Training
The Early Years Team provides many training opportunities through workshops for providers across a range of topics, for example, Business, Committee Training, Learning and Development, Childminder training.
The training is offered throughout the year throughout the county and is advertised either on the Support Services for Education website, or on Eventbrite. To visit these websites and browse all our training opportunities please follow the links below to go to the main web pages.
Support Services for Education
Or, we can deliver some of the courses – marked with an asterisk * – as bespoke training to individual settings, through Early Years Communities. Prices start from £150. For more details please email the Early Years Team – EarlyYearsTeam@somerset.gov.uk
Some of our training held summer term 2021 for the preparation of the new EYFS is on our YouTube channel for you to watch back with staff whenever suits you – Somerset Early Years and Childcare YouTube Playlist.
Watch back our Autumn Term Provider Information Evening and access the presentation slides
Course details
Voluntary not Amateur (Committee) – Fully Funded
Explores the legalities of a voluntary management committee, looking at the role of the constitution (governing document), roles and responsibility of committee member and legal responsibilities under Ofsted, HMRC, Charities Commission and so on.
Preparing for your Annual General Meeting – Fully Funded
Goes through the process of preparing for AGM from start to finish. Preparing, organising, running and after including completing all documentation.
Financial Viability and Sustainability
Reviewing current business trends to support financial aspect of a childcare business. Examine business through financial health check, monitoring business processes which impact on future viability.
Marketing and Grants
Look at strategies to develop and maximise your business, through marketing and external funding sources.
Employment Responsibility
Looks at management’s responsibility around employment through recruitment to induction. It follows the safer recruitment processes and legislative requirements.
Performance management*
To have an overview of performance management and understand the need for performance management in the workplace. Define the processes which underpin line management and look at the impact on the setting if performance management is not carried out.
Safeguarding Management Responsibility*
To enable management of childcare organisations to follow safeguarding procedures in line with legislation and be aware of their responsibilities. Review documentation which links to legislative requirements, ensure everyone is aware of the referral mechanisms and information sharing, importance of establishing a monitoring process for policies, procedures and current working practices.
Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) training for Prospective Childminders
Childminders must show evidence of completing training which helps them to understand and implement the EYFS before they can register with Ofsted or a childminder agency. Sessions cover aspects of this legal document and relate these to what needs to be in place to run a childcare business in a home environment. Topics covered include risk assessing and ensuring a suitable, safe environment, policies and procedures, supporting children’s learning and development and how to assess their development.
From Wriggling to Writing*
Develop your understanding of why the journey of the development of gross motor skills to fine motor skills is crucial to support effective mark making control. Be confident to resource and create daily provision (adult-led and continuous) which promotes and challenges the development of fine motor skills
Characteristics of Effective Teaching and Learning*
Don’t let your passion for early years become extinct! Develop and use your skills as an ‘observasaurus’ to instil the Characteristics of Effective Learning within your little dinosaurs!
Use the Characteristics of Effective Learning to motivate children to engage in the learning experience in an environment where practitioners support the process effectively.
Letters and Sounds – Phase 1*
Develop your understanding of the value of Letters and Sounds linked to Literacy and Communication and Language. Build your confidence in using activities to embed in daily practice for planned and spontaneous learning.
Meaningful Maths*
Utilise your environment with continuous and enhanced provision to support mathematical development. Practical ideas to ignite your passion in the delivery of the Maths EYFS curriculum, including engaging parents in ‘playful’ maths experiences.
Explore, experience and challenge – effective outdoor play*
Explore what is understood by quality outdoor play and refresh your provision.
Develop the adult’s role and strategies to enhance your provision, including time to audit and plan a vision for facilitating engaging and exciting outdoor learning spaces.
Maths through stories*
Explore stories which support mathematics (numbers, shape, space, and measure), develop a range of mathematical activities and investigations using stories and rhymes as a starting point, and gather ideas to use within your own setting.
Me Read? No Way! *
Explore why children are not engaging with books and the impact on future learning and development. Develop strategies to support children’s interest in books and look at how environments support reading. Practical ideas for making reading fun.
Enabling Environments*
Identifying what makes up an enabling environment and explore the different areas within an enabling environment. Look at the importance of monitoring and observing how the environment is used (auditing). Look at ideas to supporting individual settings in providing an enabling environment
Current training opportunities
Quest: Leadership and Management
18 January 2022, 6.30pm to 9pm
https://supportservicesforeducation.co.uk/T158178
Early Years Spring Term Partnership Meeting
24 January 2022, 5pm to 7pm
https://supportservicesforeducation.co.uk/T158676
Learning and Development – 2 part
26 January and 2 February 2022, 7pm to 8pm
https://supportservicesforeducation.co.uk/T158417
Committee Forum
27 January 2022, 7pm to 8pm
https://supportservicesforeducation.co.uk/T157739
Letters and Sounds Phase 1
Tuesday 8 February 2022, 7pm to 8.30pm
https://supportservicesforeducation.co.uk/T151620
Childminders – Preparing for Ofsted, are you ready?
1 March 2022, 7pm to 9pm
https://supportservicesforeducation.co.uk/T157733