Courses, events, videos, training and consultancy tailored to your needs.
Professional development in Derbyshire
The Early Years Improvement Team
The team, consisting of passionate Early Years Foundation Stage specialists work with you to build practitioner knowledge and confidence to improve outcomes for your children.
We offer a breadth of impactful support, including pre and post Ofsted support, Supported Self Evaluation Discussions (SSEDs), regular visits, email and phone contact throughout the year, networks and conferences. We also deliver high quality training to meet your professional development needs.
Dedicated Early Years Improvement Officer (EYIO)
If you are contracted with us to provide funded early years care and education, you will have a named officer from our Early Years Improvement Team who will contact you regularly. Your EYIO will provide you with information, advice and guidance on meeting the requirements of the EYFS, support you with your process of continuous improvement and self-reflection and support you to identify any training or professional development needs. Your named officer can also signpost you to any additional specialist support you may need.
Keeping you up to date
Please join our very popular online Leaders and Managers Briefings where we keep you up to date of the latest developments in the sector, both locally and nationally. Presented via Microsoft Teams the briefings are held once every half term, lasting 90 minutes and repeated at different times of the day/week.
The Early Years Service also hosts Online Networks once a term, this is an opportunity to share practice, ideas and resources and discuss the latest national and regional developments in the areas of safeguarding, the curriculum and inclusion.
Invitations to Leaders and Managers briefings and online Networks are sent via email.
We publish regular Newsletters and Business Bulletins. Please sign up to these to stay up to date with the latest information.
Derbyshire Early Years service training
Our Collections
Derbyshire Early Years Service offers online, face to face and in house bespoke training courses to Early Years and Education Professionals. All our training supports your delivery of the EYFS Statutory Framework, is evidence based and supported by practical ideas and case studies from current practitioners. Collections include, Safeguarding, Curriculum, Physical Development, Babies and Two-Year-olds and much more.
If you cannot see the course you require, please contact the Early Years Service: cs.eys@derbyshire.gov.uk
Bespoke training
The Early Years Improvement team can deliver bespoke training to meet your setting’s individual needs; this can be in person or online.
Please email cs.eys@derbyshire.gov.uk with your requirements and a completed copy of the expression of interest form.
Meeting the EYFS statutory safeguarding and welfare requirements
Our Safeguarding training covers all requirements of the EYFS Framework Annex C - Child protection and safeguarding children in the early years – information and advice, concerns and referrals, training, statutory and non-statutory guidance.
We advise all Designated Safeguarding Leads (DSLs) and Childminders to attend ‘Being a Designated Safeguarding Lead in Derbyshire’ every 2 years followed by the annual ‘DSL Refresher’ training.
Derby and Derbyshire Safeguarding Children Partnership (DDSCP) is Derbyshire’s statutory safeguarding body. Their website includes useful information about local safeguarding procedures as well as advice and guidance and training courses.
SEND training and continued professional development
These are offered by the Early Years Special Educational Needs service and advertised in our newsletters and in the collection on Eventbrite.
aSEND for practitioners is a collection of courses for practitioners working with children with SEND.
Derbyshire new providers training
All New Early Years Providers who are contracted with Derbyshire County Council are offered a suite of funded training for the first 12 months of operation, these include an Introduction to Safeguarding, an overview of the EYFS Framework and how to apply in practice, training sessions for the prime areas of learning and inclusion.
Derbyshire Adult Community Education Service (DACES)
If you are aged 19+ and a Derbyshire resident, DACES offers courses in Childcare and Education from entry level to Level 3.
For information or queries please contact workplace.learning@derbyshire.gov.uk
National training resources
The DfE have a collection of resources, activities and support articles for childminders and practitioners with children aged 0-5 years.
They also provide free online Early Years child development training, offering an overview of child development and offering practical advice for supporting children in your setting.
GOV.UK offer Prevent duty training, so that users can learn how to support people susceptible to radicalisation.
Paediatric First Aid Training
This is available through local providers: British Red Cross, St John Ambulance and other organisations.
National professional development resources
The EYFS Framework sets out the standards that school and childcare providers must meet for the learning, development and care of children from birth to 5.
Supporting non-statutory guidance includes:
Best start in life: a research review for early years is a three-part subject-based curriculum research review focused on early years education.
Getting it right from the start: how early years practitioners work with babies and toddlers is a research report which looks at how early years practitioners care for and educate babies and toddlers.
The Education Endowment Foundation is an independent charity that supports early years settings to improve teaching and learning. The Early Years Toolkit provides a summary of the best available evidence on key areas for learning and development.
The Childcare Works HUB hosts resources and connects providers and schools implementing early years or wraparound childcare expansion to a wide range of high-quality knowledge and learning resource.
The Foundation Years website, has the latest news, policy and resources for early years professionals
Considering a career in Early Years
For information, support and guidance on registering as an early years provider in Derbyshire, contact cs.eys@derbyshire.gov.uk for a Derbyshire Childminder Briefing Pack and a link to the termly briefing sessions held online.
National guidance and support
The Early Years Careers website has useful guidance for those wanting to start their career in Early Years.
Ofsted guidance: registration
Ofsted provide guidance and information on their website about registering as a childcare provider on domestic or non-domestic premises.