Early Years and Childcare

A Magical Place to Learn

Learn how to create a themed indoor environment that gives children the opportunity to explore, both independently and with adult guidance. ‘A magical place to learn’ takes fairy tales as the starting point for a variety of exciting activities and experiences. Upon completion of the course, you will have the tools, confidence, and enthusiasm to create your own themed space and bring your ideas to life.

Price £28

Child and young person development (0-19 years)

Every child or young person is an individual and will develop skills in their own way, and in their own time. However, we can say it’s normal to develop a certain skill within a given time span and these are known as ‘developmental norms’. Consider the stages of development from birth to 19 years, as well as the influences upon a child’s life that could affect their ability to develop according to expected norms.

Price £28

Recruiting New Employees

This short course is about attracting and hiring staff who have the right attributes to be a valued and effective member of the team. Learn about employment regulations and laws all employers must follow, and industry specific legislation. Understand the stages of hiring a new employee up until their first day and know which pre-employment checks need to be carried out for the role. This short course is aimed at people who have responsibility for hiring staff at a childcare or educational setting or are hoping to move into such a role.

Price £28

A good place to be two

Being two isn’t easy; at times you feel big and strong, and other times you feel small and vulnerable. Working with two-year-olds isn’t easy either; one minute they’re endearing and trustful, the next they’re throwing their weight around and testing whether you really mean what you say. This course will help childcare practitioners set up the physical environment and support children in this seemingly contradictory stage.

Price £28

I made a unicorn

Play, for children, isn’t just recreation – it’s their approach to life! Every action is undertaken with the whole being: mind, body, and spirit. Play is basic to children’s wellbeing; it’s their way to discover the world around them, express themselves, and sometimes, cope with difficulty. Because of this, children’s play must be respected. This short course looks at how children play, and how adults can interact with and support them.

Price £28

Lighting the fire

The current emphasis on test scores and league tables induces many schools to rely on formal teaching methods. But is this how children really learn? In order to learn, education must come alive! If interest is kindled, children take initiative and make the knowledge their own. In this course you’ll look at key ways in which you can help that to be the case for the children you work with.

Price £28

The irresistible classroom

In every classroom, the child does the learning, the teacher facilitates that learning, and the environment must support them both. This course looks at how Reception and Key Stage 1 classrooms can inspire education. This short course, aimed at those working with children in a classroom setting (Foundation and Key Stage 1), looks at the impact the classroom can have on a child’s learning and development.

Price £28

What happens in the baby room?

Baby room practitioners have a uniquely significant role because they influence sensitive human beings during the most formative period of life. This is a tremendous responsibility and privilege. This course looks at some of the special traits and complex skills a baby room practitioner needs to develop.

Price £28

An introduction to nannying

This CACHE endorsed short course was developed in association with the British Association of Professional Nannies (BAPN). This course introduces you to the key aspects of working life as a nanny. Explore the role and responsibilities of a professional nanny, the main elements of working with children, and the health and safety considerations involved when working in the family home. Intended as a general introduction to the profession, this course prepares you for life as a nanny.

Price £28

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

This CACHE endorsed short course will explore Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), and is suitable for those working with children and young people. Learning explains the difference between ADHD and ADD and helps you to spot the signs and symptoms of ADHD, understand the causes, and provide children, young people, and their families with accurate information and guidance.

Price £28

Asperger syndrome

This CACHE endorsed short course will explore the effect of the syndrome on the individual who has it. It introduces you to the areas that a person with Asperger syndrome might struggle with and provides resources to help understand how they interact with, and interpret, the world around them. This course is intended for anyone who wants to gain a better understanding of the syndrome.

Price £28

Babysitting

This CACHE endorsed short course looks at the essentials of babysitting. It explains the responsibilities of both parent / carer and sitter, and explores the importance of continuity of care, child safety, and the setting of boundaries for both the children and the babysitter. You will also be given an introduction to child development and care activities for young children.

Price £28

Building a team

This CACHE endorsed short course will explore the stages of team development. Consider team roles, with reference to Meredith Belbin’s research. Explore the ways in which a leader can lead a team effectively, how they build the team, and how they learn to let go and delegate. You do not need to be working in a managerial role to complete this course but should be working as a member of a childcare setting team.

Price £28

Child development

This CACHE endorsed short course explores the concept of child development and how important it is to the work that we carry out with children. Discover child development theories and learn how to apply them to situations within your setting. Study aspects of development, including brain development, and from this understanding consider how best to prepare activities for children and guide their learning.

Price £28

Communication and the EYFS

This CACHE endorsed short course explores one of the prime areas of the Early Years Foundation Stage: Communication and language. Learn the importance of good communication skills to a child’s life, and how to build children’s confidence with language and show them that what they have to say is important and valued. Consider the key role you play in this and how to be a role model for effective communication.

Price £28

Continuous Professional Development

This CACHE endorsed short course explores CPD – for yourself and for your team members. Consider preferred learning styles, learning opportunities, and how to plan and evaluate learning. Learn how to help others set up a CPD file and how to lead others to develop professionally. You do not need to be working in a managerial role to complete this course but should be working as a member of a childcare setting team.

Price £28

Cultural awareness

This CACHE endorsed short course explores the meaning of cultural awareness and explains why it is important within the workplace. Explore how you can promote inclusive practice and how you can plan for diversity and inclusion. Investigate the challenges to inclusion and how to overcome them. This course is generally intended for learners working in nursery settings.

Price £28

Developing self-esteem in young children

This CACHE endorsed short course explores answers to the following questions: What is self-esteem, why is it so crucial to children’s development, and how can you contribute? This course outlines the characteristics of a child with healthy self-esteem and compares this to characteristics of children with low or poor self-esteem. You will learn what you can do to support the development of children’s healthy self-esteem.

Price £28

Effective supervision in the early years

This CACHE endorsed short course explores the concept of supervision and its important role within a well-managed setting, particularly in terms of safeguarding. You will be introduced to good practice in implementing supervision processes at your setting. This short course has been written by international early years consultant and trainer, Laura Henry.

Price £28

First time leadership

This CACHE endorsed short course explores the difference between leading and managing. Consider the ways in which you can adapt from being a friend to a line manager. Gain an understanding of the art of negotiation and look at your values and beliefs and how this affects your actions. You do not need to be working in a managerial role to complete this course but should be working as a member of a childcare setting team.

Price £28

Fulfilling the role of the Key Person

This CACHE endorsed short course explores the role of the key person and the importance of the relationship between the key person and the child’s parent / carer. Learn how to promote personal, social, and emotional development and gain a better understanding of what this means in day-to-day practice. Look at factors that affect the ability to develop loving, secure relationships and study children’s key emotional needs.

Price £28

Health and safety in the early years

This CACHE endorsed short course explores safe and secure environments for children and how to use risk assessments to raise everybody’s awareness of potential dangers. Look at ways in which leaders maintain a healthy, safe, and secure environment for children and, in particular, look at hygiene practices. Learn how to supervise procedures for accidents, injuries, illnesses, and other emergencies.

Price £28

Inclusion

In this course, learners will explore the meaning of inclusion and gain a better understanding of its scope. They will look at the barriers to inclusion and explore resources for inclusion. This course is generally intended for learners working in nursery settings.

Price £28

KEEP Key Elements of Effective Practice

This CACHE endorsed short course explores how this document was written and the research that underpins it. Identify and define the main points of the document and how it relates to the EYFS Statutory Framework. Look at how KEEP might relate to your practice and how practitioners may use it to reflect on the practice in their setting. This course is appropriate for childcare practitioners working in a range of settings.

Price £28

Keeping children safe on the internet

This short course explores some of the safety issues relating to the use of the internet, particularly by children. Internet usage has increased enormously, but so have reports of the safeguarding issues linked to abuses of internet communication. You will be introduced to some of the risks and dangers, and how to deal with them – including where to report online concerns and risks.

Price £28

Literacy and the EYFS

This CACHE endorsed short course explores how best to encourage early literacy. It looks at how literacy and communication skills are central to children’s intellectual, social, and emotional development, and how the world of literacy begins at a very early age. This course is suitable for early years practitioners or parents and carers of a young child.

Price £28

Managing behaviour

This CACHE endorsed short course explores leadership styles and the role of a manager. In particular, you will look at Kolb’s learning styles and how this research, along with the work of Honey and Mumford, enables team members to develop their skills. Learn how to give and receive feedback assertively and how to define non-assertive and aggressive behaviour. This course is aimed at learners who are currently working in a managerial or supervisory role in a childcare setting.

Price £28

Managing people

This CACHE endorsed short course explores leadership styles and the role of a manager. In particular, you will look at Kolb’s learning styles and how this research, along with the work of Honey and Mumford, enables team members to develop their skills. Learn how to give and receive feedback assertively and how to define non-assertive and aggressive behaviour. This course is aimed at learners who are currently working in a managerial or supervisory role in a childcare setting.

Price £28

Managing safeguarding

This CACHE endorsed short course explores managing safeguarding at a childcare, playwork, or health and social care setting. Explore communication and information sharing, evaluating policies and practices, and complete practical exercises which enable you to support all areas of safeguarding through reflection and promotion of multi-agency working.

Price £28

Nutrition in the early years

This CACHE endorsed short course looks at giving young children a good start in life through nutritious food; enabling them to grow, develop, and have a healthy life. You will be introduced to the components of a healthy diet – including protein, vitamins, and minerals, and understand the importance of portion sizes that reflect the size of the child. The course also discusses food phobias, allergies, and intolerances.

Price £28

Observing children

This CACHE endorsed short course explores the observation cycle and the types of observations a childcare practitioner might choose to carry out. You will, by the end of the course, be able to define what makes an effective observation and how it might be used to decide the next developmental milestone. You will also cover rules relating to observation and confidentiality.

Price £28

Outdoor play

This CACHE endorsed short explores play and learning opportunities that can be facilitated outdoors. Discover the benefits of outdoor play to a child’s life, gain ideas for activities, and understand how to encourage children to expand and develop their imaginative play outdoors. Additionally, you will learn how to review current outdoor play provision, plan a new space, and help children to manage risk.

Price £28

Parenting

This CACHE endorsed short course, aimed at parents of any age and those considering becoming parents, looks at the essentials of parenting. It explains the responsibilities of the parent, discusses the importance of good health and nutrition, and considers the dangers of smoking, drinking alcohol, and taking drugs. It also offers an introduction to common childhood illnesses, child development, and child safety.

Price £28

Partnership with parents

This CACHE endorsed short course explores the importance of the partnership practitioners create with parents and carers in a childcare setting. You will learn how to make the partnership work effectively, how to engage with new parents and carers, and how to deal with conflict when it arises. This course is generally intended for learners working in nursery settings.

Price £28

Recognising and supporting children with Special Educational Needs (SEN)

This CACHE endorsed short course explores the topic of special educational needs within a childcare setting. Learn more about Down’s syndrome, ADHD, Cerebral Palsy, and Asperger’s syndrome, as well as the key legislation governing practice in this area. Discuss the role of the setting SENCO and how practitioners can understand, support, and provide for individual children with SEN.

Price £28

Self-evaluation

This CACHE endorsed short course explores the self-evaluation model and considers how to evaluate objectively. You will look at setting targets for your personal development and sourcing learning opportunities. You will learn more about implementing change effectively and how to review your progress. Learning also touches on the Ofsted ‘self evaluation form’.

Price £28

The Prevent Duty

This CACHE endorsed short course explores ‘The Prevent Duty’, and is suitable for those working in schools and childcare settings. Prevent is part of the UK’s counter-terrorism strategy, preventing people from becoming involved in, or supporting, terrorism. Consider what the Prevent duty means for practitioners, how to comply with the duty, and where to find advice and support about protecting children from the risks of radicalisation.

Price £28

Understanding leadership and management

This CACHE endorsed short course explores leadership and management in an early years setting. Consider a variety of leadership styles and the importance of communication. Learn how to deal with conflict in a way that leads to successful resolution and understand your role and responsibility as a manager. You do not need to be working in a managerial role to complete this course but should be working as a member of a childcare setting team.

Price £28

Understanding the revised Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS)

This CACHE endorsed short course is suitable for new early years practitioners, as well as those who are familiar with the original EYFS. The course provides a background to the EYFS before going on to look at revisions to the EYFS in more detail. Practitioners will be encouraged to explore the Statutory Framework and the accompanying guidance documentation. This course has been updated to include information about the most recent changes to the EYFS.

Price £28

Food safety

This CACHE endorsed short course covers important food hygiene practices and areas – food poisoning, personal hygiene, temperature control, cleaning, and handling food. Completing this course will stand you in good stead with Environmental Health.

Price £28

Nurturing development in the prime areas of the EYFS (0 to 3 years)

This short course explores early child development in the Prime Areas of the EYFS: Communication, physical development, and personal, social and emotional development. It covers birth to 3 years, and suggests activities and interactions that nurture development for parents and early years practitioners to try with the babies and toddlers they care for.

Price £28

Nurturing development in the Specific Areas of the EYFS (0-3 years)

This short course explores early child development in the Specific Areas of the EYFS: Literacy, mathematics, understanding the world, and expressive arts and design. It covers birth to 3 years, and suggests activities and interactions that nurture development for parents and early years practitioners to try with the babies and toddlers they care for.

Price £28

Getting ready for the revised Early Years Foundation Stage framework

This CACHE endorsed short course is suitable for new early years practitioners, as well as those who are familiar with the original EYFS. The course provides a background to the EYFS before going on to look at revisions in more detail. Explore the Statutory Framework and the accompanying guidance documentation. This course has been updated to include information about the most recent changes to the EYFS.

Price £28