personal statement examples for early years practitioner

Childhood Studies Personal Statement

Example Childhood Studies Personal Statement

My natural ability to connect with children, range of work experience and love of learning are qualities I have, which I believe make me an ideal candidate to embark on the Childhood Studies degree. I am keen to further my understanding and knowledge of child psychology, development, care and education. This course offers me the opportunity to engage this curiosity and take my skills to the next level.

From a young age, I have been involved in my younger siblings learning and development. I gained a sense of pride and achievement, as I helped them grow in to strong readers and independent thinkers. Having the patience to explain new words, sentences and concepts with clarity, to a younger audience has pushed me forward to discover how children develop their mind.

As a nursery nurse at Wonderland Nursery and McMillan Nursery, I worked with children from birth to around seven years, helping them to develop and learn new skills. I was highly involved in planning and supervising activities such as arts and crafts, music and cooking. Other activities included counting games, reading stories and developing language skills. It was interesting to note the range of abilities in children of the same age, from potty training and the use of cutlery. Helping children develop their communication, tactile, logical and self-sufficiency skills is highly rewarding, as I could see their improvements and use of new skills, on a daily basis. My communication and teamwork skills were rapidly developed, as I needed to speak with babies and inquisitive toddlers to co-workers and parents. It was essential to be highly organised, conscientious and reliable, as structure and order are necessary for a smooth and successful operation of nursery.

As a teaching assistant at Cherry Lane Primary School and Colham Manor Primary School, I gained work experience with an older age range of children in a different environment. I was responsible for assisting classes of a high number, providing one-on-one guidance to pupils who needed additional support. Here I gained the opportunity see how lesson plans are created, structured and fit with the curriculum. Positive communication and enthusiasm were essential for presenting a new ideas and reinforcing older learnings. I found this made it easier for children to communicate with me, an adult. Being a creative and perceptive person, I am able to teach in a clear, easy and engaging way. I understand that children have different ways of learning; therefore flexibility and adaptability to ways of teaching are essential.

I am currently involved in a variety of volunteer activities with children. As a Reading Buddy, I encourage and support children who have difficulty reading, who are shy and will not read aloud. As a Pyramid Club Leader, I work with children to build their self-esteem, which involves creating and preparing activities and team games. I am responsible for the care of children during the Barnowls Afterschool Club. I learnt how children need to slowly build their confidence and gain trust, to overcome their personal obstacles.

My experience working with children has developed my leadership skills, use of initiative, organisation and time management. I have gained a greater insight in to a range of ages and their development levels from home, natural curiosity and learning environments. My proactive approach to pursuing this career path reflects my motivation and ambition to succeed on the course. In my free time, I enjoy regular exercise activities. This has taught me personal health of the body and mind helps me focus and fully apply myself to the task at hand.

Childhood Studies is the next step in my career. History, psychology, law, special needs, management and future education, are areas I wish to gain a higher level of knowledge.

We hope that this example Childhood Studies personal statement will act as a useful guide for when you are writing your personal statement.

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Early childhood studies personal statement example 5.

Ever since I could remember I have always wanted to play a big part in children’s education. As I was growing up I could see children of my age in Africa struggling to go to school because of their circumstances. It’s always been my goal in life to become an early year’s teacher and see children achieve their ambitions. Helping them to achieve what they want in life is a big ambition of mine.

Studying Childcare Level 3 gave me the opportunity to be one week at school and the other week at placement and these include primary schools, special needs schools and nurseries. I really enjoy my work placements because they have helped me to extend my theoretical and practical knowledge of children. My role in placements is to help children, who are struggling and less able, provide age appropriate activities, singing with them, listening to them read and also reading to them.

I was most certain that I wanted to do this course after having my work placement in Year 10 at James Elliman Primary School. It was the most fascinating and interesting experience, I totally enjoyed working with children. I just loved the thought of waking up and knowing today am going to see them learn, help them learn and see them achieve and solve problems. This made me realise that becoming an early year’s teacher was what I always wanted to do.

Working at McDonalds as a crew trainer; has helped me to learn to work in a busy environment. Working with people from different backgrounds, working as a team member, and communicating effectively with customers and other members of staff has been a learning curve. Having to teach new crew members have given me more responsibility. I also have a Basic Food Hygiene Certificate and I have a First Aid Certificate for children.

I consider myself as a hardworking and self-motivated individual who enjoys facing challenges and finding a professional way to deal with them. I enjoy listening to children and members of staff and take their thoughts into consideration. Listening to other members of staff and getting feedback helps me to learn because I will know what areas I need to improve. I feel that my good communication skills are very essential when working as a team especially when children are involved.

In my leisure time when am not studying I enjoy socialising, travelling, listening music and baby sitting my cousins, as well as help out in school when they have an events going on e.g. Open Days. Every week on a Wednesday I always do reading buddies with year 7 classes and this helps them with their vocabulary and words.

My future plans are to complete my Childcare L3 Diploma and get the required grades that will allow entry into university for a degree in Early childhood Studies. This degree will allow me to do a PGCE so I will be able to pursue a career as an early year’s teacher. This degree will allow me to gain the skills and experience I need to work with children. I look forward to going to university because this will allow me to pursue the career in life that I think I will find the most fulfilling. It is hugely important to enjoy what you do as working is such a big part of your life.

Profile info

This personal statement was written by geekykid1 for application in 2011.

geekykid1's university choices Oxford Brookes University The University of Birmingham University of Southampton University of Bath Nottingham Trent University

Green : offer made Red : no offer made

geekykid1's Comments

can you please tell me what you think and were i can improve?? PLEASE DO NOT TELL ME EVERYTHING IS PERFCECT !!! thank you x

This personal statement is unrated

Related Personal Statements

It seems like you have plenty.

Fri, 14/01/2011 - 12:59

It seems like you have plenty of experience around teaching therefore you dont really need to dedicate a paragraph to your employment with mcdonalds. It is a good personal statment though, it reads quite well.

Which university gave you an

Sun, 11/09/2011 - 16:58

Which university gave you an offer from the choices you listed?

Everything is perfect ;)

Tue, 18/12/2012 - 13:28

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Personal statement example childhood studies personal statement.

Submitted by Lubay

Teaching is your opportunity to make a difference.

Choose Sunderland - a uni with over 100 years of experience in teaching, where you will gain the skills you need to excel in this rewarding career.

Do you want to inspire young people and help change lives?

Choose to study Education at Roehampton, one of the UK's leading providers of teacher education.

Childhood Studies Personal Statement

Children should have somebody that believes in them and supports them to become the person that they aspire to be. Working with children and assisting them in achieving their goals in life is a huge ambition of mine. I enjoy interacting with children on their own level; gaining insight into their perception of the world.

I am currently studying A-levels in Sociology, Philosophy and Ethics and an AS in textiles. These A levels not only equip me for academic life at university but also developed my understanding of early childhood educational studies. Two of the topics of my sociology A-level are dedicated to education and childhood. These topics have given me an understanding of how childhood is not the same for every child because everyone comes from a different background. This is called a social construction. Sociologist Sue Palmer says there are five important things that children need during their childhood. These are play, language, love, education and discipline. Philosophy and Ethics has reconfigured my perception of the universe because it has improved my analytical skills, seeing events form more than one perspective. Studying Textiles has made me improve how I manage my time as it involves me doing practical and theoretical skills for my coursework. This is useful when it comes to having to do work placements with my degree at university. Textile has enhanced my creativity by thinking of different textiles techniques to add to my coursework. People who are involved with working with children will have to think about things from a child’s perspective and need to be creative at solving problems so that the children can understand more easily.

My interest in teaching children developed through my work experience at a local nursery. This involved me providing support to children with mathematics, reading and writing on a one to one and class group basis. I ensured that the pupils that I supported were able to engage in learning and stay on task during the lesson.

I have volunteered at QMC Hospital Nottingham in the adult ward for the last 3 months: providing help and assistance to patients at mealtimes. I interacted with numerous members of patients and staff. This had led to my understanding of the importance of basic routine tasks in a hospital to support patients in creating a sense of stability. I learned quickly how to deal with people who were reliant on me for help. Volunteering is one of the things that I can really do for other people and putting them first. I have also gained knowledge and experience on how to safeguard and promote the welfare of the vulnerable elderly. I have also been involved with Young Enterprise scheme. I had leadership responsibility for marketing and advertisement. My skills in marketing were developed through promoting my brand through talking to the public. These work experiences develop my communication skills. I can now speak clearly, thoughtfully and without feeling nervous.

In 2015, I undertook a voluntary work placement in Tanzania where I supervised a group of children aged between 3 and 5. This is where I discovered that I had a flair for building a good rapport with children without compromising my position of authority. Working with children at those ages is a real critical point of development in their life because given the right opportunities they can develop new skills of understanding the world.

In the future, I aim to work with children. My experiences tell me that this work will be enormously rewarding. I feel the rewards of a professional career in teaching would satisfy the goals I have hoped to achieve for quite a while. I believe that with my enthusiasm, positive attitudes and strong interest in study your course will give me a firm foundation on which I can build my career, working with children. I can think of no better or more satisfying path to pursue.

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x3 EYFS Leader Job Application - Personal Statement, Letter

Subject: Pedagogy and professional development

Age range: 3-5

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24 April 2023

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Are you a talented Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Leader looking to take the next step in your career? Our expertly-crafted product includes three top-quality job application letters designed specifically for EYFS Leader positions.

Tailored to showcase your skills and experience in creating engaging learning environments for young children, our outstanding job application letters are sure to impress recruiters. With a focus on the needs of EYFS students, these letters highlight your ability to create positive relationships with children and their families, and lead a team of educators.

Whether you’re a seasoned EYFS Leader or just starting your career, our product is the perfect tool to help you secure your dream job. Invest in your future today with our top-quality EYFS Leader job application letters and unlock your potential as an educator.

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How to be the best Early Years Practitioner

Working in a nursery is not for everyone. It takes a special kind of person to put others’ needs before their own and help children t ake their first steps, make their first friends, and discover a world of fun.   

If you want to become an early years practitioner or are currently qualifying, you have a n exciting journey ahead. Being the best early years practitioner you can be requires hard work and dedication.

We share tips and advice on how to be an outstanding practitioner, read on to find out how .    

What is an Early Years Practitioner?

An early years practitioner works with babies and children up to age 5. They are responsible for the children’s well-being, safety, and development in their care. This is a demanding but extremely rewarding vocation.   

In the UK, the average early years practitioner salary ranges from £14,000 to £23,000 for a full-time position. The hourly rate var ies depending on the qualifications held. There is a lack of understanding surrounding the challenge and skills required to be an outstanding early years practitioner.    

Early years advocate and founder of Oliiki , Clare Stead, explained this in a recent interview about the importance of practitioners for baby brain development . Highlighting the misunderstanding behind the value an early years practitioner brings to a child and their family.  

“We must raise the professional conversation when we interact with parents of the nursery. The development our early years practitioners are planning and delivering daily must be recognised and celebrated.” Clare Stead, Oliiki Founder Tweet

What's the different between a Level 2 and a Level 3 Early Years Practitioner?

In short, the difference between a Level 2 and Level 3 early years practitioner boils down to qualifications. A Level 3 practitioner is known as an early years educator and will have completed Level 3 (or have other qualifications to satisfy the requirements). They will be used in staff planning as a Level 3 , and their wage will reflect this.   

A Level 2 early years practitioner will have fewer supervisory responsibilities than a Level 3. Level 2 is often the entry-level qualification when beginning a career in the early years. Level 2 and 3 practitioners can work in various environments, including nurseries, pre-schools, playgroups, social care settings, and hospital provisions .    

Early years practitioners’ roles are diverse, depending on the age range they work with. Their days will be filled with supporting children to achieve their potential, interact with new experiences and build the foundations th eir adult lives will rely on.  

Looking to get into the early years? Sadly we can’t get you a job, but we can explore how to become an Early Y ears Practitioner in the UK.   

How can you become an Early Years Practitioner?

To work in a nursery, you can gain qualifications through a college course, a childcare apprenticeship or through previous experience you may have. Department for Education (DfE) requirements must be satisfied to be included in ratios.   

To become an early years practitioner (Level 2) , it typically takes 12 months to complete the course , including on-the-job learning time to study and complete tasks. 

A L evel 3 early years educator course is 18 months long and has similar study requirements (this level also asks for Maths and English qualification proof).   

Many local nurseries are always looking to fill vacancies for Level 2 and Level 3 practitioners. If you’re interested, contact a nursery advertising and chat with the manager to learn more about their career opportunities.   

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Like any career, it takes hard work and determination to become the best in your field. To become an outstanding early years practitioner, you must be aware of several areas .   

If you’d like updates on these areas straight to your inbox, subscribe to o ur free Blossom blog .   

Let’s look at the areas you should know about:  

• Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)  
• EYFS activities   
• Staying up to date with early years news  
• Maximising your study potential  
• Learning from others  
• Efficient admin processes   
• Continuing Professional Development (CPD) and progression  

SEND top tips for Early Years Practitioners

The number of children identified with SEND is steadily increasing. The top 3 main areas of SEN Support are:   

• Speech, language and communication needs (SLCN)  
• Social, emotional and mental health (SEMH)  
• Moderate learning difficulties (MLD)  

Supporting children with SEND in the early years can be challenging, especially with a limited budget. Awareness of the early identification signs for different SEND needs is essential .   

You cannot be expected to be an expert on every SEND need, but having some background information and top tips is useful .   

Top SEND tips for early years practitioners:   

• The need that is being presented may not be the primary need  
• Approach all displays of behaviour or communication with curiosity   
• Record all information , it will help to build a bigger picture   
• Build positive relationships with the families   
• Recognise every child is unique and may display their needs differently  

EYFS activities to try in your nursery

Having a bank of EYFS activities up your sleeve is essential when working in a nursery. To be an outstanding practitioner, you must go beyond the fun activity and understand the why and purpose of the activity, game or task.   

For example, EYFS messy play activities are exciting , and children love to play with different textures and materials. However, are you aware that children are beginning to develop the dexterity and hand strength needed to grip a pencil by playing in the sand ?   

We have a range of EYFS activities for you to try, from seasonal early years activities to tuff tray ideas— access hundreds of activities, games and tasks to try in your nursery via our blog.  

Stay up to date as an Early Years Practitioner

The 2024 changes in the early years will impact your training as a practitioner or even how you operate in the nursery on a day-to-day basis. Staying up to date with government changes and proposals is helpful to your professional development and can prepare you to help parents and carers if asked.   

Know how to study as an Early Years Practitioner

If you are completing your early years practitioner qualifications, you will be required to study. Now, for some, this may seem daunting. But this needn’t be the case!   

A large proportion of adults are unaware of how they learn best. School learning may have fallen into a one-size-fits-all approach when you were at school (although the focus on meta-cognition in the National Curriculum is trying to move away from this), m eaning you may n eed help understanding how you learn best.   

There are quizzes you can take to find your learning style and lots of helpful study tips available online (like using online timers and breaking your study into small, manageable tasks).   

Learn from other Early Years Practitioners

Your work colleagues are an invaluable source of knowledge. But s imply saying ‘learn from your peers’ doesn’t provide much direction on how to do so.

When looking at the other nursery workers o n your team, consider the individual skills you would like to build as an early years practitioner. 

Here are some areas you may want to find an ‘expert’ in:   

• SEND support   
• Making strong relationships with parents    
• Managing challenging conversations    
• Organisation and paperwork efficiency   
• Ambition and drive   
• Leadership skills   

Identify the areas you would like to develop as an early years practitioner and find a colleague to help you. Can’t find someone for a particular area? Work with your nursery manager to find a mentor from another nursery or local childcare provider so you can pick their brains and learn from them. 

Remember, the only silly questions are those you don’t ask!  

Be efficient with paperwork

EYFS paperwork can be challenging to keep on top of. Regularly updating a child’s all about me information , recording of incidents and nappy changes can become overwhelming. It is important to look at the to o ls you have available to make your EYFS paperwork as simple as possible.   

Nursery software is designed to make life easier as an early years practition er. Blossom’s nursery software allows managers and practitioners access various features that will save time when recording a child ‘s observation, contacting parents, recording attendance, and so much more.   

Want to see how Blossom can help improve your paperwork efficiency? Have a look through all of our nursery software features.    

Early years CPD: Know the options available

The field of early years is constantly changing. New qualifications, funding and prog ression routes are available to those in early years. It is important to know your interests in EYFS and how you can progress in the direction you’d like.  

Your nursery may also offer a bespoke CPD plan to help you continually improve as a practitioner.   

For example, if your strength and passion lie in SEND and early identification, you should be aware of the EYFS SENDCo funding and support available from the DfE .   

Sign up to our newsletter for more Early Years insight!

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Child Care Reference Letter and Email Examples

How to Write a Reference Letter for a Child Care Position

Reference letter for child care example, sending an email reference letter, child care email reference example.

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A good reference can help a job seeker stand out from the competition in any field. But in child care, solid references are essential. If you've been asked to write a reference letter for someone applying for a child care position, you can bet that the hiring manager will put significant weight on your recommendation.

To ensure that your letter helps your contact make a good impression, review sample reference letters for a child care position. Remember to include specifics and use these examples as a guide to help you get started.

Keep in mind the following tips when you're writing your letter:

Be Specific

Include examples of the applicant's interactions with children. You can highlight  skills and qualifications  that make them a strong candidate, such as multitasking, communication, and any related coursework or certifications.

Highlight Their Character

You’ll be providing an endorsement of the person's ability to do the job and your confidence in them. But perhaps most importantly, you’ll be  attesting to their character . Whether the hiring manager is a parent or an administrator, they’ll want to be sure that the child care worker they hire is a responsible, hardworking, kind person. Make sure your letter emphasizes those qualities.

Be Enthusiastic

Since their honesty and integrity will be so crucial to their success in child care, make sure that you are completely comfortable giving the person a glowing recommendation, based on personal and professional experiences with them.

If you don’t feel that you can write a glowing endorsement of your colleague’s skills,  it’s better to politely decline . A lukewarm recommendation is worse than none at all.

Ms. Donna Selle 214 Riverview Drive Crane Landing, NY 10705

September 3, 2021

Ms. Jeanette Larossa 303 High Street Crane Landing, NY 10705

Dear Ms. Larossa,

I am writing to you in reference to Bonnie Green. Ms. Green has been in my employ as a babysitter and mother's helper for the past four years.

During that time, I have had the pleasure of seeing her grow from a high school student into a mature young woman graduating with her associates degree in child care. I believe that she is well qualified and experienced to accept the challenge of being a full-time nanny.

When Ms. Green first came to my employ, she primarily watched my son, age one, while I worked from my home office. As he grew older and was joined by a brother, Ms. Green's responsibilities increased to watching the two children alone, making meals for them, and taking them on short outings to the park, the swimming pool, the mall, etc.

I have the utmost confidence in her judgment and maturity and have always felt comfortable leaving my children in her care.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at 555-111-1234 or donnaselle@gmail.com.

Signature  (hard copy letter)

Donna Selle

When you're  sending the reference via email , the content will be the same, but your format will vary slightly. Your contact information will follow your signature, and you can omit the contact information of the person doing the hiring.

You’ll need to be specific in your subject line, including “reference” or “referral” and the person’s first and last names. This will make it clear at a glance who the reference is about.

Subject:  Reference - Priscilla Pringle

Dear Mr. Smith,

I have known Priscilla Pringle for many years, and I am happy to be writing a reference for her for the position in your afterschool program. Priscilla was a student of mine at State College during her child care studies. I was her faculty advisor and had the opportunity to oversee her classroom studies as well as the time that she spent with children during her student teaching assignment.

Priscilla consistently showed enthusiasm, attention to detail, and compassion in everything she did. Certified in First Aid and Child and Baby CPR, she is vigilant in maintaining a safe and clean environment for her charges.

She was engaged in the classroom, always going the extra distance to make sure her work was of the highest quality. Not only was her own academic work excellent, but she also tutored her peers who were struggling with some of the material. She was able to put her studies to practical use with the children when she had the opportunity to student teach at our afterschool program here on campus.

Since her graduation, I have followed Priscilla’s career in child care, and I believe her to be a very capable young woman. She has worked with children of different ages, abilities, and learning styles, and has brought her vast patience and empathy, as well as her communication and organizational skills, to a variety of child care settings. I believe her experience will make her an ideal candidate for your position.

If I can answer any further questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me.

Elizabeth Strong estrong123@email.com (555) 123-4567

Check out our

Early years practitioner cover letter, want to enrol on a course.

Your cover letter is an important part of many job applications. No matter what kind of job you’re applying for, your cover letter is going to help demonstrate to potential employers the passion that you have for the role and allow you to sell yourself as a valuable candidate that they need to consider hiring. In our cover letter guide, we’re going to give you the top tips you’ll need to impress!

Top early years practitioner cover letter writing tips

Cover letters are your chance to really sell yourself to a prospective employer and progress to the next stage of the hiring process. This opportunity isn’t always fully exploited by candidates, and sometimes cover letters just become reworked CVs or are poorly planned and formatted. Follow our guide if you’re looking to avoid these common pitfalls, and make your cover letter the best it can be!

1. What should a cover letter look like?

The header of your cover letter should have your up-to-date email, contact number, and the current date, as well as the recipient’s contact information. You should start your cover letter with a greeting such as “Dear [Company] Hiring Manager” or “Dear Mr/Ms Surname”, if you know who you’ll be contacting directly.

When choosing your font you need to make sure it’s not only easy to read but also looks professional, as well as the right size. Try to stick between a size 10pt-12pt font on your cover letter, as making your font size too big could come across unprofessionally, but it should still be clear and legible. Make sure to split the main body of text into multiple paragraphs, this not only makes it easier to read but also easier to plan the structure of your cover letter (each paragraph might have a specific topic, for example). 

It’s a good idea to sign off your cover letter using your name and a complimentary close. Using “Yours Sincerely” or “Your Faithfully” are seen as very formal, but can sometimes appear outdated, try using “Kind Regards” as a formal alternative that is still professionally acceptable.

2. What should I write in my cover letter?

Here are some suggestions for each of the paragraphs in your cover letter and what you might want to mention to your prospective employer: 

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First paragraph

Introduction

Start by explaining why you're writing the letter, making sure to mention the job you're interested in by its specific title, you could also mention where you saw or heard about the vacancy. Give a brief sentence stating your experience or a relevant qualification. 

Second paragraph

Experience and Qualifications

Highlight your relevant experience or qualifications. Talk about relevant responsibilities you had in previous roles, and go into more detail about how this makes you suitable for the role--is there a particular achievement you're proud of in your previous work or study that is relevant to the job? Mention it here!

Third paragraph

Discuss the skills you have that are relevant to the job and make sure that you mention how they make you well-suited for the role. Always be showing the employer what you have to offer them if they were to hire you. 

Final paragraph

Reiterate your interest in the role. Outline your motivations for not only working this type of job but why you want to work for this employer. It's a good idea to include some relevant knowledge about your potential employer, as it shows you are taking an extra interest.  

3. How can I make my cover letter unique for each role I apply for?

A good way of making your cover letter stand out from other candidates is by tailoring it to the particular role you’re applying for. It’s always easiest to look back through the job posting and pick out relevant information like the job title and employer and making sure to mention them early on. This will show your employer that your cover letter is tailored towards them, rather than being something generic you’re sending around to every employer.

When you’re going through the job posting take note of the specific skills and experience listed as desirable by the employer, you can tailor the skills and experience you mention to what they’re looking for. Try not to follow along too closely and risk looking like you’ve just copied the advertisement, but do enough to show that you’re the ideal candidate. Order your skills, experience, and qualifications in order of relevancy–what’s highlighted or mentioned first in the job posting? Is there something very specific that they’re looking for? Make sure you bring it up!

4. Finishing touches

Now that your cover letter is well-formatted, has the main body of it’s content written, and has been tailored to the job role, it’s time to put the finishing touches to your work.

Proofread what you’ve written a few times over to check for punctuation or grammar errors and how well your writing flows. Try and enlist the help of a friend or relative to give it a read over, they may spot something you missed!

Now you should go back to the job vacancy and re-read all of it. Check if there are any special instructions you should follow when applying for the position, like if they’re asking for the documents to be submitted as a particular file type or maybe want you to add a job reference number to your cover letter. Make any of the changes you need and ensure everything’s in order. Overlooking small things like this could ruin your otherwise perfect cover letter!

Example early years practitioner cover letter

Download our Cover Letter Template and Make Yours Today!

Struggling to put your cover letter together? Download our free cover letter template and get a head start on writing an amazing cover letter. Make sure to follow the rest of our tips and learn how to land that job you’ve always wanted!

Now you’re done with your cover letter, why not go back to our early years practitioner career advice,  or find out how to revamp your early years practitioner CV . Have you redone your cover letter and find you’re running out of things to talk about? If so, check out our courses page and take a look at some of our valuable qualifications.

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Early Years Careers

The Importance of a professional Early Years Practitioner

6th June 2015 by Kelly 5 Comments

 The Importance of the professional Early Years Practitioner in implementing the EYFS and monitoring progress of children within their setting and against the Early Learning Goals

Understanding a child’s individual needs is achieved by using the observation, assessment and planning cycle from the EYFS principle. Early Years Settings use this cycle to ensure the individual needs of children are met. Early Years Practitioners work alongside the EYFS to observe, assess and plan for the learning of the children in the setting. Daily observations and evidence photos of a child are taken enabling the practitioner to gain a better understanding of the child’s individuality. Many theorists have stated the importance in observing children.

The role of the professional Early Years Practitioner is vital in ensuring all children are meeting their personal developmental goals, and achieving the highest standard of learning available. Another role of the practitioner is the “key person”. It is the key persons responsibility to ensure each child is observed, assessed and planned for, alongside upholding a positive relationship with both child and parent. The key person will do this by supporting the child and parent during “settling in sessions” and in their time at the setting. All about me sheets alongside registration forms will be filled in with the parent to ensure the practitioner has a good understanding of what the child requires.

Observations play a vital part in the development of the child, and they can be used in a variety of ways. Learning Journeys are kept for each child and contain that child’s biggest achievements; these are personal to the child and provide a picture of the child’s development.

Learning journeys are completed on a monthly basis and continue through the setting as the child moves room. In addition to observations and photos, the learning journeys also contain an “all about me” sheet. This is initially completed by parents to aid practitioners to learn about the child, and then completed by the key worker each time the child moves room. This way of sharing information helps practitioners to understand the child better.. Learning Journeys are linked to EYFS, and each observation or photo is provided with a quote from an EYFS.

Assessing children’s development is an important part of the practitioner’s professional role. There are several ways to assess the children in the setting; Tracking sheets and progress summaries are similar tools and both reflect the EYFS. These types of assessments are broken down into the seven areas of development, then into more specific areas. The practitioner then uses these areas to summarise where the child is developmental. Tracking sheets indicate if a child is emerging, consolidating or secure within each age bracket, whereas a progress summary is a written piece giving information on what goals the child is currently achieving in each area of the EYFS.

Once the Early Years Practitioner has information on the child’s current development through observing and assessing their learning, they are able to plan appropriate activities and opportunities to further the child’s learning.  The children’s interests play a huge part on planning the right experiences and practitioners must ensure that children play a centre role in their own development by giving children a voice and the opportunity to express their interests and opinions. According to The National Strategies (2009);

This is achieved by using the “voice of the child” on planning sheets, and using the observations taken to create next steps for that child. The weekly planning is divided into the 7 areas of learning according to the EYFS; allowing each activity or learning experience to correspond to an area of development. Each month the children will learn about a topic such as transport or the community, and the practitioner will plan a range of experiences to meet this topic. When doing this the practitioner will ensure that the experiences meet all areas of the EYFS and touch upon the development matters. This is to ensure that every child is involved, and supported in each area of their development. The learning environment is taken into consideration when planning for a child’s individual needs and the practitioner ensures that each child is given the opportunity to take part; this may require the activity to be adapted to meet the individual needs of a child.

It is also important to have a balance of child led and adult initiated activities to allow children to grow and develop healthily. Having this balance allows children to express their thoughts, feelings, and ideas while being supported in developing their learning further and achieving their personal milestones. The practitioner should take this into account when planning learning experiences, allowing children to make choices to participate or enjoy free play.

The Professional Early Years Practitioner plays a vital part in the child’s learning and development while working alongside the EYFS. It is practitioners responsibility to use their skills and knowledge to enhance the learning environment, creating further learning opportunities for children. Looking at children’s development holistically allows practitioners to identify areas for further support, meaning the child’s individual needs are being supported.

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Reader Interactions

17th January 2022 at 4:20 pm

Hi may I have your name and when this was writing for my referencing please.

31st March 2019 at 4:36 pm

I found your article interesting and would like to cite you in my forthcoming dissertation. If you are okay with that, would you please clarify as to whether Kelly is your first name or surname? If it is your surname, could you please tell me the initial of your first name as it is required for my reference list? The article to which I am referring is ‘The Importance of a Professional Early Years Practitioner’ (2015).

Claire Casey

23rd November 2021 at 12:50 pm

Can I ask if you received a reply? I to would like to reference this article.

Kind Regards

7th December 2021 at 1:45 pm

Kelly EYC should be ok 😀

26th February 2022 at 1:30 pm

I have used this website and many others in my essays. It is fine.

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