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All about you, your role, and your setting. Running your business, the rules, the regulations, and the law.

There are courses about:

Leadership and management

Whether you employ others, or work alone, you are the leader and manager of your setting. We have some 20 minute courses designed to help you to lead and manage your setting effectively. 

Simply click on the title of your chosen course to begin.

Choose your course:

Leadership and management
Leadership and management is fundamental to running a sustainable childcare business and inspectors will be judging the quality of leadership and management in all early years, childcare and education settings. Explore leadership and management here.

Leading and managing your setting: effective induction
Starting a new job can be daunting and it is a manager’s responsibility to implement an effective induction process which helps a new staff member to feel confident in their job and understand their role and responsibilities within the setting. Let’s look at that in more detail here.

Leading and managing your setting: effective supervision
Supervision is not just the managerial or leadership function of overseeing the productivity and day to day work of employees. Effective supervision is a development process designed to support and enhance an individual's motivation, independence, self-awareness, and skills necessary to grow in their role. Learn more about effective supervision here.

Leading and managing your setting: effective appraisal
An appraisal is an annual meeting where a staff member's previous year’s performance is reviewed and recorded. Additionally measurable targets and objectives will be set and agreed for the forthcoming year and training needs identified to enable these targets and objectives to be met. Learn more about effective appraisal here.

Development matters

We have a series of courses exploring the Seven Key Features of Effective Practice as outlined in Development Matters. Developed in association with Dr Julian Grenier, who led on the revision of Development Matters for the DfE, the courses outline what the guidance around each feature means for your setting and how you can translate that theory to everyday good practice, featuring real life examples from a range of practitioners.

Simply click on the title of your chosen course to begin

Choose your course:

The seven key features of effective practice: the best for every child
The best for every child is one of the seven key features of effective practice featured in Development Matters (non-statutory curriculum guidance for the Early Years Foundation Stage).  It is important, as a practitioner, that you are able to explain what 'The best for every child' means and how it relates to your everyday practice. 

The seven key features of effective practice: high quality care
High quality care is one of the seven key features of effective practice featured in Development Matters (non-statutory curriculum guidance for the Early Years Foundation Stage). It is important, as a practitioner, that you are able to explain what 'High quality care' means and how it relates to your everyday practice. 

The seven key features of effective practice: the curriculum
The curriculum: what we want children to learn is one of the seven key features of effective practice featured in Development Matters (non-statutory curriculum guidance for the Early Years Foundation Stage).  It is important, as a practitioner, that you are able to explain what "the curriculum" means and how it is central to your practice. 

The seven key features of effective practice: pedagogy
Pedagogy: helping children to learn is one of the seven key features of effective practice featured in Development Matters (non-statutory curriculum guidance for the Early Years Foundation Stage). It is important, as a practitioner, that you are able to explain what 'pedagogy' means, and how it is central to your everyday practice. 

The seven key features of effective practice: assessment
Assessment - checking what children have learnt is one of the seven key features of effective practice featured in Development Matters (non-statutory curriculum guidance for the Early Years Foundation Stage). It is important, as a practitioner, that you are able to explain what "assessment" means, and how it relates to your everyday practice. 

The seven key features of effective practice: self-regulation and executive function
Self-regulation and executive function are included in the seven key features of effective practice featured in Development Matters (non-statutory curriculum guidance for the Early Years Foundation Stage). It is important, as a practitioner, that you are able to explain what 'self-regulation and executive function' mean and how they relate to your every day practice. 

The seven key features of effective practice: partnership with parents
Partnership with parents is included in the seven key features of effective practice featured in Development Matters (non-statutory curriculum guidance for the Early Years Foundation Stage). It is important, as a practitioner, that you are able to explain what 'partnership with parents' means and how this relates to your everyday practice. 

#Signposts

Inspections

There are a variety of 10-20 minute courses  designed to help you to prepare and feel ready for your inspection. 

Simply click on the title of your chosen course to begin. 

 

Choose your course:

Focus on... cultural capital
Originally devised by French sociologist Pierre Bourdieu, cultural capital is a relatively recent term in early years. It's included in the Education Inspection Framework, so it is important that you understand what it means and how it relates to your practice. Explore that here.

Focus on... the learning walk
The learning walk is a recent piece of terminology in early years and comes from the Education Inspection Framework (EIF). It's important that you are aware of what a learning walk is and how you can demonstrate this in practice. Completing this course will develop your confidence in carrying this out.

Inspection and you - Education Inspection Framework Jargon Busting
There is some very specific vocabulary in the Education Inspection Framework (EIF), some of which may be new to you. In this course we take a look at some of these words and phrases, and what they mean in practice.

Inspection and you - Education Inspection Framework Judgement Areas
Under the Education Inspection Framework (EIF) an inspector visiting your setting will gather evidence in order to make a decision about which grade to apply to particular areas of practice. It is important to be aware of the judgement areas so that you understand the links between your practice and the inspection requirements. Explore this here.

Inspection and you - Grading in the Education Inspection Framework
Following an inspection, a setting will receive one of four possible grades. It is helpful to be aware of the grading system - and the descriptors that underpin it - in order to help you with your self evaluation and with your day to day practice. Learn more here.

Personal finance

We have a 20 minute course designed to support your financial wellbeing. Explore advice, tips and ideas from The Money Charity, to help you to manage your outgoings and work towards saving your money.

Simply click on the title of your chosen course to begin. 

Choose your course:

Creating a spending plan and smart saving
Whether we like it or not, and whatever our background, money plays a vital role in all our lives. Most people have never been taught how to manage their money, but there is growing evidence of the link between confidence in managing money and our mental health and wellbeing. Financial Wellbeing means feeling secure and in control of your finances on a day-to-day basis, but also into the future so you can achieve those longer-term goals. This course has been developed in association with The Money Charity. 

Credit, debt, and how to be savvy with your money
In this course you will learn about some of the main forms of credit and how to borrow wisely. You’ll find advice on how to keep your money and identity safe, and there are also some great tips for boosting your income and making your money go further. There is also information on where to go for free support if you get into problems with debt.

#Signposts