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This week I began by deciding what I wanted to focus on for my action research project. After reflecting on different areas of my teaching, I chose to explore embedding essential skills within the Early Years curriculum. Over time, I’ve noticed that many learners join my sessions with very limited maths and literacy ability. This gap often affects their confidence and ability to access other parts of the curriculum. I want to find ways of developing these skills naturally within play based learning, so they become part of everyday activities rather than separate lessons.

As part of this project, I’ll also be working with the Essential Skills team in college. They will come in to assess the learners, so the skills we develop in class can contribute towards their formal Essential Skills qualifications in maths and literacy. I think this collaboration will help the learners see a clear link between what they do in class and their overall progression, while also giving me valuable insight into how the two areas can work together.

At first, I felt a bit overwhelmed trying to choose a focus. There are so many areas where I could make improvements and I wanted to make sure my project was meaningful and realistic. Once I started thinking about how often I see learners struggling with basic number work or communication, this topic felt like the right choice. I was also slightly nervous about involving another department, as I’ve not worked directly with the Essential Skills team before. However, I feel encouraged knowing I’ll have their support and that this collaboration could bring a new dimension to my teaching. I’m excited to see how this project could make a real difference for the learners.

Reflecting on the process so far, I can already see how valuable it’s been to take a step back and think about why learners might be struggling. Identifying the issue of low starting points in essential skills has helped me understand how this impacts engagement and confidence. The idea of embedding skills rather than teaching them in isolation seems much more relevant and meaningful for young learners. On the other hand, I know there will be challenges around time, planning, and maintaining the play based ethos of Early Years learning. It will take some trial and error to find the right balance.

By embedding essential skills throughout everyday activities, learners can start to understand that maths and literacy are not just subjects but life skills that connect to everything they do. For example, counting during snack time or using storytelling for literacy can make learning more natural and enjoyable. Having the Essential Skills team involved also strengthens this approach, as it gives the project a clearer structure and ensures the activities align with formal assessment criteria. However, I need to consider how to keep lessons child led and engaging while still meeting these standards. Timing and coordination will also be key ensuring assessments fit smoothly into classroom routines without causing disruption or anxiety for the learners.

Overall, I feel confident and motivated about my chosen project. It’s an area that really matters to me because I see the impact of poor essential skills every day. The focus feels achievable but still challenging enough to push me as a Teacher. I also like that this project encourages collaboration and communication across departments, which can only improve consistency for the learners. I think the outcomes could help both my own practice and the wider team’s understanding of how to embed essential skills effectively.

Next week, I plan to collect baseline information about the learners’ current maths and literacy skills. I’ll also observe how essential skills are already being used in sessions and where there might be gaps. Another step will be to meet with the Essential Skills team to plan when and how they will carry out assessments, so we can integrate these smoothly into classroom activities. Alongside this, I’ll start researching good practice and existing models for embedding essential skills in Early Years education. My aim is to create a plan that supports natural skill development while still aligning with the formal assessment process.

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In week one of my action research project, my main focus was gaining permission to carry out the research within my curriculum area. I met with my curriculum area manager to explain the purpose of the project, what it would involve, and how it could support practice improvement. She was very open to the idea and showed genuine interest in the project. During our discussion, she provided me with key contacts who could help me get staff on board and agreed to regular meetings so we could review progress and address any issues as they arose. She also reassured me that I had her full support throughout the process, which was very encouraging.

Despite this positive response, I felt quite apprehensive. I was aware that this project would be a significant challenge, particularly as it involved change, collaboration and staff engagement. I worried about how the project would be received and whether I would be able to manage the demands alongside my existing workload. At the same time, I felt motivated, as having management support gave the project credibility and a clear starting point.

Reflecting on this experience, I can see that gaining early permission and support was a crucial step. The meeting went well, and having clear lines of communication and agreed regular check-ins created a strong foundation for the project. However, my feelings of anxiety highlighted how new and challenging action research felt at this stage.

Looking back, I understand that my apprehension was linked to the scale of the project and the responsibility involved. Knowing that my manager was supportive and willing to stay involved helped reduce some of this concern. This experience showed me the importance of leadership support when introducing change and reinforced that challenges are a natural part of action research.

Moving forward, I plan to make full use of the agreed regular meetings to reflect on progress and seek guidance when needed. I will also work closely with the contacts provided to build relationships and encourage staff engagement from the beginning. This first week has helped me realise that while the project will be demanding, having strong support in place makes it feel more manageable.

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In week two of my action research project, I moved into the implementation stage and quickly realised it was not going to be as straightforward as I had expected. There were several issues around staff engagement, particularly in relation to essential skills. An essential skills meeting was arranged, but attendance was patchy and some staff seemed unsure about why the changes were being introduced. I felt quite frustrated at this point and worried that the project might not move forward as planned. Looking back, I can see that I probably assumed staff understood more than they did. To try and address this, a focus group was held that included the team and essential skills staff. This felt much more positive, as people were able to speak openly about their concerns and ask questions. I felt more confident during this discussion and relieved that staff were willing to engage when given the opportunity. This week helped me realise that resistance often comes from uncertainty, not negativity, and that clearer communication and collaboration are essential when introducing change. In future, I would make sure everyone is fully informed from the start and that meetings are clearly structured.

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By week three, the project felt much more settled and the changes were being implemented more consistently. Staff seemed more engaged, which made a big difference to how confident I felt about the project. Post-implementation questionnaires were shared to gather feedback, and I found this part reassuring, as it showed that staff were willing to reflect on their own experiences. I felt encouraged by the mostly positive responses, although some staff did highlight areas where they still felt unsure. Rather than seeing this as a negative, I found it useful, as it showed where further support was needed. This stage made me realise how important it is to listen to feedback and be willing to adapt. It also reminded me that action research is not about everything going perfectly, but about learning and improving as the project develops. Going forward, I planned to use this feedback to shape staff training so it would be more relevant and helpful.

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Week four focused on delivering staff training based on what came out of the questionnaires. I felt more confident leading the training because it was directly linked to staff feedback and real situations from practice. Staff were more engaged than in earlier meetings, and there were good discussions around essential skills and how they could be embedded more effectively. I felt a real sense of achievement seeing staff share ideas and ask questions. At the same time, I noticed that time was a challenge, as some topics could have benefited from more discussion. Reflecting on this, I realised that training works best when it is ongoing rather than a one-off session. Overall, this week showed me how important it is to value staff input and create opportunities for shared learning. In the future, I would plan shorter follow-up sessions to allow continued reflection and development.

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In the final week, I took time to reflect on the whole project by looking back over the questionnaires, focus group feedback and my own observations. I felt proud of how the project developed, especially considering the challenges at the start. I also felt more confident in my ability to lead change and respond to issues as they arose. While the project had a positive impact on staff awareness of essential skills, I recognise that clearer planning at the beginning could have reduced some of the early confusion. Overall, this experience showed me how valuable reflection is when trying to improve practice. It reinforced the importance of involving people early, communicating clearly and being flexible throughout the process. These are lessons I will definitely take forward into future projects.