Sheffield City Council Early Years CPD Programme

This four-session programme provides an in-depth exploration of key aspects of early years practice.

The first session examines statutory requirements alongside the pedagogy that underpins the EYFS. The second focuses on creating stimulating, enabling environments that support children to learn and thrive.

The third explores the vital role of the adult in facilitating, nurturing and extending children’s thinking, ensuring they feel safe, supported and confident in their learning.

Audience: Staff new to EYFS or a refresher for existing staff, Senior Leaders who aim to expand their knowledge of EYFS.

Date/s and time, location:

Date/Time	Venue
Wednesday 21st October 2026, Wednesday 25th November 2026 & Wednesday 13th January 2027 9.30-4.00pm Wednesday 3rd February 2027 9.30-12.30pm (EYFSP session)	St Mary’s Church, S2 4QZ	Book Here
Monday 19th April 2027, Monday 17th May 2027 & Monday 21st June 2027 9.30-4.00pm Monday 7th June 2027 1.00-4.00pm (EYFSP session)	Moorfoot Learning Centre, S1 4PL	Book Here

Locations: St Mary’s Church, Bramall Lane, Sheffield, S2 4QZ
Moorfoot Learning Centre, Moorfoot, Level 1, West Wing 1, South Lane, Sheffield S1 4PL

Cost: 3 Tokens or Pay as you go price on request from EarlyYearsBusinessSupport@sheffield.gov.uk

Training Team: Early Years Quality and Access Team

Accurate and meaningful EYFS Profile assessments are essential in recognising and celebrating each child's unique learning journey. This training is designed to support all Reception teachers and early years practitioners to develop confidence, consistency and professional judgement when completing the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Profile in 2027.

Through practical discussion, collaborative reflection and exploration of exemplification materials, participants will deepen their understanding of the EYFS Profile requirements and assessment processes. The training will focus on making secure, evidence-informed judgements based on children's everyday learning, ensuring assessments accurately reflect what children know, understand and can do across all areas of learning and development.

The session will also explore effective approaches to assessing and reporting outcomes for children with SEND and those learning English as an Additional Language (EAL), alongside guidance on statutory exemptions and exceptions. Participants will have opportunities to consider best practice in observation, evidence gathering and professional dialogue to strengthen the reliability of assessments.

Recognising the importance of strong partnerships, the training will support practitioners to communicate children's achievements effectively with parents and carers and facilitate meaningful transitions by sharing accurate assessment information with Year 1 colleagues.

Aligned with the Sheffield Early Years Strategy and the ambition of giving every child the best start in life, this training will help ensure teachers and early years practitioners are well prepared to complete the EYFS Profile confidently, consistently and in line with statutory requirements, while supporting positive outcomes for all children.

Audience: Early years teachers or practitioners new to completing the EYFS Profile. This training will also be suitable for those wishing to refresh their knowledge of the EYFS profile and its completion.

**Please attend this training if you are a PVI setting, childminder or home-based early years practitioner who has a child / children who have deferred their Reception / Foundation School place and will be leaving your setting to go into a Year 1 class in September 2027.

Date/s and time, location:

Date/Time	Venue
Wednesday 3rd February 2027 9.30-12.30pm	St Mary’s Church, S2 4QZ	Book Here
Monday 7th June 2027 1.00-4.00pm	Moorfoot Learning Centre, S1 4PL	Book Here

Location: St Mary’s Church, Bramall Lane, Sheffield, S2 4QZ
Moorfoot Learning Centre, Moorfoot, Level 1, West Wing 1, South Ln, Sheffield S1 4PL

Cost: Free for Sheffield Schools and Early Years Providers to attend

Training Team: Early Years Quality and Access Team

This inspiring and practical full-day workshop supports EYFS practitioners to strengthen writing from the very beginning. In the morning session, we explore the essential foundational skills that sit beneath successful writing, including gross and fine motor development, core strength, posture, movement patterns, communication and language, and the everyday experiences children need before mark making can truly flourish. This session helps practitioners understand why some children struggle and offers playful, purposeful ways to build those skills through provision, interaction, and daily practice.

In the afternoon, the focus shifts to the writing journey across the Reception year. Together, we look at how writing develops over time, how to create meaningful reasons to write, and how high-quality texts, storytelling, provision, and adult modelling can inspire children to see themselves as writers. The session explores how to move from early mark making into purposeful composition, sentence building, confidence, and independence, while keeping writing engaging, developmentally appropriate, and rooted in real experiences.

Morning Session: On Our Way with Pre-Writing Skills

This practical and thought-provoking session explores the crucial foundational skills children need before writing can fully take off. Looking beyond pencil grip and letter formation, it focuses on the physical, sensory, and communication-based building blocks that support children to become confident writers. From gross motor movement and postural control to fine motor development, talk, listening, and early mark making, this session helps practitioners understand what sits underneath writing success and why these foundations matter more than ever.

Packed with realistic classroom ideas, playful approaches, and clear explanations, this session is ideal for EYFS teams who want to strengthen children’s readiness for writing in a meaningful and developmentally appropriate way.

Afternoon Session: On Our Way with Writing

This inspiring session explores the writing journey across the Reception year, helping practitioners build a classroom culture where writing is meaningful, motivating, and woven through children’s play and experiences. It looks at how writing can be inspired through high-quality books, storytelling, role play, provocations, real-life purposes, and skilful adult interaction. The session also explores progression across the year, supporting children as they move from mark making and oral composition towards sentence writing, confidence, and independence.

Audience: Reception teachers, teaching assistants, Literacy Leads, senior leaders.

Date/s and time, location:

Date/Time	Venue
Thursday 24th September 2026 9.30-4.00pm	The Quadrant, S9 4WG	Book Here
Thursday 21st January 2027 9.30-4.00pm		Book Here
Thursday 17th June 2027 9.30-4.00pm		Book Here

Locations: The Quadrant, 99 Parkway Avenue, Sheffield, S9 4WG

Cost: 1 Token or Pay as you go price on request from EarlyYearsBusinessSupport@sheffield.gov.uk

Training delivered by: Dan McFarland, better known as Mr Mc, is an early years specialist, educator, consultant, speaker and content creator with a passion for helping teachers bring the joy, purpose and magic back into the classroom.

The ability to effectively support children’s speech, language, and communication (SLC) development is essential for everyone working with young children and families. The Speak Up for Sheffield introduction course provides foundational knowledge and practical strategies to help practitioners promote SLC in everyday settings.

The course was created in collaboration with Sheffield speech and language therapists. It addresses key areas including brain development, the vital role of adults in supporting communication, and evidence-based strategies to nurture speech and language skills in young children.

Course Highlights:

• Understand typical speech, language, and communication development
• Learn how brain development impacts communication skills
• Explore practical, everyday strategies to support children’s SLC development
• Gain knowledge to better engage and support children and families in communication activities

Further Opportunities: Participants interested in advancing their expertise may express interest to the facilitator for future access to the Speak Up for Sheffield Language Champions course, which offers more in-depth training.

Audience: Universal Level - anyone who works directly with young children and their families and wants to build confidence in supporting speech and language development. All professionals including early years education, health and social care.

Date/s and time, location:

Full day training options (attend 1 only)

Date/Time	Venue
Wednesday 7th October 2026 9.30-4.00pm	Moorfoot, S1 4PL	Book Here
Monday 1st February 2027 9.30-4.00pm	TBC	Book Here
Thursday 6th May 2027 9.30-4.00pm	TBC	Book Here

Locations: Moorfoot, Floor 2, Conference Rooms 6&7, South Lane, Sheffield S1 4PL

Half days (Please note both sessions must be attended)

Date/Time	Venue
Tuesdays 10th November & 24th November 2026 9.30-12.30pm	Moorfoot Learning Centre, S1 4PL	Book Here
Thursdays 4th March & 18th March 2027 9.30-12.30pm	Westbourne School, S10 2QT	Book Here
Wednesday 9th June & 23rd June 2027 9.30-12.30pm 9.30-12.30pm	Phillimore Primary School, S5 9EF	Book Here

Locations: Moorfoot Learning Centre, Moorfoot, Level 1, West Wing 1, South Lane, Sheffield S1 4PL
Westbourne School, 60 Westbourne Road, Sheffield, S10 2QT
Phillimore Community Primary School, Phillimore Rd, Sheffield, S9 5EF

Twilight (Please note all 3 sessions must be attended) delivered online via Teams

Date/Time	Venue
Wednesday 27th January 2027 6.00-8.00pm Session 1 of 3	Online	Book Here
Wednesday 3rd February 2027 6.00-8.00pm Session 2 of 3
Wednesday 10th February 2027 6.00-8.00pm Session 3 of 3

Locations: Online

Cost:All Speak up for Sheffield Training is free to Sheffield providers and professionals.

Training Team: Community Early Years Practitioners

Language Champions is an advanced training package that builds on the knowledge gained by those who have attended the introductory module of Speak up for Sheffield. It is designed for all professionals working in Early Years to deepen their understanding of speech, language, and communication development - to promote the development of all children’s skills as well as understanding and supporting children with Speech, Language and Communication needs (SLCN) and the impact that this may have on their social and emotional development, and wider impact in the future.

The programme is delivered over 5 full day sessions with a great deal of opportunity for reflection, discussion and practical activities in each session. Between the sessions there are activities that support practitioners to evaluate their current approaches, identifying any gaps in provision and developing targeted action plans.

Previous participants commented on the changes made to their provision to support early identification, best practice for early intervention, working with families and ongoing support for children with speech, language, and communication needs (SLCN). The programme will help you to make changes to practice within your setting to create excellent universal provision and support targeted provision for those children who are vulnerable to SLCN.

Course Highlights:

• Gain a thorough understanding of different types of speech, language, and communication difficulties
• Explore the broader developmental impact of SLCN on children’s social, emotional, and cognitive development
• Develop in-depth awareness of effective approaches and strategies for children with SLCN
• Enhance skills in tracking and supporting the progress of all children’s communication development
• Recognise the wider needs of children with SLCN and how to address them holistically
• Consider the impact of your setting’s physical environment
• Implement a range of evidence-based strategies and interventions within your setting
• Visit the Sheffield Early Years Language Centre
• Support colleagues by sharing best practices and facilitating strategic improvements in supporting all children’s speech language and communication.

Date/s and time, location:

Date/Time	Venue
Thursday 1st October 2026 Thursday 26th November 2026 Thursday 21st January 2027 Thursday 11th March 2027 & Thursday 20th May 2027 9.30-4.00pm	Moorfoot Learning Centre, S1 4PL	Book Here

Location: Moorfoot Learning Centre, Moorfoot, Level 1, West Wing 1, South Ln, Sheffield S1 4PL

Cost: All Speak up for Sheffield Training is free to Sheffield providers and professionals.

Training delivered by: Rebecca Bergman specialist speech and language therapist and author of the educational book Stories for Talking.

Finding the joy of early reading: developing an effective and engaging reading environment

This practical and interactive learning session invites practitioners to rediscover the joy of early reading and explore how to create environments that inspire a lifelong love of books and storytelling. This one-day course focuses on developing a rich, inclusive, and purposeful reading culture across the Early Years Foundation Stage.

Rooted in a holistic approach to reading, the training draws on key research which emphasises that early literacy development extends beyond phonics alone. Influenced by the work of researchers such as Dame Marie Clay and the Education Endowment Foundation, participants will explore how strong foundations in communication and language, vocabulary development, narrative skills, and emotional engagement with stories are essential for later reading success. The training will consider how reading is nurtured through meaningful interactions, shared experiences, and a language-rich environment.

Practitioners will examine how the Early Years Foundation Stage Statutory Framework promotes early reading through Communication and Language, Literacy, and Personal, Social and Emotional Development, recognising that confident readers are developed through secure relationships, talk, play, and engagement. The training will also reflect current Ofsted messages, highlighting the importance of a well-sequenced curriculum, high-quality texts, and practitioners who actively promote a love of reading through enthusiastic and responsive interactions.

Over the course of the day practitioners will:

• Explore what a holistic approach to early reading looks like in practice
• Develop strategies to create engaging, language-rich reading environments—both indoors and outdoors
• Consider the role of the adult in modelling reading behaviours, storytelling, and sustained shared thinking
• Examine how to select and use high-quality, diverse texts that reflect children’s experiences and broaden their understanding of the world
• Understand how to balance systematic phonics with wider reading experiences
• Build approaches that encourage parental engagement and support reading at home
• Reflect on how to foster motivation, enjoyment, and positive attitudes towards reading from the earliest stages

Through practical activities, discussion, and reflection, practitioners will evaluate their current provision and identify ways to enhance their reading environments to ensure all children are inspired, included, and supported.

By the end of the training, participants will feel confident in creating vibrant, enabling environments where reading is embedded, celebrated, and experienced as a source of joy - laying strong foundations for lifelong literacy.

Audience: All early years practitioners, managers, teachers, teaching assistants, year 1 teachers, literacy leads, senior leads.

Date/s and time, location:

Date/Time	Venue
Friday 9th October 2026 9.30-4.00pm	Westbourne School, S10 2QT	Book Here
Wednesday 20th January 2027 9.30-4.00pm	The Quadrant, S9 4WG	Book Here
Tuesday 22nd June 2027 9.30-4.00pm	The Circle, S1 4FW	Book Here

Locations: Westbourne School, 60 Westbourne Rd, Sheffield, S10 2QT
The Quadrant, 99 Parkway Avenue, Sheffield, S9 4WG
The Circle, 33 Rockingham Lane, Sheffield, S1 4FW

Cost: 1 Token or Pay as you go price on request from EarlyYearsBusinessSupport@sheffield.gov.uk

Training Team: Early Years Quality and Access Team

Getting to know your EYFS: Strengthening your Understanding of the Early Years Foundation Stage Framework

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) sets out the statutory standards for the learning, development and care of children from birth to five. This interactive, half-day session explores the EYFS framework and supports practitioners to consider how it translates into effective practice within their own provision.

This session includes:

• An exploration of key EYFS documents and statutory requirements
• The core principles underpinning effective EYFS practice
• Learning and development, including educational programmes, enabling environments and the role of the adult
• Developing understanding of statutory assessment requirements
• Safeguarding and welfare requirements in practice
• Opportunities to reflect on what the EYFS means for your own practice

Audience: Early years practitioners, childminders, home-based early years practitioners and teaching assistants who are new to the EYFS or looking to refresh and strengthen their understanding. This course can be used to complement staff induction programmes.

Please note: a basic understanding of the EYFS framework is expected, as this session builds on existing knowledge.

Date/s and time, location:

Date/Time	Venue
Friday 18th September 2026 9.30am-12.30pm	First Start Family Hub , 441 Firth Park Road S5 6HH	Book Here
Friday 5th February 2027 9.30am-12.30pm	First Start Family Hub , 441 Firth Park Road S5 6HH	Book Here
Friday 14th May 2027 9.30am-12.30pm	First Start Family Hub , 441 Firth Park Road S5 6HH	Book Here

Location: First Start Family Hub , 441 Firth Park Road S5 6HH

Cost: Free to Sheffield schools and settings.

Training Team: Early Years Quality and Access Team

Word Aware 2 - Teaching Vocabulary in the Early Years is a fast-paced, fun and interactive workshop style day, which will leave participants well equipped to start the structured approach to teaching vocabulary. The course is full of practical ideas on how to teach vocabulary.

The intended outcomes for the session are-

• Exploration of word learning theory
• Learning a structured approach to teaching vocabulary in the early years
• Planning vocabulary support in your setting
• Sharing strategies and resources to actively engage families

Although not essential, participants may find it beneficial to purchase the Word Aware 2– Teaching Vocabulary in the Early Years book (approximate cost £50)

Audience: Class Teachers, Senior Leaders, Early Years Practitioners, Teachers, Teaching Assistants

Date/s and time, location:

Date/Time	Venue
Wednesday 3rd February 2027 9.30-4.00pm	The Circle, S1 4FW	Book Here

Location: The Circle, 33 Rockingham Lane, Sheffield, S1 4FW

Cost: 2 Tokens or Pay as you go price on request from EarlyYearsBusinessSupport@sheffield.gov.uk

Training Team: EAL / New Arrivals Team

A strong early years curriculum is ambitious, coherent and rooted in a secure understanding of child development. It identifies the important knowledge, skills, experiences and dispositions children need, while recognising that young children learn through relationships, play, movement, exploration and meaningful interaction.

This practical one-day course is suitable for practitioners and leaders working in schools and private, voluntary and independent settings. It will support participants to review and develop a curriculum that reflects the needs of their children, meets statutory requirements and is clear enough to guide practice without becoming overly prescriptive.

Drawing on research, statutory guidance and extensive experience writing curricula for OUP and with individual settings, schools and MATS, Ruth will explore:

• what is meant by curriculum in the early years;
• the relationship between curriculum, pedagogy, provision and assessment;
• how to identify the most important knowledge and skills children need to develop;
• how to balance the prime and specific areas of learning;
• how children’s interests and experiences can be incorporated into the curriculum.
• how to plan for progression without producing long lists of disconnected statements;
• how to ensure the curriculum is inclusive, representative and responsive to children’s differing starting points;

Participants will have opportunities to reflect on their current curriculum, identify unnecessary complexity and begin to clarify the essential learning they want children to remember, understand and be able to do.

The course will support practitioners to develop a purposeful curriculum in which the right learning is introduced at the right time and revisited through rich, meaningful experiences.

Audience: All early years practitioners, childminders, home-based early years practitioners, managers, teachers and leaders.

Date/s and time, location:

Date/Time	Venue
Cohort 1 Thursday 14th January 2027 9.30-4.00pm	Learn Sheffield	Book Here
Cohort 2 Monday 24th May 2027 9.30-4.00pm	Learn Sheffield	Book Here

Location: Learn Sheffield, Suite 6, Albion House, Savile St, Sheffield S4 7UD

Cost: 1 Token or Pay as you go price on request from EarlyYearsBusinessSupport@sheffield.gov.uk

Training delivered by: Ruth Swailes, Ruth is an award-winning Early Years specialist with more than 30 years’ experience working in Education. A former primary headteacher and Ofsted inspector, Ruth currently works as an LA school improvement advisor, Early Years advisor and Independent consultant. Ruth is the lead developer and author of the Oxford International Early Years curriculum and leads the Oxford International Early Years training for schools in more than 40 different countries.

As children move from Reception into Year 1, the curriculum changes, but their developmental needs do not change overnight. This practical two-part course will support Year 1 teachers and senior leaders to develop a shared understanding of effective play-based pedagogy and consider how it can be used to strengthen teaching, learning and transition into Key Stage 1.

Session 1: Full day

During the morning, Year 1 teachers and senior leaders will explore the principles and research underpinning play-based pedagogy. The session will consider:

• why play remains important beyond the Early Years Foundation Stage;
• what changes developmentally as children move into Year 1;
• the relationship between play, language, executive function and self-regulation;
• how schools can maintain curriculum ambition while using developmentally appropriate approaches;
• the role of leaders in developing a clear, consistent and sustainable approach.

The afternoon will focus specifically on classroom practice for Year 1 teachers. Participants will explore what play-based pedagogy can look like in practice, including:

• designing an effective Year 1 learning environment;
• using continuous and enhanced provision effectively;
• balancing child-initiated, adult-supported and adult-led learning;
• planning from the National Curriculum without creating an overly formalised approach;

Participants will leave with a practical gap task to support them in reviewing, developing and evaluating an aspect of their own practice.

Session 2: Half-day follow-up for Year 1 teachers

The follow-up session will provide an opportunity for participants to share what they have tried, reflect on the impact of their gap task and consider their next steps.

The session will support teachers to:

• evaluate changes made to provision and practice;
• identify what has worked well and what remains challenging;
• refine the balance between play, direct teaching and adult interaction;
• develop realistic and sustainable next steps.

The course is designed to support schools to move beyond simply adding activities or resources to a Year 1 classroom. It will help teachers and leaders develop a thoughtful, informed and ambitious approach in which play is understood as a powerful pedagogy for learning.

Audience: Year 1 teachers and teaching assistants, school leaders, staff who will be new to Year 1 from September 2027.

Date/s and time, location:

Date/Time	Venue
Session 1 Wednesday 5th May 2027 9.30-4.00pm	Learn Sheffield	Book Here
Session 2 Friday 9th July 2027 9.30-12.30pm

Please note we are inviting school leaders and SLT members to attend with their Year 1 staff the morning session on Wednesday May 5th, 2027, from 9.30-12.00pm.

On Friday 9th July 2027 participants will be welcome to stay and attend a free, joint EYFS and Year 1 networking session from 1.30-3.30pm at Learn Sheffield.

Location: Learn Sheffield, Suite 6, Albion House, Savile St, Sheffield S4 7UD

Cost: 2 Tokens or Pay as you go price on request from EarlyYearsBusinessSupport@sheffield.gov.uk

Training delivered by: Ruth Swailes, Ruth is an award-winning Early Years specialist with more than 30 years’ experience working in Education. A former primary headteacher and Ofsted inspector, Ruth currently works as an LA school improvement advisor, Early Years advisor and Independent consultant. Ruth is the lead developer and author of the Oxford International Early Years curriculum and leads the Oxford International Early Years training for schools in more than 40 different countries.

Are you frustrated by programmes and schemes that expect young children to complete complex writing tasks before they have developed the foundational skills they need?

Do you want to provide developmentally appropriate support but feel unsure about where to begin?

Are you concerned that gaps in children’s physical, linguistic and cognitive development may be limiting their progress as writers?

Are you confused by mixed messages from different people about the DFE writing framework?

Then this course is for you.

Writing is a complex process. Before children can become secure, confident and eager writers, they need strong foundations in communication and language, physical development, phonological awareness, executive function, imagination and symbolic understanding.

This practical one-and-a-half-day course is suitable for practitioners and leaders working in schools and private, voluntary and independent settings. It will support participants to understand what comes before writing and how these essential foundations can be developed through the curriculum, provision, routines, play and high-quality adult interaction.

Drawing on research, child development and current Ofsted and DfE expectations, Ruth will explore:

• the physical development that supports posture, stability, coordination, manipulation and handwriting;
• the importance of communication, vocabulary, storytelling and oral composition;
• the development of phonological and phonemic awareness and what comes before phonics;
• how play, imagination and early symbolism contribute to writing;
• the role of attention, working memory, inhibitory control and cognitive flexibility;
• how children develop motivation and a meaningful reason to write;
• the progression from early marks and symbols to transcription and composition;

Participants will consider how to build a coherent writing curriculum from the earliest foundations upwards, ensuring that children are given the right support at the right stage of development.

During the first day, delegates will explore the different strands involved in writing development and reflect on their own curriculum, environment and practice. They will leave with a focused gap task to complete in their setting.

The follow-up half-day will provide an opportunity to share what has been implemented, evaluate the impact on children’s learning and engagement, and identify appropriate next steps.

Participants will leave with a deeper understanding of the complex nature of writing and practical strategies to help children become confident, capable and enthusiastic writers from the start.

Audience: All early years practitioners, childminders, home-based early years practitioners, managers, teachers and leaders, Year 1 teachers.

Date/s and time, location:

Cohort 1 Date/Time	Venue
Session 1 Monday 26th April 2027 9.30-4.00pm	Learn Sheffield	Book Here
Session 2 Monday 7th June 2027 9.30-12.30pm

You are welcome to stay and access a Free Writing moderation session 1.30-3.30pm

Location: Learn Sheffield, Suite 6, Albion House, Savile St, Sheffield S4 7UD

Cost: 2 Tokens or Pay as you go price on request from EarlyYearsBusinessSupport@sheffield.gov.uk

Training delivered by: Ruth Swailes, Ruth is an award-winning Early Years specialist with more than 30 years’ experience working in Education. A former primary headteacher and Ofsted inspector, Ruth currently works as an LA school improvement advisor, Early Years advisor and Independent consultant. Ruth is the lead developer and author of the Oxford International Early Years curriculum and leads the Oxford International Early Years training for schools in more than 40 different countries.

Empowering early years professionals to navigate literacy and digital childhoods with confidence.

Children's lives today are shaped by a rich blend of physical, social and digital experiences. This unique professional development programme will support early years practitioners and teachers to deepen their understanding of emergent literacy and digital literacy and explore how both can be harnessed to enhance children's learning, development and well-being.

Led by Dr Fiona Scott and Professor Michelle Neumann, the programme combines a full-day workshop and follow-up session to provide both inspiration and practical application. Participants will engage in collaborative discussions, reflective activities, real-world examples and action planning, along with taking away strategies that can be embedded directly into practice.

This is an opportunity to learn, reflect and innovate alongside colleagues while building a balanced, evidence-informed approach to supporting young children in a rapidly changing world.

Participants will leave with increased confidence, actionable ideas, a personalised development plan and the tools needed to champion positive change that benefits children, families and practitioners alike back at their early years setting.

Audience: Early years practitioners, childminders, home-based early years practitioners, managers, teachers and leaders, Year 1 teachers, subject coordinators. Those who are prepared to influence change, no matter how small, back at your setting!

Date/s and time, location:

Cohort 1 Date/Time	Venue
Session 1 Monday 1st February 2027 9.30-4.00pm	University of Sheffield, Room TBC	Book Here
Session 2 Wednesday 17th March 2027 9.30-12.30pm

Location: University of Sheffield, Room TBC

Cost: 2 Tokens or Pay as you go price on request from EarlyYearsBusinessSupport@sheffield.gov.uk

Training delivered by: Dr. Fiona Scott and Professor Michelle Neumann, University of Sheffield. Dr. Fiona Scott is a Senior Lecturer in Digital Literacies in The School of Education at The University of Sheffield. She specialises in research and teaching focused on the digital lives of children. Fiona’s research focuses on children's engagements with digital technologies and digital texts, particularly in the context of families and communities. She has collaborated with a range of external partners in research, including LEGO and CBeebies. She is an Editor of the Journal of Early Childhood Literacy. Professor Michelle Neumann is an expert in the field of early childhood education, digital technologies (social robots, tablets, apps), and emergent literacy development, and conducts research in preschool and primary school settings. Michelle has developed several early educational programs and digital resources for early literacy and language learning, and published a book. She is passionate about leading research teams that seek to understand how young children interact, engage, and communicate with social robots and how AI-enabled social robots could be used to support early literacy and language learning in the classroom.