Ninety seven per cent of people who took part in the first stages of the Education Development Trust’s Building on Success programme for early years practitioners reported that it was either ‘effective’ or ‘very effective’ in improving their day-to-day practice.
That sounds remarkable, even unbelievable.
But having done the course myself I can vouch for it.
It’s hard work, but then so is being an early years educator. I’ve worked in the sector for 23 years, so I know how challenging it can be. But, like working in early years, the programme is rewarding too.
The programme has been adapted and revised in light of all the disruption the sector has faced in recent months and years. Some of the changes in behaviour due to Covid are only becoming clear now. For example, we find the children in our setting seem much keener to be outside, and maybe that’s related to the lockdown restrictions some of them have known all their lives.
The training was flexible which suited me well. I know I’ve got a few hours of peace and quiet on a Friday evening when my kids are out at Scouts, so I chose to do the e-learning then, ahead of attending the linked webinar the following week.
Initially, I found the webinars challenging as I’m not an overly confident person and I hate being put on the spot for an answer. But because we were put in the same group for the different modules, we got to know each other, and I felt really supported and a lot more confident to speak up.
There were eight of us in our webinar group – all from different parts of the country and different types of settings. That feeling that you’re part of a wider community who have all been through the same difficulties and who are similarly committed to professional development, to coping with the upheaval as best we can and, most importantly, to making children’s lives better, was priceless. (It was also priceless in the sense there was no price, as the course is fully funded by the Department for Education for pre-reception practitioners from all eligible settings).
When I saw what the programme covered, I was really enticed by the maths section, because I’ve always felt that maths was my area of weakness. I took a lot away from the maths modules, even small things like spatial awareness and how a child sits down for their lunch. It opened my eyes, and I haven’t found a maths course yet that I’ve enjoyed as much as this one.
We also covered speech, language, and communication with some really useful content from Elklan Training. We learned how and why communication is crucial to children’s development but also practical skills such as how to incorporate language skills into children’s play, and how to identify children at risk of speech, language, and communication needs. We’re seeing an increase in challenging behaviour and delayed communication and language, so that unit was really valuable.
For me, the course was well designed and even included modules on Personal, Social and Emotional Development, written by the mental health charity, the Anna Freud Centre. This felt particularly relevant as we’re all still getting to grips with the fallout from the pandemic and mental health matters to all, even the youngest children, which is why it’s important to bring best practice to bear where possible. Having done the programme myself as manager for the pre-school, I feel that it would be beneficial to all staff.
The entire Building on Success programme has been produced in reaction to the changes the pandemic created. We’re all still working out how it’s changed us, the children we care for and our day-to-day practice in the early years settings in which we work. Having the Building on Success programme to help me navigate that process has been invaluable.
About the Early Years Professional Development Programme
Building on Success is a professional development programme providing evidence-based and fully funded CPD for pre-reception practitioners from schools and private, voluntary and independent (PVI) settings, who meet the qualifying criteria. It is funded by the Department for Education and delivered by Education Development Trust in partnership with Elklan.
Launched in September 2021, training began in January 2022 and finishes in July 2022. You can find out more about Education Development Trust’s other early years programmes by visiting the Early Years Professional Development website.
Find out more here