Early Excellence Podcast

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Do you follow a structure of topics and themes as part of your practice? In your setting, are schemes used to structure the teaching of literacy and mathematical skills? In this week’s episode, Andy and Llewella discuss the benefits of working within a structure alongside the need to respond to children’s individual needs and interests. 

• Find out more about our It’s more Than a Maths Scheme course
• Explore our Building on Children’s Interests webinar
• Read our Building on Children’s Interests Blog

Young children have a natural desire to explore their world and share ideas through creative expression. In this week’s episode, we’re joined by artist Emma-Jo Bairstow as we discuss key ways to develop provision and practice in relation to expressive arts and design.

• Develop your practice by joining Emma-Jo Bairstow for our Every Child an Artist course
• Looking for some festive inspiration? Join us for our free Magic of Christmas twilight
• Watch our Building Creative Approaches in the EYFS and KS1 video
• Find out more about Emma-Jo’s work with school’s and settings via Twitter @artworksedu

As one of the prime areas of learning, physical development underpins children’s overall learning and development. Yet how often do we consider children’s physical development in real depth? In this week’s episode, we talk with Helen Hawes about her support work in schools and how small changes to our practice can have a big impact for our children.

• Find out more about our "Let's Explore Physical Development" course
• Explore our Outdoor Resource Collections
• Contact Helen to find out more about her work in schools. Helen is on Twitter @futuressporty. You’ll also find her on Facebook @sportyfuturesuk

In this week’s episode, we talk to Trisha Lee all about the importance of nurturing and celebrating children’s storytelling. Trisha tells us all about her work in schools and also about her new book, The Growth of a Storyteller, which explores the practice of using helicopter stories to value, nurture and inspire young learners.

• Order your copy of The Growth of a Storyteller
• Explore our Themed Role Play Resources
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In this week’s episode, we’re joined by Kate Gingles and the EYFS team at Newcastle High School for Girls. As part of our chat, we talk about the team’s key focus on developing enjoyable and rich mathematical learning opportunities for their Nursery and Reception children.

This Episode is Available on the Early Excellence Inspirational Hub App

Discover the App Today

Children’s books provide us with wonderfully rich opportunities to nurture and provoke imaginative writing ideas. In this week’s episode, Andy and Llewella share some fantastic children’s books for inspiring young writers.

• Browse our 3-5 Yrs Book Resource Collection
• Find Out More About Our Let’s Explore Language and Communication Training 
• Explore Our It’s More than Reading and Writing Training
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In this week’s episode, we chat to Ruth Swailes and Aaron Bradbury about their fantastic new book - Early Childhood Theories Today.

They discuss the links between theories and practice within the classroom, the benefits of the book, their writing process and much more.

• Purchase a copy of Early Childhood Theories Today
• Explore our EYFS Training
• Discover our KS1 Courses
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Do you have wordless books within your classroom provision?

This week, we’re joined by Professor Sam Wass from The University of East London. Sam is a child psychologist and neuroscientist specialising in concentration and stress in young children. You will probably remember Sam as the on-screen child psychologist in the popular Channel 4 programmes The Secret Lives of 4 Year Olds and The Secret Lives of 5 Year Olds.

• Order The Secret Lives of 4, 5 and 6 Year Olds book
• Watch Sam’s TED Talk on How the Modern World is Changing Young Children 
• Inspire your EYFS team with our Early Excellence Child Development webinar package

There are often stark differences in approaches to teaching and learning once children move in to year one, but, does this have to be the case? In this week’s episode, we explore how a rich, well-planned learning environment in Key Stage One can provide both the continuity and the challenge that young learners need.

• Explore our Guide to Continuous Provision for Key Stage 1
• Access our Free Webinars focused on KS1
• Order Julie Fisher’s Book - Moving on to Key Stage 1