Early years toolkit
Useful resources to help develop your early years setting.
Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Resources for early years providers
- Family Information Service (FIS) information
- GOV UK information for schools
- GOV UK information for EY settings
Resources for schools
Remote learning
- Best evidence on supporting students to learn remotely
- Activities from the kitchen cupboards (pdf format, 159Kb)
- Ofsted Guidance - What's working well in remote education
- Review your Remote Education - Schools
- National Literacy Trust Support for multilingual families at home Booklet
- GOV.UK - Guidance on helping children aged 2 to 4 to learn at home during coronavirus
- Hungry Little Minds - Activities for children from birth to 5
- BBC Bite Size Early Years Resources for Learning at Home
- Oak Academy Foundation Stage resources
- Kingfisher Online Safety advice for parents
- NSPCC Undertaking Remote Teaching Safely
- Home learning - links to non-digital learning activities (pdf format, 308Kb)
- Phase One phonics games play at home for parents (pdf format, 227Kb)
EYFS 2021
- Early years foundation stage (EYFS) statutory framework - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
- OCC EYFS Audit MUSTs (docx format, 156Kb)
- Development Matters - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
- Help for early years providers - Department for Education
- Ofsted EIF inspections and the EYES
- What to expect in the EYFS: for parents
- A Celebratory Approach to Working with Children with SEND
- Implementing the early years foundation stage reforms
School readiness
Wellbeing
Leadership and management
Strategic Leadership of EYFS – Guidance for Headteachers
- Guidance for strategic leadership (docx format, 350Kb)
- Adult-led staff practice observation template (docx format, 969Kb)
- Child-led staff practice observation template (docx format, 967Kb)
- Data analysis good practice in the early years in schools (docx format, 99Kb)
- EYFS Learning Walk template (docx format, 92Kb)
- Governor monitoring of Early Years Foundation Stage (docx format, 967Kb)
- Quality interactions observation template (docx format, 971Kb)
- Quality provision for 2-year-olds (docx format, 173Kb)
- Schools Ofsted EY grade descriptor audit Good and Outstanding (docx format, 158Kb)
- Talk friendly learning environment audit (docx format, 131Kb)
- Guidance for developing an action plan (docx format, 198Kb)
Ofsted information
Business
- Business, financial, and legal aspects of managing early years settings
- Early years business sustainability
- Opening a new day nursery
EYDT Data management tool
Qualifications
- Early Years teachers' standards (pdf format, 190Kb)
- Link to GOV.UK tools on checking qualifications - early years qualification finder
- Guide to qualifications
Data Protection
- Information Commissioner's office and GDPR
- Data protection: privacy notice model documents - GOV.UK
- Findings from ICO advisory visits to nurseries
- Data Protection Act 2018
- Data protection toolkit for schools - GOV.UK
EYFS Profile
Early education funding
Family Information Service
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
Special educational needs and disability
- SEN support for providers
- Early years SEN toolkit
- The local offer for SEN and Disability (SEND) brings together information about education, health and care services for children and young people from 0 to 25 with SEND.
- Early years guide to the SEND Code of Practice
- Early years SEN guidance (pdf format, 1Mb)
- SEN Inclusion Funding Guidance (pdf format, 825Kb)
English as an additional language (EAL)
- EAL support audit (doc format, 320Kb)
- Guidance for Early Years practitioners on supporting children learning English as an Additional Language (EAL). (pdf format, 457Kb)
- The importance of home languages (pdf format, 68Kb)
- Google translate - online text translation
Equality and diversity
- Equality act 2010: guidance
- Getting Started Celebrating Difference and challenging Gender stereotypes in the Early years Foundation Stage
- Creating Inclusive Environments audit (docx format, 377Kb)
- BAME support and toolkit (pdf format, 80KB)
- Anti-Racist Art Education Action Group
The voice of the child
Narrowing the gap - diminishing difference
Key documents
- Supporting the attainment of disadvantaged pupils briefing for school leaders
- Ofsted: Unknown children – destined for disadvantage?
- Improving the home learning environment
- Metacognition and self-regulated learning
Supportive materials
- Pupil groups Venn diagram (docx format, 24Kb)
- Education Endowment Foundation early Years Toolkit
- Early Intervention Foundation
- Education Endowment Foundation Guidance reports
Funded two-year-olds
- Information on the two-year-old entitlement for providers
- Quality provision for two-year-olds audit (doc format, 75Kb) A useful self-assessment tool.
Early Years Pupil Premium
The Early Years Pupil Premium (EYPP) gives providers of early education and childcare extra funding to support eligible three and four-year-olds.
Providers are paid a pupil premium at the rate of 53p per hour for three and four-year-old children. Funding can be claimed for eligible children attending up to 15 hours per week (the pupil premium cannot be applied to the extended entitlement hours).
Children’s learning and development
The home learning environment
- Home learning ideas 1 (pdf format, 40Kb) and 2 (pdf format, 40Kb) and maths and science (pdf format, 40Kb)
- Resources for schools and parents (pdf format, 216Kb)
- Information and internet safety for families (pdf format, 50Kb)
- The home environment (pdf format, 40Kb)
- Working from home tips (pdf format, 280Kb)
- Coronavirus: Advice and wellbeing - supporting children (pdf format, 50Kb)
- Virtual school (VSLAC) - guide to home learning (pdf format, 50Kb)
- 10 wishes for being stuck at home - Creative Star website
- Undertaking remote teaching safely - NSPCC website
- Tiny happy people - Activities for babies, toddlers and children
- Improving the Home Learning Environment
Communication and language
- Dialogic book talk guide (pdf format, 25Kb)
- Dialogic book talk plan (doc format, 26Kb)
- BRISC Surveillance sheet (docx format, 1.2Mb)
- IDP - Supporting children with speech, language and communication difficulties (pdf format, 1.3Mb)
- IDP - Supporting Children on the Autistic Spectrum (pdf format, 1.2Mb)
- Communication and Interaction Support poster (pdf format, 442Kb)
- Improving the Home Learning Environment
- National Literacy Trust’s website - Words for life
- Talk-friendly learning environment audit (docx format, 126Kb)
Literacy
- Bookstart
- Gateway to writing: The crucial role of the Early Years practitioner (pdf format,114Kb)
- Writing resources: Beyond A4 white paper and pencils! (pdf format, 52Kb)
- Understanding key elements of narrative writing (pdf format, 87Kb)
- Writing booklet, for schools (pdf format, 977Kb)
- Preparing for Literacy EEF Guidance Report
- Preparing for Literacy EEF Poster
- National Literacy Trust’s website - Words for life
- The reading framework: teaching the foundations of literacy (GOV.UK)
Maths
- Maths in the EYFS Enabling Environments (pdf format, 7.1Mb)
- BBO Maths Hub
- GLOW Maths Hub
- NRICH
- Foundation Years Maths resources
Play
Physical development
- UK physical activity guidelines - GOV.UK
- Infographics on physical activity - GOV.UK
- The best start in life (pdf format, 204Kb)
- Start active Stay Active
- NHS Children's Occupational Therapy Activity Resources
Working with Birth to Threes
Children’s safeguarding and welfare
Early Help and LCSS
Online safety
Safeguarding children and protecting professionals in early years settings: online safety considerations for:
- Managers
- Practitioners
- Thinkuknow
- Safety in schools
- NSPCC online safety
- Child Exploitation & Online Protection Centre (CEOP)
- Early years sample social media policy (docx format, 70Kb)
Attendance
- Why good attendance is important (pdf format, 837Kb)
- Parental engagement and attendance (pdf format, 362Kb)
- School Attendance Guidance - GOV.UK
- Attendance poster (pdf format, 300KB)
Safeguarding and child protection
- Early Years Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy (docx format, 131Kb)
- Oxfordshire Safeguarding Children Board (OSCB) website
- What to do if you are worried a child is being abused
- Inspecting safeguarding in early years, education and skills
- NSPCC website
- Female genital mutilation (FGM) Oxford Against Cutting
- FGM online training, through the Virtual College
- NHS guidance FGM
- Planning for emergency situations in Early Years settings including Lockdown (pdf format, 222Kb)
- Safeguarding noticeboard (pdf format, 706Kb)
- Updated Keeping Children Safe in Education
- Working together to safeguard children 2018
- Updated Keeping Children Safe in Education
- Criminal exploitation of children and vulnerable adults: county lines
Safer recruitment, induction, and supervision
- Applying for criminal records checks for overseas applicants
- Disqualification under the Childcare act
- Recruiting and Managing Early Years Staff
- DBS Regulated Activity with Children
- Early years and childcare services: EY3 changes to individuals
- Disqualification waiver form for schools
- Barring - making a referral
- Guidance for safer working practice for those working with children and young people in education settings
- Personal file checklist (docx format, 22Kb)
- Ongoing suitability Staff declaration form (docx format, 47Kb)
Prevent
- British values and prevent duty (pdf format, 292Kb)
- The Prevent Duty: for schools and childcare providers
- Home Office E-Learning training
- Educate Against Hate
- Early education poster - The Prevent Duty (pdf format, 141Kb)
- Early education poster - Fundermental British Values (pdf format, 107Kb)
- Early education poster - Spotting signs (pdf format, 117Kb)
- Early education poster - Radicalisation - Talking to children (pdf format, 114Kb)
Welfare, behaviour and health
- Supporting schools with medical conditions at school
- Guidance on the use of adrenaline auto-injectors in schools
- NHS eye tests for children
- Mental health and behaviour advice for schools
- Looking after children and those in early years settings during heatwaves
- NHS Sun Safety advice
- Toileting and personal care guidance (pdf format, 321Kb)
- Childhood obesity, a plan for action
- Right to Go - Helping schools and settings manage continence problems
- A practical guide for staff on managing cases of infectious diseases in schools and other childcare settings
- Eat Well Guide
- Mental health and wellbeing in schools
- Allergen guidance for industry
- Example Menus for Early Years Settings
- Preventing unintentional injuries: a guide for all staff working with children under 5 years
- Gov.uk health, safety and wellbeing in schools
- First Aid reminder (pdf format, 25Kb)
- Immunisation schedule (pdf format, 250KB)
Neglect
Health and Safety
Schools safeguarding webpages
Information recording, retention and sharing
- Information sharing advice for practitioners
- Record keeping guidance(docx format, 117Kb)
- NSPCC child protection records retention and storage guidelines
- Understanding and dealing with issues relating to parental responsibility
Policies
The Early Years team have developed a comprehensive toolkit of resources to support busy leaders and practitioners in early years settings and schools. The toolkit can be accessed via our dedicated website on an annual subscription basis.