Spring 2015 Sample

magazine theProfessional professional association and early years | april/may Magazine ofofthe Associationfor forchildcare Childcare and Early Years | Spring2013 2015

PACEY BRAND NEW FACE CONFERENCE WELCOME TO YOUR NEW LOOK PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATION 2015 THE POWER OF PLAY

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Having fun with s If you missed National Storytelling Week earlier this year, don’t worry. There are still lots of ways to celebrate the joy of books with the children in your care. Childminder Laura Edwards explains why storytelling, well-loved nursery rhymes and songs offer excellent ways to be creative and have fun!

I have been a childminder for four years and the ages of the children in my care range from 20 months all the way up to 9 years, so finding activities that are relevant for everyone can sometimes be tricky.

For me, one of the best things about story time is that no matter what age they are, all the children I care for can take part. Whether we are at the local library or at my house, everyone can get involved and feel part of the process.

Utilising local groups and services

Once a week I take my under-4s to the local library for ‘sing and story time’. This free session provides an opportunity for them to participate in a larger group setting, where the excitement of taking part is catalysed by the sheer number of enthusiastic children all in the same room! In addition, we all get the

chance to learn new material and borrow a selection of fresh books.

This is a real plus for the adults, as using the same stories all the time can get boring. That said, many of the children I care for have firm favourites that they want to read time and time again.

Storytelling for all ages

Every day we create time for stories within my setting. I have a large selection of books suitable for all ages: from hardback picture books to small print stories, plus a few beanbags, which are the perfect tool to instantly create a comfortable reading space. When it’s just the younger children with me, I often choose picture books, as this encourages active listening and allows the smaller ones to point out items on the page as we go along. I also use audio books, as this enables me to fully focus my

attention on the children as we follow along with the book and create conversation around the characters or plotline from the story.

After school, when the older children are with us, I get them involved by asking them to help the younger ones. They love reading to the toddlers, or being able to demonstrate the actions to a particular story, rhyme or song. I have a box that includes puppets and dressing up outfits, which is particularly popular.

The current favourite, which all of the children love, is ‘The old lady who swallowed a fly’ puppet set that I have. While one of the older children reads the story, the younger children have fun finding the correct bean-filled animals for the old lady to eat and one of the older girls plays puppet master, gobbling them all up!

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Supporting additional languages One of the younger boys in my care speaks English as an additional language, as at home his family speaks Spanish. I have always been keen to make sure that I offer the right balance between developing his grasp of English, whilst also nurturing and supporting his use of Spanish. Following a short application, my local Early Years service provided me with a translation pen. It attaches to my computer and translates any story into the selected language. The little boy responded extremely well to this tool and, as a result, many of the other children have enjoyed learning basic words and numbers in Spanish.

For me, one of the best things about story time is that no matter what age they are, all the children I care for can take part

Firm favourites

Just have fun

No matter their age and no matter how many times we’ve already sung it that week, all the children I care for love ‘Heads, Shoulders, Knees and Toes’. This classic rhyme is simple to sing and easy to remember, meaning that you don’t have to be a professional performer to get involved! When the older children join in, I speed it up or purposely get things wrong for them to spot, which is fun for everyone.

The Gruffalo is another title that cannot be read enough at my house! With beautiful illustrations, memorable lines that even the little ones can join in with and repeat, plus a whole range of supporting audio, �ilm, puppets and games available, it remains a frequently requested story. We even had the opportunity to �ind The Gruffalo on a recent visit to Thorndon Country Park, where we had an adventure reading the map and following the clues until we discovered all of the wooden statues hidden in the forest.

I often hear other childcare professionals worrying that their own reading skills aren’t good enough for them to feel con�ident at story time. However, I believe everyone can have fun with stories; it all comes down to practice. Try reading a book in advance so that you know what is coming up on each page – this can really help as you will feel prepared for any questions the children might have. Sharing well-known songs and rhymes from your own childhood is also a great idea, as these are words you feel comfortable with.

When I was a little girl I loved Each Peach Pear Plum and this is a book that my children now love reading. Equally, songs like ‘Twinkle Twinkle Little Star’ are still enjoyed as much by little ones today as they ever were, especially when you tie in the actions. The thing to remember is that all children love stories, so it’s almost impossible to get story time wrong – just have fun! ■

IDEAS

h storytelling

Written by Laura Edwards

S Y YEAR E EARL literacy CY IN TH g children’s LITERyAguide to suppskorilltins A hand munication m and co

PACEY’S NEW BOOK: LITERACY IN THE EARLY YEARS A handy guide that has been designed to help childcare professionals to support children’s literacy in the early years. Full of colourful photographs and illustrations, it offers clear guidance and good practice advice as well as fun top tips and helpful resources.

To find out more, visit shop.pacey.org.uk

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10/02/2015 17:34

Childcare Minister S Childcare Minister Sam Gyimah tells PACEY about the changing roles of childcare professionals and the Government’s plans to support the early years workforce.

Q

It is now six months [at time of going to press] since you became Childcare Minister. What have you learned about childcare providers in that time?

I’ve spoken to many childcare providers since becoming Childcare Minister and the most obvious thing that comes through is their passion for looking after children. So it’s not surprising that many are frustrated at the amount of bureaucracy they face that keeps them away from doing what they are best at – looking after children.

That’s why we’re doing as much as possible to help cut red tape, including freeing up providers to expand through simplification of the planning process and legislating for providers to only register once for different premises, allowing childminders to operate on school sites and schools to take 2-yearolds without registering with Ofsted.

Q

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You have mentioned encouraging more schools to open nursery provision.

What are your plans to support other types of childcare provision?

We have done a wide range of things to help other types of childcare provision. This has included giving over £2 million to

new providers through Childcare Business Grants. Similarly, TaxFree Childcare and the Early Years Pupil Premium will be available to parents accessing any type of childcare provision.

We have done a lot to stimulate demand for childcare by giving £2.9 billion in funding for all 3- and 4-year-olds and for the 40 per cent of the most disadvantaged 2-year-olds. We are introducing Tax-Free Childcare for working families, which is forecast to amount to £990 million per year by 2018–19.

I recently visited Warrington and Bolton, where I saw a range of providers benefiting from the increased demand for childcare.

This included a school nursery that has innovated by adding the country’s first childminder agency, a rapidly expanding nursery chain and a nursery provider that specialises in helping children with English as a second language and has been rated as ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted. It is fantastic to see such a wide variety of providers thriving at the moment.

Q

We know that currently, few organisations have stepped forward to open up as childminder agencies. What are your views of agencies and the way forward for them?

I think childminder agencies (CMAs) will offer a good

alternative both for providers and parents. I recently met Rihana Chisti, who is planning to register as a childminder with a CMA, and she was very optimistic about how they will operate.

Providers who register with CMAs will benefit from a ‘onestop-shop’ offering training, administrative support and advice. They are optional for both

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Q&A

r Sam Gyimah

Interview by Victoria Flint

Tell us your thoughts What are your thoughts on the Childcare Minister’s answers to PACEY? Write to us and we’ll print a selection of your letters in the next mailbag page. magazine@pacey.org.uk

new and existing childminders, so you can continue working on your own should you prefer to do so.

Looking forward, I think CMAs will be particularly helpful for new childminders. The cost of setting up as a childminder is high – at least £800. CMAs could help spread the costs of setting up and will be able to offer financial savings for childminders. I also

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believe there are opportunities for CMAs to support parents who work anti-social hours to find childcare.

Q

You have spoken of the need for innovation in the sector. Childcare professionals have always risen to the challenge of adapting to their changing role – for

example, responding to the Special Educational Needs and Disability Code of Practice in England. Can you explain what more you are looking for from childcare professionals?

I want to see childminders thinking creatively about how they offer the free entitlement.

Many childcare providers are self-starters who have set up their

Continues on page 24

READ MORE ON CHILDMINDER AGENCIES To find out more about childminder agencies, and to read PACEY’s view, visit www.pacey.org.uk

Read more online You can read more from Childcare Minister Sam Gyimah online at www.pacey.org.uk/qa

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Childcare Minister Sam Gyimah

own businesses and as such they are innovative and open to ideas.

I want to encourage that innovative spirit into meeting the demands of the modern British family, such as finding new ways to help childcare fit in with pressures, such as parents’ commutes to work. One way of doing that would be taking advantage of new regulations to offer wraparound care in schools.

We all need to be open to fresh ideas to meet this challenge so we can do even better for young children and their families.

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Q

What are the plans for the integrated review for 2-year-olds and how will childcare professionals be supported to deliver the new requirements expected of them?

The recently published report on the joint Department of Health and Department for Education integrated review pilots showed that integrated working between health and education practitioners is beneficial for parents and children, and can support more accurate and timely early intervention at age 2.

The National Children’s Bureau has published a support package for practitioners, bringing together health and early education reviews at age 2, and Education and Health Ministers expect local areas to work together to provide integrated reviews in all settings, from September 2015. This will provide parents with a better, more holistic picture of their child’s progress at age 2 and should reassure parents that they have the information they need to give their children the best possible start in life.

We have been working closely with the Department of Health over the integrated review and will continue to do so: this is a great example of parents benefiting from collaborative work between government departments.

Q

Our members have expressed concerns about the plans to introduce baseline assessments for Reception children. How will children who have just turned 4 years old be fairly assessed against children who are almost 5?

The purpose is not to compare what children are like when they start school; it is about holding the school to account for the progress it makes with them throughout the whole of primary school. The assessment is not age-adjusted as we want to capture a child’s starting point.

Criteria have been put in place to ensure baseline assessments are age-appropriate for children in Reception, whether they have just turned 4 or are nearly 5.

Teachers in schools have agreed that measuring progress is the best way to assess standards.

We are working with teachers to raise the bar to improve standards in primary schools and introduce a measure of progress from when

MEMBER’S QUESTION

children start school to age 11.

We want to see all children leaving primary school with a good standard of reading, writing and maths so that they can thrive at secondary school.

PACEY is an advocate of learning through play. As a parent, how do you feel play benefits children?

I absolutely agree on the importance of play. Children can learn to socialise and how to behave by playing together.

The evidence is mounting that childcare plays a crucial role in development, in early education and in getting children ready for school – and of course an important part of this is children simply spending time in each other’s company and having fun together.

The best practitioners know how to use the freedom and flexibilities they have in the Early Years Foundation Stage to use a range of methods to decide how best to structure children’s activities throughout the day.

These include a combination of teacher-led groups, for example, storytelling, singing and dancing, as well as structured activities where children learn to play, explore and interact with each other. n

Q

What is your vision of the place of childminders in the industry and do we have a future?

I want as many options as possible to be available to families – childminders should absolutely be part of that choice. I am pleased to see childminders are adapting to the demands of the modern family by offering more flexible, wraparound care. We have also brought in childminder agencies, which will help childminders to thrive by focusing less on bureaucracy and more on what they are best at – looking after children.

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PACEY Conference 2015 The power of play: ideas, inspiration and insights E R WHE y

N E H W ay,

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EARLY BIRD OFFER!

ember early A special m count of booking dis n you book £10.00 whe nce your confere space before 015 28 March 2

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dem a c A The Inn y i da Park l o H t’s n e Reg on d n Lo 5EE W W1

Don’t delay...book your place at the PACEY conference today!

PACEY Member PACEY Non-Member

£80.00 inc. VAT £180.00 inc. VAT

Standard fees – after 28 March 2015 the fees below will apply

PACEY Member

£100.00 inc. VAT

PACEY Non-Member

£200.00 inc. VAT

You are invited to the PACEY conference, designed speci�ically for PACEY members. This one-day event will be held in central London and will provide insightful and thought-provoking content based around our theme of the power of play.

The conference will provide you with opportunities for professional development as well as giving you time to network with your peers and browse the exhibitors’ stalls on the day. There will also be opportunities for face-to-face ‘advice surgery’ slots from PACEY Associates and childcare experts. The day will close with a drinks reception and prize draw!

HOW TO BOOK

Register your place now!

Please �ill out the booking form enclosed in this magazine or visit www.pacey.org.uk/conference for further information.

Timings as follows: 8.45am Exhibitor stands open 09.30am Registration 10.00am Start of conference 12.30-1.30pm Hot buffet lunch 4.30pm Close of meeting followed by a drinks reception with networking and a prize draw

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Our conference offers an exciting programme of presentations and workshops to develop and extend your practice.

Penny Tassoni, PACEY’s President

Gill Jones, Deputy Director of Early Education at Ofsted

Q&A SESSION Gill Jones is the Deputy Director of Early Education at Ofsted. In summer 2015 the second early years report is due for release, where Ofsted will explore the link between play and learning, so Gill’s appearance at the PACEY conference is perfectly timed.

Written by The PACEY Local team

THE RAINBOW SHADES OF PLAY: AN EXPLORATION

Andy Cope Author, trainer and happiness expert

Best-selling author Penny Tassoni trained as an early years and primary teacher. Now working as an education consultant and trainer, she specialises in the whole spectrum of learning and play. Penny has written over 30 books about early years and she frequently writes articles for national early years magazines. She is a respected speaker and works nationally and internationally in this role. You will have the chance to hear from her about the vital importance of play in developing the whole child and the multifaceted benefits of play in all its forms.

THE ART OF BEING BRILLIANT ‘The Art of Being Brilliant’ provides an antidote to the crazy world that typifies modern Britain.

Andy uses cutting edge research to explore how you can be you, brilliantly.

The aim is to share some of the ‘secrets’ of positive psychology, focusing on learning new habits of thinking and behaviour that will sustain personal brilliance. It is about the ‘whole you’ and, as such, is applicable in and out of work... why settle for anything less than being yourself, brilliantly?

CONTACT US

Workshops Some of the exciting workshops on offer include: Ben Tawil, Senior Lecturer in Childhood and Family Studies, specialising in play

Play: The importance of the seemingly frivolous This workshop will enable delegates to immerse themselves in the subject of play through a combination of active participation, discussion and presentation, enabling participants to value and work with the seemingly frivolous play we are often too quick to curtail.

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CONFERENCE MAKE

Featuring...

PACEY Associate-led workshop

Superheroes to the rescue!

Would you like to learn more about why children enjoy superhero play? Have you wondered what the bene�its might be to their learning and development? Should you restrict this type of play in your setting? For the answers to these questions and more, join our action-packed workshop!

To find out more, or if you have any queries, please do not hesitate to contact us. Email conference@pacey.org.uk or call 0208 290 2583

FURTHER WORKSHOPS For the full programme of workshops and for more information about the conference, please visit www.pacey.org.uk/ conference

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