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Liverpool City Region and Beyond Early Years Stronger Practice Hub Hub Home Events Newsletters Blogs Programmes Documents Subscribe Childminders Recruitment Sign-up to receive our Newsletter on the second week of each month. Will aim to provide practical information from educators across the Liverpool City Region and Beyond as well as information from the Department for Education and Education Endowment Foundation. See below for previous editions. SUBSCRIBE TO OUR LIVERPOOL CITY REGION AND BEYOND EARLY YEARS STRONGER PRACTICE HUB MAILING LIST Sign-up to receive news from our Hub by email, including upcoming courses and events, links to additional resources, and more! Subscribe LCR Newsletter April 2026 LCR Newsletter Jan 2026 LCR Newsletter Oct 2025 LCR Newsletter July 2025 LCR Newsletter April 2025 LCR Newsletter Jan 2025 LCR Newsletter Oct 2024 LCR Newsletter July 2024 LCR Newsletter April 2024 LCR Newsletter Jan 2024 LCR Newsletter Mar 2026 LCR Newsletter Dec 2025 LCR Newsletter Sept 2025 LCR Newsletter June 2025 LCR Newsletter March 2025 LCR Newsletter Dec 2024 LCR Newsletter Sept 2024 LCR Newsletter June 2024 LCR Newsletter Mar 2024 LCR Newsletter Dec 2023 LCR Newsletter Feb 2026 LCR Newsletter Nov 2025 LCR Newsletter August 2025 LCR Newsletter May 2025 LCR Newsletter Feb 2025 LCR Newsletter Nov 2024 LCR Newsletter August 2024 LCR Newsletter May 2024 LCR Newsletter Feb 2024 LCR Newsletter Nov 2023 Strategic Partners Stronger Practice Hub Privacy Notice

Liverpool City Region and Beyond Early Years Stronger Practice Hub Hub Home Events Newsletters Blogs Programmes Documents Subscribe Childminders Recruitment Are you looking to spend your Early Years Pupil Premium strategically? Kaya Doyle (Programme Manager) has put a short webinar together to support you when considering what to spend your Early Years Pupil Premium, titled 'Maximising the Impact of Pupil Premium in the Early Years'. For the link email: sphubnw@evertoncentre.liverpool.sch.uk Strategic Partners Stronger Practice Hub Privacy Notice

Liverpool City Region and Beyond 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

Αναφορές Ofsted Το νηπιαγωγείο του Everton και το Family Center επιθεωρήθηκαν από το HMI σύμφωνα με την Ενότητα 8 του πλαισίου σύντομης επιθεώρησης στις 16 Οκτωβρίου 2018. Κάντε κλικ παρακάτω για ένα αντίγραφο της επιστολής που στάλθηκε στον Διευθυντή Dr. Lesley Το OBE. Το νηπιαγωγείο της Έβερτον και το Οικογενειακό Κέντρο διατήρησαν την εξαιρετική κρίση, την πέμπτη εξαιρετική κρίση ως νηπιαγωγείο από το 2004. Click Εδώ για να διαβάσετε την επιστολή. Αναφορά νηπιαγωγείου και οικογενειακού κέντρου του Everton Ofsted Το νηπιαγωγείο και το οικογενειακό κέντρο του Everton επιθεωρήθηκαν από την Ofsted τον Μάιο του 2014, κατά την οποία απονεμήθηκε μια απόφαση Outstanding. Click εδώ για να διαβάσετε την έκθεση. Πριν από τον Μάιο του 2014, το νηπιαγωγείο και το οικογενειακό κέντρο της Έβερτον είχαν επίσης επιθεωρηθεί τον Μάιο του 2011, τον Μάιο του 2008 και τον Μάιο του 2004. Για λήψη και ανάγνωση καθεμίας από αυτές τις αναφορές επιθεώρησης, παρακαλώ Κάντε κλικ ΕΔΩ . Αναφορά νηπιαγωγείου Everton και Family Center Daycare Ofsted Το τμήμα Παιδικού Σταθμού Έβερτον Νηπιαγωγείου και Οικογενειακού Κέντρου επιθεωρήθηκε τον Σεπτέμβριο του 2014 κατά το οποίο απονεμήθηκε Εκκρεμής απόφαση. Για λήψη και ανάγνωση αυτής της αναφοράς επιθεώρησης, παρακαλώ Κάντε κλικ ΕΔΩ . Έκθεση του Κέντρου Παιδιών της Έβερτον του Όφστεντ Το Κέντρο Παιδιών της Έβερτον επιθεωρήθηκε τον Ιανουάριο του 2011 κατά το οποίο απονεμήθηκε μια εξαιρετική απόφαση. Για λήψη και ανάγνωση αυτής της αναφοράς επιθεώρησης, παρακαλώ Κάντε κλικ ΕΔΩ .

Liverpool City Region and Beyond Early Years Stronger Practice Hub Hub Home Events Newsletters Blogs Programmes Documents Subscribe Childminders Recruitment Literacy Blog, written for Childminders By June Cargill (Childminder) As an Ofsted Registered Childminder with 29 years of experience in the Early Years Sector I know we are unique, being flexible for parents, with a development rich opportunity to offer life experiences and activities in readiness for children to attend school and become adults. Experiences in the first years of a child’s life are crucial and it is an honour to have that in our hands every day, nurturing, caring and sparking children’s imagination, interests and passions…… seeing them flourish and grow is a privilege to behold and we should, quite rightly feel proud. I also appreciate that working with the under-fives can sometimes be intuitive. We know what stages children should be at their expected development ages and that the diversity rich activities and experiences we give children encourage future skills for their next steps. Understanding in depth why we do what we do can be crucial to be able to reflect and review on our own setting as well as working with parents when we identify possible challenges and development delays. Our ongoing personal development is key to broaden our understanding of children’s development, learn new key findings from research undertaken for the early years and broaden our depth of understanding on children’s learning outcomes. There is an absolute wealth of evidence based information, videos, case studies and examples for best practice available you can read at your own pace, but did you know that researching, investigating and using the Education Endowment Foundation EEF Evidence Store shows that you are reflecting on your setting so make sure you add these to your personal development record. What does the evidence say? The Early Years Foundation Stage Framework Early years foundation stage (EYFS) statutory framework - GOV.UK refers to The Development Matters document, a non-statutory curriculum guidance…… ”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)” Development Matters - Non-statutory curriculum guidance for the early years foundation stage The Education Endowment Foundation Evidence Store also highlights the definition of Early Literacy Early Years | EEF “Literacy describes a range of complex skills. It includes the word-level skills of both word reading and spelling and the text-level skills of reading comprehension and writing composition. The overall aim of these skills is for an author to effectively communicate their message and for a reader to understand it. These literacy skills (word reading, spelling, reading comprehension, and writing composition) rely, to some extent, on the same underlying processes and are therefore linked. Learning to be a reader and writer relies on three broad underlying skills or areas of learning: speech, language, and communication skills; physical development, particularly fine motor skills; and executive function skills, including working memory and speed of retrieval from memory. The extent to which these processes are involved differs between aspects of reading and writing and at different points during literacy development. Educators working with early years children play a pivotal role in laying the foundations for literacy by facilitating the development of the skills above, helping children learn how to engage these processes so they work together and, in the latter part of the early years phase, teaching knowledge specifically for literacy (for example, letter-sounds and features of books). EEF | Early Literacy Approaches that support communication and language are fundamental to supporting children’s early literacy. Children with language weaknesses may need more support with such skills to facilitate their literacy learning. Children with language weaknesses include those with a language impairment and may include children with English as an additional language or those from lower income families. Educators should use their own professional judgement and seek additional guidance when applying early literacy approaches to these groups of children. These approaches that the Evidence Store referred to are as follows; I have added examples from my own practice to help unpick what may be unfamiliar words or reference: 1. Interactive reading: actions within the context of shared reading that encourage children to become an active participant in ‘reading’ the book; “Seeing children who are eager lead their own story time, we must recognise this is such an important part of their development. Seeing proof that our story times are fun, interactive and having an impact on their love of books is so rewarding. Having books accessible to children as a continuous provision and making “quiet areas” so children can take the opportunity to sit and look through books is an essential part of any setting. Try and identify a favourite book that children return to which can then assist planning for children’s next steps in Literacy and other development areas” 2. Teaching sound discrimination: supporting children to identify sounds and notice similarities and differences between individual sounds and groups of sounds; “My minded children love interactive sessions when we explore sounds, from their first letter of their name to practice pronunciation or rhyming words that extend their vocabulary but can end up made up words eg Bee, Me, Pee, Fee or Honey, Funny, Punny, Tunny. Satisfaction knowing you can not only extend children’s word knowledge but hear evidence when children giggle at words they understand are not real”. 3. Teaching sound manipulation: supporting children to break down, combine, and change sounds; Again like sounds, using rhyming word string is helpful and I enjoy using clapping to help identify syllables not only during adult let activities but throughout the day to help them “decode” words but I have found the children enjoy this approach and are eager participants. Children love the fact that I only get one clap for my name! Not only will you extend and introduce words like Rhinoceros, Hippopotamus and Tyrannosaurus instead of Rhino, Hippo or TRex but the opportunities to explore syllables are limitless. 4. Teaching sound-letter mapping: learning the written letters (graphemes) that go with particular letter-sounds (phonemes); “This is difficult to map the impact with mapping as evidence shows that children must have a good understanding of sound discrimination and manipulation but in my experience word labels, a self -registration board, name tags and resource labels are an important part of my setting. I can reflect that children that then move to pre-school can all recognise their printed name and are good at recognising printed words in their community 5. Teaching mark-making and letter formation: adults support children to use tools to make marks that represent their thoughts and ideas: “Communication, Language and Physical Development play a huge role in mark making, letter formation and Interactive writing. We all know that a young child who is unable to use palmar, tripod grip or with limited gross movements effectively can impact on all areas of Literacy in their future development. 6. Teaching sound-letter mapping: learning the written letters (graphemes) that go with particular letter-sounds (phonemes); “This is difficult to map the impact with mapping as evidence shows that children must have a good understanding of sound discrimination and manipulation but in my experience word labels, a self -registration board, name tags and resource labels are an important part of my setting. I can reflect that children that then move to pre-school can all recognise their printed name and are good at recognising printed words in their community What can we do? Given literacy’s reliance on other areas of learning, practitioners should be aware of a child’s development in all areas of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) essential to Early Literacy. We recognise that most of a child’s learning is in their home, we support and observe their development so working with parents is a major part of our role. Difficult conversations can take place when we identify a possible delay and parents do not agree or may be reluctant to see an issue. This can be difficult if as practitioners, we refer to development delays in a negative way. To inform parents that their child cannot use palmar grip effectively to hold a crayon in mark making, use one handed tools in play or mealtimes can counterproductive for their support at home. Negative communication with parents can be detrimental to parents understanding. Instead of stating what a child cannot do something use positive communication, saying that you are concentrating on palmar grip in all areas of play, independence and for meal times explaining, in turn this will develop the child’s ability to use one handed tools effectively, which in turn give them the hand strength abilities to start using mark making and writing skills…. helping parents see the goal you are supporting their child for. Offering suggestions for activities for example nursery rhyme bags, story sacks and books, suggest practical examples how parents can correct or encourage for example how the child holds a spoon and turn pages in a book. Send photographs during the day to see the activities first hand, offer information sheets or resources to borrow. Childminders are unique in knowing not only our children but their families too and can draw on this knowledge to adapt our strategy for home learning support. We know our families and in March 2025 the Government published “18% of children in working families were in low income” Households Below Average Income: an analysis of the UK income distribution: FYE 1995 to FYE 2024 - GOV.UK Knowing our families so well we can understand that buying resources and books could be difficult as well as finding “free” time outside of their working days so by way of sharing resources and ideas as well as embedding an Early Literacy rich environment in our setting is crucial. We also need to be aware of our community and the impact that can have on our minded children from English as an additional language, Areas of Deprivation, poverty and local areas of learning from parks, museums, places of interest and their accessibility for your minded children. I have added some further reading, evidence based practical information and Personal Development suggestions I hope you find useful and remember, log on your personal development 😊 References Early Years Foundation Stage Framework for Childminders EYFS statutory framework for childminders Development Matters Development Matters - Non-statutory curriculum guidance for the early years foundation stage Government Help for Early Years Providers Help for early years providers : Areas of learning The Education Endowment Foundation Evidence Store Early Years | EEF https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/early-years/evidence-store/early-literacy The Governments Free Early Years Child Development Training with 7 modules to access at your own pace Early years child development training : Home page Strategic Partners Stronger Practice Hub Privacy Notice

Liverpool City Region and Beyond Early Years Stronger Practice Hub Hub Home Events Newsletters Blogs Programmes Documents Subscribe Childminders Recruitment Reddish Vale Nursery School Blog Becoming physical development champions and beyond…. This blog explores the importance of evaluating the opportunities available to promote physical development in the early years, with a particular focus on promotion children’s independence, risk taking and following their lead. Our pedagogy Opportunities for outdoor play are vital in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). Reddish Vale Nursery places equal value on outdoor and indoor play, and the well-resourced outdoor area is an important part of the continuous provision. As a team we work on the premise that regular activity is vital for strengthening neural networks, where regular, intense exercise results in the growth of neurons to aid memory and learning. Opportunities in the outdoor area are designed to improve concentration, hand eye coordination, confidence and decision making. The evidence RISE at Manchester Metropolitan University outlines the importance of physical development where ‘Physical development lays the foundation for learning, health and wellbeing. The more physically active we are as young children, the more likely we are to maintain an active lifestyle later in life. This sets a positive health trajectory, promoting long-term physical well-being and reducing the risk of chronic diseases. Encouraging early physical activity is crucial for establishing healthy habits and also impacts greatly on early literacy and the social, emotional, and cognitive development of children.’ Rise x Future Me at Manchester Met (mmu.ac.uk) Children who are given the opportunity to play outdoors are shown to have better planning, attention and inhibition where regular activity reduces stress, and increases self-regulation. Children learn how to control their bodies, develop physical competence and an enjoyment of outdoors and to practice problem solving. The Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) on the Early Years Evidence Store key findings in ‘promoting physical activity’ outlines the following: There is evidence that promoting physical activity improves children’s physical development outcomes including a range of movement skills. Encouraging enjoyment through play and a focus on child-directed choice are effective strategies to further support children’s physical development. Motivating children to be physically active through the use of resources or equipment, both outdoors and indoors, can support children’s physical development. Educators have an important role to play in structuring the environment and activities to support children’s physical development. EEF | Physical Development (educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk) Becoming Physical Development Champions Reddish Vale Nursery School engaged in Physical Development Champion training where we evaluated our current environment and made some changes to promote gross motor skills. We removed the majority of chairs from the tables to enable children to stretch for resources. We made group times more physical. We increased activities which help to develop core strength. We corrected W sitting where this was happening. We also provided more opportunities for tummy time. Although we have always promoted independence in children we looked for times of the day where we could increase opportunities for this. We encourage children to pour their own drinks at snack time and peel their own fruit. At lunch time children collect their own lunches and clear away after themselves. There is an absolute wealth of evidence based information, videos, case studies and examples for best practice available you can read at your own pace, but did you know that researching, investigating and using the Education Endowment Foundation EEF Evidence Store shows that you are reflecting on your setting so make sure you add these to your personal development record. The furniture was also checked to ensure that this was appropriate for the individual and we changed chairs to enable children to anchor themselves properly when seated, with both feet on the floor. Some chairs with arms are used for children that need extra support. Beyond our Physical Development Champion work – what did we do next? Observation and reflection The EEF studies looked at the benefits of introducing different resources to stimulate interest or encourage nature-based play. Different or new resources could be smaller tools such as hand tools and jigsaws or more dynamic toys such as balls or climbing frames. In nature-based studies, children were encouraged to participate in more risky play through climbing natural structures. Likewise, freedom to play with natural elements such as grass, rocks, and branches was supported. These activities all led to improvements in children’s physical development outcomes. A common theme across the evidence was ensuring that children were provided with choice and a high degree of independence. EEF | Physical Development (educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk) Introducing a gravel pit Gravel pits can bring the following benefits: 1. Sensory Development Gravel offers a unique tactile experience different from sand, water, or soil. This helps children explore texture, weight, and sound, enriching their sensory input. 2. Fine Motor Skills Scooping, pouring, picking up, and sifting small stones promotes hand-eye coordination and dexterity. Using tools like shovels, buckets, or sieves builds grip strength and control. 3. Creativity and Imaginative Play Gravel can be used in pretend construction, road-building, or even as "ingredients" in play kitchens. It encourages open-ended play, allowing children to invent their own games and stories. 4. STEM Learning Children naturally engage in early science and math concepts through sorting by size, counting stones, or experimenting with gravity and volume. Opportunities for cause and effect learning, like observing how gravel moves or shifts. At Reddish Vale Nursery School, the children made their own gravel pit using tarpaulin, sleepers and a huge order of pea sized gravel. Climbing opportunities in the 2s Through observing our 2 year olds we noticed their need for a constructive physical outlet, helping them to burn energy and regulate emotions and behaviour afterward. We therefore introduced a climbing wall where 1.Gross Motor Development Climbing strengthens large muscle groups in the arms, legs, and core. This helps develop balance, coordination, and body awareness. 2. Fine Motor and Grip Strength Grasping climbing holds improves hand strength, finger dexterity, and fine motor control—important for future skills like writing and self-care. 3. Confidence and Independence Climbing challenges young children in a way that lets them experience success, promoting self-esteem and a sense of achievement. It encourages independent decision-making and exploration. Conclusion When did you last evaluate your environment through the physical development lens? Do your routines and environments all offer opportunities for independence? Are your children encouraged to take risks? Are there opportunities for tummy time, even for older children? Look specifically at what the children are already doing and how this could be developed. Do you already have resources that could be introduced in a different way? Are you making the best use of the space you’ve got? References https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/early-years/evidence-store/physical-development https://www.reddishvalenursery.stockport.sch.uk/our-curriculum/physical-development-champions https://rise.mmu.ac.uk/topic/the-importance-of-physical-development/ https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/670fa42a30536cb92748328f/EYFS_statutory_framework_for_group_and_school_-_based_providers.pdf Physical Development Physical activity is vital in children’s all-round development, enabling them to pursue happy, healthy and active lives9. Gross and fine motor experiences develop incrementally throughout early childhood, starting with sensory explorations and the development of a child’s strength, co-ordination and positional awareness through tummy time, crawling and play movement with both objects and adults. By creating games and providing opportunities for play both indoors and outdoors, adults can support children to develop their core strength, stability, balance, spatial awareness, co-ordination and agility. Gross motor skills provide the foundation for developing healthy bodies and social and emotional well-being. Fine motor control and precision helps with hand-eye co-ordination, which is later linked to early literacy. Repeated and varied opportunities to explore and play with small world activities, puzzles, arts and crafts and the practice of using small tools, with feedback and support from adults, allow children to develop proficiency, control and confidence. 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The benefits of outdoor play Liverpool City Region and Beyond Early Years Stronger Practice Hub Hub Home Events Newsletters Blogs Programmes Documents Subscribe Childminders Recruitment Deysbrook Childminding Network By Tracie Dowling My name is Tracie Dowling and I have been a childminder for over 32 years and I live in Anfield Liverpool. I am also part of the strategic team at Liverpool City Region and Beyond Early Years Stronger Practice Hub (EYSPH) and support childminders within the Region. My role is to be a point of call to support the childminders, signpost them to early years funded support programmes and link in with the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) to promote the Early Years Evidence store and Early Years Tool kit. https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/ The Stronger Practice Hub has funded a Childminder Network drop In at the Deysbrook Village Centre. https://www.deysbrook-vc.co.uk/ This provides the local childminders with a venue to meet up weekly with their minded children, link to myself and each other to share good practice and access face to face support. The childminders and children enjoy attending the drop-in sessions as this supports good practice by giving the children experiences to gain valuable social skills like sharing, taking turns, communication, and cooperation by interacting with others children. Having access to larger group activities such as music and movement and craft time also provides opportunities to develop language skills, motor skills, and overall confidence through play-based learning and exposure to larger group activities and toys and helping with preparing for school transition. The Drop in provides a venue for childminder and child-based training opportunities and a space for childminders to connect and build a community with each other. Over the last few months, the childminders and children have enjoyed the Sustainability Goal bitesize sessions that I have facilitated. https://sdgs.un.org/goals We have focused on one goal each week, for example week 1, we focused on Goal 1 ‘No Poverty’. We all sat together on the carpet and read the story ‘The Three Little Pigs’ we discussed the different types of housing and what it’s like to be homeless. We thought about what the safest house would be and which would have strong foundations that can withstand challenges due to global warming. I provided the children with an activity using wooden ‘Three Little Pig’ story props to decorate using crayons and recyclable materials. At the end of the session, I gave each childminder an information pack explaining why I chose the activity, how I incorporate the goals within my setting, extra reading materials / information around the Sustainability Goals. The following week before we started the next focused activity, we discussed the previous goal and how and what the children did at their childminders setting to include ‘poverty’. One child told me she made a Den, but she got upset because one of the children pulled off the blanket. I suggested next time they use pegs to see if the den stayed up longer. She told me her childminder made another den out of a big sturdy box and this was fun. Another child had used their props to tell the story again. This feedback from the children was invaluable and makes the time I spend putting the activities together all worthwhile. Anne Wrigley a childminder of the Deysbrook Drop in provided me with some amazing feedback. She said by attending the drop in and accessing support gave her confidence when she had her latest OFSTED inspection. By taking part in the bite sized Sustainability Goals awareness made her realise she was already promoting sustainability but hadn’t realised this. Since attending the sessions, she now takes the children to the local charity shop to donate and purchase items and every few weeks she buys wool to knit squares with the children to make blankets for the homeless. Anne and the children go on a trip to St Luke’s church to donate food for families who are less fortunate. During Annes previous OFSTED inspection, the inspector commented on the lack of extra training. In this inspection the inspector said it was evident Anne had been very proactive extending her continuous professional development. Anne explained to the inspector about the SPH webinar recordings and how she liked them as she can dip in and out, at a time that suits her due to the flexibility and thought they were a perfect way to extend her knowledge. Further reading: https://www.strongerpracticehubs.org.uk/hubs/nw/liverpool-city-region-and-beyond-eysph/resources/autumn-time-apples-and-apple-juice-dr https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/early-years/evidence-store https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/early-years/toolkit/play-based-learning https://www.evertonnurseryschoolandfamilycentre.org/childminders https://www.evertonnurseryschoolandfamilycentre.org/early-years-sustainable-hub Strategic Partners Stronger Practice Hub Privacy Notice

Liverpool City Region and Beyond 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

Liverpool City Region and Beyond 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

Liverpool City Region and Beyond Early Years Stronger Practice Hub Hub Home Events Newsletters Blogs Programmes Documents Subscribe Childminders Recruitment CONCEPT CAT By Alex Gower-Jones Strategic Partners Stronger Practice Hub Privacy Notice

Liverpool City Region and Beyond Early Years Stronger Practice Hub Hub Home Events Newsletters Blogs Programmes Documents Subscribe Childminders Recruitment Liverpool City Region and Beyond Stronger Practice Hub Sign Up Early Years Stronger Practice Hubs will support other early years settings in the designated areas to improve outcomes for children in their local area across the EYFS, but specifically focusing on areas of development that research informs us have been most impacted by COVID-19: personal social and emotional development (PSED); communication and language, and early literacy and mathematics. Each Hub is led by a group-based (school-based, private, voluntary, or independent) early years provider. (Please check your inbox Junk folder for blocked correspondence). * Indicates required question Email Name Local Authority your setting is based in: School / Setting name Setting Postcode Setting URN number: What best describes your role in the Setting Choose an option What best describes your Setting Choose an option Which area would your setting like support with? * Απαιτείται Communication and Language Literacy Mathematics Other Which Social Media channels would you like to see our information on? * Απαιτείται Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram Whatsapp Other Would you like to subscribe to our monthly newsletter? * Απαιτείται Yes No I understand that by signing up on this form, my contact details will be kept by Liverpool City Region and Beyond Stronger Practice Hub at Everton Nursery School and Children's Centre. Your details will be kept for the purpose of sending emails and newsletters. I agree Submit Thanks for subscribing! Please check your inbox Junk folder for blocked correspondence Strategic Partners Stronger Practice Hub Privacy Notice