Magazine December 2019

Issue 61
DECEMBER 2019
FREE
Industry
Experts
Alternative
sensory spaces
10 ways to
empower children
The perfect musical
Christmas for littlies!
+ lots more
Don’t
miss our
insight into a
new EIF Ofsted
inspection
page 22
Understanding what is meant by
curriculum and
pedagogy
What comes to mind when we use the term curriculum? A framework or document
that supports our practice? The EYFS or a programme of study or educational scheme?
Tamsin Grimmer discusses this further on page 28!
WINTER ACTIVITIES • RADICALISATION AND THE PREVENT DUTY • ETHICAL CHRISTMAS

Hello and welcome to the December edition of the Parenta magazine!
Winter has definitely arrived, complete with its dark nights and frosty mornings …but don’t let that put you off having
fun with the children in your setting! There are so many wonderful things you can do in the winter which will leave
them (and you!) feeling invigorated. In this month’s magazine, we’ve put together some of our favourite activity ideas
for both inside and out. Turn to page 8 to get the most out of these next few chilly months.
All over the world, families are getting ready to celebrate the Christian festival of Christmas, marking the birth of
Jesus, approximately 2,000 years ago. We take a look at how different Christmas traditions have evolved globally over the
centuries in a variety of cultures, and also explore how we could take a more sustainable and ethical approach to many aspects of the
festive season.
The new Education Inspection Framework (EIF) from Ofsted is just about to enter its fourth month and many settings have already had their first
inspection under the new changes. Parenta assessor and setting owner, Fiona Spencer, runs one of those nurseries that has received a visit
from an Ofsted inspector; and on page 22, gives us a summary of her experience, plus some interesting top preparation tips!
With the new inspection framework, comes some new terminology, some of which we discussed last month. Two words which have been
longstanding in our industry and are definitely not new to us, are ‘curriculum’ and ‘pedagogy’. Industry expert, Tamsin Grimmer, digs deep
into what we perceive as the difference between these two terms which are regularly used within early years education, yet not always
defined or interpreted from an early years perspective.
Joanna Grace’s article in the September magazine has once again won her our guest author competition. Her article entitled “Ambitious &
inclusive sensory stories” gave us a glimpse into how you can use sensory stories to increase access to new experiences. We’re always on the
lookout for new authors to contribute insightful articles for our magazine. If you’ve got a topic you’d like to write about, why not send an article
to us and be in with a chance of winning a £50 voucher!
Please feel free to share your Parenta magazine with friends, parents and colleagues! All our news stories, advice articles and craft activities have
been written to help you with the efficient running of your setting and to promote the health, happiness and wellbeing of the children in your care.
May we take this opportunity of wishing all our readers, ‘Season’s Greetings’, and hope that you have a wonderful festive holiday, filled with
laughter, joy and peace!
Allan
SENSORY
Last month, Joanna
Grace busted some of the
myths about multisensory
rooms. This month she
gives tips on how to
create multisensory
spaces on a budget.
EMPOWER
Stacey Kelly shares 10
top tips on how you can
empower the children in
your care and give them
the best start in life.
hello
WELCOME TO OUR FAMILY
24
10
CURRICULUM
28
Tamsin Grimmer explores what is meant
by ‘curriculum’ and ‘pedagogy’ and
shares the 5 main points that, to her,
constitute an effective early childhood
curriculum and effective pedagogy.
DECEMBER 2019 ISSUE 61
IN THIS EDITION
REGULARS
18 Paper plate wreath
31 Write for us for a chance to win £50!
31 Guest author winner announced
32 What our customers say
NEWS
4 Apprentice of the Year shortlist for Parenta
learner!
5 Hale nursery becomes first in region to achieve
Plastic Free status
ADVICE
8 Winter activities
12 Christmas celebrations and traditions
16 Ethical and sustainable Christmas ideas
20 What to do with Christmas leftovers
22 An insight into a new EIF Ofsted inspection
26 The importance of insurance in a childcare
setting
38 Radicalisation and the Prevent Duty – all you
need to know
INDUSTRY EXPERTS
10 10 ways to empower children
14 Recognising and supporting children with slow
processing speed in your setting
24 Alternative sensory spaces
28 Understanding what is meant by curriculum and
pedagogy
35 The perfect musical Christmas for littlies!
An insight into a new EIF Ofsted inspection 22
Ethical and sustainable Christmas ideas 16
Radicalisation and the Prevent Duty 38
Check out our craft - make an easy, paper plate wreath 18

Apprentice of the Year shortlist
for Parenta learner!
Apprentice of the Year
shortlist for Parenta learner!
Hale nursery becomes first in first region in region to achieve to
achieve Plastic Free status
Plastic Free status
Parenta Training apprentice, Kira Alakija, finishes 2019 on a high, having been shortlisted
in this year’s Northamptonshire Business Awards, in the category of Apprentice of the Year.
Elmscot Hale Day Nursery & Nursery School has become the first setting in Trafford to
achieve Plastic Free status through the Surfers Against Sewage (SAS) scheme.
Kira’s Parenta assessor, Alison Rowe,
has worked closely with her during
her time at Noah’s Ark in Duston,
Northants - supporting her throughout
her learning journey.
She said; “Kira began her level 3
apprenticeship with Parenta in 2018
and has made steady progress
through to her completion in November
2019. She has a huge appetite for
furthering her knowledge within early
years to enable the children in her care
to achieve the best possible outcomes.
In addition, she has completed a
number of our CPD courses at the
same time as completing her level
3 childcare qualification, that’s no
mean feat! Kira has always balanced
her studies with her work well.
She has had good attendance and
been punctual and coped with the
demands of meeting deadlines. She
began working with a small group of
key children and quickly made good
relationships with them and their
families. Kira is now working towards
her level 5 and I am so proud that
Parenta has played such a key role in
her successful learning journey so far.”
It took her completely by surprise when
she was shortlisted for the Apprentice
of the Year award. She said; “When
the judges came to visit me at Noah’s
Ark in Duston, they told me that I was
the first nominee ever to come from
an education background – that made
me so proud! I love what I do and I
couldn’t have done all of this without
the support of my Parenta assessor
and my managers at work. The award
ceremony itself was fantastic and I
was really overwhelmed by the whole
occasion. The organisers made a point
of recognising all the apprentices
and their achievements and said that
this year, it had been really hard to
choose one overall winner. It was an
experience I will never forget and a
great way to end my apprenticeship.
Noah’s Ark Manager, Charlotte
Buckley said; “Kira is a natural with
children. She volunteers with the
Brownies and has a strong desire
to study to be a teacher. She is fun,
energetic and has a passion for
learning. She now supports new
members of staff and leads some
really fun, engaging pre-school yoga
sessions. The children adore these
sessions and it has really enriched
the provision we offer. Kira took
responsibility for developing the
maths area and chose resources to
enhance the teaching and learning.
Kira is adaptable and can think on
her feet. She is always flexible and
willing to support staff/children where
necessary, as no two days are ever
the same!”
Deputy Manager, Heidi Robertson,
said; Kira is always striving to improve
and it is wonderful for us to support
her through this journey. Kira is a
true asset to Noah’s Ark and we are
so pleased that her commitment and
achievement was recognised at the
Northamptonshire Business Awards.”
SAS is a UK environmental charity
that is dedicated to protecting our
environment, making it safer for
wildlife and surrounding communities.
The organisation runs a number of
campaigns aimed at guiding individuals
and businesses to start their Plastic
Free journey.
Elmscot Hale has followed the Plastic
Free Nursery objectives over a number
of weeks and is committed to further
expanding their efforts. The five
objectives they successfully completed
involved teaching the children about the
problem of single-use plastic, gathering
together for litter picking sessions and
establishing where changes can be
made to reduce the requirement for
single-use plastic within the setting.
The nursery staff now uses washable
tabards instead of single-use aprons
at mealtimes and for nappy changing,
single-use aprons have been replaced
with PVC aprons that can be sanitised
after each use. Fresh milk is now
delivered from a local supplier in
traditional glass bottles rather than
plastic, which has made a huge
impact on the amount of singleuse
plastic coming into the nursery.
All food shopping is now delivered
without carrier bags and the use of
plastic gloves has been reduced and
traditional methods reintroduced.
Stacey Thompson, Nursery Manager
at Elmscot Hale Day Nursery and the
person who has been leading this
campaign within the nursery, said: “This
has been one of the most interesting
projects we have been involved in and
it’s made us see how much single-use
plastic is being used in day-to-day life.
“A number of permanent changes have
already been made, but we will now
seek to further reduce our use of singleuse
plastic throughout the nursery.”
Elmscot Hale Day Nursery is part
of Elmscot Group, which provides
outstanding childcare and education to
over 1,800 children across Cheshire.
4 Parenta.com December 2019 5

Parenta Trust news
NEWS
CPD eLearning courses
With the festive season upon us, and thoughts of charity and those less fortunate than
us at the forefront of our minds, we take a look at how our charity, Parenta Trust,
changes the lives of hundreds of children who attend Parenta Trust schools in deprived
areas of the world.
It’s hard to believe, but in so many third
world countries, pre-school children are
denied a basic education. In the poorest
of areas, children are sent out to fetch
water, carry out domestic chores and
look after their siblings. Very often, this
means that they miss out on not only a
pre-school education, but subsequent
additional education throughout their
childhood…and beyond..
It doesn’t sound much to you
or me, but for as little as 56
pence a day, a child’s life can
be changed – meaning they can
look forward to a much brighter
future.
The Parenta Trust sponsorship
programme gives disadvantaged
pre-school children the chance to lay
the foundations for their learning in a
safe and loving environment. Having a
fundamental education means these
young children can break out of the
cycle of poverty and look forward to a
much more positive future.
Sponsorship plays a huge role in
shaping the lives of young pre-school
boys and girls across the world. With
the support of their sponsors, the
children are given an optimistic start
to their life and receive a pre-school
education, with its effects lasting a
lifetime.
Each sponsored child benefits from a
pre-school education, a school uniform,
a daily hot meal, school supplies and
the knowledge that someone really
cares.
Sponsor a Parenta Trust child and make
their future brighter... today.
Other ways to support the
work of Parenta Trust
The Parenta Trust holds many
fundraising activities throughout the
year, the highlight of which is a highoctane
car rally from Maidstone via the
Alps to Monaco. During 2019, the Trust
raised over £20,000 through a variety
of these events, from making pancakes
to breakfasts and even pub quizzes!
Not forgetting of course, the main event
of the year, the rally.
Find out how you can support the work
of Parenta Trust and keep up-to-date
with the latest events by following
@ParentaTrust on social media.
“Sponsoring a Parenta Trust
child is so rewarding. To
know that our support gives
hope to a child and that we
can change their lives for
the better, is incredible. You
form a special connection
with your sponsored child
and are able to share in their
milestones as they grow. In
fact, you’ll soon find that your
sponsored child feels like a
part of your own family! Each
year, we receive a couple of
letters from them as well as a
card at Christmas time.
The children that we sponsor
love to hear from us! One of
the most rewarding things
about sponsoring a child is
when that letter arrives and
you hear about what they’ve
been up to and how you have
helped them. It fills you with
pride and happiness!”
Allan Presland, CEO of Parenta and founder of Parenta
Trust explains how sponsorship saved Bridget’s life...
We met Bridget on a trip to Uganda in 2014. Nothing could’ve prepared us
for her story but, sadly, her case is not a one-off. Bridget was rescued from a
shrine where she was about to be sacrificed by her parents. Saved at the last
moment from a shocking fate, she now attends one of our pre-schools where
she can lead a happy and safe life. She is cared for, has a sponsor and has the
education she needs to brighten her future. There are many more vulnerable
children like Bridget who need your help. By sponsoring a pre-school child, you
make a real difference to their lives.
Continuing
Professional
Development
eLearning
courses
Whether you are a
manager looking
to support your
staff by enhancing
their knowledge, or
looking at developing
your own career,
when you study one
of Parenta’s online
CPD courses, you
study in your own
time and at your own
pace – all from the
comfort of your own
home!
Our full list of
eLearning and eBook
courses can be found
on our website:
parenta.com
START YOUR TRAINING
parenta.com/parenta-online-courses
6 Parenta.com
CPD
accredited
Study at
your pace
Affordable
No classes
to attend

Winter activities
1.
2.
3.
It’s winter! The days are drawing in; it takes 15 minutes to scrape a heavy coating of ice off
your windscreen in the morning; and you start to wonder if you’ll ever see the sun again!
But don’t despair! And don’t let the winter blues get you down. There are plenty of fun and
exciting activities to share with your children in these colder climes, which will leave you
invigorated, rejuvenated and celebrating the winter months with glee!
We’ve put together some of our favourite ideas for inside and outside, when there’s snow and
when there’s not! So, read through the list and make the most of these special winter months.
Outside – snow
Love it or hate it, there’s no mistaking that kids love snow! And if you’re lucky enough to get some snow this year, get outside
and have some fun using the ideas below. Just make sure you wrap up warm with coats, gloves, hats and scarves!
Write letters in the snow – get the children to
practice their mark-making using the snow. You could
use sticks, fingers, feet or make some spray bottles
using coloured water and see just how creative
children can be.
Build a snowball tower – making snowballs is fun.
Whether you allow the children to throw them is up to
you, but you can always make a snowball tower and
see how tall you can make it. Why not build it using
different geometric shapes at the base, to see which is
the most stable?
Snow angels – if you are lucky and can find some
pristine snow, then making snow angels is a must.
Try making some interesting patterns too by getting
the children to face in different directions or line up in
height order.
8 Parenta.com
4.
5.
6.
7.
Build a snowman, snowwoman or snow dog! This
is a great way to introduce some new stories to your
classes too, such as “The Snowman” by Raymond
Briggs. You could read the story and then make your
own snow family. Just don’t be alarmed if they move in
the night!
Do some science – leave some bottles outside that
are filled with different liquids to see which ones freeze
in the snow. Try plain water, salt-water, and fizzy pop
for starters.
Build a snow house or mini igloo – ever wondered
how Eskimos keep warm? Try building a simple shelter
in the snow to find out.
Make some home-made sledges – experiment with
using some household items to see what slides well on
the snow - perhaps a tray, a bin bag or a large piece
of cardboard? Help your children explore and come up
with some answers for themselves.
Outside – no snow
Even if you don’t get any snow this winter, there’s still lots of fun to be had exploring the great outdoors with some warm clothes
and some wellies!
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Inside – toasty warm!
If it’s too cold, wet or windy to go outside, then let the winter winds blow and try some indoor activities to
celebrate winter instead.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Natural winter art – collect some colourful items such as leaves, twigs, pinecones,
conkers etc. and use them to make some artwork. You could create animals,
environments or anything else using these natural resources.
Go on a festive walk – increase the physical activity of the children by taking them on
a winter walk. You could make it a treasure hunt or look out for local landmarks. And
remember to jump through the leaves and in muddy puddles too!
Deliver some winter food parcels – winter can be difficult for some people,
especially if they are elderly, homeless or infirm. Why not organise a collection
of non-perishable food items, decorate some boxes and then deliver them
in your local area?
Track animals – you can often see animal footprints more easily
in winter than summer due to the muddy conditions. Go on a
hunt for some common British wildlife and see if you can spot
and identify the signs of hedgehogs, birds, badgers, foxes or
rabbits – or anything else that lives in and around your setting.
Plant some winter flowers – winter does not need to be a time
without gardening. There are some wonderful winter pansies,
cyclamen and spring bulbs to plant that will keep your garden full
of colour.
Make a bug hotel – your local wildlife will appreciate a bit of
care this winter too, especially if you give them somewhere to
hibernate. Use rotting leaves, twigs, straw, old tiles and stones to
create a layered ‘hotel’ for our insect friends.
Visit your local library – encourage a love of reading early on by taking a trip to your
local library. Many offer storytime sessions for toddlers too or you could check your
‘What’s On’ listings to see if there are some festive events you could attend.
Decorate windows – make some paper snowflakes,
snowmen or Christmas trees to decorate your
windows. If you use coloured tissue paper, they create
colourful patterns when the sun shines.
Make some marshmallow or cotton wool snowmen
– this is the warmer version of the real thing but can
be just as much fun. You can use spaghetti or sticks to
hold them together.
Feed the birds – make some winter feeders using old
plastic bottles, nuts, seeds and berries.
Have an indoor snowball fight – make some
pompoms using wool or use softballs to either play
catch or have a ‘dodge the snowball’ competition!
Create a winter weather mobile – make snowflakes,
clouds and sun shapes to hang around the setting to
show the different weathers you can get in winter.
6.
7.
Decorate some biscuits with
winter themes – make some
biscuits and cut them into
winter shapes, then decorate
them with some festive ideas.
Think about usual ideas such
as bobble hats, gloves and
reindeer.
Learn some new winterthemed
songs – how
about “Here we go round
the mulberry bush”, “The
north wind doth blow”
and “Look out, look out,
Jack Frost is about” for
starters?

10 ways to
10 ways to empower children
empower children
7. Teach them gratitude
8. Show them they are
enough
What a child consistently hears, sees and feels creates a blueprint for how they view
themselves, the world and their place within in. We are all programmed in our early
years with beliefs and values that then silently influence us throughout life. If we want
children to grow up confident, have self -esteem and to become empowered adults,
we need to make sure that our actions and words are programming them with these
qualities when they are younger. Here are 10 ways to empower children and to give
them the best start in life:
1. Be present
In this fast-paced world, it can be
very easy to get distracted. We all
have a million things on our todo
lists at any given moment and
it can mean that we rarely stand
still. It’s important for children to
feel heard and valued, and a good
way to do this, is to make sure that
when we are with them, that we are
truly present. By taking away any
distractions and giving children our
full attention, we are showing them
that they are important and that we
want to hear what they have to say.
4. Allow them to fail
Failure is a part of success and
it’s important for children to learn
this. A person that sees failure as
a stepping-stone to their goal will
achieve far more than someone
who lets failure define them. It can
be hard to let children fail as we
want to protect them. However,
if we want them to succeed in
the future, we need to build their
resilience and learn that failure is
a part of life.
2. Teach them about body
autonomy
It’s important for children to know
that their body is theirs and for them
to learn how to set boundaries.
Quite often with friends and family
members, children are asked to give
hugs goodbye. If they don’t want to,
it is common for us to try to cajole
them into doing it, but is this the
right thing to do? If we want children
to know that their body is theirs, we
need to teach them this when they
are younger, and by simply allowing
them to not give a hug if they don’t
want to, we reinforce this message.
5. Choose your words
carefully
The words that we use are
powerful. If we want children to
feel empowered and confident,
we need to make sure that the
language we are using around
them is instilling these values.
3. Allow them to take risks
We all want to protect children and
it’s important to keep them safe.
However, there are times when we
can overprotect them. By allowing
children to take small risks like
climbing the ladder to the slide
without us reaching out our hand,
we show them that we trust them
and this, in turn, builds their selfbelief.
Of course, we will be there
to catch them if they fall, but by not
helping them in the process, you
are showing them that you believe
in them.
6. Respect them
Quite often we can hold children to
a higher standard than we can live
up to ourselves. If we were in the
middle of a task and engrossed,
how would we feel if someone
just came up to us, told us it was
dinnertime and took what we were
doing away without any warning?
We’d be so annoyed! I think it’s
important to ask ourselves how
we would feel if we were on the
receiving end of our actions and
to extend the same respect to
children that we would expect
ourselves.
We teach children to say thank
you, but we rarely teach them
about gratitude. Studies show that
practising gratitude on a daily basis
reduces stress and anxiety and
increases happiness. By teaching
children to be grateful about the
small things, we will support them
to be happier and empowered
because they will see the beauty in
life. Download your free gratitude
pack here.
9. Allow them to be their
authentic self
We are all unique and it’s important
for children to feel accepted for who
they are, not who we think they
should be. Children have their own
minds and each one has different
skills, abilities and ways of doing
things. We need to nurture children
to become their authentic self
and to know that it is okay to be
different.
We all have different strengths and
weaknesses and it’s important for
children to learn that they are good
enough as they are. We don’t have
to be perfect all of the time and
great at everything. Children will
be far happier in life if they realise
this and learn to accept and love
themselves even with their flaws.
10. Give them choice and
explain yourself
Nobody likes to be controlled and
the same applies to children. Of
course, we have to guide them and
there are times that we need to
take control, but it’s important for
children to learn that they have a
voice. We can give children choice
and still control the outcome. For
example:
• Put 2 outfits out and let them
choose what to wear
• Give them 2 lunch options
• If they need to do something
for safety, like holding your
hand, ask them if they’d prefer
to hold your hand or for you
to hold the bag on their back
instead
It’s also important to explain things
to children. Quite often, we tell
children to do something without
explaining why. It may seem
obvious to us, but children are not
always developmentally-equipped
with the ability to join the dots and
by explaining things, it will help
them to understand why you are
doing what you are doing.
Stacey Kelly
Stacey Kelly is a former
teacher, a parent to 2
beautiful babies and the
founder of Early Years Story
Box, which is a subscription
website providing children’s
storybooks and early years
resources. She is passionate
about building children’s
imagination, creativity and
self-belief and about creating
awareness of the impact
that the early years have
on a child’s future. Stacey
loves her role as a writer,
illustrator and public speaker
and believes in the power of
personal development. She is
also on a mission to empower
children to live a life full of
happiness and fulfilment,
which is why she launched
the #ThankYouOaky Gratitude
Movement.
Sign up to Stacey’s premium
membership here and use the
code PARENTA20 to get 20%
off or contact Stacey for an
online demo.
Website:
www.earlyyearsstorybox.com
Email:
stacey@earlyyearsstorybox.com
Facebook:
facebook.com/earlyyearsstorybox
Twitter:
twitter.com/eystorybox
Instagram:
instagram.com/earlyyearsstorybox
LinkedIn:
linkedin.com/in/stacey-kellya84534b2/
10 Parenta.com December 2019 11

Christmas celebrations and traditions
Christmas
celebrations
and traditions
Christmas is coming and families
around the world are getting ready to
celebrate the Christian festival marking
the birth of Jesus, approximately 2,000
years ago. Over the centuries, different
Christmas traditions have developed
in response to cultures, circumstances
and ideas, so read on to find out more.
The spirit of giving
According to Christians, the
greatest act of giving was
that of God, who gave his
only son, Jesus Christ, to
the world at Christmas; so
that, according to the bible,
“whoever believes in him
shall not perish but have
eternal life.”
Since Christians are
celebrating Jesus’ birthday
at Christmas, presents
are traditionally given to
mark this. In the gospel of
Matthew, three wise men
or Magi, visited Jesus in the
stable when he was a baby,
bringing him gifts of gold,
frankincense and myrrh, so
our Christmas presents derive
from this act of kindness and
worship.
However, whilst this could
be said to have started our
Christmas present tradition,
many pagan rituals held
annually years before the
birth of Christ, had a tradition
of feasting at the winter
solstice (called Yule) to
celebrate the birth of a new
year, and the exchanging of
presents was common there
too.
Father Christmas
Father Christmas or Santa
Claus is based on the reallife
figure of St Nicholas
of Myra who was an early
fourth-century Christian saint,
well-known for his deeds of
kindness and for secretively
giving money to the poor. St
Nicholas’ Day is celebrated in
many countries on December
6th and children often leave
out their shoes in the hope of
receiving a present from him.
Over the years, and
especially during the 19th
century, Saint Nicholas’
bishop’s robes transformed
into the now familiar red
suit with a white, fur-trim;
and his persona into that
of a rather rotund and jolly,
elderly gentleman. This idea
was further enhanced by
successful 1930s Coca-Cola
adverts, which promoted and
standardised this image of
Father Christmas over many
years in the 20th century.
Whatever he looks like, the
idea that he enters and
leaves by the chimney, gives
presents to ‘good’ children at
Christmas, and likes a mince
pie or two, is an enduring
one.
Christmas trees and
Christmas cards
In many places around the
world, evergreen trees have
been used in mid-winter to
decorate houses, ward off
evil spirits and remind people
that spring will soon return.
The Romans used fir trees
even before Christianity, so
it’s no surprise that as the
religion grew, the tradition of
decorating a ‘Christmas tree’
developed out of this ancient
custom. It is thought that
the Germans were the first
to bring whole trees indoors
and attach candles, edible
treats and glass decorations
to their branches. However,
it was not until the 1830s
that Christmas trees were
introduced in Britain, and in
1841, Prince Albert set up a
tree in Windsor Castle. After
an 1846 sketch showing
the Royal family standing
around their Christmas
tree was published and
circulated, every household
in the country wanted one.
Nowadays, between 6 and 8
million real Christmas trees
are sold in Britain every year.
As a token of their
appreciation for Britain’s help
to Norway during the Second
World War, the city of Oslo
has sent an annual gift of a
20ft Norway Spruce tree to
stand proudly in Trafalgar
Square each year since
1947. There is a tree lighting
ceremony on the first Thursday
in December, attended by
thousands of people.
The Victorian era was also
responsible for promoting the
sending of Christmas cards
to mark the season, and
nowadays, charity Christmas
cards raise millions each year
for good causes.
Advent and advent
calendars
The weeks immediately
before Christmas are known
as Advent, beginning on
the fourth Sunday before
Christmas and ending on
Christmas Eve. In Latin,
Advent means ‘coming’ so
during this time, Christians
prepare for the coming of
Jesus and remember the true
meaning of Christmas - a
reminder to love everyone
- amidst all the commercial
preparations, visits to Santa
and pre-Christmas sales!
It is thought that advent
started as early as 567 A.D.
when some Christian monks
were ordered to fast during
December in the run-up
to Christmas. Today, some
Orthodox religions fast for 40
days, starting in November.
Many churches use 4 advent
candles to count down the
weeks, lighting one candle
each Sunday until Christmas
Day.
Today, a popular way to count
the days until Christmas,
is by using a paper advent
calendar consisting of 24
or 25 small windows, one
to be opened each day in
December. A variation of this,
which has become popular in
the last 30 years, is to have
chocolate behind each door
rather than a small message.
The 12 days of
Christmas
We all know the song…
well, at least up to the
seven swans-a-swimming
part, and then it can get a
bit ropey towards the end
as we wonder if the pipers
come before the drums or
the leaping lords
are before or
after the
dancing
ladies! Despite this, the
12 days immediately after
Christmas are an integral part
of Christmas celebrations in
many countries. These days
mark the 12 days between the
birth of Christ and the coming
of the Magi, which was on
Epiphany or Three Kings’
Day, now the 6th of January.
Whether you are given a
myriad of poultry and enough
people to populate a small
hamlet or not, most people
use this time to see friends,
relax and visit extended
family. In some countries, like
Spain, presents are not given
until 6th January.
In the UK however, Twelfth
Night marks the end of the
Christmas celebrations, and
most people take down all
their Christmas decorations
by this date. Legend has it,
that you will receive a year’s
bad luck if you don’t, so
better be careful if you want
to avoid upsetting your year
ahead!
Whatever you do at
Christmas, it is a time for
spreading love, bringing joy
and giving – and the best
gifts are often impossible
to wrap, those that involve
giving your time and your
love.
12 Parenta.com December 2019 13

Recognising and
Recognising and supporting children
with slow processing supporting speed in your
setting
children with slow processing speed in your setting
Have you ever noticed a child in your setting that is capable of doing tasks
but takes a lot longer than others, or a child that you have said something
to and they respond to it a few minutes later? It may be that this child needs
extra processing time to take in what has been asked of them.
Processing speed refers to
how long it takes someone to
receive information, process
it and respond to it. Everyone
needs processing time, however
for some, this takes longer
than others. Children with slow
processing speed may take a
lot longer to perform tasks than
their peers, they may find it hard
to follow instructions that have
more than one step and they can
become overwhelmed by too
much information at once.
Slow processing speed can
cause feelings of anxiety for a
young child because they are
aware that they are not doing
things as quickly as their peers.
Likewise, though, anxiety can
also add to the slow processing
speed therefore it is important
that, as carers, we try to figure
out which came first and support
the child as best as possible.
So how can you support a child
with slow processing speed?
processing speed, however there
are ways that you can support
a child through accepting and
accommodating their need.
• Minimise stress – this is a
huge factor for supporting
children with slow processing
speed, and often one that
needs to be explained to
parents. The stresses of
family life can make it difficult
for parents to allow a child
to take a long time over
everyday tasks. It is essential,
though, that the parent
realises that this child needs
a little bit longer in order to
not feel stressed as this can
in turn make their processing
speed even slower.
• When you give an instruction,
say it once and then wait.
Don’t keep repeating it. If
you repeat yourself then you
are likely to use a slightly
different tone of voice and
this is confusing – particularly
for someone on the autism
spectrum. The child could
hear it as a completely
different instruction and
therefore have to begin their
processing again. Give an
instruction and then wait.
Wait to see if they do, in
fact, process what you have
suggested.
• For the same reasons above,
ask one question at a time
and don’t give too much
information at once. Simple,
one step instructions or
questions are best for this
child.
• Keep to a routine – as far as
possible, if things take place
at the same time each day
then the child has the chance
to practise a task and has
a much better chance at
becoming efficient at it.
• Allow lots and lots of time for
tasks – I know this is difficult
but, where possible, allow
enough time for the child to
complete their task so that
they can feel proud of having
finished it within the allotted
time rather than feeling
rushed.
• Using visuals here is very
handy because they don’t
change, and they don’t have
tone of voice. A child can look
at them and take their time
understanding what they
mean. You could use photos,
drawings or visual symbols
to represent what you are
saying.
As you can see, understanding
the child’s need is the number
one key to being able to help
them. If you can become aware
of any child in your setting that
may have a slower processing
speed than others, and make
other staff aware, then you
have already gone a long way
towards supporting them.
Gina Smith
Gina Smith is an
experienced teacher with
experience of teaching
in both mainstream and
special education. She
is the creator of ‘Create
Visual Aids’ - a business
that provides both homes
and education settings with
bespoke visual resources.
Gina recognises the fact
that no two children are
the same and therefore
individuals are likely to
need different resources.
Create Visual Aids is
dedicated to making visual
symbols exactly how the
individual needs them.
Website:
www.createvisualaids.com
Email:
gina@createvisualsaids.com
Unfortunately there isn’t a simple
answer to increasing someone’s
14 Parenta.com December 2019 15

Ethical and sustainable
Christmas ideas
Ethical and sustainable
Christmas ideas
Christmas - time for feasting, celebrations, meeting up with family, and remembering
what the true meaning is – love, peace and goodwill to all.
And then there’s presents, trees,
stockings, turkey, stuffing, mince
pies, wrapping paper, decorations,
sixpences in puddings, cardholders,
advent calendars, pigs in blankets,
reindeer food, secret Santas, carol
singers, sherry, fairy lights, “Santa
stop here” signs, tinsel, party dresses,
loo roll embossed with snowmen,
table runners and those oversized
plates that you put the real plates on
(!?!)..……the list is endless!
STOP!…too much - and it’s
still 4 weeks to go!
The truth is that the stresses we
face at this time of year can often
put real strains on our health,
families, finances, relationships, and
increasingly, our planet. So, what
if you took a more sustainable and
ethical approach to it all this year –
not just in terms of the resources you
use, but also to your own health and
wellbeing? Might we all start 2020 in
a decidedly more peaceful place?
The true cost of Christmas
According to UK statistics:
• Households spend an average
£500 more in December than
other months 1
• We waste 54 million platefuls of
food during December 2 and 70%
buy far more food than we need
• We’ll use 227,000 miles of
wrapping paper - enough to
stretch nine times around the
world 3
• Other waste includes 125,000 tons
of plastic wrapping and 10 million
items of turkey packaging 3
As concern about excessive
consumption, un-needed packaging
and our effect on the planet
increases, here are some ideas to
help make your Christmas more
ethical and sustainable this year.
Cards and wrapping
paper
We all like to send and receive cards
but buying charity cards will help
ensure your money goes to good
causes as well. To help save trees,
consider sending e-cards instead,
as these save paper and can be
animated and audio-visual too.
If you do send real cards, make sure
they are sourced from sustainable
forests, such as those carrying the
Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)
mark, guaranteeing the paper has
been produced sustainably and
ethically. Find cards made from
recycled sources, and then ensure
you recycle them effectively too. Some
types of wrapping paper contain
non-recyclable materials, so be
careful what you buy. A quick test is
to scrunch up the wrapping paper: if
is unfolds on its own, it may contain
unrecyclable materials, but check with
your local recycling centre if you are
unsure.
You could also:
• Cut up old cards and make them
into gift tags, cards or place
names for next year
• Make new Christmas decorations
such as mobiles, or keep cards for
craft activities throughout the year
• Use fabric instead of paper which
you can reuse
• Reuse bows and ribbons
• Use gift bags to hold several
presents instead of wrapping
things individually
• Buy gifts that don’t need
wrapping – like experiences and
events
Christmas trees
In the UK, we buy approximately 8
million Christmas trees each year,
creating a lot of potential waste. Fake
trees last longer but can be energyexpensive
to produce and dispose of.
One idea gathering momentum is the
idea of renting your Christmas tree
from a garden centre or local nursery.
Some even deliver and collect them
afterwards, and the living tree gets
to continue growing as well. If you
do buy a real tree, make sure it has
been grown sustainably by looking for
either the FSC or Soil Association logo.
You could also grow your own tree
in a pot and enjoy it all year round.
Some good examples of ‘alternative’
Christmas trees include yucca, apple,
bay, pear, maple, firs, holly or just
some painted sticks in a pot.
When it comes to recycling trees, most
local tips and recycling centres will
take them and many councils arrange
a local drop-off point. Recycled trees
can be rotted down for compost or
used for mulch with a lovely pine
smell. Alternatively, chop it and create
a habitat for insects and birds in your
garden.
Decorations
Don’t buy more decorations – reuse
the ones you already have or make
Top
Tips!
1. Simplify – less is
more
2. Make things – it’s
more personal and
unique
3. Reduce, recycle and reuse
4. Source local goods
5. Use what’s around you
in nature – it’s free!
6. Car share with friends when
shopping
7. Check for sustainable and ethical
third-party endorsements
8. Don’t overbuy – most shops
open again on Boxing Day!
9. Stop and give yourself a break
– you deserve it
10. Remember that Christmas is more
about giving your time and your love
than it is your money – the people you
care about will appreciate it much more
than an extra
oversized
plate!
your own. Use natural resources
such as tree cuttings, pine cones,
conkers, and dried fruit/flowers to
make stunning displays and table
decorations. Why not use old books
as a centre piece, or create a mini
forest scene with some branches
in oasis? Use salt dough (flour, salt
and water) to create some miniature
figures such as snowmen and Santas.
Children love to make and paint
them, and they are cheap and
biodegradable too. Just make
sure they know they can’t eat
them!
Glitter
Who doesn’t like a bit of sparkle
at Christmas? But can we add
glitter to decorations and
cards in an ethical and
sustainable manner? The
answer is yes - you can
now buy biodegradable,
plant-based glitter which
degrades over time, so you can add
that bit of sparkle without feeling
guilty. There are even make-up
versions so you can let your little ones
really shine in their nativity plays as
angels and stars!
Christmas crackers
Make your own crackers using the
inside of a kitchen roll. Fill with
sweets, a joke and a homemade
paper hat, and cover with some
recycled paper, old maps,
newspapers or children’s paintings/
drawings. Or recycle jam jars, paint
the outsides with Christmas images
and fill with goodies!
Ethical gifts
There has been a burgeoning of
ethical and different gift providers
in recent years. Nowadays you can
buy goats, chickens, food, footballs,
water, seeds, tools, and bees. The
recipient gets a card and a wonderful
feeling; and disadvantaged people
from all over the world receive
something that could make their life
just that little bit easier.
References
1. http://bit.ly/2NZoSrO
2. http://bit.ly/37guu8Z
3. http://bit.ly/2rUmgmt
16 Parenta.com December 2019 17

Paper plate wreath
Paper plate
wreath
You will need:

What to do with Christmas leftovers
What to do with
Christmas leftovers
Once upon a time, if you didn’t buy enough milk before Christmas, and then ran out on
December 25th, you’d have to endure Christmas pudding without custard, no eggnog,
and black coffee for 3 days until the shops opened again on the 28th!
Nowadays things are different – the
main supermarkets may shut for one
day, (not all do) but there are open
mini-markets and petrol stations up and
down the country, selling everything
you could possibly need, often 24/7!
So why do most of us stock up at
Christmas as if we were stocking up
for a siege? We invent creative ways
to chill food and drinks outside, stack
the fridge so high that it blocks out the
interior light, and can never find the
lemon that we know is somewhere
on the bottom shelf, for the welcome
aperitif!
Feasting at Christmas is part of the
festivities, but with a little more thought,
we can help our communities, our
planet, and our bank balances too.
Food leftovers
The first stage in dealing with food
waste, is to not overstock your
cupboards in the first place. We all
have a few extra things in, just in case
an extra couple of guests drop by on
Boxing Day, but ask yourself if you are
really planning and budgeting your
food efficiently. Do you really need 10
lbs of potatoes – just in case – or do
you only really need 6?
If you’ve planned well and still have
fresh food left over after Christmas,
there are many recipes on the internet
that offer some tasty options for dealing
with Christmas dinner leftovers. Some
of our favourite ones are on the BBC
Food website here including a turkey
and ham pie, sprout remoulade and
a German-inspired potato dish, called
Klump.
Secondly, try to clear out your freezer
in the run up to Christmas so you can
easily store your food and leftovers to
enjoy later. Many food items can be
frozen and stored for between 3 months
and one year. Make sure you let the
food cool down to room temperature
before putting it in the freezer, and
ensure you pack and wrap it properly,
labelling it with the contents and the
date.
If you have tins, bottles, cans or dried
goods which have not been used, think
about making a difference by donating
them to your local food bank. You might
even want to add a couple of extra
things to your initial shopping basket
too, as many supermarkets have dropoff
points where you can donate things
directly to the food banks or local pet
rescue centres.
Unwanted presents
We all occasionally get an unwanted
present that we either don’t like, doesn’t
fit or we just can’t use. We don’t want to
hurt the other person’s feelings, but we
know that it’s just not us. Estimates vary
on the value of returns each year, but
it’s generally in the £100 million.
So, if you get an unwanted gift this
year, here are some suggestions.
1. Return it (usually you will need
the receipt or gift receipt).
2. Swap it – either with the shop
for something else, or your friends/
family.
3. Sell it – sites like eBay, Gumtree,
Wish and Depop are places where
you can sell unwanted things from
vouchers to clothes. You can also
try your local car boot sales which
also offer good value for picking up
bargains after Christmas.
4. Donate it – give it to a local
charity or your local hospital/
children’s home and allow others to
use them. Charity shops also help
others too, because people can buy
things at a reduced price, or items
can be shipped to other countries
by the charity and redistributed
to disadvantaged people who
need them instead. Some charity
organisations, such as the BHF, will
come and collect your unwanted
bags, furniture and electricals for
free, so it’s worth checking if you
can’t actually transport the things
you want to donate yourself.
5. Recycle it – make it into
something else or recycle parts of
it. If you have toys that you don’t
feel could go to a charity shop or
be donated to a local hospital or
children’s home, then there are
some great ideas on the internet
for turning some of your old plastic
toys into decorative or useful items.
Many settings are trying to limit
the amount of plastic they have in
their setting as part of developing
a greener philosophy and practice,
so why not think about turning
some of those old plastic dinosaurs
into plant pots or coat hooks? The
children in your setting will love the
uniqueness of them and you’ll be
saving them from going into landfill
too. There are some great ideas at
diyprojects.com covering recycling
plastic toys, glass bottles and
furniture.
6. Regift it – this is when you pass
it on as a gift to someone else.
7. Bin it – we don’t recommend
this one since there will be
someone, somewhere, who could
usually make use of it, unless it
is damaged or faulty. Even then,
the recycling centres are now
expanding what they recycle, so
check with them and your local
council too.
Do you have any leftover
time?
Not everyone has family and friends
to visit, and Christmas can be a lonely
time for many. Could you donate any
‘leftover’ hours and make someone’s
day?
Crisis at Christmas runs every year
and needs people to help run their
Christmas shelters for the homeless
over the festive season. They need lots
of people to cover the shifts at centres
around the country, and they also need
people with particular skills such as
counselling or entertainment skills.
If you fancy doing some volunteering at
other times too, Do-it.org is a database
of UK volunteering opportunities.
You can search more than a million
volunteering opportunities by interest,
activity or location and then apply online.
Whatever you do with your leftovers
this year, spare a thought for the planet
and see if you can’t do something more
interesting with them before you head
for the bin!
20 Parenta.com December 2019 21

An insight into a new
An insight into a new EIF Ofsted
EIF Ofsted
inspection
inspection
The new Education Inspection Framework (EIF) from
Ofsted is just about to enter its 4th month and many
settings have already had their first inspection under the
new changes. Parenta assessor and setting owner, Fiona
Spencer, runs one of those nurseries that has received a
visit from an Ofsted inspector; she gives us a bird’s eye
view and summary of her experience.
Inspection day – a summary
of a few highlights
• Questions were asked regarding
the numbers on roll, in particular
numbers of 2-, 3, and 4-year-olds.
• Policies were available on request;
and the inspector took a brief flick
through them, taking in the titles
only.
• Safeguarding – there were 3 case
studies to respond to and all
information was to hand.
• Checks and discussions around
DBS and core training were had
- certificates were viewed and
the DBS number noted for each
member of staff.
• We had a good discussion about
training, above and beyond the
core early years training.
• We discussed our staff CDP
training and the inspector was
very interested in the fact we
promote self-study, learning
and development within our
setting. The inspector looked at
our supervisory roles and how
training should be researched and
delivered by staff-to-staff as an
extension to training courses.
• Because Ofsted scrapped its
self-evaluation form (SEF) in
2018 we didn’t have to prepare
any specific paperwork for the
inspection. Instead, the inspector
asked questions on what we have
done to improve since the last
inspection and how we plan to
move forward in the future.
The Learning Walk
During the learning walk, Ofsted
inspectors will probably want to see a
well-considered, flexible daily routine
that meets the needs of the children on
the day.
• We started in the foyer and we
demonstrated to the inspector
what and why everything was
there. For example, the relevance
of our posters, Mr Bump forms,
achievement box etc. We were
questioned in some detail about
Mr Bump forms (accident reporting)
and also about our security and
opening procedures.
• We then went into the cloakroom
and were questioned about the
height of hooks for coats, and
observed children washing hands.
The self-registration board with
names on was discussed too.
• The inspector looked at the room
overall, asking how we covered
all areas of learning - which is
what was to be expected during a
learning walk and observation.
Top Tip!
Prior to Inspection
Did you know you that you can
find previous inspections online
that your Ofsted inspector has
carried out? This is a great tool
when looking for clues as
to what that particular
inspector focuses on.
© Chris Dorney 123RF.COM
• We discussed how we used the
jigsaws in our setting and we
explained about the relevance of
developing fine motor skills, cooperative
play and using different
jigsaws for different development
stages and talked about how we
use examples of tadpole to frog
for growth, decay and changes
over time.
• The children have a choice with
some of the toys so we showed
the inspector our Mega blocks
- used for building, counting,
and to encourage thinking and
planning i.e. building bridges for
cars.
• We showed the inspector our toy
cars and garages – used for next
steps for positional language for
a child who loves cars, and to
encourage co-operative play, and
counting.
Test your
knowledge!
Test your knowledge of the
new Education Inspection
Framework in our quiz here
– just for fun!
• Free role-play – we demonstrated
how Build-a-Blox encourages
imagination, building skills,
planning, working together and
language - and we had a member
of staff there to support (the child
had even drawn a plan of what he
wanted to build on a chalk board!)
• We showed our Tuff Spot on
floor with flour, sticks and pine
cones – all natural equipment -
to encourage mark-making for
those who didn’t like pencils and
paper, showing how we encourage
the development of gross and
fine motor skills. We also had a
discussion about literacy outside –
water on wall, sticks in mud, chalk
on the floor.
• We have some paper on the
floor near our ‘car mat’ which
was questioned, and again we
were able to explain its use - to
encourage mark-making by
continuing the roads on the mat on
to the paper – the children love it!
• We gave the children the chance to
do a baking activity that they don’t
necessarily do at home (tapping
into cultural capital). This particular
activity was looked at in detail with
questions to the relevant member
of staff.
• Our additional ‘free role-play’
resources were questioned – and
we were able to demonstrate
that this gave the children
independence, and to extend their
play.
• We also showed the inspector our
maths table with bears – this helps
the children with colour matching,
counting, sizing and weighing.
• In our outside area, we were
again able to demonstrate that we
understand what cultural capital
is in the new EIF. Not all children
get to experience outdoors, so
we showed our monitored freeflow,
talked about playing in the
immediate area during session, the
larger area with the whole group,
and in particular, our walks around
the nearby fields, in woods, taking
a picnic and to the local park.
Joint observation at snack
time
During the joint observation, we were
asked about our daily routine and
talked about healthy snacks and selfhelp
skills. We were questioned if our
juice is sugar-free and had discussions
about a child left waiting for quite some
time at the table as they didn’t know
what to do next. Suggestions were
given to help with this confusion, we
were asked what the children do with
their dirty bowls and cups, and were
able to demonstrate they take them to
another table when they had finished.
A useful suggestion was made to put a
washing bowl in that areas so that the
children could put their pots there (as
some may do at home) and that we put
a small food compost bin by the side
to put leftover food in with recycling
written on side – again, tapping into
cultural capital.
Discussions about key
worker/child relationships
We talked about age, start date,
parents, family and culture. We
needed to show that we had in depth
knowledge of the child but the inspector
was happy with what knowledge we
showed, especially when we referred
to notes on next steps. Language skills
were discussed - what she liked to
play with, how she learnt through the
characteristics of effective learning. We
talked about the partnership we have
with parents and how we work together
for the improvement of the child - in
this case showing care and concern for
others.
All in all, a very positive and
encouraging experience of the
new Ofsted Education Inspection
Framework!
22 Parenta.com December 2019 23

Alternative sensory spaces
In my last article, I did a little myth busting around the phenomena that is multisensory
rooms. Our understanding of the benefits of multisensory rooms is very skewed by the
influence of advertising, many an unverified promise is made about the powers of the
rooms. Pushing aside all the propaganda, each one of us knows that there is something
in it, children adore a multisensory room. Perhaps you have a budget of thousands and
thousands of pounds and can afford to install a room. If not, don’t worry!
If planning a multisensory room,
be sure to research what aspect
of the room will be beneficial
to the children you support. Do
not simply pick resources out of
a catalogue or accept a room
designed for you by people who
have not met the children you
support. Multisensory rooms
should be designed around the
people who will be using them.
If you haven’t got a pocket full
of money, fear not, alternative
sensory spaces might not look as
impressive but they can be just
as magic, if not more so, than the
super-expensive, sensory rooms.
Recently I completed an 18-month
research study that looked into
the use of multisensory rooms
in the UK currently. As part of
this study, I asked practitioners
Alternative
sensory spaces
to identify what aspects of
their multisensory rooms gave
them their power. Together, we
identified 12 features of effective
multisensory rooms; many of
these features can be replicated
in improvised spaces for a
fraction of the budget.
Two of those features identified as
being critical to the effectiveness
of people’s multisensory rooms in
my research, were darkness and
control.
Darkness – participants
in my research sited the
ability to achieve blackout
in a multisensory room as
underpinning much of the focus
and attention and calming
responses they saw within their
multisensory room.
Control – the fact that
multisensory room users were
able to control the sensory
experiences they experienced in
a multisensory room themselves,
was cited by participants in my
research as being critical to the
success of the rooms. Control
does not have to be a hightech
thing. Control can come
from amazing remote-controlled
effects, electronic buttons, or it
can come simply from holding a
torch oneself or from banging on
the space blanket and changing
the way it looks and sounds for
oneself.
Alternative Spaces
During my research, I began
collecting examples of alternative
sensory spaces and I have been
keeping an archive of some of the
more fantastic ones (including
one made entirely out of old milk
bottles!) in this photo album.
Here are three examples of
improvised sensory environments
that you could set up which would
enable people in your setting to
experience control and to have
their focus supported by reduced
lighting.
A pop-up tent
Throw a blanket over the tent if it
is not a dark colour, to create a
dark space. Be careful not to let it
get too stuffy; have air vents.
Black out the room
Buy blackout curtains or Magic
Blackout to stick on the windows
and black out a whole room.
An umbrella
Quickly overcome any
superstitions you may have about
putting up an umbrella indoors
and pop one open; its canopy
can be a small hideaway. Dangle
things of sensory interest from
its prongs and you have a little
sensory world you can explore.
Add into these environments
objects that fluoresce in UV light
and a UV pen torch – these can
be purchased for under £5 - and
you will have created immersive,
sensory worlds that support
visual attention and curiosity.
Now you’re started on your
adventures with improvised
sensory spaces, do not hold
back…perhaps you could create
an autumn-themed umbrella,
perhaps you could put the
sounds of a forest into your tent
together with some exotic fruits
to taste. What about using a UV
banknote pen to draw a pattern
on your face to be revealed in
the blackout of the room when
you switch your UV torch on!
The possibilities and sensory
adventures are endless and do
not need to be expensive!
Readers curious to know more
may be interested in Joanna’s
book: Multiple Multisensory
Rooms: Myth Busting the Magic
published by Routledge
Joanna Grace
Joanna Grace is an
international Sensory
Engagement and Inclusion
Specialist, trainer, author, TEDx
speaker and founder of The
Sensory Projects.
Consistently rated as
“outstanding” by Ofsted,
Joanna has taught in
mainstream and specialschool
settings, connecting
with pupils of all ages and
abilities. To inform her
work, Joanna draws on her
own experience from her
private and professional life
as well as taking in all the
information she can from the
research archives. Joanna’s
private life includes family
members with disabilities and
neurodivergent conditions and
time spent as a registered
foster carer for children with
profound disabilities.
Joanna has published three
practitioner books: “Sensory
Stories for Children and Teens”,
“Sensory-Being for Sensory
Beings” and “Sharing Sensory
Stories and Conversations with
People with Dementia”. and
two inclusive sensory story
children’s books: “Voyage to
Arghan” and “Ernest and I”.
Joanna is a big fan of social
media and is always happy
to connect with people
via Facebook, Twitter and
LinkedIn.
Website:
thesensoryprojects.co.uk
24 Parenta.com December 2019 25

The importance of insurance in a
childcare setting
The importance of
insurance
in a childcare setting
Running a nursery is certainly an invigorating experience - 101 decisions to make and
1001 things to think about! But there are also those moments of calm, when the doors
close after a long day, or when the children are all asleep for an afternoon nap and
calmness descends. Those are the times when you can take stock in peace.
Claim your FREE no obligation
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By quoting this unique offer code MMPARENTA2019 you will be entitled to a FREE insurance
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Moments of peace are perhaps rare
in childcare. Your nursery is never
going to be still and calm for long.
With that in mind, your insurance
shouldn’t be left to stand still either.
As your nursery changes and grows,
there are some potential insurance
pitfalls to watch out for, to ensure you
have the cover you need to maintain
your peace of mind.
Underinsurance
You need to know that when you
claim on your insurance, the payment
you receive will be enough to put
things right. After all, that is what
you are paying your premium for.
However, if you are not careful, you
can find yourself underinsured; that
is, paying the premium appropriate
for less valuable assets.
For example, the market value of your
property might change dramatically
over time, but if your premium was
not updated, you may only be insured
for the original value. Another easy
mistake is to insure the market value
of your property instead of the cost
of rebuilding, which may be much
more. If this happens, in the event of
a claim, your insurance company may
apply a modifier to your payment,
meaning you do not receive as much
as you need.
You can avoid underinsurance by
keeping your insurance company
up to date with the value you need
to cover. It can be a good idea to
periodically have your property
professionally valued, including a
rebuild cost.
Claims occurring vs
claims made
Another potential pitfall that is worth
double-checking, is the basis on
which some kinds of insurance are
provided. In particular, whether it
is on a ‘claims made’ or ‘claims
occurring basis’. For the most part, a
‘claims made’ basis is all you need,
but in some cases, such as cover for
abuse, you may want to consider
‘claims occurring’ instead.
All this means is that rather than your
insurance only covering claims made
while you have the policy, the cover
will keep running into the future. This
ensures that if a historical allegation
is made, perhaps decades from now,
both your interests, and those of the
person making the allegation can be
properly protected, giving you peace
of mind.
Managing your excess
Finally, it is worth making sure you
are familiar with the excess that may
be applied to your insurance claims.
When taking out insurance, it is all
too easy to get into a mindset that it
will never be used, and this can mean
details like excess falling through the
cracks.
As part of your financial planning,
it is always advisable to read your
policy documents carefully and speak
to your insurance company about
anything you are not sure about. That
way, if you need to make a claim,
you can ensure you maintain enough
money in your emergency reserves to
get everything up and running again
as quickly as possible, minimising the
disruption to your setting.
In a hectic sector, taking the time
to make your way around common
pitfalls, will help maintain your peace
of mind, and that is what insurance
is all about. In an ideal world you will
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26 Parenta.com

Understanding what is meant
by curriculum and pedagogy
curriculum and
pedagogy
What comes to mind when we use the term curriculum? A framework or document
that supports our practice; The EYFS or a programme of study or educational scheme?
Is it subjects like maths and English or perhaps areas of learning and development; a
timetable or daily routine?
Words like curriculum and pedagogy
are regularly used within early
childhood and education yet not
always defined or interpreted from
an early childhood perspective. For
example, the new Ofsted Framework
talks about, “…deciding what
we intend children to learn and
develop, how we will implement
the curriculum so that children
make progress in the seven areas
of learning and then how we will
evaluate the impact of the curriculum
by checking what children know
and can do.” The term curriculum is
used here, but Ofsted do not define
what they mean by the phrase. They
do, however, state that they do not
endorse one particular teaching
method over another, suggesting that
we are free to interpret this phrase
for ourselves.
The word curriculum comes from the
Latin meaning ‘to run a course’ and
considers the content of the learning
in terms of the knowledge, skills
and values that we want children to
learn. So within this definition, we
would be looking at the content of
the EYFS. However, when it comes to
early childhood education we may
also want to consider using the term
pedagogy which comes from the
Greek and means ‘to lead the child’.
I like the thought of leading a child…
but not in an authoritative manner,
more in a gentle way that scaffolds
their learning and presents them
with opportunities to explore within
a stimulating and enabling learning
environment, full of curiosities.
Understanding what is meant by
Pedagogy thinks about what we do
as pedagogues, or teachers, to lead
our children. It refers to the teaching
strategies we employ, the way we
tap into children’s fascinations and
interests and take into consideration
their needs, backgrounds and
strengths. So we could think about
curriculum in terms of what we
intend to do and pedagogy in terms
of what we actually do and how we
implement it!
When we think about our curriculum
with the children in addition to our
intended and offered curriculum, we
also have the received and hidden
curriculum. Our intended curriculum is
what we want for children during their
time with us and is demonstrated
through our ethos, policies and
medium and long-term plans. It
might be outlined on our website and
discussed with parents and carers
as they visit our provision for the first
time. The offered curriculum, on the
other hand, is what adults actually
do, so is the interpretation of plans
and provision and how this translates
into practice on a daily basis.
Hopefully, there isn’t much difference
between what we intend and offer.
But do we ever stop to think about
the received curriculum? That is, what
the children are actually getting out
of it. How they are responding to our
interactions and provision and what
they are learning in reality. And lastly,
we have the hidden curriculum, or
the messages that children receive
through the way we do things. We
could think about it as the things we
don’t say or the messages that are
implicit through our ethos, values and
the way we do things.
As we are on the lead up to
Christmas, I want to share a story
from my past about when I got the
curriculum a little wrong and worked
in a way that wasn’t very mindful of
the children’s own needs and wants!
I had planned for children to make
Christmas cards for their families.
Instead of offering the children
open access to the resources, I
had seen a lovely idea for footprint
Rudolph pictures and thought that
the children would enjoy making
these as they loved messy play.
So my intended curriculum was for
children to demonstrate their love for
a family member by making them
a card. The offered curriculum was
about making a card and creating
footprints with paint, however, the
received curriculum was that the
children learned to wait for their turn
to walk across the paper, and they
had to do it several times because
the first few just looked like splodges
not actual foot prints… In turn, this
meant that the hidden curriculum was
also actually teaching the children
that it’s only the perfect footprints
that were good enough and the end
product is the important thing. So
on reflection, I didn’t actually meet
my intended curriculum at all and
instead gave the children negative
messages! It would have been better
to offer the materials to the children
and invite them to create their own
card if they wanted to, which would
value the process more than the end
product. While we were creating, we
could have had a lovely conversation
about celebrations and people who
are special to us which would have
met my intended curriculum. Instead
I ended up feeling stressed and the
language I used with the children
revolved around – ‘Stand here, no
here!’ and ‘Don’t touch anything
– you’re covered in paint!’ What a
disaster!
So when we consider the
curriculum we need to think
about what we intend children
to learn, what we actually teach
them, what they actually learn
and also take into account any
implicit or hidden messages
arising from our pedagogical
methods, ethos and values. With
all of this in mind, I have come
up with 5 main points of what,
for me, constitutes an effective
early childhood curriculum and
effective pedagogy. It:
1. Should be underpinned by
our ethos and values;
2. Builds on what children
know, can do and how they
learn best;
3. Links to the EYFS – enabling
environments and positive
relationships;
4. Is sensitive and responsive
to children’s needs
and supports children
emotionally;
5. Asks how can we improve
on our current best?
So my first point is that our curriculum
needs to be underpinned by our ethos
and values. This is often how we show
our hidden curriculum too and should
underpin our practice and inform our
policy. Our values are just that – what
we hold dear and value with regard to
education and also with regard to life
in general. Sometimes our values are
implicit in what we don’t say or don’t
do as well as in what we do say and
do. Our policies should reflect this
and outline what we actually do in
practice. So whether we like it or not,
our ethos and values, which make up
our pedagogical approach will impact
on how we organise our provision and
how we engage with the children.
This is also our unique selling point!
Our curriculum should build on what
children already know, can do and
how they learn best; and this is also
what Ofsted is really focusing on. We
do this by observing the children and
responding to these observations,
which is often referred to as formative
assessment. Our observations provide
the basis for our planning their next
steps – hence looking at what we
intend children to learn in the future.
Our observations are also part of
our evaluation of the impact on the
children. Have the children learned
what we hoped they would (received
curriculum)? Has this sparked their
interest in something else? What
could we provide or do to enhance
their learning further?
However, this is not about ticking off
what children can and can’t do – it’s
not about highlighting on a copy of
development matters or having a
tick list; instead, it’s about starting
with the child and using observations
to inform our planning, instruct us
about where the curriculum should
be heading and how we should be
interacting with the children in order
for them to get there. You could think
about it as opening gateways or
offering opportunities within which
children can flourish.
An effective early childhood
curriculum also links with our
statutory framework. At this point
I want to mention the consultation
that is currently considering the
proposed changes to the EYFS. It is
really important that as many early
childhood educators as possible
respond to this. Several early
28 Parenta.com December 2019 29

childhood sector organisations
have worked together to provide a
literature review of evidence relating
to the changes. This is available
to read here. In addition you can
respond to the consultation from the
foundation years website here.
Linking with the EYFS is not just
about the areas of learning and
the characteristics of effective
learning but also in terms of what we
provide for children – our enabling
environment – and how we interact
with children through positive
relationships. Through considering
this we are keeping our children at
the centre of our practice – we are
holding them in mind. We are also
enabling children to grow positive
dispositions towards learning, like
perseverance, resilience and a cando
attitude which will help to lay
the foundation for future learning
success.
Our curriculum must be sensitive
and responsive to children’s needs,
and provide a supportive emotional
environment. It is really important
that our provision gives children a
clear message that they are loved,
respected and valued for who
they are. We need to provide a
predictable and secure environment
in which all adults support children
by reflecting on and meeting their
individual needs, acting as a role
model and providing activities and
opportunities that support children
to recognise and articulate their
feelings and emotions.
Lastly, an effective curriculum is
a reflective one that asks how we
can improve on our current best. It
reviews and evaluates practice and
provision, celebrating what we do
really well whilst striving to be the
best we can be. We can find out the
views of everyone involved in our
setting, from children to parents and
cleaners, and ensure that everyone
is clear about our curriculum and
pedagogical values; and then
be mindful of these different
perspectives when we shape future
practices.
Let’s define our curriculum and
develop a pedagogy which keeps
children at the heart of what we do
and enables them to be confident,
competent and motivated to engage
in learning. We don’t know what
jobs the children in our care will
grow up to do, in fact, many of their
jobs won’t even have been invented
yet! So it is difficult to teach them
the knowledge they will need to do
these things. The good news is that
we don’t need to, because if we can
teach them to use their initiative,
or to persevere when they meet a
challenge, or present them with
activities in which they can become
fully involved, immersed and focused,
they will know how to concentrate on
a task. So our curriculum can teach
them to be good at learning.
Tamsin Grimmer
Tamsin Grimmer is an
experienced early years
consultant and trainer and
parent who is passionate about
young children’s learning and
development. She believes
that all children deserve
practitioners who are inspiring,
dynamic, reflective and
committed to improving on their
current best. Tamsin particularly
enjoys planning and delivering
training and supporting
early years practitioners and
teachers to improve outcomes
for young children.
Tamsin has written two
books - “Observing and
Developing Schematic
Behaviour in Young Children”
and “School Readiness and
the Characteristics of Effective
Learning”.
Website:
tamsingrimmer.com
Facebook:
facebook.com/earlyyears.
consultancy.5
Twitter:
@tamsingrimmer
Winners of “Calling all
Superheroes” announced!
Winners announced!
A word from
Tamsin...
“A special thank
you for the great
ideas to all those
who entered. I’m
so pleased that
superhero play is
embedded in lots of
settings."
Thank you to everyone that entered the competition, we recieved
some really wonderful examples of superhero play!
We are pleased to announce the winners are... *drumroll*
• Aneesa Jangharia - Sunning Hill
• Lisa Gibbons - Denmead
• Sharon Grunberger - Little Explorers
To the lucky winners - your books are on their way to you!
Email:
info@tamsingrimmer.co.uk
Subscribe to our newsletters and follow us on social media to make sure you don’t miss out on any
future competitions!
30 Parenta.com
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The perfect
musical Christmas
The perfect musical Christmas for
littlies! for littlies!
This month I thought we could take a slight detour on the skills and benefits
to improve little one’s musical experience and use it all to have a little fun!
If you’ve got a topic you’d like to write about, why not send an article to us and be in with a chance of winning? Each
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••
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Guest author winner announced
Congratulations
Joanna Grace
Congratulations to our guest author
competition winner, Joanna Grace!
Joanna Grace’s article in the September edition
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sensory stories” was very popular with our
readers.
Well done, Joanna!
A massive thank you to all of our guest authors
for writing for us.
You can find all of the past articles from our
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com/parentablog/guest-authors
During my years of delivering music in
different venues, some groups have
preferred a more traditional list of songs,
whilst others have wanted easier tunes
that have had words (lyrics) changed
to suit the occasion. There will be those
who feel that there are enough old and
new Christmas songs to warrant that
lyrics need not be changed. After all,
we already have “Away In A Manger”,
“All I Want For Christmas (is my two front
teeth)”, “Frosty The Snowman”, “Twelve
Days of Christmas”, “Here Comes Santa
Claus”, “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town”!
A closer look at these songs shows that
these can be really tricky for littlies, either
because there are many notes close
together, or because the range between
the lowest and highest notes is too large
for new singers. Being a pragmatist,
I have had situations where singing
Christmas words to familiar tunes
(melodies) has been the best option,
improving confidence of both parents
and littlies, and giving families practical,
interactive ideas to take home and use.
Because of this experience, I
personally feel that both traditional
and new, purpose-written or rewritten
songs have their place in the
Christmas season. And depending
on child experience and family
preference, all of these songs may be
suitable at any age. If, for example,
family gatherings usually involve
everyone bringing or picking up the
nearest instrument, along with a
makeshift choir of 4-part harmonies,
it is likely that you will have quite a
long list of have-to-sing songs. If a
background CD/playlist is your more
usual pace, you may like to start with
these fun numbers. Here is my Top Ten
list of Children’s Favourite Christmas
Songs! (My complete Top 25 List of
Songs is also available on YouTube, on
the Musicaliti channel!)
10
9
Reindeer Cokey
This is a great movement song
to either start or end a festive
party. The Reindeer Cokey uses
reindeer body parts (hands
stuck out like antlers on your
head etc.), and also develops
the musical ideas of diminuendo
(getting smaller) and crescendo
(getting bigger) as the circle
moves in and out in the chorus.
You put your antlers in, you put your
antlers out
You put your antlers in, and you
shake them all about
You do the Reindeer Cokey and you
turn around
That’s what it’s all about
Oh, Reindeer Hokey Cokey,
Oh, Reindeer Hokey Cokey
Oh, Reindeer Hokey Cokey
Knees bent, arms stretched, raa,
raa, raa!
Twinkle, Twinkle (Christmas changes)
At number 10, this is a lovely little song to sing with the lights
off and a tiny torch light to follow on the ceiling.
Twinkle, twinkle, Christmas star
How I wonder what you are
Shining high up in the sky
Show the shepherds where Christ lies
Twinkle, twinkle, Christmas star
How I wonder what you are
8
Guess Who? (Mary Had A
Little Lamb)
This is a great song to sing with a
picture or toy Santa. Use scarves
or hide him behind your back as
you sing the tune, and uncover
or bring him out for the last line!
Guess whose beard is long and
white?
Long and white, long and white?
Guess whose beard is long and
white?
It’s Father Christmas!
Guess whose suit is red and white?
Red and white, red and white?
Guess whose suit is red and white?
It’s Father Christmas!
Guess who comes on Christmas Eve?
Christmas Eve, Christmas Eve?
Guess who comes on Christmas Eve?
It’s Father Christmas!
You put your hooves in…
You put your fluffy tail in…
You put your reindeer body in…
34 Parenta.com December 2019 35

Santa (She’ll Be Coming ‘Round The Mountain)
7
Are You Sleeping? (Frere
Jacques / Where Is
Thumbkin?)
There are a few Christmassy
variations of this old traditional
tune that range from bell
accompaniment to peekaboo
scarf or puppet play! Anticipation
is a common technique used
in music that helps to keep
the audience interested whilst
telling the story of the song.
Are you sleeping? No more peeking
Or I’ll tell, or I’ll tell
Santa Claus is coming, Santa Claus
is coming
Hear his bells, hear his bells
Where is Santa? Where is Santa?
Here I am, here I am
Merry, merry Christmas
Merry, merry Christmas
Ho ho ho! Ho ho ho!
Santa’s coming, Santa’s coming
Sleigh bells ring, sleigh bells ring
It is Christmas eve, it is Christmas eve
Ding, ding, dong, ding, ding, dong
Father Christmas, Father Christmas
He got stuck, he got stuck
Coming down the chimney, coming
down the chimney
What bad luck, what bad luck
6
5
The original tune is so familiar that this will be a great sing-a-long
tune, mainly because of the repetition. The health benefits of singing
together are becoming more and more well-known, meaning that this
will more than likely be an easy hit number!
He’ll be driving nine brown reindeer
when he comes
He’ll be driving nine brown reindeer
when he comes
He’ll be driving nine brown reindeer,
driving nine brown reindeer
Driving nine brown reindeer when
he comes
Singing ho-ho! Merry Christmas all!
Singing ho-ho! Merry Christmas all!
Singing Merry Christmas, Merry
Christmas
The Lights On The Tree
(Wheels On The Bus)
This old favourite also allows
children to “practise” the
excitement of Christmas
day, while also allowing for
new verses to be invented.
The lights on the tree go blink,
blink, blink … all Christmas day
The presents at the house go rattle,
rattle, rattle … all Christmas day
The mum at the house goes bake,
bake, bake … all Christmas day
The dad at the house goes snore,
snore, snore … all Christmas day
The grandma at the house goes
hug, hug, hug … all Christmas day
The grandad at the house goes
kiss, kiss, kiss … all Christmas day
Ho, ho! Merry Christmas all!
He’ll be piled up with presents
when he comes …
We will ring those Christmas bells
so loud and clear …
We will ring those Christmas bells
so quietly …
We will ring those Christmas bells
so fast and loud …
4
Father Christmas Land
This is THE song that I end all
my sessions on because of the
way it goes down so well. As a
circle dance, it is interactive and
engaging, whilst using considerable
repetition so that even if it is a new
song, it is easily learnt. Actions may
be changed to be more appropriate
to the group, e.g. older children
may prefer disco land, break
dance land, Pokémon land etc.
I travelled far across the sea
When Father Christmas came to me
“Ho, ho,” he said, “where do you live?”
And this is what he told me,
Come with me to clapping land,
clapping land, clapping land
All who want to live with me, come
with me to clapping land
Come with me to stamping land,
stamping land, stamping land …
Come with me to jumping land,
jumping land, jumping land …
Come with me to twirling land,
twirling land, twirling land …
Come with me to tickling land,
tickling land, tickling land …
3
When Santa Got Stuck Up
the Chimney
Despite being a fairly tricky tune
(many notes close together, wide
variety between the lowest and
highest notes), this very popular
Christmas song is a great favourite
with children and nurseries alike!
When Santa got stuck up the
chimney
He began to shout
You girls and boys won’t get any toys
Until you pull me out
My beard is black, there’s soot on
my sack
My nose is tingly too
When Santa got stuck up the
chimney
A-CHOO, A-CHOO, A-CHOO!
1
2
Jingle Bells
It was tricky to choose a
number one, as Jingle Bells
is known and loved far and
wide, but reluctantly, we settled
on this in the number 2 spot.
Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all
the way
Oh, what fun it is to ride
On a one-horse open sleigh, hey
Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all
the way
Oh, what fun it is to ride
On a one-horse open sleigh!
Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer
And the number one favourite of all children’s Christmas songs has to be …
You know Dasher and Dancer and
Prancer and Vixen
Comet and Cupid and Donner and
Blitzen
But do you recall the most famous
reindeer of all?
Rudolph, the red-nosed reindeer
Had a very shiny nose
And if you ever saw it
You would even say it glows
All of the other reindeer
Used to laugh and call him names
They never let poor Rudolph
Play in any reindeer games
Then one foggy Christmas Eve
Santa came to say,
“Rudolph with your nose so bright
Won’t you guide my sleigh
tonight?”
Then all the reindeer loved him
And they shouted out with glee,
“Rudolph, the red-nosed reindeer
You’ll go down in history!”
Frances Turnbull
Musician, researcher and
author, Frances Turnbull, is
a self-taught guitarist who
has played contemporary
and community music from
the age of 12. She delivers
music sessions to the early
years and KS1. Trained in the
music education techniques
of Kodály (specialist
singing), Dalcroze (specialist
movement) and Orff (specialist
percussion instruments), she
has a Bachelor’s degree in
Psychology (Open University)
and a Master’s degree in
Education (University of
Cambridge). She runs a local
community choir, the Bolton
Warblers, and delivers the
Sound Sense initiative aiming
for “A choir in every care
home” within local care and
residential homes, supporting
health and wellbeing through
her community interest
company.
She has represented the
early years music community
at the House of Commons,
advocating for recognition for
early years music educators,
and her table of progressive
music skills for under 7s
features in her curriculum
books.
Frances is the author of
“Learning with Music:
Games and Activities for the
Early Years“, published by
Routledge, August 2017.
www.musicaliti.co.uk
36 Parenta.com December 2019 37

Radicalisation and the
Prevent Duty and the – all you
need to know
Radicalisation
Prevent Duty
all you need to know
Prevent Duty is a law which was introduced back in
2015 and is part of the UK Government’s wider counterterrorism
strategy. The law asks for all employers,
including schools and registered early years providers, to
have due regard to the need to prevent vulnerable people
from being drawn into terrorism. As part of this strategy,
the Government requires staff to be vigilant and spot any
issues, such as changes in normal behaviour, or any other
concerns about a child’s wellbeing, which may indicate
that they are susceptible to radicalisation.
As someone who works in a setting,
you’re ideally placed to be able to flag
any concerns about the children you
spend time with. To fulfil your duties
under the Prevent Duty, you must be
able to identify children who may be
vulnerable to radicalisation and know
what to do when they are identified.
We’ll cover this in more depth later in
the guide.
What’s the difference
between extremism and
radicalisation?
Extremism is ‘vocal or active
opposition to fundamental British
values, including democracy, the rule
of law, individual liberty and mutual
respect and tolerance of different
faiths and beliefs’.
Extremists accept violence as a
legitimate way of achieving political
goals without necessarily exercising
violence themselves. E.g. calling for
the deaths of members of British
armed forces.
Radicalisation is a process whereby
a person is drawn into supporting
terrorism and extremist ideologies.
One of the most widely known
terrorist organisations which has
gained increasing media attention
in recent years is Daesh (also known
as ISIS or ISIL). However, the UK also
faces terrorist threats from extreme
right-wing terrorism, including those
who idolise Adolf Hitler and Nazism
(Neo-Nazis) and also Northern Ireland
related terrorism (NIRT).
On 3rd June 2017, we were reminded
that the threat of terror on UK soil is
ever-present when three attackers
used a van as a weapon to plough
into pedestrians on London Bridge.
They fled on foot before launching
a knife attack in nearby Borough
Market. Eight people lost their lives
that day and many more were injured.
The men responsible for the attack
were shot dead by police, who arrived
on the scene within 8 minutes.
Responsibility for the attack was
claimed by the so-called Islamic State
and the men were reported to have
been shouting “This is for Allah” as
they carried out their violent rampage.
Who may be at risk of being
radicalised?
Terrorists have many different means
to persuade people to join their cause
and it’s important to note that this
can happen both online and offline.
Social media sites provide a platform
to contact people who may be useful
in furthering the organisation’s goal.
Propaganda videos posted online
idealise their terrorist group’s lifestyle
and give false promises about what
will happen once a person joins.
Through a combination of
peer pressure, ‘bonding’ and
indoctrination, terrorists can convince
people that violence is the right way
to respond to perceived wrongdoings.
As part of their recruitment process,
terrorist groups may target those who:
• Feel discriminated against in
some way
• Feel an aspect of their identity is
under threat, such as their culture
or religion
• Have a personal grievance
• Are looking for excitement
Studies have shown that those who
have been radicalised are often
looking for a sense of belonging, or
searching for identity and meaning
in their lives. This is why children
and young people are particularly
vulnerable to this process.
There are additional factors that
may have a bearing on someone
becoming vulnerable to radicalisation
such as: being bullied, domestic
violence in the family, emotional
trauma such as bereavement, low
self-esteem, substance abuse or
mental health issues.
Children at risk of radicalisation may
display changes in behaviour which
are unique to them and may even
seek to hide their views. You should
use your professional judgement to
identify children who might be at risk
of radicalisation and act accordingly.
Even very young children may be
vulnerable to radicalisation by others
(for example, if their family unit
exposes them to extremist views) and
can display concerning behaviour.
How are young people
radicalised?
The process of radicalisation is
different for every individual and can
take place over a varying time frame.
The internet and social media have
become key tools in helping terrorist
groups make contact and recruit
people to their cause.
The Terrorism Act 2000 and 2006
made it illegal to either possess
or share information that could be
deemed useful to terrorists. However,
since 2010, there have been over
300,000 pieces of terrorist material
taken down from the internet. Sadly
though, it’s easy to set up several
‘dummy’ social media accounts which
are hard to track or trace the owner
of. As quickly as these accounts are
taken down, they can be started up
again elsewhere.
Millions of children use social media
to share content and connect with
people every day, but it’s important
to note that radicalisation can occur
offline too. Extremist views held by
family members, friends, people in
places of worship or other community
meeting places make young people
vulnerable.
Read the full article!
The full article can be read here
and contains invaluable information
about what can be done to tackle
radicalisation, what the government
expects of childcare providers,
how this all ties in with Ofsted
inspections, and how you can
promote good practice in your
setting.
38 Parenta.com December 2019 39

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