apples to collect. Links below. Hello, World! How Do Apples Grow? : Jill McDonald: Amazon.co.uk: Books Autumn: 4 (Seasons, 4) : Child's Play, Busby, Ailie: Amazon.co.uk: Books Do encourage parents to visit their local library to extend the language, as research from EEF Early Years Evidence – C&L suggests “shared book reading has often been found to be a useful activity…”. alongside “explicit vocabulary instruction”. This also sustains the local library too for the community. From an Environmental Sustainability perspective seeing apples that are wonky and not perfect, celebrate the diversity of the natural world, celebrating all things (both human and non-human) are worthy regardless of shape or size (SDG 10 Reduced Inequalities). This also highlights that we must eat all fruit and vegetables regardless of whether they look perfect, encouraging our parents and grandparents to buy the cheaper ‘wonky’ produce in their shops. The children and their families were invited into the nursery to use real working equipment and press the apples and make freshly squeezed juice. From an economic sustainability perspective, the families had been asked to bring recycled plastic containers to use for their squeezed apple juice. This simple request highlights SDG 12 Responsible Consumption and Production, with children and families seeing how to effectively support the planet by reusing them. The process of apple pressing was then demonstrated to everyone emphasising the correct terminology of trade and environment. As the EEF Early years evidence store opines for C&L, “the adult models using language to summarise activities” ( EEF | Communication and Language ) . The parents and grandparents were invited to be an active part of the collaborative process, demonstrating the authenticity of Intergenerational learning as a socio-cultural sustainability approach and resonating with SDG 11 Sustainable Cities and Communities. The process involved everyone putting apples into either electronic presser, so the children had to stretch up high and aim correctly to place their apples into the open vent. Smaller or less confident children were physically lifted and supported by their key person to aim. This process was enjoyed by the children filling them with excitement. They were told to carefully watch the bottom funnel and see what happens as a result! This is both economic sustainability in action, but also STEM (Science, technology, engineering and Math) learning. Introducing children in their early years to STEM activities supports their Understanding of the World Specific area (EYFS(DfE,2024) in seeing how materials change. The apple started the process as a round hard matter, then became pulp before finishing as a dark liquid. The colour depended on which variety of apples were pulped. This provides wonderful scientific conversations and consolidates the EEF Early evidence store C&L, which states, “there is strong evidence that teaching and modelling vocabulary to children in the early years can have a positive effect on their oral language skills.”( EEF | Communication and Language ). The children also had the chance to physically crush and press the apples manually too, aligning with the pioneering giants of early childhood, such as Froebel or Steiner, who advocated that children must be physically active developing their hand -eye co-ordination and skills. The EEF Evidence Store for Physical Development( EEF | Physical Development ) highlights the importance of children having the “time for play, practise, and repeat an activity”. It also aligns with both SDG 8 Decent Work and Economic Growth and SDG 9 Industry, innovation and Infrastructure. Using the actual tools of apple pressing, also supported their physicality- consider the effort it takes to crush apples in a solid state, to reduce them small enough to be pushed through the juicer! The children shared and worked co-operatively together, enhancing the community spirit. The EEF Early Evidence Store regarding Self -regulation and Executive Function( EEF | Self-Regulation and Executive Function ) reminds educators “to scaffold cooperative learning between peers”. The quality of the practitioner (SDG 4 Quality education) was evident in how they supported the children through the process. Not only did they model the language, but they demonstrated both the action to be completed but also supported the children in repeating the actions themselves physically. The children moved their bodies like the wheels turning in the crushing process and jumped as the apples squashed into the shute. These authentic physical opportunities will extend and develop the whole body especially children from disadvantaged backgrounds, which the EEF evidence store for PD states; “are at greater risk of not reaching expected levels of physical development than their more affluent peers. Evidence indicates that children from disadvantaged backgrounds benefit from educators targeting their movement and handling skills” (EEF | Physical Development ). Songs are a cultural and social way to consolidate both the language and action, drawing on the pioneer Frederick Froebel. His original Mother songs made connections to real life, for example, the rhyme ‘Pat-a-cake’ made links for the children with the corn growing in the fields, the miller grinding the corn, the baker kneading the bread and finally being eaten by the child. Froebel made a seemingly simple song about baking, but the depth and meaningful notions, can be shared with children through song and action (Froebel, 1895; Froebel Trust). You could create your own songs and actions to help children’s holistic development, such as the Apple press rap! Think of the fun they would have recorded it developing their technological skills. The children were given agency to decide what aspect of the process they wanted to be involved in, with some children preferring to just sit quietly and watch. Quality early childhood education requires educators to know the children in their care, to offer new and exciting pedagogical experiences, but know their boundaries. This is socio-cultural sustainability resonating with the Article 12 of the UNCRC (1989)( Convention on the Rights of the Child text | UNICEF ) which says that “every child has the right to express their views, feelings and wishes in all matters affecting them, and to have their views considered and taken seriously.” There was one little two-year-old boy who did not to want to drink water in the nursery and always needed to be encouraged to stay hydrated. He loved the fresh apple juice and proceeded to drink three lots of the juice. His mum was thrilled as she had never tried apple juice with him before and now had a healthy alternative to offer him, resonating with SDG 3 Good Health and Wellbeing. Additionally, the kitchen staff were part of the community of apple pressers watching and joining in with the parents and children. Afterwards they took away in recycled bottles fresh apple juice for the lunch time meal, ensuring all children had the opportunity to try freshly pressed juice. This simple activity of pressing apples reflects all three Pillars of Sustainability and the 17 SDGs. In 2015 the United Kingdom Government signed the Paris Treaty (UNSCO,2015) which positioned the 17 Sustainable Development Goals as an integral part of all policy, curricula and pedagogical experiences (SDG 12.8). At Everton Nursery and Family Centre they are now central in the entrance foyer so parents, carers and Grandparents can become familiar with them. Make them visible and part of your everyday pedagogical experiences. Strategic Partners Stronger Practice Hub Privacy Notice

Liverpool City Region Early Years Stronger Practice Hub Hub Home Events Newsletters Blogs Programmes Documents Subscribe Childminders Recruitment The following information and documents will provide you with an insight of the Early Years Stronger Practice Hubs working with the Education Endowment Foundation A flexible way for settings to engage with various online recordings Liverpool City Region and Beyond Early Years Stronger Practice Hub, have introduced a flexible way for settings to engage with various online recordings. Feedback from Local Authorities highlighted Communication and Language development as a continued key priority, so this has been the focus of the CPD resource. The resource provides flexibility to suit all educators, whether refreshing their knowledge or exploring communication and language in more depth for the first time. Childminders plan to use the recordings during network meetings to encourage good practice and discussion. Similarly, other settings can incorporate the recordings into INSET days or staff meetings. To support this, there is a written INSET template for those who prefer this delivery format. This resource will be a valuable tool to support evidence-informed practice, encourage professional dialogue, and promote the effective sharing of knowledge across early years settings. If you would like the recording that accompanies this inset resource please email sphubnw@evertoncentre.liverpool.sch.uk providing us with your name, setting name, postcode and Local Authority your setting is registered with. Early Education Journal Early Education published a Journal issue on Cultures of Sustainability in Summer 2024. The journal started a conversation exploring sustainability, referenced by Jan White in the editorial. This issue is a follow on from that one, building on the articles and educators’ experiences of sustainability in practice. Communication and Language A short INSET template to use with your team which will support professional development to improve practice and outcomes for children. Early Years Pupil Premium | EEF - Education Endowment Foundation The Early Years Pupil Premium (EYPP) has one aim: to improve outcomes for socio-economically disadvantaged children from 9 months upwards. In April 2025, the Department for Education (DfE) increased funding for the EYPP by 45% to £570 per child per year. https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/early-years/pupil-premium A School’s Guide to Implementation Maximise the impact of new approaches and practices. educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk A School's Guide 1 A School's Guide 2 Early Mathematics The EEF is an independent charity dedicated to breaking the link between family income and educational achievement. https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/early-years-evidence-store/early-mathematics Early Years Evidence Store https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/support-for-schools/evidence-for-the-early-years/early-years-evidence-store Support to help you put evidence-informed approaches into practice. educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk Early Years Toolkit A summary of the best available evidence on key areas for learning and development Early Years Toolkit | EEF (educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk) Preparing for Literacy Seven recommendations to support improving early language and literacy Preparing for Literacy | EEF (educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk) Early Literacy The EEF is an independent charity dedicated to breaking the link between family income and educational achievement. EEF | Early Literacy (educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk) Strategic Partners Stronger Practice Hub Privacy Notice

Protecció i salvaguarda de la infància Som una escola i un centre infantil SEGUR Els pares/tutors han de ser conscients que l'escola bressol i el centre familiar d'Everton prendran qualsevol acció responsable per garantir la seguretat dels seus fills. En els casos en què el personal de la llar d'infants/centre tingui motius per preocupar-se que un nen pugui patir maltractaments, negligència o altres formes d'abús, el director/a del centre no tindrà més alternativa que seguir els procediments de protecció infantil de Liverpool i informar de la preocupació als Serveis d'Infància. Els pares/tutors no sempre estaran plenament informats de les preocupacions tret que el director/a del centre estigui segur que la seguretat del nen no es veurà perjudicada en fer-ho. El responsable de salvaguarda designat és: Lesley Curtis (directora/directora de centre) Els responsables de salvaguarda adjunts designats designats són: Faye O'Connor Paula Fagan Ruth Scully L'enllaç anomenat Centre de la Infància per a la Protecció de la Infància és: Paula Fagan El governador designat responsable de la salvaguarda i la protecció de la infància és: Andrea Vaughan El governador designat responsable dels nens que són atesos és: Ruth Scully Es poden obtenir còpies de la política de protecció i salvaguarda de la infància a l'escola/centre a petició. Si teniu dubtes sobre la seguretat d'un nen, podeu parlar amb qualsevol membre del personal o, alternativament, trucar a Careline al: 0151 233 3029.

Liverpool City Region Early Years Stronger Practice Hub Hub Home Events Newsletters Blogs Programmes Documents Subscribe Childminders Recruitment Let’s talk about books By Alex Gower-Jones Strategic Partners Stronger Practice Hub Privacy Notice

The benefits of outdoor play Liverpool City Region Early Years Stronger Practice Hub Hub Home Events Newsletters Blogs Programmes Documents Subscribe Childminders Recruitment The benefits of outdoor play How childminders use outdoor spaces to enhance children’s learning outcomes. By Tracie Dowling ‘My greatest childhood memories are of playing outdoors. Running around, climbing trees, playing in my treehouse, making mud pies, using my mum’s roses to make perfume (not always fragrant!) and inventing new games that kept me, and my brother occupied for hours – these are all things that contribute to a happy, healthy upbringing’ Introduction My name is Tracie Dowling, and I have been an OFSTED Registered Childminder for over 33 years and a Strategic Partner of Liverpool City Region and Beyond Early Years Stronger Practice Hub. One of my roles has been to support the Deysbrook Childminder Network at the Village Community Centre in West Derby, Liverpool. https://www.evertonnurseryschoolandfamilycentre.org/childminders Not all childminders are lucky enough to have a large outdoor space attached to their setting; however, this does not prevent them from ensuring the children access quality outdoor learning opportunities. The childminders at Deysbrook meet up once a week at the drop-in session and have access to a community garden where they can grow produce, exercise and access activities. They also regularly organise to meet up at the local allotment, parks, farm, forest, zoo and beaches. ‘The Early Years Foundation Stage states that ‘children benefit from spending as much time outside as possible. This makes a significant contribution to the progress they make particularly in their personal, emotional, social and physical development’ Benefits of outdoor learning opportunities Having the opportunity to learn outdoors can be a holistic and essential approach to education, offering a multitude of benefits beyond the traditional educational setting. Here are some of the ways the childminders take advantages of outdoor learning opportunities: Enhanced Physical Development: The childminders regularly take the children to the local forest to experience the natural outdoor spaces which are uneven and inconsistent (logs, trees, pathways) and therefore improve children's balance, coordination, agility and encourage movement in ways that improve their muscles, bones and physical endurance. Cognitive Development: The openair environment of the local park provides opportunities for exploration (plants, wildlife, habitats) problem-solving (how to cross a big puddle?), critical thinking (how to make a den using found objects), decision-making and building essential skills like spatial awareness and adaptability. The children engage in activities such as den building, learning to look after the environment, and exploring nature. Communication and Language Skills: Collaboration between the childminders and peers significantly boosts communication and language development. This provides a natural, engaging environment to practice language, explore new vocabulary and develop social skills. By providing the children with Imaginative play opportunities, exploring the natural world, and interaction with peers all contribute to language acquisition and communication skills which is evident by the children expressing thoughts, asking questions and listening to their childminder and peers. While in the outdoor area the children listen to natural sounds and explore other sensory experiences (e.g., the rustling of leaves, the feel of mud and sand) this broadens and enhanced language development by using words such as squidgy, squelchy, scrunching. Personal, Social, and Emotional Development: When the childminders take the children on visits for instance to the beach this provides abundant opportunities for personal growth and social development. The children learn to manage risks, (being close to water/climbing on slippery rocks/identifying and studying the jellyfish) develop self-confidence, and form positive relationships in the safety of their childminder and experiences with peers. Knowledge and Understanding of the World: Outdoor learning offers a direct relationship with nature, enabling children to explore and understand the natural world, encouraging an enduring interest in science, ecology, and caring for their environment. My personal childminding ethos and curriculum is ‘sustainability in the garden classroom’. I am privileged to have a wonderful outdoor space where I teach the children to care for their environment. We have a wormery to use up food waste and provide our plants with nutrients, water butts to recycle water and feed our fruit and vegetables, habitats for the wildlife such as frogs, bees, bugs etc. We grow plants (not always successfully) using different methods such as hydroponically, using recycled materials and no dig raised beds. We welcome childminders and our community family to share our environment, where we exchange ideas’ share surplus produce and have a swap scheme for instance toys/plants/story sacks to promote positive relationships and encourage cost effective way of living. Literacy and Mathematics: Outside spaces can serve as an environment for literacy and numeracy activities. Children can count objects, (bugs, shells, sticks) write using natural materials (sand, soil, chalk, sticks) or engage in storytelling and creative writing inspired by the environment for instance using the ’anywhere farm’ story sack at the urban farm. Expressive Arts and Design: Openair environments encourage creativity and artistic expression. Children can be involved in activities such as drawing, painting, or sculpture using natural materials, (logs, sticks, shells, pinecones) furthering their artistic development. The children are very interested in using flowers and leaves to make natural prints pressing the flowers (from my garden) between two pieces of material to bring out the natural colourings. Conclusion By childminders being creative and giving children opportunities to access various outdoor environments reinforced with the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) 7 areas of learning is a pathway in a child’s holistic development. The EYFS framework recognises the importance of outdoor learning, and the benefits of this approach are undeniable. By providing children with outdoor environments for physical activity, cognitive growth, social interaction, and a deep connection to nature, we nurture well-rounded children and enable them to be better prepared for the challenges of life and holistic learning. This is the collective responsibility of parents and educators to ensure that all children have access to these inspiring outdoor activities and environments that will profoundly shape their future in positive and meaningful ways. External References and Resources https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/early-years/evidence-store Reference to Physical Development, Communication and Language, Literacy and Mathematics https://www.evertonnurseryschoolandfamilycentre.org/strongerpracticehub https://www.gov.uk/early-years-foundation-stage https://www.evertonnurseryschoolandfamilycentre.org/early-years-sustainable-hub https://www.forestresearch.gov.uk/research/forest-schools-impact-on-young-children-in-england-and-wales/#research-objectives The Garden Classroom https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHk8MmfrBTc https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/family-friendly/family-friendly-gardens Strategic Partners Stronger Practice Hub Privacy Notice

Liverpool City Region Early Years Stronger Practice Hub Hub Home Events Newsletters Blogs Programmes Documents Subscribe Childminders Recruitment Exploring Understanding the world By Michelle Bennett. (Childminder) My Name is Michelle Bennett and I am an OFSTED Registered, outstanding childminder which I have undertaken for eleven years. I am based in the Morecambe area of Lancashire and one of the Lancashire leads for childminders in my area. I am the childminding representative for the Morecambe Bay curriculum and have worked previously in numerous Nurseries and as a teaching assistant in a local primary school. I am very passionate about the work we all do, as we are, in my opinion, very lucky to support education. We develop the young people that come to us, with their learning and understanding of the world that we live in. I believe that our actions will enable and encourage their knowledge for learning of the prime areas and specific area of learning: Communication and language, Physical development, Personal, social and emotional development Literacy, Mathematics, Understanding the world and Expressive arts and design I am passionate about the freedom of childminding, and creating awe and wonder every day. For me play is so important in so many ways as this supports children to learn and develop and as a childminder I can plan for the children’s interests as individuals. In this blog I will share with you how the children gained knowledge of the circus theme and scarecrows and increased their vocabulary from a visit to a local village. What did our children find on the visit to a local themed experience? Our visit was to the annual Wray scarecrow display. This is the oldest running scarecrow display in the UK, since 1992 and is run by a committee of local people from the village of Wray, Lancashire. The display of scarecrows has a different theme each year, and most of the local community of Wray will make a scarecrow for this event. The children that come to me, on the week leading up to the visit did talk about the theme and what they knew about scarecrows and the theme. This year the theme was circus. We had numerous conversations between myself and the children, as well as conversations between child to child, and the topic of the conversations they were having was about what type of activities / acts that you would see in a circus? The vocabulary included: strong man, jugglers, tightrope walkers, acrobats, clowns. Where do the circus people live? What nationality or country do the circus people come from? What is a circus tent made from? How are the scarecrows at Wray made? Who makes them? Why do they make them? Who chooses the theme and what scarecrow they would make if they lived in Wray? The day of the visit to Wray…. We were armed with cameras for the children to take photos of what they wanted to. As we were going around Wray there was lots of conversations of what the children could see, what they like and why they liked the scarecrows and displays. We spoke about favourite colours, the different sizes of scarecrows, the role of the scarecrow made and what their role is in a circus theme. The children spoke with local people and asked why they had made their scarecrow and what was the reason for the ones they made. Two of the children that were present had come the last three years with me, and they could remember the last year’s theme (which was magic) and spoke about that, with the current children. They spoke about the previous children that had come on the previous visits and what they liked and where they were now. While we were having our lunch, the children had conversations between themselves, about which scarecrows were their favourite and why they were. When we return back home, this continued the theme and children decided to demonstrate Circus skills, drawings, role play games and ask numerous questions. The following week after the visit…. The week after we had visited Wray, the children were keen to make some scarecrows, so we made smaller ones and a big one, using sticks and decorated them using the fantastic box of crafts I won after attending the recent Stronger Practice Hub conference, which all the children loved using these crafts. The scarecrows where then placed around the garden and the children made their own pretend village scarecrow display. The children began role playing at being the local people of their pretend village. We also dressed up as scarecrows with a circus theme with items we purchased from local charity shops. When we purchased these items of clothing from the charity shops, we talked about what charity shops do, the reason behind the purpose of the shop. Why local people donate and buy from them, and about sustainability and my children have really been understanding all about recycling. What does the evidence say for Understanding the world? 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. Taken from: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/670f8c0f366f494ab2e7b93d/EYFS_statutory__framework_for_childminders.pdf The https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/early-years/evidence-store references Communication and Language which became part of our focus within the visit as the children spoke to each other, with myself and grew in their understanding of new vocabulary connected with the circus. This resulted in the children knowing more and remembering more through their visit from last year and this year. Exploring the DfE module 4 on supporting language development in the early years enabled me to appreciate even more the importance of a language rich approach where interactions are promoted. I consider the circus theme visit supported both the children in their learning and development which in turn supported my continuous professional development (CPD) in researching the theme and the learning opportunities for the children in communication and language, physical development and Understanding the world. The children and I are looking forward to our next visit out to extend learning further within Understanding the world and the other Early Years Foundation Stage areas of learning. References: https://www.evertonnurseryschoolandfamilycentre.org/strongerpracticehub https://www.strongerpracticehubs.org.uk/hubs/nw/liverpool-city-region-and-beyond-eysph https://wrayscarecrows.wordpress.com/ https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/early-years/evidence-store https://birthto5matters.org.uk/ https://www.ncfe.org.uk/media/xbcbjrfj/early-years-sustainability-resource.pdf https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/670f8c0f366f494ab2e7b93d/EYFS_statutory__framework_for_childminders.pdf https://child-development-training.education.gov.uk/about/module-4 https://child-development-training.education.gov.uk/about/module-5 Strategic Partners Stronger Practice Hub Privacy Notice