CPD opportunities
Our training service aims to support childcare settings in Leicester City with raising quality through workforce development, by offering continuing professional development (CPD) opportunities to the sectors early years practitioners.
Autumn term training 2024
Ofsted's Best Start in Life - Curriculum Roadshow!
Ofsted is running a series of Best Start in Life curriculum roadshows for Early Years settings, including childminders. There is a separate session for maintained nursery schools and any school with pre-reception age attending.
These half-day events will offer the opportunity to learn more about our Best Start in Life research reviews, what an effective curriculum for communication and language, PSED and physical development looks like in the early years, and how we look at the prime areas of learning at inspection.
These roadshows build on the previous roadshows on communication and language. It would be useful to watch the recording before attending.
Two representatives from your setting are welcome to attend. Each person attending will need to register separately. There is no charge for attending this event and spaces are available on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Please note that the bookings for this event are not managed by the Local Authority To register your place, please see the link below.
Date: Thursday 26th September
Time: Schools with pre reception children 9:30am - 12:30pm/PVI providers 1:30pm - 4:30pm
Venue: Main hall, New Parks House, Pindar Road, Leicester. LE3 9RN.
Cost: There is no charge for this session.
Target audience: Leaders and managers.
Booking link:
Ofsted's Best Start in Life Curriculum Roadshow - PVI providers 1:30pm - 4:30pm
Holistic approach to child development in the prime areas.
Recent Ofsted trends would indicate that there in a need for increased knowledge and understanding of child development within the sector. A Holistic Approach to Child Development and the Prime Areas has been created to target this area of focus.
The course provides an opportunity to unpick what expected development would look like in each of the prime areas of the EYFS 2023 and explore tools and resources, including the 2 year old progress check, that will aid practitioners in their observation and assessment of children; to inform planning and to support them in seeking external support if needed for a child.
Learning intentions - Practitioners will:
- Leave with the skills to use a variety of tools to support with observations and assessments.
- Have the opportunity to practice using the tools and apply their knowledge of child development to case studies.
- Be able to use a holistic approach to complete a referral to external agencies.
- Be able to use a holistic approach to child development and apply this to observations they make of children in all 3 prime areas.
Course code: HA01
Date/Time: Tuesday 1st October, 9:30am - 12:30pm
Venue: New Parks House, Pindar Road, Leicester. LE3 9RN.
Cost: There is no charge for this session.
Maximum numbers: 2 places per setting/school
Target audience: EYFS practitioners and leaders.
EYFS Network
To enable schools and providers to plan ahead, below we have shared all dates for the EYFS Networks scheduled this academic year. In readiness for each event, a precise of the topic matter will be updated, with information about the agenda, speakers and activities you can expect!
All network events are scheduled to take place in the Main Hall of New Parks House, Pindar Road, Leicester. LE3 9RN.
- Autumn 2024 - Tuesday 8th October, 9:00am registration opens. 9:30 start - 12:30 close.
- Spring 2025 - Tuesday 4th February, 9:00am registration opens. 9:30 start - 12:30 close.
- Summer 2025 - Tuesday 6th May, 9:00am registration opens. 9:30 start - 12:30 close.
Be sure to save the dates in your diaries now!
Quality Forum
Our termly forum will return this Autumn, offering opportunities for professional discussion, problem solving and sharing best practice.
In response to the EYFS reforms placing emphasis on your statutory duties when caring for babies and young children, we wanted to spend this terms forum exploring what that means for you and your provision. The expanded entitlement of funded childcare places for the city's youngest children, means that the sector will be evolving and adapting to meet demand. Whilst this brings lots of opportunities, we are mindful that this in turn can bring many challenges. We want to be sure that we remain focused on what this means for quality of care and education. With this in mind, we will take the opportunity at the forum to introduce you to the new Under 2's themed Q cards that have been created in response to the reforms and will be exploring what skills and knowledge practitioners working with the under 2's need.
Remember - this is a forum... so come prepared to network, share ideas, problem solve, inspire and to be inspired by others!
Course code: QF01
Date/Time: Tuesday 29th October 10am - 11:30
Deliver method: Online via MS Teams.
Cost: There is no charge for this session.
Maximum numbers: 2 places per setting/school
Target audience: EYFS practitioners and leaders.
Course code: QF02
Date/Time: Wednesday 30th October 6:30pm - 8pm
Deliver method: Online via MS Teams.
Cost: There is no charge for this session.
Maximum numbers: 2 places per setting/school
Target audience: EYFS practitioners and leaders.
Caring for under 2's
- Do you currently or are you soon to be providing care and education for under 2's?
- Have you completed training that addresses the care of babies that is required as part of the EYFS?
- How confident are you in providing a stimulating and engaging, age appropriate environment for the under 2's?
- Are you able to plan and deliver a meaningful quality curriculum for under 2's that is age and stage appropriate?
During the session we will be exploring what it takes to offer quality provision for our youngest children. Whether you are already working with under 2's, have moved within your existing provision to work with the younger age group, or whether you're planning to expand your provision to offer places to under 2's - this course is for you!
Course code: SU201
Date/Time: Tuesday 12th November, 1pm - 3:30pm
Venue: New Parks House, Pindar Road, Leicester. LE3 9RN.
Cost: There is no charge for this session.
Maximum numbers: 2 places per setting/school
Target audience: EYFS practitioners and leaders.
Course code: SU202
Date/Time: Wednesday 13th November, 6pm - 8:30pm
Venue: Thurnby Lodge Children, Young People & Family Centre, Dudley Avenue. Leicester. LE5 2EG.
Cost: There is no charge for this session.
Maximum numbers: 2 places per setting/school
Target audience: EYFS practitioners and leaders.
Course code: SU203
Date/Time: Thursday 14th November 10am - 12:30pm
Venue: New Parks House, Pindar Road, Leicester. LE3 9RN.
Cost: There is no charge for this session.
Maximum numbers: 2 places per setting/school
Target audience: EYFS practitioners and leaders.
Supporting children's mental health and well-being
Children’s well-being has been significantly impacted by the recent events of the Covid pandemic, this therefore becomes even more important that children’s mental health and wellbeing becomes central to everyday practice.
This online session aims to empower early years practitioners to proactively contribute and support children’s mental health and well-being. Through reflective discussions and exercises, you will gain a deeper understanding of how to support and lay the foundations for children’s lifelong wellbeing in your care.
Course code: SCMH01
Date/Time: Tuesday 19th November 1pm - 3pm
Deliver method: Online via MS Teams.
Cost: There is no charge for this session.
Maximum numbers: 2 places per setting/school
Target audience: EYFS practitioners and leaders.
Quality Curriculum
This course will give you an opportunity to explore what a quality curriculum should include and empower settings to begin to reflect and establish a curriculum that is both high quality and that can be articulated and justified. It will also consider how the curriculum fits into the 3 III’s and the language around the EYFS that’s supports this. This deep dive into curriculum exploration will give practitioners the tools and confidence to deliver a purposeful curriculum that keeps the child at the centre. A must for those getting to grips with the revised EYFS.
Course code: QC01
Date/Time: Wednesday 27th November, 10am - 12pm.
Delivery method: Online via MS teams
Cost: There is no charge for this session.
Maximum numbers: 2 places per setting/school
Target audience: Leaders and practitioners responsible for planning and delivery of the early years curriculum.
How to book
To book please send an email to EEDteam@leicester.gov.uk with the course title and course code in the subject bar.
Please confirm the name of the practitioner requesting a place, the setting they are from, a contact number and email address. For online courses, be sure to detail the email address for which the meeting link needs to be sent.
Each person must make a separate booking and log into the session on a separate device due to break out activities – those that have not made a separate booking will not be permitted to partake in the training.
To enable us to meet demand, we are limiting bookings to a maximum of two practitioners per setting. Should you feel that you require more, please contact the EED team and request to be added to the waiting list.
Other local CPD opportunities
Early years support team (EYST)
The early years support team's SEND training programme for Autumn 2024 can be found via Booking Live
Prevent Training
Providers can utilise the eLearning for staff found here.
National: Virtual training sessions
The Regional Prevent Education Co-ordinators (RPECs) offer large, virtual training sessions that are available to anyone working within an education setting in England. They focus on the implementation of Prevent and are designed primarily for those in dedicated safeguarding or Prevent roles.
Prevent in education: training for designated safeguarding leads (DSLs)
This training package has been designed by DfE for designated safeguarding leads to understand their responsibilities and the importance of the Prevent duty.
Click here to find dates and booking information.
Statutory training opportunities
- Paediatric First Aid
- Local Safeguarding Children Partnership Board Training LSCPB | Training (lcitylscb.org)
For information about the Safeguarding Competency framework visit the Leicester Leicestershire and Rutland (LLR) Safeguarding Partnership Board
Leicester Nutrition and Dietetic Services for Early Years Settings
Did you know? Leicestershire nutrition and dietetic service is commissioned to support settings in Leicester City with providing adequate nutrition. Find further information about the Good nutrition for under 5 award here.
Find out more about how you can meet your statutory duties around promoting oral health within the early years by exploring the accredited Healthy teeth, Happy smiles award.
Active Together
See the following free training opportunities made available to you through Active Together:
Rethinking outdoor spaces in the early years!
Outdoor experiences provide valuable learning opportunities . In this session we will cover key principles of effective outdoor practice and help practitioners create a vision for developing their own inspiring outdoor area.
Tuesday 10 September 2024, 6pm - 8pm, Online. Book here.
The power of play!
This session covers how positive play can have the most profound effect on a child's emotional wellbeing and can help children to overcome emotional obstacles and develop confidence and self-esteem.
Tuesday 15 October 2024, 6pm - 8pm. The Hub, Syston. LE7 1PD. Book here.
Music and Movement!
Join in the fun at Kimble's Music and Movement: facilitating a toe tapping, foot stomping, thigh slapping, tummy tickling, instrument playing lycra pulling, parachute waving, bottom wriggling, fun filled experience for both adults and children alike.
Tuesday 19 November 2024, 6:30pm - 8:30pm. Hinckley Club 4 Young People, Hinckley. LE10 0DZ. SAVE THE DATE - BOOKING LINK NOT YET OPEN.
Mindful movement!
This workshop covers: what is mental health, how we can support emotional well-being in early years, undertaking a creative emotional support activity self regulation HIIT and mindful movement.
Wednesday 22 January 2025, 6pm - 7:30pm. Online. Book here.
Early Years Physical Activity Conference
A conference advocating how physical activity plays a vital role in the well being of children under the age of 5. Inspirational speakers, interactive workshops and lunch are all included.
Saturday 22 March 2025, 9am - 2:30pm. NSPCC Training Centre, Leicester. LE4 1EZ. SAVE THE DATE - BOOKING LINK NOT YET OPEN.
Active Tots
Active Tots works to promote the positive impact of encouraging young children to be physically active and how it may help towards leading a healthy, active lifestyle later on as an adult. Active Tots (for professionals) provides information for childcare professionals including local events/courses and healthy tots accreditation.
Find out more by visiting Active together - Active Tots and Active together - Active Tots for professionals.
National development opportunities
DfE early years child development training
The Department for Education has launched a free online Early years child development training course aimed at childminders, nursery practitioners and nursery managers. The flexible online training has been developed in consultation with early years experts and provides a greater understanding of child development.
The training:
- gives practical advice for supporting children in early years settings
- includes opportunities to reflect on your practice
- reinforces your understanding through learning check questions and tests
- allows you to pause and restart the training at any time
- offers the chance to download certificates of achievement for each module
The first 4 modules of the raining are available now. Further modules will be added throughout 2023.
Find out more about the training and enrol.
Stronger practice hubs
Funded by the Department for Education and delivered by National Children’s Bureau and the Education Endowment Foundation, Stronger Practice Hubs aim to support early years settings and childminders to address the impact of the pandemic on young children, by sharing effective practice and building lasting local networks.
Pen Green will be working in partnership with Kingswood Community Nursery (Corby), Leona Smith (childminder in Leicestershire) and Charnwood Nursery and Pre-School (Leicestershire) to form the Stronger Practice Hub for the East Midlands.
Stronger Practice Hubs will support early years settings and childminders to improve outcomes for children in their local area across the Early Years Foundation Stage, but specifically focusing on areas of development that research informs us have been most impacted by COVID-19: personal social and emotional development (PSED); communication and language, and early literacy and maths.
To learn more about the services your stronger practice hub provides, as well as the training and development opportunities available to you, visit www.pengreen.org/stronger-practice-hubs