The Importance of the Sand Area in Indoor Continuous Provision
Learn why indoor sand area play is important, how it differs from outdoor sand play and their impact on early childhood development.
EEx Blogs
Join our Early Excellence community and explore our inspirational blogs which cover a range of themes, challenges and case studies across the EYFS and into Key Stage 1. Take a look below and get ready to take your practice and provision forward. Some of our blogs are now also available as a Podcast too, offering you and your team a range of free, bitesize CPD opportunities.
The Classroom Environment – Riot of colour vs Peace and Neutrality
A large body of research suggests that too much colour can provide a sensory overload for our children, creating an environment where they are less likely to be highly involved and more likely to be distracted.
Why Quality Environments Matter in Early Years
Do your early years’ classroom spaces truly reflect your vision for learning? Have they come together by accident or been carefully planned to offer rich, meaningful and joyful experiences for…
Taking Continuous Provision beyond the EYFS – Maximising Learning in Key Stage One
Why is there such a difference between the settings we create for our children under 5 and those between the ages of 5 and 7? What are we basing our…
Maximising Learning in The Water Area
Exploring and experimenting with water is a key fascination of many children – and if you have it available continuously, you may even find that some children go back to…
The Classroom Environment – Setting Up Your New Classroom
Whether you’re setting up your new classroom for the first time, or changing your existing layout, it is vitally important to get it right. The actions you take and the…
Exploring Powerful Learning Through Domestic Role Play
Young children have a natural interest in their own lives and their own circle of experience. They will often seek out opportunities to play imaginatively with familiar contexts, exploring the…
Curriculum Design in EYFS/KS1: Progression, Planning & Practicalities
Are you currently reviewing your Early Years curriculum? Wondering if it is progressive? Perhaps you’re even in a spin with where to start!
Transition to Year 1 – Getting it Right from the Start
Consider the children currently moving towards the end of their time in Reception. The chances are, you will have a group of children confident in their abilities and secure in…
Early Years Update May 2024: A call to action
The last few weeks have seen the DfE launch its latest round of consultations related to the EYFS. Although it may appear that the proposed changes will impact on some…
Exploring the Key Principles of Effective Assessment
Assessment within the EYFS can be a minefield. If you are looking to improve the processes there are some key questions to consider.
What is Continuous Provision?
What is Continuous Provision? Early years education is special and unique with its focus on child development, effective learning characteristics and holistic approaches. It’s this breadth that can sometimes be…
Building on Children’s Interests in the EYFS
Anyone who has ever spent quality time alongside young children will know that their drive to learn is often powered by their own interests and fascinations. Attempting to teach young…
Navigating the Sea of Talk
Settings which focus on displaying key words have potentially missed the point. Acquiring new words and their context is linked to meaningful experience and talk.
Top Tips for Effective Tidy-Up Times in the EYFS
How is tidy up time viewed at your school or setting? Is it seen as a race, rushing to finish tidying so that the learning can continue, or do you…
Exploring the Story: Reflections on Ofsted’s Subject Report on English
March 2024 saw the latest edition of Ofsted’s subject report series. We reflect on this report and teaching English in primary schools.
Enquiry Based Learning
Enquiry Based Learning (EBL) takes children’s interests and builds them into learning wherever possible, using continuous provision. Here’s how!
Exploring the Fantastic Possibilities of Maths Outdoors
This Maths Outdoors article is also available as a podcast: When it comes to teaching and learning outdoors, this quote from the Professor Tina Bruce always comes to mind: “Frequent…
The Outdoor Curriculum in all its Glory
What does your outdoor curriculum look like? Is it simply a replication of the indoors, or does it provide additional and unique experiences as it should? This article is also…
EYFS Updates January 2024: Changes and News
There are now two distinct versions of the EYFS framework: one for childminders, and the other designed for group and school-based providers.
Change Isn’t Always for the Better
Do your early years classroom spaces truly reflect your vision for learning? Have they come together by accident or been carefully planned?
Storming It Outdoors! The Fantastic Possibilities of Cold, Wet & Windy Weather
When you are thinking about outdoor learning for EYFS or KS1, organise your ideas and resources for these predictable types of weather so that when the weather does change, you…
Providing a Language Rich Curriculum in the EYFS
Moreso than ever, language and talk has become the new hot topic of conversation in settings everywhere. Talk is a key aspect in building strong relationships, developing communication and language…
EYFS Updates October 2023: Changes and News
The end of October 2023 saw the publication of two key DfE documents focusing on the EYFS. Regulatory Changes On October 27th the DfE published its response to the consultation…
The Benefits of a Permanent Dough Area in Indoor Continuous Provision
Explore why a setting up an effective Dough Area will enhance children’s creativity and imagination, foster collaboration and encourage talk.
Planning Ahead: Building on Children’s Starting Points in the EYFS
Assessing & understanding children’s starting points is a vital in their first few weeks. Discover how to lay the foundation for effective planning.
Incidental Learning in KS1: Ways to Revisit and Embed Learning Throughout the Day
Working in Key Stage One, it can sometimes feel as if the Curriculum is weighing us down – looming over every decision we make. It can feel unmanageable and ‘too…
Reflections on Ofsted’s, Best start in life: a research review for early years – Part 2
Early this month, Ofsted published the second in series of Early Years Reviews. As expected, this new instalment focuses on the Prime Areas, and builds on the previous reviews’ comments…
Block Play Alongside Small World Resources
Some areas of resources are most effective when used in relation to others. Explore why small world and block area are perfect together.
How to Secure Curriculum Progression Right from EYF
Ofsted state that curriculum begins when children first join the school. Are school leaders ready to examine EYFS curriculum strategically?
Nurturing Children’s Self-Confidence and Security in the EYFS
Personal, Social and Emotional Development is, quite rightly, one of the prime areas of learning in the EYFS and, now more than ever, our practice should reflect this. With this…
New to Teaching the EYFS?
Survival Guide Part 1: Getting to Know Everyone
As an ECT, starting a new teaching job is exciting, and a chance to put into practice so many ideas that you have seen and heard about through training and…
New to Teaching the EYFS?
Survival Guide Part 2: Establishing Systems & Routines
In part one of our guide for ECT’s we outlined some of the fundamental relationships that need to be formed and nurtured when working in the EYFS environments. Now, let’s look…
Unlocking the Power and Potential of Block Play in EYFS
Block play offers a wealth of learning opportunities across the curriculum, especially with story telling through small world or role play.
New to Teaching the EYFS?
Survival Guide Part 3: Making Time for Teaching
In part three of our ECT series, we are going to focus on the role of the adult in the Early Years Foundation Stage. This article is also available as…
Understanding Ofsted Updates: Navigating Changes to the Inspection Process
Explore the latest Ofsted updates and learn how to navigate these changes with our comprehensive blog. Get essential insights.
Repetitive play: is it ok?
Do you have children in your class who consistently repeat the same actions and behaviours; perhaps moving things from one place to another, putting things into bags or containers and moving them around, or perhaps they are even throwing things? They might well be engaging in schematic play.
Early Mathematical Experiences: Playing Games Together
Looking to enhance your maths teaching practice? Here’s some practical examples to help embed those important number skills.
Early Mathematical Experiences: Getting stuck into counting
Jo Berry, EYFS teacher at Thrussington Primary School in Leicestershire has explored a wealth of ways to engage young children in mathematics, and in particular, teaching children the principles of…
Maximising Learning in Continuous Provision – Domestic Role Play in EYFS
A Home Corner is the most familiar experience the children can have. It relates directly to their own lives and their interests and is something that all children have in…
Play-Based Curriculum in KS1
Do you offer a play-based curriculum in Key Stage 1? Discover an inspiring and informative series of blogs written by Joanna Redfern, Executive Headteacher of All Saints CE Infant and…
Plan, Do, Review in KS1
In this blog, Joanna Redfern, Executive Headteacher of All Saints CE Infant and Pre-School and Selston CE Infant and Nursery School in Nottinghamshire describes how an effective balance between child…
Developing an Enabling Environment in KS1
In this blog, Joanna Redfern, Executive Headteacher of All Saints CE Infant and Pre-School and Selston CE Infant and Nursery School in Nottinghamshire writes about how she and her KS1…
The Impact of a Child-Centred Curriculum in KS1
Discover the impact of developing a child-centred, play-based curriculum in KS1 on both levels of engagement, of both children and staff, and progress towards end of Year Two expectations. In this blog,…
Developing an Effective Books and Puppets Area
There are a range of factors that can result in your Books and Puppets area being less effective, so let’s consider each of these.
New Beginnings: Picturing Possibilities
As we begin a new academic year, seek ways to build and strengthen our relationships at all levels. Celebrate the joy of working with EYFS!
Maximising Learning in Continuous Provision – Small Construction
Investigating how things join together, whether to construct something in their imagination or following another’s design, has long been a fascination of young children and many adults! But how can…
Mathematical Musings
Read our latest blog by Jude Twani, who is an Associate Consultant for Early Excellence. One day I was introduced as an “early years maths expert” and imposter syndrome flooded…
Exploring Powerful Learning Through Domestic Role Play: New Beginnings & Baking
Domestic role play provides an invaluable opportunity for young children to pretend to be the key people in their lives and begin to make sense of the world around them….
Catching Up and Lessons From The Dancefloor
Intensive catch-up strategies in education may fill some gaps with older children but those in KS1 have missed the all-important EYFS.
Working with the Revised EYFS: Less is More?
Last week the DfE released three short videos titled Implementing the Early Years Foundation Stage Reforms. Using a combination of views from practitioners and leaders in Early Adopter schools and…
Putting the New EYFS Framework into Practice
So, hopefully you’re all set. You’ve attended the training on the new EYFS framework, you’ve read the documentation, followed the many online debates and now, finally you’re ready to put…
The Challenge for Y1 – a cohort unlike any other that has gone before
Whenever our children arrive back into school, they will have needs unlike any cohort that has gone before them. The range of lockdown experiences in any given class will vary…
Moving Forward: Exploring Changes, Challenges and Opportunities in the EYFS
Back in the summer I was kindly asked by Nursery World to offer some thoughts on how things had changed since the pandemic; the impact this was having on everyday…
Meaningful Mathematics, A Focus on EYFS Pedagogy
If we want children to successfully embed a range of mathematical concepts then we really need to reflect on our pedagogy first. Effective teaching of mathematics in the EYFS doesn’t…
EYFS in Lockdown – Meaningful Learning Opportunities in the Home
Meaningful experiences give young children an opportunity to embed learning and often provide holistic learning experiences, even at home.
Early Years Home Schooling in Lockdown
Transient art using natural materials or loose parts is perfect for encouraging children’s creative ideas and mathematical thinking.
EYFS in Lockdown – The importance of Valuing Children’s Interests
As we try to get to grips with this new, isolated way of life, education for our youngest children has also changed dramatically. EYFS teachers have been working incredibly hard…
Navigating Early Years Policy: Preparing for the Changes Ahead
In the last week, we have seen the publication of Development Matters, the new non-statutory curriculum guidance which supports delivery of the recently revised EYFS. This follows the announcement from…
Developing Domestic Role Play Learning Opportunities – St Gregory’s Catholic School
St Gregory’s Catholic School, developed their domestic role play to enhance learning opportunities to match the children’s interests.
First Steps: A Review of the Planning Guidance for Early Years
Like you, we have been trying to keep up with the multiple guidance publications issued by the Department of Education since the outbreak of COVID 19. Many schools and settings…
Transient Art and Loose Parts Play
Why is Transient Art & Creativity Important? Transient Art and Creative opportunities will give children a sense of control over their surroundings and a feeling of satisfaction and are, therefore,…
What Comes Next? Key Issues for the EYFS and Key Stage One after Lockdown
One thing that the lockdown situation has given many of us is a lot of is time. As we emerge from isolation, desperately needing haircuts but with kitchen cupboards tidier…
Exploring the importance of the Characteristics of Effective Learning
Do we use the Characteristics effectively? Is the process of learning reflected on as much as it could be? Lets take a look.
Have Your Say – The EYFS Consultation
The DfE’s EYFS Consultation is coming to an end. Respond by the 31st January With so much change heading our way it is essential for all involved in the EYFS to…
Reconceptualising Professionalism – The Role of impactful CPD
Our engagement with effective, meaningful, challenging and impactful CPD will ensure that our professional development remains continuous.
Responsible Early Childhood Pedagogy
Why staying true to your values and keeping informed will help secure the right outcomes for children, despite the latest and ongoing challenges presented by uninformed reports and government policy….
