Investing in Our Team to Give Every Child the Best Start
At Footsteps Watermead, we believe that exceptional early years education starts with exceptional practitioners. That’s why we’re committed to continuous professional development, ensuring our team is always learning, growing and bringing fresh ideas into the setting.
Over the coming year, our staff will be taking part in a range of specialist training programs designed to enhance children’s learning experiences and strengthen the support we provide to our families.
Supporting Children’s Communication with Early Talk Boost
One of the most exciting initiatives we’re involved in is Early Talk Boost, a nationally recognised programme developed by Speech and Language UK to support children who would benefit from additional help with their communication and language development.
Strong communication skills are the foundation for learning. They help children build friendships, express their thoughts and feelings, develop confidence and access all areas of the Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum. Early Talk Boost is designed to give children the best possible start by providing structured, engaging activities that develop speaking, listening, understanding and vocabulary through play.
As part of a national research project, members of our team have been involved in evaluating the programme and have recently completed the final stage of the project. Although we were part of the control group during the research phase, we’re now looking forward to receiving the full Early Talk Boost training. This will equip our team with additional evidence-based strategies to further support children’s communication and language skills, enabling us to enhance the learning experiences we already provide every day.
Making Maths Meaningful
We’re also taking part in a year-long Maths Champion programme, helping us weave mathematical thinking naturally into everyday play. From counting and problem-solving to recognising patterns and shapes, we’ll be introducing even more fun, practical ways for children to develop early maths skills while also sharing ideas with parents to continue learning at home.
Enhancing Outdoor Learning
Outdoor learning continues to be a key part of life at Footsteps Watermead. Following specialist training, our team is developing new ideas and exciting enhancements for our garden, creating even more opportunities for children to explore, investigate and learn through play in the natural environment.
Promoting Healthy Smiles
We’re also delighted to be working towards becoming a Supervised Toothbrushing setting. This new initiative reflects our commitment to supporting children’s overall health and wellbeing while helping to establish positive habits that can last a lifetime.
At Footsteps Watermead, learning isn’t just for the children, it never stops for our team either. By investing in high-quality training, we’re continually developing our knowledge, skills and practice to ensure every child is provided with the very best start to their learning journey.
