The early years sector is being asked to do more than ever.More children with complex needs.More expectations from families.More scrutiny and accountability.And yet the core of early years practice has never changed.Children still need the same thing they always have: consistent, responsive relationships with trusted adults.When the sector is under pressure, it can be tempting to focus on systems, paperwork and compliance.But the foundation of quality remains relational.Children learn, explore and develop confidence when they feel emotionally secure.This raises an important leadership question for settings:How do we protect relational continuity for children when the sector itself is experiencing so much change?hashtag#EarlyYears hashtag#EarlyYearsLeadership hashtag#ReflectivePractice hashtag#ChildDevelopment💬 How are settings protecting relationships and stability for children at the moment?

Reflective practice is one of the most valuable tools we have for deepening insight, improving decision-making, and strengthening the quality of our work. When we create intentional space to pause, question, analyse, and learn from experience, we move from “doing” to developing.I recently had the pleasure of delivering training for DT Associates on Reflective Supervision and Kolb’s Experiential Learning Cycle. The professional discussion was engaging, thoughtful, and genuinely energising — a fantastic reminder of how powerful reflective spaces can be when they’re done well.Huge thank you to everyone who attended and contributed so openly.If you’re interested in reflective practice, supervision, or professional development support, you can learn more about my work here: 👉 https://lnkd.in/edFH6k2chashtag#reflectivepractice hashtag#reflection hashtag#supervision hashtag#professionaldevelopment hashtag#kolb hashtag#experientiallearning hashtag#earlyyears hashtag#leadershipdevelopment hashtag#continuousimprovement hashtag#traininganddevelopment hashtag#lifelonglearning hashtag#circletrainingandsupport hashtag#dtassociates

A Monday morning lesson recently gave me a lot to think about.I’d planned something I’m genuinely passionate about – understanding behaviour – and expected an active, lively session. Instead, the room felt flat, and I found myself adapting ‘in action’, assuming it was simply “Monday morning energy” or my delivery.

As with many of my colleagues in the early years sector, I’ve spent a lot of time recently reviewing the new Early Years Inspection Toolkit and reflecting on what the future of inspection may look and feel like in practice.

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It's common to see early years practitioners feel a little uneasy about introducing mathematics. It's easy to forget that we are the biggest resource, and maths is literally everywhere!I believe the core issue often isn't a lack of knowledge, but a lack of maths confidence—perhaps stemming from negative personal experiences in the classroom. We need to flip that narrative for our children!While dedicated maths areas are useful, the most impactful way to teach is by embedding mathematics in everything, everyday. We do this already with counting, comparing, patterns, and shape—we just need to become more aware of it! By understanding the "why" and making our teaching purposeful, not incidental, we can build incredible mathematical foundations.hashtag#EarlyYears hashtag#EYFSM hashtag#MathsConfidence hashtag#EarlyMaths