Digging deep

'The Foundation Stage was introduced as a distinct phase of education for children aged three to five in September 2000. In preparation, curriculum guidance for the Foundation Stage was distributed in May 2000 to all schools with nursery and reception classes and to early years settings receiving nursery education grant funding. This sets out six areas of learning which form the basis of the Foundation Stage curriculum.

These areas are: personal, social and emotional development; communication, language and literacy; mathematical development; knowledge and understanding of the world; physical development; and creative development.

'Each area of learning has a set of related Early Learning Goals (ELGs). Curriculum guidance for the Foundation Stage is intended to help practitioners plan to meet the diverse needs of all children so that most will achieve and some, where appropriate, will go beyond the ELGs by the end of the foundation stage.

'The Education Act 2002 extended the National Curriculum to include the Foundation Stage. The six areas of learning became statutory, and the Act also specified that there should be ELGs for each of the areas' - the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority. Here are some organisations whose courses will aid early years professionals at work.

Acorn Early Years Training

* Park View, 34 Copperfields, High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire HP12 4AN * 0870 041 6240 * info@earlyyearstraining.co.ukwww.earlyyearstraining.co.uk

Northern Ireland

* Whiterock Training Centre, 91 Whiterock Road, Belfast BT12 7PG * 0870 041 6244 * ni@earlyyearstraining.co.uk

Acorn Early Years Training, the specialist early years division of CJ Associates, runs courses on:

* An introduction to early years: this one-day course is for all those new to early years education. Topics include how children learn, play and learning, child safety, the law and leaving their parents.

* An introduction to the Early Learning Goals: this one-day course is for those new to early years. It provides an overview of the curriculum guidance in the foundation stage, gives guidance on the Early Learning Goals and how they can be achieved through an effective curriculum.

* The Early Learning Goals: this two-day course gives information on the Early Learning Goals and how they can be achieved through an effective curriculum.

* Making the Early Learning Goals work: a half-day course is available on each of the six areas of the Early Learning Goals - knowledge and understanding of the world; creative development; personal, social and emotional development; mathematical development; language and literacy; physical development.

* Achieving the Early Learning Goals through play: this is a one-day course for all Foundation Stage practitioners to explore how the different areas of play can facilitate learning. Topics include how children learn through play, the balance between child and adult-initiated play, the impact of play and the learning environment on the child's experiences, exploring each area of play, linking key experiences to the Early Learning Goals, the importance of play, and the role of effective observation to record learning through play.

* Active learning in the Foundation Stage: a one-day course for all those working in the Foundation Stage to enable them to explore the principles of active learning to assist children to make decisions and become independent. This course will help you to understand what is meant by active learning, how to support children's needs, the role of the adult in active learning and interaction strategies to support active learning.

* How children think and behave: this half-day course is ideal for for all those new to early years and offers an introduction to child development.

* Introduction to child development: this one-day course for practitioners new or returning to childcare explores the different areas of development, as well as looking at various influences and the adult's role in supporting and stimulating child development.

* Using the outdoors: this one-day course for all early years practitioners explores ways of using the outdoors to stimulate development and as a learning tool. Topics include meeting developmental needs, developing and extending outdoor play opportunities, creating opportunities for imaginative and creative play outdoors and aiding sensory development.

BEAM Education

* Maze Workshops, 72a Southgate Road, London N1 3JT * 020 7684 3323 * info@beam.co.uk www.beam.co.uk

BEAM Education provides mathematics education training across the foundation stage, with one-day courses in London and Leeds on:

* Mathematics in the Foundation Stage: this course explores how the stepping stones towards the Early Learning Goals can help to make the Foundation Stage accessible to all children.

* Mathematics in reception: this course for early years practitioners and mathematics co-ordinators looks at how young children learn, including ideas on mathematical progression, use of apparatus and structuring the environment.

* Teaching and learning mathematics across the curriculum: this course aims to equip participants with a range of strategies and practical approaches for implementing the Early Learning Goals for mathematics in the most effective and appealing ways for young children.

* Foundation Stage mathematics - mathematics through stories and mathematics outdoors: this course is in two parts (half-day each). and allows participants to join one or both sessions. The morning session explores stories as a starting point for mathematics and links with other curriculum areas in the Foundation Stage. A mixture of familiar and lesser-known stories is used. The afternoon session looks at how mathematics can be taken outside and developed, using and extending the same learning objectives as indoors. The issues of planning, management and resourcing will be explored.

BEAM also runs a number of Key Stage 1 courses on:

* Helping your year 1 children in their transition from reception: this course is for Key Stage 1 teachers and mathematics co-ordinators. The transition from reception to year 1 can be a difficult time for both children and teachers, as the children are moving from a less structured environment and curriculum to one which places greater demands on them.

* Raising achievement in mathematics: this course will provide participants with guidance and ideas on how to interest and engage children in mathematical learning.

* Supporting your low-attaining children in mathematics: this course will give participants help with planning, teaching and differentiation for low attainers, ways to stimulate and extend children's mathematical reasoning, meaningful activities that develop skills and knowledge, and review the role of formative assessment in raising children's achievement.

* Stretching your more able children in mathematics: participants will identify appropriate activities for broadening children's mathematical understanding with reference to the national curriculum programmes of study and the national numeracy strategy's objectives.

* Problem-solving and reasoning in mathematics: on this course participants will consider how to develop children's ability to reason and justify their ideas, review the teacher's role within a problem-solving context, find out how to identify appropriate activities and investigations and learn how to assess children's reasoning ability.

* Teaching and learning mathematics across the curriculum: this course identifies mathematical opportunities in other curriculum areas, considers key questions that support learning across the curriculum, recognises how the power of mathematics can help to answer these questions, explores ideas for cross-curricular contexts in mathematics lessons, and considers ways to encourage children to make connections between their understanding in mathematics and other curriculum areas.

BEAM has a team of about 40 experienced mathematics consultants. In addition to courses, the consultants plan and deliver in-service training for early years settings and early years development and childcare partnerships. The format of the training is flexible, with all-day, half-day and evening sessions, as well as longer-term support at a venue and time convenient to participants.

Children in Scotland

* Princes House, 5 Shandwick Place, Edinburgh EH2 4RG * 0131 222 2405 * arowan@childreninscotland.org.ukwww.childreninscotland.org.uk

Children in Scotland runs a course on:

* Play therapy - practical strategies for experiential learning for children with additional support needs: this workshop explores the difficulties children with additional support needs often have with 'pretend' and imagination. It aims to give participants some practical strategies to involve children in imaginative activities. It discusses and illustrates how, by participating in meaningful experiences, children can discover, both in a practical and emotional way, more about the world around them.

Crechendo Training

* 1 Grange Mills, Weir Road, London SW12 0NE * 020 8772 8160 * training@crechendo.comwww.crechendo.com

Crechendo Training runs courses in London on:

* Curriculum planning workshop: this workshop gives relevant and achievable guidelines for nursery settings, as well as demonstrating a holistic approach to planning a developmentally-appropriate curriculum.

* Effective communication and assertiveness workshop: this interactive workshop looks at all the different forms of communication and their effect on interpersonal relationships. Learning assertiveness techniques can be very helpful in dealing with challenging situations, both professionally and personally.

* Early Learning Goals workshop: this one-day course examines the six areas of the Early Learning Goals. The transition from the desirable learning outcomes is explored and the teaching guidelines are made clear. Practical support for individual institutions is given.

* Early maths workshop: this practical workshop incorporates designing a maths game for the nursery and a host of ideas to make maths fun for children.

* Knowledge and understanding of the world: this course helps staff identify how best to support children in this area of learning through exciting opportunities and how to resource and organise the environment to support child-initiated learning.

* Language and literacy workshop: this stimulating and fun workshop explores how children develop their language and literacy skills and suggests active and imaginative ways to develop these skills.

* Observation and assessment workshop: this course will help practitioners explore how observations and assessment help staff in their work and identify how best to manage observation and assessment systems so that they are manageable and useful.

High/Scope Institute

* Copperfield House, 192 Maple Road, London SE20 8HT * 020 8676 0220 * highscope@btconnect.comwww.high-scope.org.uk

NORTHERNIRELAND

* NIPPA, 6c Wildflower Way, Apollo Road, Belfast BT12 6TA * 028 9066 2825 DUBLINOFFICE * 00 353 1492 3711 * highscope@nippa.org

High/Scope UK and Ireland's office runs:

* A one-day introductory course: this gives an overview of the High/ Scope approach and introduces its guiding principles.

* A two-day introductory course: this provides an overview of the High/ Scope approach. Issues covered include active learning, the learning environment, the importance of daily routine and partnership with parents.

* A pre-school curriculum implementation course for people working with children aged between two and six: this is for people working in social services, education, private, community or voluntary settings who wish to use the High/Scope approach. It is delivered over a ten-month period to enable participants to introduce the approach gradually into their settings. Areas covered include the learning environment, the daily routine, assessment and adult/child interaction. At the end of the course the trainer will carry out a site visit to support the implementation of High/Scope in each setting.

* A curriculum implementation course for people working with babies and toddlers: the High/Scope curriculum implementation course, 'tender care and early learning', is aimed at those working with children aged from birth to three and lasts ten days over a period of ten months.

* Education through movement: this is a series of one-day workshops covering the development of music and movement with children.

* Conflict resolution workshop: this two-day course covers how to recognise conflict situations and how to teach pre-school children important social skills.

* Cluster group training sessions: this is a chance to further extend knowledge and understanding of the High/Scope approach for practitioners.

* Trainer of trainers course: this is an intensive, in-service one-year course for experienced practitioners with a recognised qualification in early childhood care and education or a related professional discipline. It comprises seven weeks of participatory workshops delivered over nine months plus a comprehensive range of assignments.

Montessori Centre International

* 18 Balderton Street, London W1K 6TG * 020 7493 0165 * mci@montessori.ac.ukwww.montessori.ac.uk

Montessori Centre International holds seminars in London on Saturdays from 10am-4pm, on topics including:

* Technology in the nursery on 19 June. This seminar will look at a wide range of opportunities for the introduction of technology into the daily life of a Montessori nursery - everyday objects, cooking and block construction and the use of computers will be explored.

* Storytelling on 3 July. This seminar will examine strategies for coping with children with challenging behaviour and also explore appropriate approaches to encouraging positive behaviour within the classroom.

* Grammar in the nursery on 10 July. This seminar will look at the Montessori approach to introducing grammar to children in a Montessori nursery and in the early stages of primary education.

* Writing in the nursery on 24 July. This seminar will look at the importance of emergent writing and will explore ideas for supporting children in their early stages of writing. It will also explore the best ways to establish a positive approach to writing and how to help children who are experiencing difficulties.

* Montessori reading scheme - the phonic approach to reading: this seminar explores the Montessori pink, blue and green series and how these are reinforced by early and later grammar activities. It also introduces additional materials that enrich the existing reading programme and explores ideas for combining writing with reading activities, as well as making links with Early Learning Goals.

* Work and play in Montessori nurseries: this seminar explores opportunities for working and playing in a Montessori-prepared environment.

It also examines Montessori's writing on the subject as well as contemporary literature on play.

National Centre for Language and Literacy

* The University of Reading, Bulmershe Court, Earley, Reading RG6 1HY * 0118 378 8820 * ncll@reading.ac.ukwww.ralic.reading.ac.uk

The National Centre for Language and Literacy at the University of Reading holds courses and events on topics relevant to early years professionals and school staff on:

* Hooks into reading on 23 June. This course for literacy co-ordinators and class teachers will enable them to explore strategies for enhancing enthusiasm for reading at Key Stages 1 and 2. It will examine what motivates children to read and what de-motivates them, and will identify practical methods for exploiting books and other resources to promote reading enjoyment across the curriculum.

* Teaching speaking and listening at Key Stages 1 and 2 on 30 June. Since the introduction of the national literacy strategy and even before, teachers have been concerned about children's powers of oral expression, their listening skills and range of vocabulary. This course aims to consolidate participants' understanding of the skills children require in order to become proficient speakers and listeners; demonstrate progression in oral skills through primary school; provide a clear, practical framework for the teaching and practice of oral skills; show how such opportunities may be embedded within the teaching of reading, writing and other curriculum areas; and interpret and explore the materials available in this area - for instance, the QCA materials and others.

* Keeping up with children's books on 7 July and 7 October.

* Supporting primary school reading and writing on 23 September. More and more teaching assistants are entering the profession, assuming greater responsibility and seeking extra training. This course aims to give them a solid grounding in supporting readers and writers. It will cover a range of contexts, within and outside the mainstream classroom and from reception to year 6. Topics will include supporting children's use of graphophonics, syntactic and semantic knowledge, and critical awareness in their reading; effective formats for reading, from individual to guided support; supporting children's sense of purpose and organisation, sentence structure, punctuation and style in their writing; effective formats for writing, from individual to guided support; a surgery about common problems. Teachers are welcome to accompany their teaching assistant colleagues.

* Improving standards in writing through paper technology on 29 September.

This course will explore ways of improving standards of writing, in line with the objectives of the National Curriculum and the national literacy strategy. Exciting paper technology projects, using only paper, scissors and glue stick, will be used for both narrative and non-narrative tasks, with particular emphasis on motivating boys to write. A comprehensive range of pop-up and moveable books and simple paper mechanics made by children will illustrate the course. This is suitable for anyone working with children from nursery to school year 6.

* Storytelling from India on 13 October. An enjoyable day for learning to narrate the rich stories from the mythology of India, using the art of storytelling from ancient Indian dances. Shantha Rao, an Indian dancer and storyteller, will introduce participants to the various accessible and enjoyable techniques for storytelling, with the use of hand gestures called mudras and stylised facial expressions. Participants will also be introduced to a basic vocabulary of graceful movements and rhythms, using music, artefacts and costumes.

* Stimulation and differentiation in reading at Key Stages 1 and 2 on 3 November. With the advent of the literacy hour, guided reading and the reading-related objectives of the NLS framework, for many children the reading experience has become a predictable and uninspiring chore. This seminar will demonstrate a range of diffferent approaches to reading - shared, guided and independent - that are stimulating, versatile and capable of differentiation in simple ways.

* Information literacy in the primary school library on 10 November. This course is for library co-ordinators and other staff to help them explore the role of the primary school library in supporting information literacy and to identify practical strategies for teaching and reinforcing information and library skills across the curriculum. Participants can expect to gain more awareness of the value of the school library in supporting children's learning; greater understanding of the importance of library skills and how to impart them; extra methods for teaching children how to find, evaluate and handle information; new ideas for a progressive, whole-school approach to information literacy.

* Boosting sentence construction and punctuation at Key Stages 1 and 2 on 11 January 2005. The importance of understanding 'grammar' (sentence construction and punctuation) is emphasised in the national literacy strategy framework, documents such as Grammar for Writing and the revised QCA mark schemes. Yet the skills practised in decontextualised exercises rarely engage children or transfer to their own writing. This seminar will look at enjoyable ways of teaching children what a simple sentence is and how to punctuate it; connectives, and how to vary them; the effects of punctuation on reading and meaning; how sentence structures influence the reader; the nature of dialogue: its purposes and punctuation; and how to employ these understandings in writing, with long-term benefits.

National Children's Bureau

* Early Childhood Unit, 8 Wakley Street, London EC1V 7QE * 020 7843 6064 * training@ncb.org.ukwww.ncb.org.uk

The National Children's Bureau runs training courses, including:

* Developing a quality curriculum for the Foundation Stage: this training day focuses on developing a high-quality curriculum for children in a range of settings in the Foundation Stage. By the end, participants will have considered the Early Learning Goals in a quality curriculum for three- to five-year-olds, planned the development of particular areas of learning and prepared for educational aspects of inspection, and planned the development of an aspect of the curriculum in their own setting.

* Language development and communication skills: this course looks at how children communicate through language. It offers practical suggestions for encouraging young children's language acquisition in early years settings, in line with the requirement of the Early Learning Goal for language and literacy.

* Muscles and minds - outdoor play in the early years: in this one-day course, participants are given the chance to reflect on current practice in their outdoor area and on the need for outdoor play to be rigorously planned as part of the whole learning environment.

* The art of storytelling - developing communication and creative skills in young children: this one-day course shows how reviving the art of storytelling can lay exciting foundations for many subjects by instilling a general understanding of the rich diversity of peoples and cultures across the world. By the end of this course, participants will have learned how storytelling can introduce the world to young children, discovered games and exercises that open children's imagination and vocabulary and much more.

National Day Nurseries Association

* Oak House, Woodvale Road, Brighouse, West Yorkshire HD6 4AB * 0870 774 4244 * info@ndna.org.ukwww.ndna.org.uk

The National Day Nurseries Association runs courses on:

* Planning a developmental play-based curriculum for three- to five-year-olds: this one-day course uses the curriculum guidance for the Foundation Stage as a starting point. Delegates will review the principles for early years education, then discuss how these can be put into practice by organising the environment, staffing and planning of activities and experiences to ensure an effective and nurturing learning environment.

* Creating a learning environment for three- to five-year-olds: this one-day course will show how to create an environment for three- to five-year-olds that is exciting and stimulating and motivates them to use carefully selected resources to facilitate learning.

NIPPA: The Early Years Organisation

* 6c Wildflower Way, Apollo Road, Belfast BT12 6TA * 028 9066 2825 * info.nippa@cinni.orgwww.nippa.org

NIPPA: The Early Years Organisation runs these courses in Northern Ireland:

* An introductory course in play and care for young children: this ten- to 20-hour course is particularly suitable for parents with children up to the age of seven who want a basic understanding of play and its importance in the development of young children. It will introduce participants to the importance of play in the development of the young child and the role of the adult in providing it. Participants will also be given 'hands-on'

experience of a variety of play materials.

* Promoting children's learning through adult and child interaction: this six-hour workshop aims to enhance early years workers' skills in interacting with children. Participants will be able to describe the vital role adults play in supporting children's play and identify strategies for effectively interacting with children.

* Observation and recording tools: this course is particularly suitable for early years professionals working with children aged three to five. It also constitutes a preliminary to the NIPPA curriculum planning and evaluation course.

* Curriculum planning and evaluation: this 16-hour course covers the development of short-, medium- and long-term plans, the use of observation notes to inform planning, and how resources can be collected and utilised to support children's learning.

* Developing children's creativity - art and design: this 15-hour course is aimed at all adults working with young children who want to increase their knowledge and skills in providing for creative development. The course aims to encourage the ability to see the creative potential in each child and to explore ways of realising it through creative expression. Practical ideas combined with knowledge of art principles will enable participants to find innovative ways of providing appropriate creative experiences for all children.

Riverside Early excellence Centre

* Minton Lane, North Shields, Tyne and Wear NE29 6DQ * 0191 200 5501 * maureen.scott@northtyneside.gov.uk

The Riverside Early Excellence Centre has courses on:

* The development of language skills through role play in the early years: this half-day course aims to promote spontaneous play as a means of encouraging children to use different types of language.

* How to screen and intervene - a toolbox for supporting communication development: this course aims to help participants to develop skills in areas of identification and intervention of children who have speech and language delay in the one to four age group.

Scottish Independent Nurseries Association (SINA)

* Hyde Park Business Centre, 60 Mollinsburn Street, Springburn, Glasgow G21 4SF * 0141 557 3040 * www.sinascotland.com

The Scottish Independent Nurseries Association (SINA) runs courses in Glasgow and Edinburgh on:

* Development and learning through play and stimulation.

* Language learning for young children: this course looks at the benefits of early language learning and why we should start with nursery-age children. It also looks at the research that shows which is the best age to learn a second language.

* Around the world: this course explores different faiths and cultures that make up modern society. It also reflects on current practice and race equality and looks at how to take children on an imaginary journey around the world to participate in age-appropriate activities that are related to a wide range of festivals and celebrations from different countries and cultures.

Visual Learning Foundation

* Robert Blair School, Brewery Road, London N7 9QJ * 020 7609 7155, also fax * admin@visuallearningfoundation.

fsnet.co.ukwww.visuallearningfoundation.fsnet.co.uk

The Visual Learning Foundation runs courses in London on:

* Art in the Foundation Stage and at Key Stage 1: this two-day course for teachers, nursery nurses and early years staff demonstrates the developmental stages of children's art-making and how they learn through art. It also suggests how to develop ideas and skills in working in 3D.

* Planning and implementing a scheme of work for the national curriculum for art and design at Key Stages 1 and 2: this is a two-day course for co-ordinators of art and design at primary school, many of whom are also nursery teachers. It examines issues such as planning a unit of work, an introduction to assessing art and design, and examining the QCA scheme. The second day consists of practical exercises.

Wales Pre-School Playgroups Association

* Ladywell House, Newtown, Powys SY16 1JB * 01686 624573 * info@walesppa.orgwww.walesppa.org

The Wales Pre-school Playgroups Association runs courses on:

* What children learn in playgroup: this eight-part course is aimed at parents and playgroup workers with little or no training.

* The CACHE Level 3 Diploma in Playgroup Practice, which provides underpinning knowledge and understanding for NVQs in childcare and education at Levels 2 and 3.

* Planning for learning: this 20-part course is for people who have completed the Diploma in Playgroup Practice or equivalent. It aims to improve practice in early years groups and to enable students to plan a developmentally appropriate curriculum. Topics include how children learn, observation and assessment, planning a short-, medium- and long-term balanced curriculum and taking account of the six areas of learning.

* Introduction to children's play: this course comprises 12 two-hour weekly sessions and is aimed at new playgroup staff and parents. It looks at a range of aspects, including physical play, communicating with children, books and stories, food and cooking, music and rhymes, child-centred creativity and imaginative play.

* Managing behaviour: this eight-part course aims to enable participants to work effectively with children in a playgroup setting and to encourage positive behaviour. Topics include how rules, routines and the environment affect children's behaviour, children and choice, the use of reward and punishment, managing unwanted behaviour, and promoting acceptable behaviour.

* Playing together: this six-part course aims to promote good practice in the integration and inclusion of children who have special needs in a pre-school setting. It explores the benefits of integrated play for all children, as well as giving advice and support for best practice in the setting.