Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Practice training

NEW - Communication Hubs & Podcast Summer 2026

The Early Years Learning and Childcare team offer Communication Hubs in the following areas:

• Broadland & Norwich
• Breckland
• Gt Yarmouth & East
• King's Lynn & West
• North Norfolk
• South Norfolk.

Here is what you can expect from your local Communication Hub:

• Termly CPD-filled podcasts - Released in the first half of each term, based on the areas that providers told us they would like more support with.
• Termly in-person network meetings - Workshop-style meetings held in the second half of each term, with the aim of supporting practitioners to take the CPD from the podcast and think about its practical application within their setting.
• Opportunities to share best practice, build relationships and network with other local settings and partner agencies.
• Speech and language surgery to allow practitioners the opportunity to talk to a local speech and language therapist and ask practice-based questions.
• Opportunities to speak with your local Early Years Adviser (EYA) and Improvement & Development Worker (IDW).
• Improved access to speech and language resources via a small resource library that practitioners can browse and borrow from during in-person meetings.
• Booking is limited to four practitioners per setting for in-person meetings, and spaces will be allocated on a first-come first-served basis. If you wish to sign up more than 4 practitioners, the additional practitioners will be placed on a waiting list and contacted one week before the meeting if spaces become available.

Training provider: Early Years Learning and Childcare

Target audience: Childminders, Early years group settings, School nurseries and Reception classes, Out of school settings.

Cost: £ Fully funded

Podcast Information Summer 2027- Episode 5: 'Let's Talk... Nurturing Emotional Literacy'

The latest episode of the Norfolk Early Years Podcast - Let's Talk series, is now live! 

Join us and early years consultant and trainer Dr Sue Allingham, as we explore the vital role that early years practitioners play in creating emotionally supportive environments

In this episode, we explore:

• What we mean by the term emotional literacy 
• The importance of self-awareness, consistency and teamwork
• How the emotional and physical environment have a role in supporting children's wellbeing
• The relationship between physicality and emotional development. 

Whether you're an early years practitioner or supporting professional, this conversation offers valuable insights you won't want to miss.

Listen now on Spotify, Apple and other leading platforms, and don't forget to subscribe and share!

Listen via Apple Podcasts: The Norfolk Early Years Podcast - Podcast - Apple Podcasts

Listen via Spotify: The Norfolk Early Years Podcast | Podcast on Spotify

Communication Hubs

Please see below for the follow-on in-person summer workshops. This term, we're delighted to welcome early years trainer and published author, Molly Potter, who will be joining us to explore 'Emotional Intelligence and Supporting Children's Behaviour'.

In this session we will:

• Explore what we mean by 'emotional intelligence' and consider why it's so important.
• Learn how to increase emotionally intelligence - in ourselves and the children in our care.
• Acquire some tools that support children's behaviour using emotional intelligence. 

Early years practitioners, reception teachers and nursery teachers - please book via the Portal.

All other professionals - book via email: [email protected] including your name, role, setting and chosen meeting.

NEW - Behaviour Training with Tamsin Grimmer - 4 courses

Nurturing Self-regulation

This session will enable you to:

• Define self-regulation in terms of cognitive and emotional development;
• Understand what happens in our brains when we are emotionally dysregulated;
• Gather ideas of how to support children to become better at regulating their emotions and explore calming strategies.

Training Provider: Tamsin Grimmer, Early Education Consultant in collaboration with the East of England Stronger Practice Hub

Target audience: Childminders, Early years group settings, School nurseries and Reception classes

Cost: £ Fully funded

Click here to book, using the above code

Behaviour Strategies and Toolbox

This session will enable you to:

• Explore the many strategies educators have in their behaviour toolbox;
• Understand all behaviour as a form of communication;
• Recognise that educators need to become behaviour detectives in order to promote positive behaviour and support children.

Training Provider: Tamsin Grimmer, Early Education Consultant in collaboration with the East of England Stronger Practice Hub

Target audience: Childminders, Early years group settings, School nurseries and Reception classes

Cost: £ Fully funded

Click here to book, using the above code

Sharing and Empathy

This session will enable you to:

• Explore how children learn to share, empathise and engage in social play;
• Understand this from a developmental perspective;
• Consider how we can promote prosocial behaviours in young children.

Training Provider: Tamsin Grimmer, Early Education Consultant in collaboration with the East of England Stronger Practice Hub

Target audience: Childminders, Early years group settings, School nurseries and Reception classes

Cost: £ Fully funded

Click here to book, using the above code

Schematic Play not Poor Behaviour

This session will enable you to:

• Recognise how children learn through schematic play
• Identify when schematic behaviour could be misinterpreted as poor behaviour
• Reflect upon the role of the adult in supporting schematic behaviour

Training Provider: Tamsin Grimmer, Early Education Consultant in collaboration with the East of England Stronger Practice Hub

Target audience: Childminders, Early years group settings, School nurseries and Reception classes

Cost: £ Fully funded

Click here to book, using the above code

NEW - Yoga and Mindfulness

The aims of this session are to:

• Promote yoga and mindfulness routines into your early years practice
• Provide early years experiences to share with children and parents/carers in your early years learning environment
• Consider some of the tried and tested resources by our Yoga Champions
• Develop some skills for your own wellbeing

Please wear appropriate clothing for the session as there is a practical element and you need to be comfortable.

'By stretching and breathing children learn how to focus internally, growing their self-awareness about their bodies and their breath.' Razza, R. A., Bergen-Cico, D., & Raymond, K. Enhancing Preschoolers' Self-Regulation Via Mindful Yoga. Journal of Child and Family Studies,24(2), 372-385"

Training provider: Gemma Lane and Ariane Hoppler

Target audience: Childminders, Early Years Settings

Cost: Fully funded. Refreshments provided. Please take your own lunch.

Click here to book, using the above code

Baby Friendly Project - Infants in the EYFS (Spring/Summer 2026)

This programme has been designed to support practitioners new to baby and toddler practice or those who would like a foundation refresher. It will contain:

• Multiple modules of study that will inspire and improve professional knowledge, skills and confidence for practitioners applying the Early Years Foundation Stage requirements for babies and young children under 2 years. 
• Supported components for you to complete an additional 8 hours of independent learning through practical application and reflective journaling.
• An expectation to complete an evaluative learning case study (showcased during a setting visit) celebrating how you have influenced quality practice for infants.

Each of the following modules will run for 90 minutes, delivered online via Teams and will include a 15 minute Q and A session:

• Module 1: Introduction to the project
• Module 2: Personal, Social, Emotional development experiences for infants
• Module 3: Infant's playful curriculum
• Module 4: Communication and Language development experiences for infants
• Module 5: Physical development experiences for infants
• Module 6: Transformational environments for infants
• Module 7: Healthy infants
• Module 8: Creative arts, Culture and staff wellbeing

(Please note module 6 will not be a live session)

On successful completion of the programme, each delegate will receive an NCC Baby Friendly Project Quality Award - recognising practitioners within your early years setting who are accessing a professional learning community, endorsing quality infant practice. If you require further information regarding this programme, please contact the training team.

Training provider: Early Years Learning and Childcare

Target audience: This training offer is designed for practitioners who are currently working with infants under two years old, and are new to baby and toddler practice, or are seeking a foundation refresher.

If your setting is opening a new baby room therefore you are not currently working with infants, please contact the training team for availability of spaces for this adapted programme.

Cost: £ Fully funded

Click here to book, using the above codes

Communication Champion Training - Core and Advanced

Communication Champion Core Training

Learning objectives:

• To understand what Speech, Language and Communication Needs (SLCN) are and the terminology used for different elements. To be able to understand how these are represented across some key models.
• To be aware of the causes and prevalence of SLCN, with specific focus on Developmental Language Disorder (DLD).
• To be able to identify children who may have SLCN and need further support.
• To appreciate the importance of vocabulary as a cornerstone of SLC development from early emerging language onwards.
• To feel confident in adapting the setting environment, and the way adults interact with children, to support SLC development.
• To have practical strategies and activities to encourage communication within the setting and personalise these to individual children.

Each session will include a resource or activity to use based on the session's content and a task to complete and feedback on at the following session.  These will be based upon Plan Do Review templates.

Training provider: Communicate

Target audience: Childminders, Early years group settings, School nurseries and Reception classes, Out of school settings

Cost: £ Fully funded

Click here to book, using the above code

Communication Champion Advanced Training

You must have completed the Communication Champion Core training before attending this Advanced course.

Learning Objectives:

To build on knowledge from the Core training:

• To have a greater understanding of specific SLCN areas.
• To increase knowledge in assessing these areas.
• To have specific strategies and activities to develop skills in the specific areas.
• To consider children both in a medical 'deficit' model, as well as a functional 'social' model when setting targets.
• To demonstrate an ability to integrate all the teaching and apply this to case studies.

Each session will include a resource or activity to use based on the session's content and a task to complete and feedback on at the following session.  These will be based upon Plan Do Review templates.

Training provider: Communicate 

Target audience: Childminders, Early years group settings, School nurseries and Reception classes, Out of school settings

Cost: £ Fully funded

Click here to book, using the above codes

Preparing for and Managing Critical Incidents

What is a critical incident?

An event or events, usually sudden, which involve the experience of significant personal distress to a level which potentially overwhelms normal responses, procedures, and coping strategies and which is likely to have emotional and organisational consequences.

These will be 2 bite-sized, interactive workshop sessions in which you will learn how to prepare for and feel confident about managing a Critical Incident in your setting​.

There will be the opportunity to respond and reflect on actions you may need to take in ensuring that you and your setting are as prepared as possible for a critical incident.

Attendance at both of the hour-long sessions is essential.

Delegates need to access a microphone and camera during the course; therefore, it is recommended that the training is undertaken on a computer/laptop.

Training provider: Educational Psychology Support Service Critical Incident Leads and Early Years and Childcare

Target audience: Childminders, Early years group settings, Out of school settings, School nurseries and Reception classes

Cost: £ Fully funded

Click here to book, using the above codes

Supporting Bereaved Children in Early Years

A training course offering Early Years Foundation Stage practitioners the opportunity to gain knowledge about the impact a death could have on children in their setting.

This course will offer delegates the opportunity to learn key strategies in dealing with this issue and being able to provide the appropriate support.

Death and dying is part of life, but as adults we find it difficult to talk with children about these issues, and we are often not quite sure about what support young children need and what their understanding is.

Statistics suggest that between 2% and 3% of children under five in Britain will lose a parent, main carer or sibling through death.

The aims of this session are:

• To increase your awareness of the issues surrounding bereavement in young children.
• To help you feel more confident about supporting bereaved children and their parents or carers.

Delegates need to access a microphone and camera during the course; therefore, it is recommended that the training is undertaken on a computer/laptop.

Training Provider: Cherie Pointon, Educational Psychology Support Service

Target audience: Childminders, Early years group settings, School nurseries and Reception classes

Cost: £ Fully funded

Click here to book, using the above codes