Early Years Foundation Stage Courses
Summer 2016   
(for booking see below)

Outstanding Ideas to Develop Early Writing in EYFS

• Liverpool – The De Vere Village Hotel Liverpool, Fallows Way, Whiston L35 1RZ on Tuesday 26th April 2016, 10am to 3.45pm. Price £135 (plus VAT) including lunch & coffee.
• Sheffield - The Double Tree Hotel (by Hilton Sheffield Park), Chesterfield Road South, Sheffield S8 8BW on Wednesday 22nd June 2016 10am to 3.45pm. Price £155 (plus VAT) including lunch & coffee.

This course will consider the fundamentals that need to be in place in child initiated & adult directed teaching to ensure children become confident writers. The course will:

• Provide opportunities for practitioners to reflect on the ways to promote & develop early writing for young children in nursery & reception classes.
• Suggest strategies for the development of staff knowledge of the processes involved in meeting the individual needs of children.
• Consider the nature of enhanced / enriched provision to support writing & how to challenge more able writers in FS.
• Look at promoting a positive image of writing for all children whilst also meeting the needs of boys.
• Investigate the nature of interactive writing situations & stimulating creative writing.
• Explore the teaching of writing from a developmental perspective.

Looking for Outstanding Provision for 2 & 3 year olds in the maintained sector

• Lancashire – Ribby Hall Conference Centre, Ribby Road, Wrea Green, Preston PR4 2PR Thursday 28th April 2016, 10am to 3.45pm. Price £135 (plus VAT) including lunch & coffee.

This full day course looks at what makes for quality EYFS provision for two and three year olds. The day starts with a full update in relation to current EYFS practice & documentation and will also address the very specific needs of two year olds. The course will examine:

• The standards for the early years teacher & their implication for practice.
• An appropriate learning environment inside & outside.
• The provision of a range of learning experiences.
• Observation, assessment, planning & evidencing learning and progression for 2-3 year olds including 2+ check
• Moderating assessments.
• Attachment theory & the key person system.
• Planning for staff development
• Treasure baskets & heuristic play
• Records of achievement / learning journeys

EYFS: The Adult Role in Supporting Children’s Learning

• Manchester - Madeleine Lindley Training & Conference Centre, Broadgate, Broadway Business Park, Chadderton, Oldham OL9 9XA on Friday 29th April 2016, 10am to 3.45pm. Price £135 (plus VAT) including lunch & coffee.
• Leeds - Double Tree Hotel, Granary Wharf, 2 Wharf Approach, Leeds, West Yorkshire LS1 4BR. 0113 241 1000 on Thursday 5th May 2016 10am to 3.45pm. Price £155 (plus VAT) including lunch and coffee.
• Birmingham Area - Beckett's Farm (A. E. Beckett & Sons Ltd), Heath Farm, Alcester Road, Wythall, Birmingham, B47 6AJ on Thursday 30th June 2016  10am to 3.45pm. Price £155 (plus VAT) including lunch and coffee.

This popular full day course provides ongoing professional development for practitioners (teaching and support staff) working in EYFS. It is particularly important in helping staff become aware of and able to carry out their roles.

Initially the course shares a vision in relation to outcomes for EYFS exploring the impact of staff performance on the developing child.

We then move onto consider what basic knowledge EYFS practitioners need in order to be able to carry out their role including knowledge of the ‘Enduring Characteristics of Learning’ and the crucial need for all staff to be involved in observation, assessment & next steps in relation to young children’s learning.

The course will provide an overview of the need for all staff to be involved in:

• Tracking children’s learning & collecting evidence in order to evidence progression in learning.
• Developing & maintaining an environment for learning inside & outside and how the basic learning environment can be enhanced in relation to children’s needs & interests.
• The nature of informed adult interaction when supporting adult directed & child initiated learning.
• The use of open ended question to help develop problem solving & sustained shared thinking
• The careful & focussed development of children’s vocabulary across all areas of learning & development.
• Establishing & maintaining positive behaviour.

EYFS: Developing an environment for learning:
Child Initiated Learning, Enhancement & Challenge

• Sheffield - The Double Tree Hotel (by Hilton Sheffield Park), Chesterfield Road South, Sheffield S8 8BW on Wednesday 4th May 2016 10am to 3.45pm. Price £155 (plus VAT) including lunch & coffee.
• Manchester - Madeleine Lindley Training & Conference Centre, Broadgate, Broadway Business Park, Chadderton, Oldham OL9 9XA on Wednesday 15th June 2016, 10am to 3.45pm. Price £135 (plus VAT) including lunch & coffee.
• London - etc.venues Marble Arch, Garfield House, 86 Edgware Rd, London W2 2EA
  020 7793 4200 on Thursday 12th May 2016, 10am to 3.45pm. Price £185 (plus VAT) including lunch & coffee. Please note change in venue.

This brand new course will consider the importance of developing an indoor environment in EYFS which promotes learning through ongoing continuous provision, challenge & enhancement.
The day will:

• Explore the characteristics of effective learning and identify their implications for providing an environment which promotes learning for all children.
• Look at the relationship between child initiated learning, continuous provision, enhancement & challenge.
• Explore the nature of continuous provision in order to provide a range of practical ideas to take back to school and develop effective practice.
• Identify the crucial role of the adult in facilitating an environment for learning, supporting & extending children’s play, enhancing the environment and providing challenge.
• Reinforce the importance of effective communication between children and adults in order to promote language development and sustained shared thinking by the use of effective questioning.
• Ensure all adults involved in EYFS can identify and promote potential learning outcomes for all children. 
• Provide planning formats for medium & short term.

Outstanding Planning for the EYFS Framework          

• Birmingham Area - Beckett's Farm (A. E. Beckett & Sons Ltd), Heath Farm, Alcester Road, Wythall, Birmingham, B47 6AJ on Wednesday 11th May 2016  10am to 3.45pm. Price £155 (plus VAT) including lunch and coffee.

This course is designed to support delegates in developing all aspects of planning in nursery & reception classes in line with current EYFS documentation whilst considering the requirements of  2015 Ofsted Early Years judgement in relation to planning.

An important aspect of the day will be to consider planning for developing the role of the adult in EYFS i.e. planning for staff development, supervision & coaching, considered the key aspect  in relation to improving outcomes for children’s learning.

The day will help practitioners reflect on their current planning methods in order to ensure that children & their learning are put at the heart of the planning process.
The course will look in detail at planning for learning for individual children, groups of children, whole groups and the importance of differentiation & pace.

The course further provides support & formats for long, medium & short term planning. The course will also consider planning for adult directed learning, child initiated learning & planning for outdoor learning.

Ultimate Outdoor Learning in EYFS – Contrasting not Duplicating

• Cumbria - Armathwaite Hall County House Hotel and Spa, Bassenthwaite Lake, Keswick CA12 4RE, Monday 16th May 2016, 10am to 3.45pm. Price £155 (plus VAT) including lunch & coffee.
• Liverpool – The De Vere Village Hotel Liverpool, Fallows Way, Whiston L35 1RZ on Wednesday 8th June 2016, 10am to 3.45pm. Price £135 (plus VAT) including lunch & coffee.

This course looks at the essential nature & long term advantages of offering high quality, challenging outdoor learning. The course will:

• Explores the pedagogy behind outdoor learning providing practitioners with solid philosophical justification useful for coaching, senior management, Ofsted & parents.
• Examines the critical role of the adult in supporting learning outdoors.
• Examines ultimate outdoor provision & learning with common sense ideas as to how to put this into practice in the delegate’s provision.
• Identifies what is basic to effective outdoor learning and moves onto consider the essential elements of provision.
• Provides many practical examples of effective provision.
• Considers hazard, risk taking and challenge.
• Explores on-going learning experiences & planning for effective outdoor learning (short & medium term).
• Promotes the use of stories as a starting point for developing early learning in the outdoors developing plods (possible lines of development) and following children’s learning needs & interests.

Observing Outstanding Provision in Your Foundation Stage – a course for senior leaders, managers & subject coordinators

• Lancashire – Ribby Hall Conference Centre, Ribby Road, Wrea Green, Preston PR4 2PR Thursday 9th June 2016, 10am to 3.45pm. Price £135 (plus VAT) including lunch & coffee.
• Cumbria - Armathwaite Hall County House Hotel and Spa, Bassenthwaite Lake, Keswick CA12 4RE, Monday 13th June 2016 10am to 3.45pm. Price £155 (plus VAT) including lunch & coffee.
• Northampton – Hilton Hotel, 100 Watering Lane, Collingtree, Northampton, NN4 0XW (2 minutes drive from Junction 15 on M1), Tuesday 28th June 2016, 10am to 3.45pm. Price £155 (plus VAT) including lunch & coffee.

This completely new course will enhance the current knowledge of senior leadership & management of Foundation stage in looking for quality in their provision. The course will focus on the role of the person leading & managing provision in EYFS. A format for observing & monitoring all aspects of provision & practice will also be discussed.

The course will provide an overview of what is regarded by Ofsted as outstanding leadership and provide a framework for leaders & managers to develop an effective action plan for future development.

The main aspects considered in the course will involve observing & monitoring:

• Knowledgeable confident practitioners.
• Children engaged in effective learning in child initiated & adult directed activities.
• The learning environment inside & outside (including basic provision, enhancement & challenge).
• Children evidencing positive behaviours & respect for learning environment.
• Evidence & progress of children in EYFS.
• Planning.
• Analysing outcomes & achievement.
• Parental engagement.

New to the Early Years Foundation Stage

• Leeds - Double Tree Hotel, Granary Wharf, 2 Wharf Approach, Leeds, West Yorkshire LS1 4BR. 0113 241 1000 on Thursday 23rd June 2016 10am to 3.45pm. Price £155 (plus VAT) including lunch and coffee.

This course provides a detailed introduction to the Early Years Foundation Stage for those completely new to FS or those returning to FS. The concept of the day is to provide practitioners with an action plan for the build up to their initiation into FS and a survival guide for the first few months. The course will look in detail at:

• The basic knowledge practitioners need to engage with in order to ensure appropriate early learning.
• Preparing for children coming into FS to learn and develop – what needs to be in place from the beginning.
• An action plan for the first few months in FS including developing child initiated learning inside & outside, baseline knowledge of the child and how to establish early routines, independence & appropriate behaviour.
• The course then considers developing you as a knowledgeable, reflective early years practitioner.

Substantiating Your Baseline: Using knowledge of child development & effective evidence

• London - etc.venues Marble Arch, Garfield House, 86 Edgware Rd, London W2 2EA
  020 7793 4200 on Wednesday 29th June 2016, 10am to 3.45pm. Price £185 (plus VAT) including lunch & coffee. Please note change in venue.

The introduction of baseline assessment in September 2015 (statutory from September 2016) means schools, local authorities & Ofsted will identify on entry levels which will be used to identify progress across EYFS, KS1 & KS2.

The baseline documents are designed to provide a snapshot of the child’s development on entry in relation to Literacy & Maths, the only data being collected by the Department of Education. Schools will need a broader picture than a score for Literacy & Maths to evidence children’s on entry levels, individual deep learning and to evidence progress across all 7 areas of learning & development.

This course will debate the nature of appropriate data / evidence for young children in nursery & reception.

It will provide delegates with the necessary knowledge of child development & the collection of appropriate evidence in order to be able to substantiate baseline data to senior management, inspectors and local authority moderators.

The course will look in detail at Early Years Outcomes, the use of child development expertise & identify the kind of evidence which can indisputably substantiate baseline & progress, particularly important for children who are working below national expectations. The course will consider the use of tracking to identify progress in children’s learning, significant comments & next steps & the collection of a limited amount of evidence important for substantiating on entry data & ongoing learning.

The course will look at the critical role parents & children play in this process and considers how to include the voice of the parent / child.

In School Advice & Training

We offer customised consultancy & training nationally & internationally for settings, schools & networks of schools. This includes on-site training and/or observation & evaluation of the schools foundation stage practice. All of the above courses can be delivered in your school for your staff. Prices on application.

Course Booking:
Please e-mail the following details to kathy.bigio@yahoo.co.uk

• School name, address & telephone number:
   
• Order No:
   
• Participant Name:
   
• Course name:
   
• Course date:

Kathy Bigio Limited, Early Years Advice & Training
1, Dovecote, Clayton-le-Woods, Lancs, PR6 7AY.
kathy.bigio@yahoo.co.uk      www.kathybigio.com      Telephone 0772 589 6063