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Early Years Professional

How to teach boys through play

Boys and girls learn differently, as Steve Mynard discovered first hand when teaching five-year-old children. Here he explains how equal opportunities in school can be achieved by acknowledging gender differences in school

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Gender differences in school: implications for education

Steve Mynard considers gender differences in schools by looking at the social, emotional, intellectual and physical contrasts to bear in mind when teaching boys and girls. He explains we may need to treat them differently in order to give equal opportunities in school to both sexes

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Early Years PiP Cards: 3.2 Supporting every child

Supporting every child is an important concept in EYFS effective practice, and is explored within a range of practical ideas which underpin the information in the Early Years Foundation Stage Principles into Practice cards

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Early years learning environments

High-quality learning environments for young children are vital to their early development. Sian Rees-Jones, headteacher of Bognor Regis Nursery School and Children's Centre, shares her team's approach to learning environments

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Planning quality provision for early years

What are the early years processes involved for quality provision and planning positive outcomes for children in the Early Years Foundation Stage? Early years consultant Jane Cole has a look

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Early Years PiP Cards: 3.1 Observation, assessment and planning

Observation, assessment and planning are important areas of practice to get right when dealing with early years. Early Years Update offers a range of practical ideas to underpin the information in the Early Years Foundation Stage Principles into Practice cards

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Completing the early years SEF

Ofsted's new self-evaluation form and how to complete it is looked at in detail by Early Years Update

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Healthy Living in the Early Years Foundation Stage

Author: Pat Brunton and Linda Thornton

Healthy Living in the Early Years Foundation Stage shows you how to provide a strong foundation for the future learning and development of the children in your care, covering all aspects of nutrition, exercise, emotional wellbeing and staying safe with specific regard to early years

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SEN observation recording sheets

The free SEN resource for early years professionals and primary school teachers offers a number of observation sheets for individuals and groups. Each sheet is offered as a blank and as a filled-in example

Self-evaluation to improve early years provision

Self-evaluation has an important place in improving the quality of provision in early years education. Early Years Update discusses how self-evaluation can be used for maximum benefit

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The EYFS principles: a breakdown

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) principles are designed to celebrate the importance of play and learning, by putting the child back at the heart of early years practice. Sally Jaeckle, senior regional adviser for the EYFS, South West, discusses

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Early Years PiP Cards: 2.4 Key person

A key person has special responsibilities when working with small number of early years children. They are an important part of good early years practice, for which Early Years Update offers a range of practical ideas to underpin the information in the Early Years Foundation Stage Principles into Practice cards

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Managing early years staff performance

Early years staff perfomance can be reviewed in a simple but effective way as part of an overall quality improvement process

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What’s the point of early years assessment?

Teachers may question the purposes and techniques of assessment at EYFS. Jan Dubiel, Programme Leader for the Early Years Foundation Stage Profile at the National Assessment Agency, discusses the practical reality of assessment at this level

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A healthy diet for early years

What constitutes a healthy diet for babies and toddlers under five years old? Sarah Almond, a registered dietician, discusses this query with reference to examples of the nutritional standards of food served in a range of childcare settings

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Ofsted inspections for early years

What are the implications of recent changes to Ofsted inspections of early years education? Early Years Update explains

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Early Years PiP Cards: 2.3 Supporting Learning

Supporting learning is an important part of good early years practice with babies, toddlers and three- to five-year-old children. Early Years Update offers a range of practical ideas to underpin the information in the Early Years Foundation Stage Principles into Practice cards

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Effective school staff induction for early years

An effective induction process is an integral part of welcoming new members of staff to your school. This article discusses things to remember during your school staff induction

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Fostering thinking skills in early years

Jenni Clarke offers some practical suggestions on how to encourage young children to think

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Involving early years children in planning and evaluating their own learning

A reflective early years learning environment is not only conducive to achievement, but it is also required by the EYPS and the EYFS. Cathy Williamson describes how a pre-school aimed to create one as part of a school action research project

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Teaching early years children to read using phonics

Despite his initial scepticism about using synthetic phonics to help young children learn to read, Steve Mynard enthuses about its benefits

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Early Years PiP Cards: 2.2 Parents as partners

The importance of your relationship with parents of babies, toddlers and three- to five-year-old children is the focus of this article from Early Years Update. This is part of a range of practical ideas to underpin the information in the Early Years Foundation Stage Principles into Practice cards

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Education employment law: statutory leave and pay entitlements

Do you know your way around educational employment law? Does your school's pay and remuneration package meet or exceed minimum standards? Tamara Ludlow gives a legal overview of essential information for both leadership teams and staff

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Interviewing and appointing early years staff

After advertising and shortlisting for your early years staff position, you will be ready to interview the prospective candidates. This article looks at how to plan and structure the interview

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Traditional playground games

This free resource comprises of 10 traditional playground games for you to print out and use to enhance and enrich playtime

Creative solutions to early years behaviour

When dealing with the feelings and behaviour of early years pupils, teachers should try looking at creative ways to approach and deal with problems says Anni McTavish

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Promoting good early years behaviour

Good behaviour in early years is something that practitioners can and should promote, says Juliet Neill-Hall, who offers some strategies on 'how to'

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Early Years PiP Cards: 2.1 Respecting each other

Early Years Update focuses on the importance of respectful relationships in environments with babies, toddlers and three- to five-year-old children. This is part of a range of practical ideas to underpin the information in the Early Years Foundation Stage Principles into Practice cards

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Advertising and shortlisting early years staff

In order to recruit the right candidates to your early years staff, after putting together a teaching job description, you must think about how you will advertise and shortlist for the role

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Basic classroom skills

Teaching basic classroom skills early is a simple and essential way to instil good behaviour principles in students, explains Dave Stott in this issue of Behaviour Matters

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Early Years Handbook

Author: Pat Brunton and Linda Thornton

Early Years Handbook provides a complete guide to establishing and running high quality, sustainable early years provision which provides good outcomes for children and meets the needs of parents and carers

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Early Years Update

Author: Edited by Linda Thornton and Pat Brunton

Early Years Update brings together essential news and information in a concise and practical format, ensuring you stay up-to-date with all the latest thinking in your area. Published 10 times a year, Early Years Update covers a variety of topics from developing curriculum provision to the broader issues of child development, pedagogy and working with other professionals.

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Observing, recording and planning young children's learning

What is best practice when it comes to facilitating young children's learning? Stephanie Mathivet, curriculum and standards manager for the Pre-school Learning Alliance, discusses this issue

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Early years: eight principles for observational assessment

The eight principles for observational assessment, provided in the DCSF’s Creating the Picture, can be used by practitioners in all early years settings to ensure that the requirements of the EYFS are met read more

Wraparound childcare provision

How effective is wraparound childcare provision in addressing issues in areas of deprivation? Therese Allen, head at Mychall Primary in Birmingham, dicusses why it plays such a key role in her school

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Early Years PiP Cards: 1.4 Health and well-being

Early Years Update focuses on the importance of health and well being with babies, toddlers and three- to five-year-old children. This is part of a range of practical ideas to underpin the information in the Early Years Foundation Stage Principles into Practice cards

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EYFS: where to start

How does the EYFS framework fit into an early years setting in reality? How should early years education now move forward? Abigail Steel discusses

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Playful science

Play-based learning can take a key role in the teaching of science and can encourage scientific enquiry skills, says Robert Sinclair

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Creating a good job description and person specification for early years staff

Before you recruit a new member of your early years childcare team, you must first effectively define the job to be done and your expectations for the ideal person to do it

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Early years: getting ready for Ofsted inspection

Early Years Update looks at the proposed new Ofsted inspection framework

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Workplace stress: protect staff and avoid litigation

Employers looking to prevent and defend claims of stress, and employees who are suffering from stress at work, should make time to read the complex litigation involved, urges Tamara Ludlow

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Every Child Matters: challenges and opportunities for CPD

What impact will Every Child Matters have on CPD in schools? According to Steven Coombs and Mike Calvert, it will be huge; and schools need to be ready read more

Fostering young children's thinking skills

What are 'thinking skills', and how can they be nurtured in young children? Jenni Clarke provides an introduction read more

Thinking skills in action

How can the process of developing thinking skills be put into practice? A glimpse into the environment within a day nursery in south-east England shows how read more

Building an effective childcare team

Discover how to manage the dynamics of a balanced and well-organised childcare team

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Promoting healthy early years settings

Early Years Update looks at the National Healthy Schools Programme and the key issues it aims to address read more

Early Years PiP Cards: 1.3 Keeping safe

Early Years Update focuses on the importance of the personal and physical safety of babies, toddlers and three- to five-year-old children. This is part of a range of practical ideas to underpin the information in the Early Years Foundation Stage Principles into Practice cards

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What is the Early Year Professional Status?

Early Years Update looks at the opportunities available for practitioners to gain Early Years Professional Status read more

Early Years PiP Cards: 1.2 Inclusive practice

Early Years Update focuses on the importance of inclusion with babies, toddlers and three- to five-year-old children. This is part ofa range of practical ideas to underpin the information in the Early Years Foundation Stage Principles into Practice cards

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How to use ICT to support young children's learning

Early years practitioners have used ICT to support young children’s learning in diverse ways, writes Julie Steer

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