Our offer for early years and childcare professionals

What we offer 

• Support for professionals through Bright Start Islington
• Free advice about childcare, free early learning and services for children, young people and families
• Support for the quality of education and care in all early years settings including childminders through monitoring and bespoke support including for safeguarding
• A programme of continuing professional development
• Support, advice, guidance and information on healthy early years matters

Consultancy support package

We offer a programme of support and challenge tailored to meet your specific needs and with proven impact on quality and outcomes for children. Settings can buy any amount of time from a minimum of half a day with additional days bought at any point throughout the year. 

• For voluntary sector settings, this time is over and above the amount of free support agreed by your link advisory teacher at your categorisation visit
• All in-service education and training (INSETs) whether in a setting, online, or at a venue, are charged at consultancy rates, including safeguarding and special educational needs and disability (SEND)

To purchase, please complete this order form or contact our team to discuss your requirements at EYTeachingAndLearning@islington.gov.uk.

Continuing Professional Development 

Online self-study

These stand-alone courses to provide inspiration and information related to a specific aspect of practice. 

• Letters and Sounds Phase 1
• Creative Desires – Art
• Creative Desires – Block play
• Creative Desires – Music
• Just imagine – Providing rich role play experiences within the Early Years
• One, two, three, recite with me! Show ‘em a poem! 
• Growing little authors
• I wonder why? Scientific enquiry in the Early Years
• The Early Reading Experience
• An enabling environment for children 0-3
• Effective planning and provision for Schemas and Heuristic Play
• Delving deeper into Past and Present

Order a course

Find the full list of online self-study courses and order them by completing this order form.  

Face to face and remote courses 

We offer a range of training courses relating to Learning and Development, SEND, Safeguarding and Child Protection, Leadership and Management and Health and Wellbeing. These courses are managed through MyLearning. You need to have a MyLearning account to find and book training. 

Inset

We are able to provide a range of bespoke Inset to meet your whole setting training needs. Contact the Early Years Team to discuss your needs.  

Safeguarding training 

In addition to the central safeguarding training dates in the calendar, safeguarding training can also be delivered as an inset. Email Amanda.Joy@islington.gov.uk to request an inset.  

Tools to support practice

We have a range of tools to support practice including the Islington Early Years Race Equality Audit and the Islington 2 Year Old Progress Check. These are available on Islington CS on SharePoint, which you will need a login to access. Alternatively, you can contact your Link Advisory Teacher.

Healthy early years information and resources 

The Healthy Early Years team in Islington works with all settings, including nurseries, childminders, early years in primary schools, children's centres and Bright Start Islington. 

We support settings in their work on a range of health priorities, including healthy eating, oral health, immunisations, physical activity and emotional health and wellbeing. We encourage a whole setting approach to their work, supporting and building on the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) and also considering health and wellbeing of children, their families and staff in the setting.  

For support, guidance and information on all matters relating to health and wellbeing for children under five and their families, as well as applying for the Healthy Early Years London awards, contact jane.schofield@islington.gov.uk. 

Contact Early Years and Childcare 

• Teaching and Learning team: EYTeachingAndLearning@islington.gov.uk
• Bright Start Bright Ideas: BrightStartBrightIdeas@islington.gov.uk
• Family Information Service: FIS@islington.gov.uk
• Area Senco team: EYAreaSencoTeam@islington.gov.uk

For all other queries please email EYAdmin@islington.gov.uk.