# data[].attributes.body
Please sign and share.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
Petitions - UK Government and Parliament

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Petition: Make Play and Continuous Provision statutory in England’s Key Stage 1 Curriculum

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Revise statutory guidance for KS1 to make play based pedagogy a core part of the Key Stage One National Curriculum, extending the best practice that we see in Early Years to ensure all Key Stage One children continue to have a developmentally appropriate play based approach to their learning.

# data[].attributes.body
Evidence-based research report on maintaining effective provision in KS1, including impact studies and recommendations.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
this report is part of a series of four guidance reports that the eef has produced on the theme of language and literacy. it focuses on pupils between the ages of 5 and 7 in key stage 1. however

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
it may also be applicable to older pupils who have fallen behind their peers

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
or younger pupils who are making rapid progress. separate reports cover recommendations for effective approaches for improving literacy in key stage 2 (ages 7-11 years)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
supporting language and literacy development in the early years (ages 3-5 years)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
and improving literacy in secondary schools.  this second edition presents the same recommendations as the first

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
explanations and resources to provide direct paths of action from the evidence-based guidance to classroom practice. the recommendations represent 'lever points' where there is useful evidence about language and literacy teaching that schools can use to make a significant difference to pupils' learning.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Eight recommendations to support the literacy of 5-7 year-olds

# data[].attributes.headline
Moving On While Staying Young: A Research Report on the Transition from EYFS to KS1

# data[].attributes.subject
Moving On While Staying Young: A Research Report on the Transition from EYFS to KS1

# data[].attributes.body
Research-based examination of successful transition strategies and maintaining appropriate pedagogical approaches.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
What our Associates offer - Early Education

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Delivery models to suit you - available in-person or virtually: Tailor-made training courses Bespoke sessions available as twilights, half-days, or full-days delivered at times to suit you. Conference keynotes or workshops Speakers to inspire and enthuse - whether for a large audience or small-group interactive sessions.

# data[].attributes.headline
Extending EYFS principles into Key Stage 1

# data[].attributes.subject
Extending EYFS principles into Key Stage 1

# data[].attributes.body
An academic exploration of how EYFS principles can be effectively extended into KS1, maintaining developmental appropriateness while meeting curriculum requirements.

# data[].attributes.headline
Play-based Learning in the Primary School

# data[].attributes.subject
Play-based Learning in the Primary School

# data[].attributes.body
A comprehensive examination of how play-based learning can be effectively implemented in primary education settings.

# data[].attributes.body
A practical guide focusing on developing specific skills through continuous provision, with particular emphasis on the transition from EYFS to KS1.

# data[].attributes.body
Explores how to implement child-led learning and responsive teaching in KS1 while maintaining continuous provision.

# data[].attributes.body
A comprehensive guide examining effective transition strategies and maintaining play-based learning approaches.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Transition to Year 1 - Getting it Right from the Start

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Explore the challenges of transitioning from the EYFS to Year 1 and discover how to create an appropriate environment for young learners.

# data[].attributes.body
Professional article discussing strategies for maintaining and adapting continuous provision in Year 1 classrooms.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Why is there such a difference between the settings we create for our children under 5 and those between the ages of 5 and 7? What are we basing our decisions on? Do our KS1 classrooms support the children we work with or do they reflect our views on classroom management and the demands, as we see it, of the National Curriculum?
This article is also available as a podcast:

Compare the learning environments of EYFS and KS1

When we compare the curriculum and practices of the Early Years Curriculum to that of the Key Stage 1 Curriculum we are often faced with fundamental differences in both style and content. Learning in the EYFS is active, play-based and hands on, centred around the child and their first hand experiences: this can be in stark comparison to the learning that occurs in Key Stage 1. Here, children may be expected to learn in the abstract, with many sessions led by an adult then followed up with a worksheet, for example. Throughout the EYFS, we celebrate the 'unique child' and adults respond to the individual needs and interests of their children. Once they move in to Key Stage 1 learning focuses on a particular objective which is then taught to all children at the same time over a period of time that is decided by the adult or the scheme that is being used.

When we compare the learning environments of our EYFS and Key Stage 1 learners we see a tremendous difference between the two. EYFS settings are designed to be an 'enabling environment': clearly defined areas resourced and organised to ensure maximum engagement and independent access. KS1 classrooms may be planned around the desire to provide each child with a place and a chair with any additional provision often placed at the edge for very occasional access. Many resources are stored in cupboards and drawers and are only accessed by or with an adult, when they are required.

What does the research on child development tell us?

Piaget (1952) describes four distinct periods of development, ranging from birth through to adulthood. The preoperational stage runs from 2 - 6 years and is the period during which children learn to use language, think symbolically, and represent their ideas using pictures and objects: they are highly active, learning through pretend play and first-hand experiences. It is not until around the age of 7 that major developmental changes take place; when children begin to think in the abstract (Bredekamp, 1987), develop the ability to plan ahead, to approach problems more logically and understand another's point of view (Robinson, 2008). The key questions here then are, is our practice developmentally appropriate? Is our pedagogy suited to the children we teach or does content and coverage come first?

Continuous Provision in KS1 can be perceived as low level and lacking in challenge and were we simply to repeat the experience children have had in EYFS, or see the time children spend in provision as having little value other than as time-filler or a reward, this may very well be the case. However, when well-planned and linked not only to the interests of children but also carefully aligned to the demands of the National Curriculum, we can provide increasingly challenging and valuable learning opportunities throughout both Y1 and 2, enabling children to revisit and embed skills and knowledge whilst continuing to strengthen the effective learning behaviours they had when they left Reception

The key principles of continuous provision in KS1 remain the same:

Start with the child - what are they interested in, what will they naturally want to do? Are there key areas of learning that need strengthening or revisiting?

Prioritise areas of provision according to the space you have available and how effectively you can resource them

Create a clearly defined space for each area of continuous provision

Make sure that the resources you provide earn their place by providing lots of possibilities for learning

Organise resources carefully and make them accessible to the children

Consider the way in which you group, display and label the resources to provide opportunities for incidental learning.

However, the decisions we make must also reflect the expectations we have for our children by the end of the year and the Key Stage. What skills and knowledge do we want them to master and, therefore, what equipment and opportunities must we provide? This is key to ensuring in year progression and to creating an environment that supports all teaching and learning. Continuous Provision in Year 1 is not just an add-on, not just another thing to fit in alongside the curriculum: it is the curriculum.

Find Out More about Continuous Provision in Year 1

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Taking Continuous Provision beyond the EYFS - Maximising Learning in Key Stage One

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Explore the differences between continuous provision in Year 1 and early years settings. How do they support the learning needs of children?

# data[].attributes.headline
Implementing Effective Continuous Provision in KS1

# data[].attributes.subject
Implementing Effective Continuous Provision in KS1

# data[].attributes.body
Practical guidance and case studies on maintaining continuous provision beyond EYFS.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Tes provides a range of primary and secondary school teaching resources including lesson plans, worksheets and student activities for all curriculum subjects.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Researching play-based pedagogies in Year 1

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Sarah Seleznyov, Director, London South Teaching School Alliance, UK England is unusual in its formal approach to learning in Year 1 - in many other countries, formalised approaches to teaching and learning do not begin until age six (White and Sharp, 2007). Many high-performing Scandinavian countries, for example, focus on play-based approaches to learning, distinguishing [...]

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Transition into Year One: Bridging the Gap Between Play and Formal Learning

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
As I reflect on the countless conversations I’ve had with Year One teachers over the years, a common theme emerges: the struggle to balance play-based learning with the increasing demands of a more formal curriculum.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Continuous Provision: Making It Meaningful and Manageable

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Over the years, I’ve worked with countless early years settings to refine their approach to continuous provision.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Transition from Reception to Year 1 | From Foundation Stage to Key Stage 1 | Community Playthings

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Learning environments for our youngest children as they move through the Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 should bear a warning sign: ‘Beware, free range children!’ for as such, they will become the captive lifelong learners we so desire.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Play is central to how children learn-the way they form and explore friendships, the way they shape and test hypotheses, and the way they make sense of their world. Much is known about how play supports learning, yet little empirical research has explored what it might mean to put play at the center of formal schooling. In 2015, the Pedagogy of Play (PoP) research project began investigating the nature of playful learning in schools. Funded by the LEGO Foundation, the project focuses on three core questions: Why do educators need a pedagogy of play? What does playful learning look and feel like in classrooms and schools? How do educators set up the conditions where playful learning thrives?

The answers to these questions can be found in our new book, A Pedagogy of Play: Supporting playful learning in classrooms and schools! You can access a free PDF of the book, or you can purchase a physical copy of the book via the Lulu website.

We began our research with the International School of Billund (ISB) in Denmark, a school whose mission is designed around learning through play. Our research with ISB inspired a working set of playful learning principles, practices, and tools; pictures of practice (stories illustrating playful learning in action); and the beginnings of a pedagogy of play framework. We also developed a research methodology for examining and enhancing playful teaching and learning. Recognizing the cultural variations of learning and play, we expanded our research to include schools in South Africa, the United States, and Colombia. In each context, we sought to understand what playful learning looks and feels like.

On the tabs of this web page, you can find more details about our research, including some key ideas, resources for teachers and administrators to develop or enhance their playful learning practices, and resources for teacher educators who wish to support pre-service or in-service teachers in cultivating playful classrooms and schools. We also invite you to explore our blog popatplay.org, which offers team reflections and activities, stories of playful practice, and insights and experiences from practitioner and research colleagues who support learning through play.

Since 2015, we have been investigating the relationship between play and school. A growing body of evidence demonstrates that play supports children's social, cognitive, emotional, and physical development, and that there is a positive connection between enjoying learning and academic success. But integrating playful practices into school, or embracing play as a strategy for learning, has proven challenging. In part this is due to paradoxes that arise when play and school intersect:

In play, children are in charge. At school, the adults typically set the agenda.

Play can be chaotic, messy, and loud. Schools often need to be orderly and quiet.

Play often involves taking risks. Schools aim to keep children safe.

Both statements in each bullet above are true, and both statements of each bullet should be honored. These paradoxes are the underpinning of why a pedagogy of play-a whole school approach to examining, discussing, and supporting playful learning and teaching-is critical.
Six Core Principles of Playful Learning
Based on literature reviews of learning and play, insights from educators and researchers around the globe, and practitioner action-research with playful teachers and school leaders in Denmark, South Africa, the U.S., and Colombia, our research team developed six core principles of playful learning:

1. Play supports learning

2. Playful learning in school requires play with a purpose

3. Paradoxes between play and school add complexity to teaching and learning

4. Playful learning is universal yet shaped by culture

5. Playful mindsets are central to playful learning

6. Supportive school cultures enable playful learning to thrive

These principles form the foundation of a pedagogy of play. You can read more about each principle in our book, linked on the Overview page.
Playful Learning Indicators
It is easier to talk about, plan for, and assess playful learning with colleagues who share an understanding of what playful learning means. Together with educators, we co-created working definitions of what playful learning looks and feels like in their own contexts. Through interviews with educators and students, observations, focus groups, study group discussions, and examining documentation of student learning, we developed site-specific, culturally relevant maps of playful learning. If you hover over the points marked on the map below, you can see these Indicators of Playful Learning for each site:

For each model, playful learning is represented at the intersection of the indicators; in other words, playful learning is likely to occur when all three indicators are present. The models are explored in depth in our working papers. Educators have used these indicators to develop a whole school approach to playful teaching and learning appropriate for their setting. Perhaps not surprisingly (after all, playful learning is universal), the models also share features across contexts. Looking across our four sites, we noticed patterns and developed a cross-cultural model of playful learning indicators.

The cross-cultural indicators provide a starting point for educators and school communities interested in exploring what playful learning looks and feels like, and how they might foster a pedagogy of play in their school. If you are interested in digging deeper or co-creating your own playful indicators, the Playful Learning Indicator Guide: A Weekly Handbook for Research Teams can be found on the For Educators tab on this website.
Playful Learning Practices & Strategies
How can educators set up the conditions where playful learning thrives? Based on extensive classroom observations and interviews across sites, consultations with key thought partners, a review of literature (including related pedagogies such as inquiry and project-based learning), and our own prior research and experiences in the classroom, we identified the following key practices and strategies that support playful learning and teaching across ages and contexts:

Practices

Strategies

Empower learners to lead their own learning

Get to know your learners

Involve learners in decision-making

Reflect on learning with learners

Build a culture of collaborative learning

Use play to build relationships

Facilitate purposeful conversations to build knowledge

Foster a culture of feedback

Promote experimentation and risk-taking

Design open-ended investigations

Encourage risk-taking as a strategy for learning

Encourage imaginative thinking

Share stories to engage and enhance learning

Use role-play and pretend scenarios

Provide materials and experiences that engage the senses and the body

Ask questions that invite curiosity and imaginative thinking

Welcome all emotions generated through play

Design for joy

Use play to explore complex issues

Support learners in working through frustration

Click here for an expanded description of these practices and strategies which, along with related tools, can be found on the For Educators tab and in our book.
Playful Participatory Research
To promote playful learning for children and older learners, it's important for the adult learning community to also embody and engage in playful learning. We developed Playful Participatory Research (PPR) as a research and professional development approach for educators to reflect on their playful practice. PPR is a form of action research in which teachers collect data, analyze results, and use the knowledge to develop or deepen playful teaching and learning in their own schools. PPR provides opportunities for teachers to play with ideas, take risks, and explore new possibilities, and it provides school communities the opportunity to come together for conversations about a pedagogy of play. You can read more here about our collaboration with the International School of Billund and the impacts of PPR. If you want to learn more and try PPR in your school, you can find a link to the Playful Participatory Research Guide: An Interactive Workbook on the For Educators tab on this website.

One of our goals is to help educators-classroom teachers, teacher leaders, and administrators-incorporate more playful teaching and learning into daily practice. Here, we offer specific tools and resources that support a pedagogy of play.

The Educator Toolbox includes an overview of the playful learning practices and strategies, and eighteen related tools appropriate for all ages and contexts. We invite you to adapt the tools (with integrity!) to fit your needs.

We also offer two guides and accompanying workbooks, designed for educators interested in conducting their own playful research (and research playfully!). The first is the Playful Participatory Research (PPR) Guide: An Interactive Workbook, developed by the Pedagogy of Play research team as a way to support educators' playful learning. PPR is a type of practitioner inquiry or teacher research-research done by educators. It is a reflective and playful way for members of a learning community to explore learning through play together, through collecting and discussing data, analyzing it together, and applying what is learned. The PPR Guide provides an overview of the process, an interactive workbook to play with, and some additional resources to support the research.

The Playful Learning Indicator Guide: A Weekly Handbook for Research Teams helps educators co-create their own definition of playful learning. Modelled after the research process of Pedagogy of Play, the guide is helpful for any team of educators interested in better understanding what playful learning looks and feels like in their classrooms and school.

Welcome to the Pedagogy of Play (PoP) teacher education resource webpage. Here you will find materials for a 14-session course to introduce pre-service teacher candidates to playful learning.

These materials were created with the support, collaboration, and feedback from over 30 teacher educators from around the world. Feel free to adapt them as you see fit, using all or some of the course sessions. The material can also be adapted to use with in-service educators to promote their professional learning. Below, you will find:

An instructor guide with detailed information about each course session

A course syllabus that can be shared with teacher candidates

PowerPoint slides for each course session

Suggested Readings

Resources, such as Activity Cards and Assignments that supplement information in the instructor guide, and a library of classroom videos from a range of age groups and geographies that are referenced in the syllabus to promote discussions of playful learning

Act 1 Why do we need a Pedagogy of Play?

Act 2 What does learning through play look and feel like in different cultural contexts?

Act 3 How can we promote a Pedagogy of Play?

Project Info

FUNDER: The LEGO Foundation

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Play is central to how children learn-the way they form and explore friendships, the way they shape and test hypotheses, and the way they make sense of their world. Much is known about how play supports learning, yet little empirical research has explored what it might mean to put play at the center of formal schooling.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
It takes parents a year to ‘tune in’ to their child’s feelings about school

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Findings from a major Cambridge-led study inspired psychologists to co-produce a picture book that helps parents develop a deeper understanding of how their child is coping with the first year of school.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
FREE 30-day trial and added value package, supporting your transition to digital

Click here

Play Matters, the groundbreaking FREE guide to champion the power of play in children aged 0 - 8, is finally out, and as supporters of the project, we couldn't be more excited! 🎉

The Guide is a culmination of collaborative efforts from professionals across various disciplines, including education, psychology, health, and play therapy, and includes a foreword by celebrated author Michael Rosen.

What does the guide cover?

Each chapter offers insights and practical guidance on integrating play into various aspects of early childhood education and care and it features top experts in the field including Sue Cowley, Ruth Swailes, Dr Viki Veale, David Wright, Dr Angela Scollan, Dawn Wayne, Philippa Thompson, Tamsin Grimmer, Dr Karen Boardman, Dr Pam Jarvis and Dr Kate Renshaw. Chapters include:

Play and Joy​

Playful Learning from Birth

The Playful Brain​

Quality Play​

Play and Technology​

Play and Special Educational Needs and Disabilities​

Physical Development, Outdoor Learning, and Play​

Play in the Early Years Curriculum​

Play in School-Based Environments​

Play and Sustainability​

Play, Love, and Nurture​

Play Therapy​

Challenging Play​

The Future of Play​

Who is it for?

The guide is FREE, and it's for anyone who wants to promote the significance of play in early years settings! It's to support you and your practice, but also to be shared with colleagues and families too - everyone can benefit from embracing play!

You can download the PDF version directly from Early Years Reviews website, or for those who prefer a physical copy, it is available for purchase for £15:

Come and hear Dr Aaron Bradbury share more information about Play Matters in our March webinar on Wednesday 26th March, 8-9pm.

Dr Aaron Bradbury - Play Matters!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Free Download - Play Matters Early Years Guide - Kinderly

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Champion the power of play in children aged 0 - 8 with the groundbreaking Play Matters guide created by top industry experts - download it for free here!

# data[].attributes.body
An empowering read.

# data[].attributes.body
Planning document

# data[].attributes.body
A timeline and lots of practical tips

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
We all know that feeling of starting something new: a bit excited, probably quite anxious about where everything is and what is expected of us, worried about not knowing people, the nervous butterflies in the stomach that can range from a flutter to a full flip! Some of us will take this in our stride, lots of us will try to, and for others it is a really unpleasant experience.
We ask children to do this every year as they move from Reception to Year 1. They might not be moving very far geographically - just up the corridor - but without careful thought being put into this transition it might end up seeming to them like being parachuted into another, rather worrying, world.
You may be thinking 'haven't we been here before?' The answer is, yes, we have. Back in 2004, Ofsted conducted a report called Transition from the Reception Year to Year 1: an Evaluation, which in part looked at 'the management of transition, including planning for curricular continuity, assessment and recording, communication with parents and the induction of pupils.' During the intervening years, we have had the introduction of the EYFS in 2008 and revised versions of both the early years curriculum and the changes to the National Curriculum in 2014. Most recently, we have had Ofsted's Bold Beginnings in 2017, examining the learning in a sample of Reception classes and how prepared children are for Year 1. It isn't any wonder, then, that transition from Reception to Year 1 is still a hot topic.
What do we already know?
Our knowledge of child development and of the curriculums should inform our practice as we prepare for transition.
Child development research tells us that the step up the corridor from Reception to Year 1 does not mean a change in how children learn. There are very few differences in learning characteristics between a 5, 6 or 7-year-old (Fisher) - although if you are a 5, 6, or 7-year-old you will be very clear that another year makes you infinitely more worldly-wise! We also know that a developmental change does happen at around 7 years of age:

'All of the child development literature that concerns children of this age says that the key changes in children's development come around the end of Year 2 when they approach the age of 7' (Fisher).

So the child that leaves Reception at the end of the Summer term is developmentally ready to learn in the same way as the child that arrives in Year 1 at the start of the Autumn term. The curriculum, however, is not the same. The change in the educational road map that takes place for children at age 5 was highlighted by the National Foundation for Education Research (NFER) in 2006 in Making a Successful Transition to Year 1:

'The main challenge was posed by the move from a play-based approach in the foundation stage to a more 'formal' and 'structured' curriculum in Key Stage 1.'

It was referred to again in Ofsted's Bold Beginnings in 2017:

'Reception and Year 1 teachers agreed that the vital smooth transition from the Foundation Stage to Year 1 was difficult because the early learning goals were not aligned with the now increased expectations of the National Curriculum.'

Linking together how children learn with the shift in what they are learning needs to be part of 'good transition'.

What is 'good transition'?
We can only cover this big question in bite-sized, food-for-thought mouthfuls here! The main ingredients for good transition are 'start early' and 'communicate'. Bryce-Clegg writes 'Effective transition takes time and is a process rather than an event'.

This process starts in the Autumn term when children arrive in Reception and is built on through the year. Everyone has a hand in it - Senior Leadership, teachers, support staff, parents and children: 'Transition is a whole school issue' (Oxfordshire Transition Pack for Schools). This is where communication comes in: Reception and Year 1 staff need to understand what happens in each other's classrooms; parents need information, so they know what experiences their children are having; and children need to be heard so their needs can be met.
Staff
With so much for staff members to do through the year, focusing on transition can slip down the list of priorities. This is where planning comes in - it is much easier to make something happen if it is already in the diary!
Good transition is not just about what the children are doing. Staff need to plan their own transition route too. Evenly spread through the year this should include Year 1 adults visiting Reception to see how they learn and what this cohort is up to; some Key Stage staff meetings dedicated to training for Year 1 teachers in the Early Years curriculum, so they understand and can carry the how children learn into their own classroom; and time to look at the Reception assessment together, evaluating where the gaps are and shaping the Year 1 classroom around these in September (Bryce-Clegg).
Year 1 teachers need to have time to share what the Key Stage 1 expectations are and to ask what they want and need to know about the children. Bold Beginnings stated, 'Most Year 1 teachers spoken to said that the EYFSP provided only shallow and unnecessary information about a child's achievements.' This highlights the need for Reception and Year 1 teachers to be given time to share and talk about data so that it can be used positively to shape an engaging and tailored learning space for young children as they transition from Early Years to Key Stage 1.
Parents and Carers
Imagine being a parent who goes from a learning experience for their child that includes their thoughts and invites their observations to one where they no longer make contributions or are not invited to share their experiences regularly. This can be quite a shock! Getting parents involved in transition is key to reassuring them and their children.
Once again, we come back to communication and starting early. The parents who took part in the NFER research said that communication was the key to positive transition for them and their children. Start the transition conversation with parents in the Autumn term of Reception. If you are re-evaluating your transition planning this may begin with a consultation with parents (Fisher), or it may be a leaflet that sets out what transition is going to look like this year (Bryce-Clegg). There should then be regular points of contact each term, such as a section in the Reception class newsletter about what transition preparation the children and staff will be up to.
As the end of the year approaches, invite parents into school to visit a Year 1 classroom and meet the staff. Bryce-Clegg suggests 'set it up as it will be on point of entry to Year One. Have lots of examples of Year One children's work to share to celebrate progress and attainment.' You may also wish to have a separate information meeting for parents and carers to ask questions. Parents will now be armed with lots of things to chat with their children about over the summer holidays. Happy parents will help to bring happy children to Year 1 in September!

Children
Children have their own ideas about moving on: 'When asked what they thought it would be like in Year 1, children said that Year 1 would be quite different from Reception. Phrases such as 'work' and 'hard work' were common' (NFER). I wonder how positive those children felt about this prospect! We want our children to be challenged as they move up into Key Stage 1, but we also want them to be inspired and look forward to this challenge. 'The brain freezes at times of stress. It is alert to the tension and the fear and cannot apply itself to anything beyond those primal emotions '(Fisher). A brain that is frozen is not one that can learn!
Children who don't know the adults around them and who have visited their new classroom, which seems to them to be all tables and chairs, only once before the summer holidays (a lifetime ago if you are 5), are much less likely to arrive at school in September with a skip in their step. They need adults they know in a space that looks very familiar. 'For children entering Year One, the more the environment, resources and routines are as they were in Reception, the easier the transition will be' (Bryce-Clegg).

If Year 1 staff have been making regular visits to Reception, and if some time has been given to training and assessment analysis then children will already be comfortable about the adults and their new classroom will be set up to reflect how they learn.
Part of the planning for good transition should include child-centred activities, starting in that all important Autumn term in Reception. Regular story swaps, a joint Reception-Year 1 project, a 'sneak peek' at the Year 1 classroom when they're not there (e.g. when they are in the hall doing PE) all help build familiarity and confidence through the year. Plus, they are great fun!
Some children are particularly vulnerable to transition, whether it is because of family circumstances or special educational or behavioural needs, and they will need extra support to help them feel secure about change (Fisher).

Transition is so important to get right, for the wellbeing of young children and for their learning to thrive. It will be different for different schools and for different children. Like everything in education, there is no one size fits all approach. Be realistic about what you can achieve (Featherstone). Have a long-term plan and work towards this in manageable stages but remember to start early and communicate positively with everyone involved.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Preparing for good transition from Reception to Year 1

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
We all know that feeling of starting something new: a bit excited, probably quite anxious about where everything is and what is expected of us, worried about not knowing people, the nervous butterflies in the stomach that can range from a flutter to a full flip!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Listen to this episode from Early Excellence Podcast on Spotify. There are often stark differences in approaches to teaching and learning once children move in to year one, but, does this have to be the case?

# data[].attributes.headline
Continuous Provision in Y1 and 2 - series of podcasts 

# data[].attributes.subject
Continuous Provision in Y1 and 2 - series of podcasts 

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Taking Continuous Provision Beyond the EYFS: Maximising Learning in KS1

# data[].attributes.headline
Posters for Areas of Provision with Y1 NC links/Key vocab 

# data[].attributes.subject
Posters for Areas of Provision with Y1 NC links/Key vocab 

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Get access to files anywhere through secure cloud storage and file backup for your photos, videos, files and more with Google Drive.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Frontiers | Accessing the Inaccessible: Redefining Play as a Spectrum

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Defining play has plagued researchers and philosophers for years. From describing play as an inaccessible concept due to its complexity, to providing checkli…

# data[].attributes.body
All children plan before playing in the construction area.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Opinion

While the Government's new early years strategy is welcome, it holds two opposing views - nurturing children through Family Hubs and a target-driven approach to school readiness, argues Aaron Bradbury

Aaron Bradbury: 'We are being asked to nurture children through Family Hubs, while simultaneously judging them through a school readiness lens that may not reflect who they are, what they need, or how they learn.'

In the newly published Giving Every Child the Best Start in Life strategy, the government sets out an ambitious plan for a decade of reform in early childhood. It speaks of investment, integrated services, and improving outcomes.

On the surface, this is something to welcome, a recognition that early years matters deeply, not just for children, but for families, communities and society as a whole.

But dig a little deeper, and a tension becomes clear, one that places children at the centre of two conflicting policy directions. On one hand, the strategy champions Family Hubs as nurturing, community-led support systems. But, on the other hand, the strategy reinforces a narrow, target-driven approach to school readiness. These strands are presented side by side, but they sit at polar ends of the early childhood spectrum.
Family Hubs: A relational and responsive vision
The expansion of Family Hubs is a positive and long overdue development. Grounded in early help and multi-agency collaboration, these hubs offer support to families in ways that are relational, holistic, and rooted in local needs. They recognise that supporting children means supporting the adults and systems around them, and they prioritise belonging, connection, and trust.

The language used in this part of the strategy is hopeful and compassionate. It speaks to early intervention, reducing inequalities, and improving family wellbeing. It echoes a vision of childhood that is relational, focuses on the rights of young children and protective.
School readiness: A data-driven destination
But in a sharp contrast, the same strategy doubles down on the notion of school readiness, a concept too often equated with hitting academic targets, following instructions, sitting still, and performing in line with developmental checklists.

While the term itself is rarely unpacked in policy documents, its implementation tells a clear story: tracking progress, measuring children against standardised milestones, and defining success in terms that often exclude the very children the strategy claims to support.
This approach risks narrowing our understanding of readiness to one of compliance and conformity, rather than confidence, curiosity, and capability. It places pressure on practitioners to prepare children for systems, rather than questioning whether those systems are ready to receive children in all their diversity and brilliance.
Two Directions, one child
So here lies the contradiction: we are being asked to nurture children through Family Hubs, while simultaneously judging them through a school readiness lens that may not reflect who they are, what they need, or how they learn.

This isn't just a policy inconsistency, it's a philosophical one. We cannot claim to prioritise children's wellbeing while holding them accountable to adult-centred expectations before they've even began formal education.

Children deserve more than this split personality approach to policy. They deserve a joined-up vision that sees relationships and readiness not as opposites, but as interconnected. A strategy that places play, love, and belonging at the heart of school readiness, not as an afterthought to it. In sharp contrast to the nurturing tone of Family Hubs, the Giving Every Child the Best Start in Life strategy continues to promote a data-driven, target-based version of school readiness. This approach leans heavily on measurable outcomes, the ability to sit still, follow instructions, meet literacy and numeracy benchmarks, not my words but those of our Education Secretary, often ignoring the holistic, lived realities of early childhood.
But where is the child in all of this?
Too often, school readiness is framed around the needs of the system rather than the needs of the child. It becomes a checklist to determine whether a child fits into school, not whether school is ready to embrace and respond to the diverse ways children grow, learn and thrive.

In my work with Tamsin Grimmer 'The Child in the Now' model offers a powerful counter-narrative. Rooted in relational pedagogy and the belief that childhood is not a preparation for life but life itself.

I argue in my book Starting Strong that we must stop rushing children through predefined developmental hoops. Instead, we must pause and see the child as they are in the present moment.

This model calls for early years practice that is responsive, deeply attuned to children's emotional and social worlds, and grounded in play, relationships, and belonging. It challenges the notion that being 'ready' is about ticking boxes and instead repositions readiness as a child's sense of safety, confidence, and connection.

As I write in the book, 'The child is not waiting to become ready, the child is ready to be seen, heard, and understood now.'

This perspective is essential if we are to close the gap between the supportive vision of Family Hubs and the rigid expectations of school readiness. Without it, we risk erasing the very children we claim to support, turning them into data points rather than recognising them as whole human beings.
Towards a coherent Early Years vision
The Giving Every Child the Best Start in Life strategy could be a turning point. But to truly honour that ambition, we must align our policies with the developmental realities of childhood. That means reimagining school readiness not as a test to pass, but as a state of being, feeling safe, secure, curious, and connected.

It also means trusting the early years workforce, the very people who understand how children learn through relationships and play, to shape policy alongside policymakers.

The fact that Play Matters has been downloaded over 25,000 times is not just a statistic, it's a signal. It tells us the workforce is already embracing a different way. A way that values play, relationships, and child-centred practice. Practitioners are engaging, reflecting, and reshaping their environments in response to what children actually need, not what policy tells them they must become.

So, we ask: do we need to read the room? Because it's clear the sector already is.

If we are serious about giving every child the best start, we need more than investment. We need coherence. Because right now, we're pulling children in two directions, and they deserve better.

Opinion

While the Government's new early years strategy is welcome, it holds two opposing views - nurturing children through Family Hubs and a target-driven approach to school readiness, argues Aaron Bradbury

Aaron Bradbury: 'We are being asked to nurture children through Family Hubs, while simultaneously judging them through a school readiness lens that may not reflect who they are, what they need, or how they learn.'

In the newly published Giving Every Child the Best Start in Life strategy, the government sets out an ambitious plan for a decade of reform in early childhood. It speaks of investment, integrated services, and improving outcomes.

On the surface, this is something to welcome, a recognition that early years matters deeply, not just for children, but for families, communities and society as a whole.

But dig a little deeper, and a tension becomes clear, one that places children at the centre of two conflicting policy directions. On one hand, the strategy champions Family Hubs as nurturing, community-led support systems. But, on the other hand, the strategy reinforces a narrow, target-driven approach to school readiness. These strands are presented side by side, but they sit at polar ends of the early childhood spectrum.
Family Hubs: A relational and responsive vision
The expansion of Family Hubs is a positive and long overdue development. Grounded in early help and multi-agency collaboration, these hubs offer support to families in ways that are relational, holistic, and rooted in local needs. They recognise that supporting children means supporting the adults and systems around them, and they prioritise belonging, connection, and trust.

The language used in this part of the strategy is hopeful and compassionate. It speaks to early intervention, reducing inequalities, and improving family wellbeing. It echoes a vision of childhood that is relational, focuses on the rights of young children and protective.
School readiness: A data-driven destination
But in a sharp contrast, the same strategy doubles down on the notion of school readiness, a concept too often equated with hitting academic targets, following instructions, sitting still, and performing in line with developmental checklists.

While the term itself is rarely unpacked in policy documents, its implementation tells a clear story: tracking progress, measuring children against standardised milestones, and defining success in terms that often exclude the very children the strategy claims to support.
This approach risks narrowing our understanding of readiness to one of compliance and conformity, rather than confidence, curiosity, and capability. It places pressure on practitioners to prepare children for systems, rather than questioning whether those systems are ready to receive children in all their diversity and brilliance.
Two Directions, one child
So here lies the contradiction: we are being asked to nurture children through Family Hubs, while simultaneously judging them through a school readiness lens that may not reflect who they are, what they need, or how they learn.

This isn't just a policy inconsistency, it's a philosophical one. We cannot claim to prioritise children's wellbeing while holding them accountable to adult-centred expectations before they've even began formal education.

Children deserve more than this split personality approach to policy. They deserve a joined-up vision that sees relationships and readiness not as opposites, but as interconnected. A strategy that places play, love, and belonging at the heart of school readiness, not as an afterthought to it. In sharp contrast to the nurturing tone of Family Hubs, the Giving Every Child the Best Start in Life strategy continues to promote a data-driven, target-based version of school readiness. This approach leans heavily on measurable outcomes, the ability to sit still, follow instructions, meet literacy and numeracy benchmarks, not my words but those of our Education Secretary, often ignoring the holistic, lived realities of early childhood.
But where is the child in all of this?
Too often, school readiness is framed around the needs of the system rather than the needs of the child. It becomes a checklist to determine whether a child fits into school, not whether school is ready to embrace and respond to the diverse ways children grow, learn and thrive.

In my work with Tamsin Grimmer 'The Child in the Now' model offers a powerful counter-narrative. Rooted in relational pedagogy and the belief that childhood is not a preparation for life but life itself.

I argue in my book Starting Strong that we must stop rushing children through predefined developmental hoops. Instead, we must pause and see the child as they are in the present moment.

This model calls for early years practice that is responsive, deeply attuned to children's emotional and social worlds, and grounded in play, relationships, and belonging. It challenges the notion that being 'ready' is about ticking boxes and instead repositions readiness as a child's sense of safety, confidence, and connection.

As I write in the book, 'The child is not waiting to become ready, the child is ready to be seen, heard, and understood now.'

This perspective is essential if we are to close the gap between the supportive vision of Family Hubs and the rigid expectations of school readiness. Without it, we risk erasing the very children we claim to support, turning them into data points rather than recognising them as whole human beings.
Towards a coherent Early Years vision
The Giving Every Child the Best Start in Life strategy could be a turning point. But to truly honour that ambition, we must align our policies with the developmental realities of childhood. That means reimagining school readiness not as a test to pass, but as a state of being, feeling safe, secure, curious, and connected.

It also means trusting the early years workforce, the very people who understand how children learn through relationships and play, to shape policy alongside policymakers.

The fact that Play Matters has been downloaded over 25,000 times is not just a statistic, it's a signal. It tells us the workforce is already embracing a different way. A way that values play, relationships, and child-centred practice. Practitioners are engaging, reflecting, and reshaping their environments in response to what children actually need, not what policy tells them they must become.

So, we ask: do we need to read the room? Because it's clear the sector already is.

If we are serious about giving every child the best start, we need more than investment. We need coherence. Because right now, we're pulling children in two directions, and they deserve better.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Aaron Bradbury: The policy contradictions in Giving Every Child the Best Start in Life - Nursery World

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
While the Government's new early years strategy is welcome, it holds two opposing views - nurturing children through Family Hubs and a target-driven approach to school readiness, argues Aaron Bradbury

# data[].attributes.body
Short read - includes elements of CP!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Improving Mathematics in the Early Years and Key Stage 1

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Support maths understanding for three - seven year olds.

# data[].attributes.body
Page 35 identify skills as required today. As in the two previous editions of this report, analytical thinking remains the top core skill for employers, with seven out of 10 companies considering it as essential. This is followed by resilience, flexibility and agility, along with leadership and social influence, underscoring the critical role of adaptability and collaboration alongside cognitive skills. Creative thinking and motivation and self-awareness rank fourth and fifth, respectively. This combination of cognitive, self-efficacy and interpersonal skills within the top five emphasizes the importance ascribed by respondents to having an agile, innovative and collaborative workforce, where both problem-solving abilities and personal resilience are critical for success

# data[].attributes.headline
Learning Through Play Research Papers Review (2022)

# data[].attributes.subject
Learning Through Play Research Papers Review (2022)

# data[].attributes.body
Short article!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Stay up-to-date with changes and events in primary education using our handy news feed. Includes articles from trusted sources about the web.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Plan, Do, Review: Continuous Provision in KS1 At All Saints CE & Selston CE Schools

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Discover how an effective balance between child and adult-led learning is established & how continuous provision in KS1 enhances quality of learning.

# data[].attributes.body
'How to play'

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Bristol Early Years Characteristics of Effective Learning

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Characteristics of Effective Learning Please click on the image below to download your copy of Bristol Early Years Characteristics of Effective Learning. You can also download the Excel document, Bristol Early Years Characteristics of Effective Learning Cohort Spreadsheet and the PowerPoint, Bristol Early Years Characteristics of Effective Learning Briefings Please click the Image to download the PDF Parents guide to […]

# data[].attributes.headline
Early Childhood Maths Posters - excellent! 

# data[].attributes.subject
Early Childhood Maths Posters - excellent! 

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Well-planned Continuous Provision is consistent, open-ended, welcoming, stimulating and accessible. This means that all children can freely explore a large range of interests, experiences and ideas. It is valuable for children of different ages and stages and requires ongoing adult input. It is a context for sustained learning, rather than for occupying children in between other types of activities.
We recognise that children's learning is holistic, with mathematical learning developing alongside all other areas of learning. This guidance is written specifically for practitioners to support the mathematical potential of Continuous Provision with 5- 7- year-olds, and how we might use our observations of children in these areas to build future mathematical learning. You might find looking at our 'Mathematical Moments' helpful in seeing the potential of Continuous Provision to deepen and strengthen all children's mathematical learning: https://earlymaths.org/mathematical-moments-5-6-and-7-year-olds/

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Well-planned Continuous Provision is consistent, open-ended, welcoming, stimulating and accessible. This means that all children can freely explore a large range of interests, experiences and ideas. It is valuable for children of different ages and stages and requires ongoing adult input. It is a context for sustained learning, rather than for occupying children in between other types of activities.

# data[].attributes.headline
Play pedagogy in Y1 slides from meeting 11/6/26

# data[].attributes.subject
Play pedagogy in Y1 slides from meeting 11/6/26

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Presentation1for cluster group and parents workshop

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
A Good Transition into Year One - Dr Alistair Bryce-Clegg

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
A Developmentally Appropriate Approach by Dr Alistair Bryce-Clegg

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
A Good Transition into Year One - Dr Alistair Bryce-Clegg

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
A Developmentally Appropriate Approach by Dr Alistair Bryce-Clegg