Support for communication and language, physical development, and personal, social and emotional development.
Communication and language
Ofsted expect that Early Years provision is ‘placing a strong focus on communication and language, which underpin all 7 areas of learning and development and are crucial for later success, including academic achievement and good health and well-being’.
How do you nurture a strong focus?
- A communication and language curriculum that meets the needs of the current children.
- Value all communication at each stage of development, from the earliest age through to year 1.
- Maintain and support progress, using assessments to better understand a child’s needs. You may choose to use Every Child a Talker (ECaT) Assessment Tool.
- Reduce the impacts of the ‘word gap’ through promoting a love of books and song, and a sharp focus on vocabulary teaching and enrichment through quality interactions.
- Planning and responding to the interconnectedness of language with PSED and physical activity.
To help you achieve these points, check out the scheduled training options listed on the Derbyshire Early Years Service Eventbrite collections. For more personalised support, to discuss your training needs, or evaluate your methods further, please speak with your Early Years Improvement Officer or contact cs.eys@derbyshire.gov.uk
Personal, social and emotional development
Children’s personal, social and emotional development (PSED) is crucial for children to lead healthy and happy lives and is fundamental to their cognitive development. Effective PSED practice ensures children have the best opportunity of becoming healthy, well-rounded, confident individuals who can form and sustain positive relationships. It also increases children's chances of academic success.
How do you ensure PSED is at the heart of everything you do, day in day out?
- Foundation for learning: Strong PSED skills support cognitive development.
- Lifelong well-being: Builds emotional intelligence, resilience, and healthy relationships.
- Connects the curriculum: Underpins success in all other areas of learning and development.
How it's developed
- Secure attachments: Warm, supportive relationships with adults are central.
- Responsive interactions: Adults model managing emotions and social communication.
- Planned opportunities: Activities focusing on feelings, sharing, self-care, and collaboration
To assist you achieve these points, check out the scheduled training options listed on the Derbyshire Early Years Service Eventbrite PSED collection tab. For more personalised support, to discuss your training needs, or evaluate your methods further, please speak with your Early Years Improvement Officer or contact cs.eys@derbyshire.gov.uk
Physical development
Physical activity is vital in children’s all-round development, enabling them to pursue happy, healthy and active lives. Movement skill development in early childhood is also a significant predictor of achievement in reading, writing and mathematics in primary school. So, the more a child moves, the more the brain is stimulated and the more they will learn.
How do you prioritise Physical Development, ensuring that it is at the forefront of learning?
- Enabling children:to be physically ready, eager, and able to learn.
- Knowledge and understanding: of how children physically develop through the building blocks of learning
- Positive adult role models:who inspire children to move and be physically active.
- Movement rich environment:develop your environment and culture so that is it movement rich.
- Identifying emerging needs:to support the physical development needs of individual children.
To assist you achieve these points, check out the scheduled training options listed on the Derbyshire Early Years Service Eventbrite Physical Development collection tab.
ECaM (Every Child a Mover) is also available to support you.
For more personalised support, to discuss your training needs, or evaluate your methods further, please speak with your Early Years Improvement Officer or contact cs.eys@derbyshire.gov.uk