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Sensory Garden Blog Liverpool City Region and Beyond Early Years Stronger Practice Hub Hub Home Events Newsletters Blogs Programmes Documents Subscribe Childminders Recruitment Homelessness Video blog Dr Diane Boyd talks to Everton Nursery School teacher Kate Doyle about young peoples awareness and understanding of others 1. Homelessness Part 1 2. Homelessness Part 2 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 The hub offers free advice, support and training to childminders across Liverpool City Region and Beyond. We are aiming to set up Peer to Peer Childminder Support and Play Sessions for Children. Please join our mailing list to be kept informed of future events and launches, newsletters and availability for training dates and drop-in sessions. If you would like to be involved or have suggestions, please let us know. Online Childminder Network which is the last Saturday morning 10a.m. – 11.30a.m. of every month: CHILDMINDER DROP IN Deysbrook Network: Everton Nursery School and Family Centre, Spencer Street, Liverpool, L6 2WF Held every Wednesday 9.30- 11.30am Hunts Cross Network: St Hilda’s Church Hall, Stuart Avenue, Hunts Cross L25 0NG Held every Wednesday 9.30-11.30am Kendal Network: Beck Community Centre, 20 Esthwaite Avenue, Kendal LA9 7NZ Held every Thursday 9.30 – 11.30am Bromborough Childminder Network: Bromborough Family Hub, Gratrix Road, Wirral CH62 7BW Held Thursdays 9.30 – 11.30 am What is a Childminder Drop In? The childminder drop-in sessions provide local childminders with an opportunity to access up to date information, recourses, face to face support, support from a member of the hub team and for childminders to share best practices. The group offers the children a multitude of benefits including enhanced social, emotional, and cognitive development, improved communication skills and opportunities to access larger play equipment to promote physical development. The facilities provide a safe space where childminders can organise events, celebrations and provide larger scale structured activities for the children which in turn supports transitions to school. Liverpool City Region and beyond Early Years Stronger Practice Hub Childminder Network Meetings Held every last Saturday of each month for Teams Link see the monthly newsletter. The aim of the Monthly meetings is to keep childminders up to date with local / national changes, information sharing, identify training needs and give general help and advice. Should you want to have anything specific added to the agenda please email the Stronger Practice Hub on sphubnw@evertoncentre.liverpool.sch.uk WELLCOMM BAGS If you are a Liverpool Childminder and wish to borrow a Wellcomm bag to use with your children, email the sph email as we can support you and loan a Wellcomm bag to you for a period of time. CHILDMINDER RESOURCE BAGS Calling all SPH Network Members….. FREE Resource bags coming soon, funded by the SPH this is a fantastic opportunity for Childminders. Each bag of carefully selected items will be a welcome addition to your setting which in turn supports your children’s development. Each resource bag is designed to be used individually, with a group of childminder colleagues and shared as a lending library. In the next few weeks you can apply for resources that cover Communication and Language, Early Maths and Story Comprehension including a selection of various quality Story Sacks. Also included will be Outdoor and Nature, Habitats and Musicical Instruments bags. Look out for the launch coming the end of April/early May depending on your location within Liverpool City Region and Beyond Early Years Stronger Practice Hub…. Literacy Blog, written for Childminders by June Cargill Strategic Partners Stronger Practice Hub Privacy Notice

Pêdiviyên Perwerdehiya Taybet û Seqetî Li Dibistana Zarokan û Navenda Malbatê ya Everton, em pabend in ku standardên herî bilind ên fêrbûn û hînkirinê ji bo hemî zarokan her dem bê kapasîteya wan, temen, etnîkî an zayenda wan. Digel ku em qebûl dikin ku zarok bi rêjeya xwe fêr dibin û pêşde diçin, armanca me ew e ku em hemî zarokan bi ezmûnên hînkirin û fêrbûnê yên bi baldarî cihêreng û bi danîna armancên xwestî yên ku bi dest bixin re li ber xwe bidin. Ji kerema xwe ji bo belgeya Pêşniyara Dibistana me ya li jêr binêre, ya ku her tiştê ku em dikin ji bo peydakirina perwerdehiya bi kalîte bi lênêrîna zarokên bi Pêdiviyên Perwerdehiya Taybet û Astengdaran re vedibêje. Belgeya Pêşniyara Dibistana me dakêşin û bixwînin. Siyaseta me ya Pêdiviyên Perwerdehiya Taybet û Astengdaran dakêşin û bixwînin. Download and read our Special Educational Needs and Disability Summary. Plana gihîştina me dakêşin û bixwînin. Click vir ji bo ku xwe bigihînin rûpela 'Pelrêça Alîkariya Destpêkê' ya Desthilata Herêmî ya Liverpool.

Liverpool City Region and beyond 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

PE Hînkirin û fêrbûna PE Her çend wekî Dibistana Hemşîre ya domdar em ne mafê Premiuma Sporê ne jî, me ji bo hemî zarokan balek zelal li ser hînkirin û fêrbûna PE heye. Em qebûl dikin ku Pêşkeftina Fîzîkî yek ji qadên fêrbûnê yên sereke yên EYFS ye û fam dikin ku pêşkeftina laşî ya zarokek bingehek e ji bo hînbûna pir paşîn tevî dema fêrbûna nivîsandinê. Wekî encamek, em soz didin ku her roj ezmûnên fêrbûna laşî ya armancdar û teşwîqdar ji bo hemî zarokan peyda bikin - hem li hundur û hem jî li derveyî derî. Plana meya Pêşveçûna Fîzîkî dakêşin û bixwînin. physical development policy

At Everton Nursery School, we are committed to ensure the highest possible standards of learning and teaching for our young children at all times. Dibistana Zarokan 2-5 Sal Mufredata me Li Dibistana Zarokan a Everton, em pêbawer in ku ji bo zarokên xwe yên piçûk her dem standardên herî bilind ên hînbûn û hînkirinê misoger bikin. Wek an Dibistana berbiçav (herî dawî ji hêla Ofsted ve di Cotmeha 2018-an de hate darizandin), em ji bo hemî zarokan jîngehên fêrbûnê yên armancdar û îlhamdar peyda dikin da ku bilîzin, fêr bibin û keşif bikin. Em dinêrin, guhdarî dikin û bala xwe didin ka zarok çawa bi rêjeya xwe mezin dibin û wan di dema xwe de li Dibistana Zarokan a me bi ezmûnên fêrbûna bi baldarî plansazkirî bi wan re dijwar dikin. Em plan dikin ku çarçoveya 'Pêşveçûn Pirsên Pêşketinê' ya Qonaxa Weqfa Salên Destpêkê (EYFS) bikar bînin û hemî zarokan bi ezmûnên fêrbûna berfireh û hevseng li her heft warên fêrbûn û pêşkeftinê - hem li hundur û hem jî li derve, xwedî bikin! Pelên Karkerê Malbatê Li Dibistana Zarokan a Everton, em bawer dikin ku çavdêrîkirin, ronîkirin, nirxandin û belgekirina fêrbûn, serkeftin û destkeftiyên zarokan hêmanên girîng ên dersa Qonaxa Weqfa Salên Destpêk in. Ev pêvajoya belgekirinê karmendan dihêle ku pêşkeftina zarokan a takekesî bihesibîne ku li gorî wê ji bo derfetên fêrbûna pêşerojê plansaz bikin da ku hewcedarî û qonaxa pêşkeftinê ji bo hemî zarokan bi cih bîne. Karmend van çavdêrî, raman û nirxandinan di Dosyayên Karkerên Malbatê yên ferdî yên zarokan de tomar dikin, ku hem di her fersendê de ji dêûbav/nenêran re peyda dibin û hem jî di dema ku ew derbasî dibistana seretayî dibin bi her zarokî re têne veguheztin. karmendên me Her endamek karmendê ku li Dibistana Zarokan a Everton dixebite di perwerdehiya salên destpêkê de pir perwerdekirî û jêhatî ye. Fêrbûna zarokan ji hêla Mamosteyek Sersalên Serpêhatî ve tê rêve kirin with Rewşa Mamosteyê Kalîfîye ku bi komek mamosteyên jêhatî û zana yên Zarokatiya Destpêkê re hevkariyê dike. Hevkariya bi dêûbav û lênêran re Li Dibistana Zarokan a Everton û Navenda Malbatê, em pêbawer in ku em bi dêûbav û lênêran re bi hevkariyek nêzîk re bixebitin da ku em li ser bingehên zexm ên ku di salên pêşîn ên zarokê de hatine danîn ava bikin._cc781905-5cde-3194-bb3b -136bad5cf58d_ Em dipejirînin ku dêûbav/nênêrê zarok di jiyana zarokê de kesê herî girîng e. Ev sedemek bingehîn e ku nêzîkatiya xebata hevkariyê me dike da ku em bihêlin ku em hemî zarokan bigihîjin potansiyela xwe ya tevahî. Tevlîbûna li Dibistana Zarokan Tevlêbûnek hêja li Dibistana Hemşîreyê ji bo hemî zarokan hewce û çaverê ye. Wekî Dibistanek Hemşîre ya domdar, em li gorî bendewariya tevlêbûna herêmî û neteweyî ya 97%. Tevahiya tevlêbûna zarokan tê şopandin û dûv re heke ev ji sedî 97% ya çaverêkirî dakeve tê îxtilaf kirin û dibistan xwedan pergalek zelal e ku li dijî Nebûna Berdewam bike. Dibistan ji hemî dêûbav û lênihêrkeran re li ser bingehek demkî dinivîse da ku rêjeya tevlêbûna polê û tevahiya dibistanê kurte bike. Mînaka herî dawî ya vê nameyê dikare bi tikandina were dîtinvir . Serlêdana cîhek li Dibistana Zarokan a Everton… Ji bo serlêdana cîhek Dibistana Hemşîreyê, li ser zencîreya jêrîn bikirtînin da ku forma serîlêdana me dakêşin. Ji kerema xwe vê formê tije bikin û digel kopiyek belgeya jidayikbûna zarokê xwe vegerin Dibistana Zarokan a Everton. Nursery Application Form

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

Sensory Garden Blog Liverpool City Region and Beyond 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

Parent carer information forms letters and what to expect. Rûpelê dêûbav / lênêrînê Form û agahdarî QEBÛNA FORMA SEPANÊ KODA REFETÊ DENGÎ LI KURSEYÊ PIRTÛKXANEYA LÎSTIK Û PIRTÛKAN LI EYFS ÇI LI HEVIRÎ Nameyên ji dêûbav / nêrevanan re FORMA DAXUYANIYA DAVÊ RÊBERÊ DAVÊN EYFS PIRTÛKA AGAHYARIYA DÊBAVAN 3-5 CILÊN ZÊDE LÎSTEYA PRICE UNIFORM TOILET TRAINING Dêûbav Şîroveyên li ser Dibistana Zarokan a me Aqûb li zarokxanê xwe ewle, piştgirî û hezkirin hîs dike, gihîştina sîh demjimêrên perwerdehiyê hişt ku ew bêtir wextê xwe bi lêkolîn û fêrbûna bi hevalên xwe re derbas bike. Ev dibistan hawîrdora herî xweş ji zarokan re peyda dike ku hîn bibin, keşf bikin û ji perwerdehiya zaroktiyê kêfxweş bibin. Em wek dêûbav xwe pir bextewar hîs dikin ku Aqûb li gorî standardên herî bilind tê lênêrîn, pelê wî yê Karkerê Malbatê bi rastî alîkariya me kir ku qonax û armancên wî yên pêşkeftinê fam bikin'. -Eliza Willis - Dêûbavê Jacob Willis Bea hem di warê civakî û hem jî di warê akademîk de gavên mezin avêtine. Baweriya wê pir zêde ye û me ê nikarîbûya ew qas standartek bilind bidaya wê. Me nikarîbû ji bo keça xwe ya piçûk jiyanek çêtir bixwaze. Bea ji qada derve hez dike, ev yek ji wan sedemên ku me ev Dibistana Zarokan hilbijart. -Sam McKenna Bavê Bea McKenna Heidi ji hatina hemşîreyê hez dike û ez nikarim spasiya karmendan bikim ji bo hemî dilsozî, piştgirî û keda wan da ku Heidi di hemî warên fêrbûna xwe de pêşkeftinê çêbike. Tecrûbeyên ku wê li hemşîreyê hene ecêb in û danûstendina di navbera mal û Dibistanê de geş e. Spas dikim! -Francine McArdle Dê û bavê Heidi Hughes Ruby her gav li dora mirovên nû pir westiyayî û şermok bû, rûtîniya dibistanê û atmosfera erênî hişt ku Ruby pratîkê bike ku bêtir pêbawer bibe. Heqê hewldana mamosteyan ji bo amadekirina karên weha kêf, afirîner û xeyalî ji nedîtî ve çûye. Ruby ji min re dibêje ku ew hez dike ku li derve bilîze, wekî dêûbav ez hest dikim ku qada derve ecêb e. Hem ez û hem jî Bavê Ruby ji xwendina çîrokan û dîtina wêneyên Ruby pir kêfa xwe distînin! - Courtney Needham - Dê û bavê Ruby Needham Enzo ji sî saet perwerdehiyê bi girseyî sûd wergirtiye. Zanîna zimanê wî îsal gelek pêşketiye, ew niha ji me çêtir îngilîzî diaxive, carinan xeletiyên me jî rast dike. Enzo ji rûtîniya dibistanê hez dike û rojê bi Masajê dest pê dike. Têkiliya bi mamosteyê pola wî û xebatkarê malbatê re pir xweş e, ez her gav pê bawer im ku Enzo ji dibistanan kêfê dike û her fikar dê di cih de were ragihandin. -Maria Siqueira - Dê û bavê Enzo Siqueira

Liverpool City Region and Beyond 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

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Interactive stories from Booktrust the UK’s largest children’s reading charity Çîrokên Fêrbûna Malê Booktrust Çîrokên înteraktîf ên ji mezintirîn xêrxwaziya xwendina zarokan a UK-ê Booktrust. Hin kûçikan dikin Owl Babies Rumble di daristanê de Very Carefully veke ezf Xwe Bextewar û Hûn Dizanin