EYFS Leaders�Network Meeting��“Every teacher needs to improve, not because they are not good enough, but because they can be even better.”�Dylan Wiliam

DATE: 6^th November 2025

FACILITATOR: Susan Gregg, Amy Warner and Lucy Marsh

Welcome and introductions

Why are we here?

Our Vision

Our Vision is to work in partnership to inspire, raise aspirations and improve the quality of education for all.

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Our CPD Curriculum Intent

The future prosperity of our communities is inextricably linked to the quality of education and the raising of aspirations.  RoSIS are proud to work in partnership with schools and our educational partners to provide a service that is responsive to need and rooted in collaborative practice to improve outcomes for all. Our workforce of serving school leaders and consultants understand the local and national picture to provide expert support, challenge and evidence informed training and development opportunities.

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Together, we make a difference.

Making the most of today

Take a

risk and contribute

Take

care and show respect

Take

time and be present

Aims of today

• Sharing National, Regional and LA EYFS Data
• Sharing sector updates
• View Your Education Data service
• The role of adults in continuous provision
• Managing screen time for young children

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National, Regional and LA EYFS Data Headlines 2025

GLD Data Headlines:�National against Regional against Rotherham 2025

• National GLD 68.3%
• Regional GLD 66.3%
• Rotherham LA 65% - 3.3% lower than National
• Statistical Neighbours 66.4%

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LA GLD trend over time to 2025

GLD has increased by 0.6% from 24-25. However, National has also increased by 0.6%. This is the equivalent of 18 more pupils achieving GLD.

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LA GLD trend over time to 2025

65% achieved a good level of development in our LA, 3.3% lower than the National average of 68.3%. This is the equivalent of 99 fewer pupils achieving GLD compared to National.

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Prime Areas National against LA

Specific Areas National against LA

Rotherham LA 65% - 3.3% lower than National

• Time to reflect on our own GLD.
• What do you feel were your barriers to GLD?
• 75% GLD by 2028
• View Your Education Data. What are your implications?

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• What implications are there for this academic year?

EYFSP Handbook 2025

EYFSP Handbook 2025

The main purpose of the EYFS profile assessment is to support children in a successful transition to key stage 1 by informing the professional dialogue between EYFS and key stage 1 teachers. It should inform these teachers about each child’s stage of development and learning needs and help them to plan the key stage 1 curriculum to meet the needs of all children. The EYFS profile is also used to inform parents and carers about their child’s development.

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EYFSP Handbook 2025

EYFSP data submitted from the summer term in 2026 onwards will be available in Analyse School Performance (ASP) a secure web-based platform accessible via Department for Education Sign-in from the end of the 2026 autumn term.

Schools will be able to view their own school-level data within this platform, including the percentage of children reaching a good level of development and the percentage of children at the expected level for each early learning goal.

Ofsted will also have access to the same school level EYFSP data that is available in ASP. As stated above, this will apply to EYFSP data submitted from the summer term in 2026 onwards and therefore will feature in Ofsted’s inspection data summary report (IDSR) from the end of the 2026 autumn term. EYFSP data will be used as a starting point for conversations during inspection, including how schools use the data to support transitions from reception into key stage 1. Ofsted will not make gradings solely using EYFSP data.

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EYFSP Handbook 2025

From September 2025, using EYFSP data from the 2021 to 2022 academic year onwards, the DfE will also share school-level EYFSP data on the view your education data (VYED) platform, as part of plans to give all schools, local authorities and trusts better insight to inform improvements in early years. Responsible bodies (trusts and local authorities) will also have access to school-level and aggregated data for their schools. The data, analysis and insight available on this platform will continue to improve through 2025 to 2026 and beyond. Ofsted will not have access to the EYFSP data in the VYED platform.

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EYFSP Handbook 2025

Principles of EYFS profile assessments:

• The teacher’s knowledge of each child
• The teacher’s use of summative assessment
• Ensuring assessment is informed by a range of perspectives
• Ensuring assessment is inclusive
• Ensuring assessment is underpinned by a broad curriculum and effective pedagogy
• Ensuring assessment does not include burdensome evidence gathering

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EYFSP Handbook 2025

The EYFS profile must be completed for all children attending a school on or before 30 June in the academic year in which the child turns 5, including children with SEND and those who have not spent a long time in the school (for example due to illness, arriving from abroad or not starting at the school until a substantial part of the year has gone by), unless:

• an exemption has been granted for the setting (reserved for independent schools or schools with established principles in conflict with the EYFS)
• an exemption has been granted for an individual child (reserved only for cases where a child’s family has religious or philosophical beliefs that contradict the EYFS)

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EYFSP Handbook 2025

The EYFS profile must be completed for all eligible children attending a school. For dual-registered children attending more than one school during their final year in the EYFS, the profile must be completed by the school where the child spends most time during the year. The school that does not complete the profile for the child does not need to submit any data to the local authority.

If a child moves schools during the summer term (half-terms 5 and 6), the schools must agree which of them will complete the profile. When deciding this, it is important to consider what would best benefit the child’s education and their transition into year 1. In general, if a child starts at a new school on the first day of the second half of the summer term (or any time after that), then the previous school should submit the data.

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EYFSP Handbook 2025

If a child moves school at any time before the summer term, then the new school should submit the data. Where half-term dates differ between local authority areas, it is the school where a child attends (or will attend) for the longest period of time across the academic year that submits the data. 

Where the previous school is not in England and therefore does not follow the EYFS, the new school must submit the data. 

If a child moves to a new school during the academic year, the original school must send their assessment of the child’s development against the ELGs to the new school within 15 days of receiving the request, if the profile has been completed.

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EYFSP Handbook 2025

The profile assessment and reporting arrangements do not apply to children who are being home-educated and have not attended a school at all during the academic year they turned 5.

However, where a child has been home-educated for part of the academic year they turned 5, then joined a school, or vice versa, the school must complete the EYFS profile for the child.

The profile assessment and reporting arrangements do not apply to children, who at the time of completing the assessment, are missing education.

Where the child was previously registered at the school but is taken off school roll because they have become a child missing education, (including for example, moving abroad), then the profile does not need to be completed for the child. The school should contact the local authority to ensure the child is removed from their data collection roll.

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Reception Improvement Offer

Reception Improvement Offer

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/reception-improvement-offer/reception-improvement-offer

Nuffield Early Language Intervention

English Hubs

Early Years Stronger Practice Hubs

Oak National Academy

Partnerships for Inclusion of Neurodiversity in Schools (PINS)

Early Years Child Development Training

NPQEYL

Mastering Number and other maths support available

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EYFS and Disadvantaged

Disadvantaged Project with Marc Rowland 25.09.25

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Here is a video from Huntington Research School on tackling disadvantage from a EY perspective:

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JhNIy4K7nNQ

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Ofsted (sorry)

How inspectors will gather evidence in primary schools:

• Team inspectors will usually carry out learning walks in EY and KS1 on the morning of day 1.
• The focus will be on ‘strong foundations’ in the curriculum and teaching area; the achievement area, and the EY evaluation area.
• As part of this, inspectors will:
• consider leadership, inclusion and the experiences of pupils in the case sample
• hear some lower-attaining pupils reading an unfamiliar book to a familiar adult.

The importance of reception�Keeping things simple and doing it well!

• Regular explicit handwriting instruction as well as phonics instruction.
• Some children, may need to be taught how to use and manoeuvre, thumb, wrist and shoulder muscles.
• Children should be taught the correct way to hold a pencil and the correct position for writing – writing routines!
• Progress to specific handwriting lessons and practice.
• This might initially include practice in moving the pencil to master the horizontal, diagonal, vertical and circular strokes needed for writing.
• This should progress to teaching letter formation, focusing on where to start each letter, the direction of formation, its shape, position and, later on, its spacing relative to other letters.

Reception Year:�skills and knowledge for writing

• Complex, extended writing tasks should not be introduced too early, and children should master each stage before moving on.
• Simple dictation helps pupils to practise transcription.
• There should be opportunities for pupils to write as part of play, but it is important to recognise that not all children will take up these opportunities.
• Children need opportunities to develop their body strength and co-ordinations as well as their fine motor skills. This may be particularly important for some children, such as summer-born boys, who may need more intentional, intensive support alongside teaching writing to develop the fine motor skills that underpin writing.

Reception Year – developing composition

• Children need plenty of opportunities to share and elaborate on their ideas.
• They should be encouraged and supported by adults who are effective at modelling high-quality language and questioning sensitively.
• This will support them to develop and use a wide range of vocabulary and language structures.
• This, in turn, will help children to become adept at using these structures in their own writing.
• High quality interactions should be combined with shared reading, storytelling, and learning rhymes, poems and songs are crucial to foster a love of language.
• The non-statutory early years curriculum guidance Development Matters provides further assistance on supporting children’s developing understanding of language, and on developing handwriting.

Making judgements against the Early Learning Goals �for Writing

Children at the expected level of development will be able to:

• write recognisable letters, most of which are correctly formed
• spell words by identifying sounds in them and representing the sounds with a letter/ letters
• write simple phrases and sentences that can be read by others

NB Teachers must ensure letter formation is secure BEFORE texts get longer.

Reception:�detail about what is needed to meet the ELG

• New guidance

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• Children do not need to be able to compose these sentences themselves. Dictated sentences can be assessed.
• Extended writing is not necessary, for a child to be judged as achieving the Early Learning Goal for Writing.
• In making a judgement teachers will consider multiple phrases and sentences that the child has written.
• What is important is that children can use their knowledge of the GPCs to write simple phrases and sentences that others can read.

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In summary

• Sentences and phrases can be transcribed (from dictation) rather than independently composed.
• Sentences and phrases can be simple rather than extended.
• Sentences and phrases must be readable but may contain some mistakes in letter formation.
• Sentences and phrases do not need to contain punctuation (including capital letters).
• Not all words need to be correctly spelt.
• It is important to note that this is NOT a writing curriculum. Just because something is not a requirement of the ELG does not mean that it should not be taught.

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Points to consider:

• Are clear milestones in place? What happens if they are not met?
• Is assessment of the ELG accurate? Transition?
• How confident are you?
• Does explicit handwriting instruction take place?
• Is dictation a core part of the transcription curriculum? Accuracy? Adaptation? Do the books show this?
• Quality over quantity!
• Oral composition – is it taught? Do they use it when writing an independent sentence?
• Correct pencil grip and knowledge of right and left handers.
• Activities to support the development of fine and gross motor skills – carefully sequenced.

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Transcription - handwriting

• ‘The importance of handwriting in developing pupils’ writing cannot be overstated. Fluent handwriting is a significant predictor of positive writing outcomes.’
• ‘In many schools, the reception and Y1 curriculum do not sufficiently emphasise the need for pupils to learn how to use a pencil comfortably and sit at a table to write.’

NB ‘This does not mean children should be sitting at a table for the rest of the day.’

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Handwriting

• Consistently high standards should be expected.
• Teachers’ own handwriting should provide a model of high standards across the curriculum.
• Handwriting should be taught explicitly and regularly (daily instruction) .
• Some children may need additional support.
• Both letter formation and the physical elements of writing should be taught explicitly. (Right and left handers).

Handwriting

• Wide-lined paper is essential for Y1 upwards.
• Un-joined before joined (lead-ins are not required from the start)
• The size of the writing implement should be carefully considered.
• Bad habits should be corrected from the start.
• Ready to write routines are useful from the start.

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Pencil grip

Points to consider:

• How often do teachers model handwriting?
• Quality of adults’ own handwriting: in books, on boards, on display.
• Use of lined/handwriting paper.
• Is the teaching and practice of handwriting timetabled and are leaders confident that it is happening?
• What writing implements are used?
• Are expectations the same (high) in all classes?
• Support for those that struggle.
• Consistent writing routines.

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Transcription - spelling

• Confident spellers will make more effective/advanced vocabulary choices.
• The school’s SSPS will support children to develop their spelling. This includes common exception words.
• Throughout KS1, spelling should be taught through phonics and practised at other times in the day.
• Spelling practice should be regular and consistent throughout primary school. It is for the school to decide how it should be organised.
• The use of dictation.
• Correcting every misspelling is unnecessary.
• Expectations of spelling in other lessons.

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�Transcription – clarification about spelling and creativity

• Spelling should not stop pupils using engaging vocab, so should be a focus after the planning and selection of words.
• Teachers should discuss pupils’ ideas and use of language before focusing, later, on punctuation, spelling and handwriting.
• Keeping a check of common errors, particularly in words that have been taught in the spelling lesson, is important, because these can then be reviewed, revised and, ideally, the correct spelling consolidated in the next spelling lesson.
• It may be useful to display these words in the classroom as a visual reminder.

Points to consider:

• Is the spelling curriculum clearly defined. Do colleagues know which words/rules are being taught; when they are being taught and how they are being taught?
• Does regular teaching and practice take place? How do you know?
• How is spelling monitored and assessed?
• How are pupils who struggle with spelling identified and supported?
• Is dictation used throughout school and with all pupils?

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Pupils who need the most support

• Identification
• Support in class
• Handwriting
• Spelling
• Composition
• Language

Pupils who need further support

• DLD
• Dyslexia
• Dyspraxia
• More complex needs

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Points to consider

• How quickly are pupils identified, and support put into place?
• How is the effectiveness of interventions monitored?

Next steps for leaders

• Read The Writing Framework and become familiar with its core principles.
• Use the audits to evaluate current practice across school.
• Identify areas for development.
• Prioritise areas of development.
• Ensure staff attend the subsequent writing framework sessions.
• Writing Framework Webinars - English Hubs

Oracy Hub CPD – Neil Mercer and Topsy Page

• Friday, 7^th November, 08:45 – 15:30
• Leading Thinking - Professor Neil Mercer | Forge CPD
• Free for RoSIS subscribing schools

Embedding high quality interactions and the adult’s role during play/ continuous provision���Amy Warner�a.warner@coleridgeprimary.org

EYFS and Y1 project at Coleridge and East Dene��Embedding high quality interactions and the adult’s role during play/ continuous provision��

Ofsted toolkit�

Teaching

In gathering evidence about teaching in early years, inspectors consider the extent to which:

• daily routines and interactions ensure that children develop their language and vocabulary across all areas of learning and development and can communicate and manage their thoughts and feelings

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• staff engage children in high-quality interactions to develop their knowledge and vocabulary; they help children articulate what they know and understand by scaffolding, modelling, extending and developing their ideas

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• staff prioritise interacting with children rather than using their time to observe, record and compile evidence

The importance of play�

• Between the ages of 2 and 7, play, talk, and first-hand experience are the most powerful modes of learning (Cambridge Primary review).

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• Piaget’s theory of cognitive development supports this. Piaget says that cognitive development and thinking happens through stages. He says that between the ages of 2 and 7 children are in the second stage which is the preoperational stage and suggests that play, exploration, and discovery are more powerful than rote teaching at this stage. Piaget is well known for saying the quote “Play is the work of childhood”.

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• Play is at the heart of effective provision. Supporting play in early years settings is crucial: it improves children’s cognitive, physical, social, and emotional wellbeing and helps them to learn about the world and themselves, laying the groundwork for their future learning and development potential (Education Development Trust)

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• Research studies into play-based learning approaches showed that when done effectively, it improved learning outcomes by 4+ months in all areas of learning. (EEF)- adult’s need tp support play to be effective.

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Adult’s role during continuous provision�

• Alistair Bryce-Clegg talks about how “Adult’s should be active enablers during continuous provision and not passive supervisors”. Are you and other members of your team active enablers or a passive supervisors?

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• He also talks about how continuous provision is not about the adult standing back, but about the adult standing back until the right moment to step in. We don’t want to interfere, but we do want to interact and play alongside the children.

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• Greg Bottrill supports this and reflects on the significance of adults stepping into the world of play alongside children, not as directors but as co-players. He views play as something innate to human nature, asserting that adults often unintentionally block imaginative play by imposing too much control.

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• The adult interacts with intention and a clear purpose in mind but it is the child who leads and directs the activity (EEF- Play-based learning report).

Instructional Rounds��

Instructional rounds are a professional learning practice where groups of people visit classrooms together to observe teaching and learning in a structured way.

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The idea is borrowed from medical rounds in hospitals, where doctors collectively observe, discuss, and learn from cases.

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The goal is not to evaluate individual teachers, but to understand patterns of teaching and learning across classes and to share good practice and identify next steps for improvement.

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Each round is guided by a “problem of practice” – a question or challenge the school wants to explore (e.g., How do staff develop and encourage high quality interactions?).

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Benefits of instructional rounds include:

• Builds shared understanding of effective teaching and learning.
• Strengthens professional collaboration.
• Provides leaders with system-wide insight rather than focusing narrowly on one teacher or class.

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How does instructional rounds work?��

During instructional rounds, we followed this process:

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1. Pre-brief: The staff involved met and agreed on the focus and what to look for.

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• Observation: The staff involved visited classrooms, usually for short periods (10–20 minutes), collecting descriptive, non-judgmental evidence. This was not written down.

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• Debrief: The group came back and recorded the practice they saw on post it notes individually and then discussed what was observed, looking for patterns rather than individual performance. No specific teacher’s names or classes were used.

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• Next steps: The team collated the strong practice they consistently saw and decided on next steps and fed this back to the wider staff team during weekly EYFS and Y1 staff meetings and CPD within these staff meetings was tailored to help staff develop in these areas.

High quality interactions:�ShREC Approach�

https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/early-years/the-shrec-approach

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9YNEOLHAbkI

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What did we see? When done well, we saw children who were not on track with C&L having beautiful interactions with adults and making accelerated progress. When not done well, we saw children who were already confident with C&L taking up all of the adult’s time.

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We need to think carefully about all of our children

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Every child has the right to a high-quality early education and care. That means more than just “offering the same to everyone”.

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Every child can make progress in their learning with the right support

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The ‘cake’ anology helps us remember that we will have to dedicate more time and attention to some children. Some children need a bigger slice of cake!

Next step 1:

Target the children who need the most support

Reflection time

Which children in your setting need the most support?

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Are all staff in your setting aware that these children need the most support?

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Are the children that need the most support getting it?

What did we see?

When adult’s displayed enthusiasm and enjoyment in play, they were surrounded by large amounts of children who were also displaying enthusiasm and enjoyment in play.

When adult’s did not display enthusiasm and enjoyment play, children didn’t want to play with them and also didn’t display as much enthusiasm and enjoyment.

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Bandura’s Social Learning Theory says that children imitate behaviours and emotional expressions of adults they see as role models.

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Development Matters (2021) also highlights that practitioners’ positive attitudes encourage children to approach activities with interest and energy.

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Research shows that when an adult joins in play or a story with genuine excitement, children become more animated, talk more, and stay engaged longer.

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If we want our children to be engaged in their learning and show enthusiasm and enjoyment then we need to too!

Next step 2:

Modelling enthusiasm and enjoyment in play

Reflection time

What body language would you want to see your staff displaying when interacting with children that would show excitement, enthusiasm and enjoyment that we would want children to copy?

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What body language would you not want to see your staff displaying when interacting with children that would show disinterest and disengagement?

Modelling enthusiasm and enjoyment in play

Collaboratively, we then created a list of 10 non-negotiables that we wanted all staff in our schools to follow during continuous provision to support play, including high quality interactions.

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Adults role during continuous �provision non-negotiables

1. All adults are playing alongside children to support them and are not stood passively supervising or doing other admin tasks.

2. Adults are strategically placed across the environment and not stood together. They position themselves so

they can scan the area even when engaged in play.

3. Adults get down to the child’s level and display warm and approachable body language so children feel valued

and like they want to play with adults.

4. Adults play alongside children as ‘co-players’ and not as ‘directors’, allowing children to direct the play.
5. Adults display body language which demonstrates excitement, enthusiasm and enjoyment so that children mirror this.
6. Adults use the ShREC approach to high quality interactions to develop communication and language skills
7. Adults prioritise conversational talk rather than instructional talk.
8. Adults target the children who need the most support with play skills, communication and language or their

learning

9. Adults model the expected behaviour and reinforce routines and expectations calmly and consistently. They promote independence and collaboration.

10. Adults know the children well and use this knowledge to help children work on their next steps through play.

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How would you rate your staff’s confidence on the 10 non-negotiables?

Are there any that you would like to work on with your team?

Are there any other non-negotiables that are important to your setting?

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1. All adults are playing alongside children to support them and are not stood passively supervising or doing other admin tasks.

2. Adults are strategically placed across the environment and not stood together. They position themselves so

they can scan the area even when engaged in play.

3. Adults get down to the child’s level and display warm and approachable body language so children feel valued

and like they want to play with adults.

4. Adults play alongside children as ‘co-players’ and not as ‘directors’, allowing children to direct the play.
5. Adults display body language which demonstrates excitement, enthusiasm and enjoyment so that children mirror this.
6. Adults use the ShREC approach to high quality interactions to develop communication and language skills
7. Adults prioritise conversational talk rather than instructional talk.
8. Adults target the children who need the most support with play skills, communication and language or their

learning

9. Adults model the expected behaviour and reinforce routines and expectations calmly and consistently. They promote independence and collaboration.

10. Adults know the children well and use this knowledge to help children work on their next steps through play.

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Impact of the project

The impact of the project has been even bigger than we anticipated.

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Staff are now extremely confident in high quality interactions and the adult’s role during continuous provision. This has been evident through observations and external reviews.

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Due to all staff supporting play and continuous provision so well, this has impacted on the children’s engagement and learning. The atmosphere is so calm and purposeful.

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Staff have loved being involved in instructional rounds and they are already asking what our next project could be in the spring term. It has built their confidence in what they do every day but also when being observed.

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This half term we are:

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• Staff from Coleridge will visit East Dene and staff from East Dene will visit Coleridge in three groups to carry out instructional rounds at the opposite school.

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• Staff will feedback verbally and through a written report the strengths that they observed and identified next steps.

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• CPD this half term will focus on development of those next steps for each individual school.

Continuing the project in Autumn 2

Ready Steady School…

Ready Steady... School – Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council

TRFT – The Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust app

Giving every child the best start in life - GOV.UK

Best Start in Life Strategy

The best start in life is achieved through high-quality early years support that focuses on the period from pregnancy to age five, aiming to ensure a child is healthy, well-developed, and ready for school. This includes access to accessible and integrated services like maternity and family support, high-quality education and childcare, and support networks such as the new Best Start Family Hubs. The goal is to break the link between a child's background and their future success by setting strong foundations for their physical, emotional, and educational development. 

Key components of the strategy

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• Pregnancy to age five support: Integrated services and support are offered from the pregnancy stage and continue through a child's early years up to starting school.
• Family Hubs: These are local centres that provide a single place for families to access a range of support, from parenting classes and baby groups to financial advice and counselling.
• High-quality early education: This includes access to good quality early years education and childcare that helps prepare children for school.
• Focus on the "1001 critical days": The strategy acknowledges that the period from conception to age two is crucial for laying the building blocks for lifelong health and well-being.
• Measuring success: Progress is measured through metrics like the percentage of children reaching a "Good Level of Development" by the end of reception year in primary school. 

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Our Kids, Their Screens, The Evidence�Navigating Screen Time�

Research

And by the end of primary school almost all children have a smart phone.�

There is limited understanding of the guidelines

As children get older screen time comes at the expense of other activities!

Impact - Eyes

The impact of screen use and spending less time outside on children’s eye development is well documented.

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Myopia is the medical name for near-sightedness

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How screen time is linked to myopia

Prolonged near focus: 

Holding devices close to the eyes for extended periods can increase the rate at which myopia progresses. 

Reduced outdoor time: 

Screen use often takes place indoors, which limits a child's exposure to natural light, a protective factor against myopia. 

Lack of breaks: 

Not taking regular breaks while using screens can lead to eye strain and may intensify myopia

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Impact - Sleep

There is a strong and consistent association with bedtime media use and inadequate sleep quantity. Quality sleep is critical for a child’s healthy development and its absence drives untoward behaviour, impaired learning and impedes overall wellness.

Impact - ADHD

• There has been a dramatic increase in children requiring assessments for ADHD. Between 2004 and 2023 the number of patients on ADHD medication has been increasing by just over 10 per cent each year. Access to mental health services is a huge problem for children and young people.

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• Constant exposure to fast-paced, highly stimulating content, such as social media and video games, may contribute to attentional difficulties by conditioning the brain to expect frequent, rapid rewards, making it harder to sustain focus on less stimulating tasks. Additionally, excessive screen time can disrupt sleep patterns, which are crucial for cognitive and emotional regulation

Impact - Language

The number of children with speech and language challenges is increasing in line with the increasing use of screens, particularly smartphones, to pacify and entertain young children. The impact of children’s screen use is compounded by time parents spend on screens and time that TV is left on in the background.

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Speech and Language UK report there are now 2 million children with speech and language challenges in the UK, an increase of 27% in the past 2 years.

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There is compelling evidence across many longitudinal studies that greater screen use is associated with lower language skills and developmental delays in communication. 

Impact - Obesity

• There is increasing evidence of a strong association of excessive screen usage and an increased risk of obesity.
• Children with higher screen time are more likely to engage in mindless eating and overeating.
• Longer screen time can interfere with health-promoting experiences such as physical activity, and children from families with lower annual household incomes are more affected.
• Children are often sedentary when watching screens, which reduces physical activity and is known to have a positive effect on motor development.

Impact - Musculoskeletal Disorders

• Children who use screens for more than an hour a day are much more likely to have problems with their muscles and posture, especially if they lie down while using devices.

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• Teachers have noticed that some children struggle to sit up properly on the carpet at school, which may be because they spend too much time lying down with screens.

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• Too much screen time can also lead to issues like stiff necks, wrists, and backs.

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• A study in the U.S. found that children who used screens more often had weaker dexterity.

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• Botox to reduce back and neck pain

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Facts - What can you do to change this?�

• On average an adult will unlock their phone 80 times a day!

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• Sleep s one of the most important things we can give a child!

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• Social Media is addictive – Domaine overload!

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• The Uk are the lowest country for skills such as curiosity, empathy, social and emotional skills!

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• Excessive screen time = obesity, sleep disturbances, anxiety, depression, behavioural difficulties, eye problems! 

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• Children miss out on 1100 words per day, 840 vocalisations, 194 conversation turns.

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• 45% of children starting school can’t sit stull!

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• 1/2million apps available for children that say they are educational – but they are not!

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• 90% of 3-4yr olds us YouTube, 22% WhatsApp, 20% TikTok, 15% snapchat, 15% Instagram

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• And there is so much more……

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What can we do to mitigate the harms of screens?

• Create a digital plan with families when they register to include:

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• Delay digital devices as long as possible
• Have screen free areas at home
• No screens 2hrs before bed
• No screen time in the morning before nursery/school as it is one of the worse times to interrupt on SLC and anxiety
• Encourage bedtime reading
• No screens at the table
• No screens in the car/pram
• Encourage your child to be active

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Priorities Play!

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Resources

12_Sept__EY_thrive.pdf

Hoe long does a parent's head dip down to look at their phone?

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How long does it take for a parent to engage?

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If anything - Parents need to narrate what they are doing on their phones if they need to use it rather than having a still face !

CPD

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E Learning -

0-5 Universal SLCN Training

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Available via the training page of the Tiny Talkers website

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Training – Tiny Talkers

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Please email bookings to 01709 822691

Language Lead Network Meeting

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Thursday 13^th

November 2025

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1.30 – 3.30pm

Rockingham PDC

And

6.30-8pm

Microsoft Teams

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Tiny Talkers EAL Training

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Available via the training page of the Tiny Talkers website

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Training – Tiny Talkers

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Speech and Language Support 0-3’s

10 Sessions commencing Summer Term 2026

Microsoft Teams

Future CPD & Events

Support in school for those buying the Core Offer or the EYFS package to RoSIS may include:

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• New to EYFS Leadership: this package of support is aimed at delegates new to EYFS Leadership.  New Leads will receive 3 visits in school, with opportunities to explore leadership and all aspects of the EYFS on an individualised, bespoke basis
• EYFS Reflection Visits: these sessions were extremely popular last academic year. They allow SLT and EYFS Leads and practitioners to reflect on what is currently happening in their EYFS provision, celebrate successes, explore key EYFS messages and highlight potential advice and ways forward.  All of this is done in a supportive way and encourages open and thoughtful discussion.  The sessions are made up of an initial, shorter visit, followed by the reflection visit itself (this usually lasts approximately 3 hours)
• Bespoke school visits to discuss any aspect of the EYFS or EYFS provision.

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Constructing & Assessing an �Ambitious & Effective EYFS Curriculum

This session will allow delegates to use research, Ofsted key messages and current thinking to review and evaluate their EYFS curriculum development.  The training will also explore both statutory EYFS assessment requirements and good practice formative assessment.  

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The session will be held at Rockingham Professional Development Centre on Thursday, 13th November from 13:30 – 15:30 and you can book via Constructing & Assessing - EYFS | Forge CPD.

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Cost: Schools and settings accessing the Core Offer to RoSIS have unlimited access, for others a delegate fee of £97 per person applies.

The EYFS – An Introduction for Governors

This training will increase Governor confidence and awareness of EYFS statutory requirements, as well as key EYFS good practice and Ofsted messages.  

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The session will be held on Zoom on Monday, 24th November from 17:30 – 19:00 and you can book via The EYFS – An Introduction for Governors | Forge CPD.

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Cost: Schools and settings accessing the Core Offer to RoSIS have unlimited access, for others a delegate fee of £97 per person applies.

EYFS Central Moderation

These sessions allow F2 teachers to discuss current issues within EYFS alongside peer moderation of the ELGs.  This will support accurate and robust assessment at the end of the year.  They are for Rotherham LA maintained schools, and academies that have signed a formal/local agreement for Rotherham to act as their monitoring and moderation partner. �

Session 1�

• Tuesday, 24th February at Rockingham PDC from 13:30 – 15:00 EYFS Central Moderation | Forge CPD OR�
• Tuesday, 24th February at Rockingham PDC from 16:00 – 17:30 EYFS Central Moderation | Forge CPD.  �

Session 2�

• Monday, 15th June at Rockingham PDC from 13:30 – 15:00 EYFS Central Moderation | Forge CPD OR�
• Monday, 15th June at Rockingham PDC from 16:00 – 17:30 EYFS Central Moderation | Forge CPD.

EYFS Festival!�Monday 16^th – Saturday 21^st March

Workshops running during the week, focussing on equipping Subject Leaders to recognise the EYFS within their subject area. Confirmed so far:

• Science Leaders – Forest Schools
• Art, Music and D&T
• English, Early Reading, Oracy
• SEND
• PE
• Maths

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Conference on Friday, 20^th for EYFS Leaders; confirmed speakers are: Alistair Bryce-Clegg and Kate Cairns

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Conference on Saturday, 21^st for Child Minders & EYFS Practitioners with Shonette Bason

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Further details will be provided as soon as they are available, you can express an interest in receiving more details via EYFS Festival | Forge CPD.

EYFS Leaders – Summer Term

These sessions provide an opportunity for delegates to keep up-to-speed with key EYFS sector updates and good practice messages.  A range of different speakers are invited to sessions across the year, and they provide invaluable networking opportunities for leaders.  Taking place in person, at Rockingham Professional Development Centre, the summer term session will take place on Thursday, 11^th June at Rockingham PDC from 13:30 – 15:30 EYFS Leader Network Session | Forge CPD

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Hosting content and resources on Forge CPD is a crucial element of this package to enable efficient and convenient sharing of best practice and provide leaders with the tools to disseminate wider to colleagues within their school.  All schools who choose to access this element of the RoSIS offer will be provided with log-in details.  

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Cost: Schools and settings accessing the Core Offer to RoSIS have unlimited access, for others a delegate fee of £150 per person, per session applies.

Access the RoSIS Curriculum Development area on the ForgeCPD platform to view all resources shared in this session.

Evaluation

Please complete the evaluation before you leave!

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