Welcome to the CIC, Early Years Community. Our aim is to support the development of Early Years provision in the area by bringing together childminders, settings and ETFS teachers in joint CPD and peer events to help raise the attainment of children in our local area. We are an active community who hold regular cluster meetings and seek the views of practitioners to help shape our CPD offer so it is bespoke to our local area.
Early Years Communities were formed to support the aims of of the Somerset Vision for Children and Young People:
‘We want every child and young person to have the greatest possible opportunity to be the best they can be, to be happy and have choice and control over their life.’
From the ‘Early Years Communities Tool Kit’, the vision for the Early Years Communities is:
‘Early years communities are the vehicle for supporting early years practitioners to deliver the early years vision and work towards becoming self-improving hubs, ensuring effective transitions and readiness for school is at the heart of the model.’
In our community we have three leads to represent childminders, settings and schools.
Lead Childminder – Carly North
Lead Practitioner – Cheryl Herrick
Headteacher Champion and Lead Teacher – Claire Oaten
We can be contacted as a community via EYCCIC1@gmail.com or complete the contact box below.
See further information at the SCC website link https://www.somerset.gov.uk/education-and-families/early-years-communities/#Introduction
Current training offer:
Our 21/22 training offer is as follows:
Training linked to key area in the new framework, specifically Prime Areas– to be led by County Early Years, Wed 17th November 2021 and Thursday 17th February2022
Support for colleagues with new framework and Ofsted – Rebecca Fisk consultants, 2 sessions 17th and 24th March 2022
Forest School sessions for practical CPD – at Greenfylde First School Spring/Summer terms TBA
SALT follow up to training in June 21 – CYPTS 9th and 16th June 2022 (2 linked sessions 6.30pm to 8.30pm)
EYFS one year on, how are we finding our practice with Number? – Tracy Bolton – 28th April 2022
EYFS one year on, how are we finding our practice with Reading and Writing? – Anne Harvey – 23rd June 2022
Please contact us for further booking details. These courses are all available online running from 6.30pm to 8.00pm.
Latest news:
We continue to look at resources although whilst the Covid restrictions are on going, these will not be shared and Sarah Love has agreed with our decision on this for everyone’s safety.
Please look out for the invite recently sent to our next cluster meeting on Wednesday 2nd March at 6.30pm, this again will be a virtual meeting to share ideas and support. This is open to anyone across the Chard, Ilminster and Crewkerne areas. If anyone would like to get involved in leading, developing or supporting groups in your own areas and offering further support to CIC do get in touch with us.
Our All Emotions are Ok boxes are making their way out to settings alongside copies of Dr Sarah Temple’s books. To find out more about how to use these resources please watch the short films below.
