Early Years Education Specialist Jan Dubiel interviews practitioners on the impact the EYPDP has had in their setting
Early Years Education Specialist Jan Dubiel recently led a round-table with two practitioners who have completed the Early Years Professional Development Programme (EYPDP), showcasing the significant impact the programme is having on both early years practitioners and the children they support.
He began by highlighting the transformative nature of the EYPDP, saying,
“It is a phenomenal piece of CPD that has greatly influenced my thinking on how we develop effective training that truly supports and empowers educators.”
The session, which took the format of a round-table discussion, featured insights from two practitioners, Emma Lightfoot and Paula Metcalfe, who shared their experiences of the EYPDP. Emma, a Setting Manager from Warrington, praised the programme for enhancing her team’s knowledge and confidence in supporting children’s development. She highlighted the significant progress in communication, language, and mathematical understanding she had seen the children make.
Paula, who runs a preschool that supports children aged 2 to 11, echoed Emma’s sentiments. She noted the programme’s impact on her team’s approach to teaching Early Mathematics. Paula also emphasised the value of the programme’s networking opportunities, which allowed her to connect with other educators and share best practices.
The webinar also addressed the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly in terms of children’s speech and language development and PSED (Personal, Social, and Emotional Development) issues. Both Emma and Paula highlighted how the EYPDP equipped them with strategies to support children and families during these challenging times.
“Post COVID, one of the biggest things that we noticed was that we had a huge number of children coming to us with speech and language delay and PSED issues. Doing the programme has really helped us identify, or empower staff to identify, specifically what those areas are and what to do about it.” Emma
Emma also shared that her team found the EYPDP to be the best training programme they’ve done, saying the programme’s focus on the three prime areas of learning – Communication and Language, Early Mathematics and PSED – had a significant impact on their practice. Emma highlighted the strategies they learned, such as waiting 10 seconds to respond to children and using quality interactions, which were incorporated into their staff meetings and weekly reflections.
Paula emphasised the value of using technical language in teaching early mathematics and shared how helpful she’d found the programme’s checklist for self-assessment. She also mentioned the benefits of sharing knowledge with parents and the focus on staff well-being, which her school has been actively promoting.
Overall, all those involved in the discussion agreed that continuous professional development is essential in early childhood education. Emma and Paula’s experiences showed how the EYPDP has strengthened their teams’ skills and positively impacted the children’s learning and development.