Professional Development Programme

Welcome to the Cambridgeshire Early Years and Childcare (CambsEYC) Professional Development Programme 2023 - 24. A range of training opportunities is available for practitioners across the Early Years sector at all stages of their career, blending the best of different delivery methods to suit the material.

In the programme, you will find support to develop skills and knowledge from the introductory level to specialist pathways. Some courses are eligible for 'Cambridgeshire Essentials' training credits which are included in the CambsEYC annual membership offer.

Our BookingBug system includes live booking and reservations for all courses.

To learn more about NCFE/CACHE accredited ‘full and relevant’ licences to practice, please visit the Cambridgeshire Early Childhood Qualifications Centre (CECQC).

Please find contact details below if you have any questions or would like assistance.

Email: eyctraining@cambridgeshire.gov.uk

Telephone: 01223 706 349

_{“Professional Development has to be carefully planned, delivered well and regularly evaluated. It needs to be seen as a year-round activity, not a one-off event. … Professional development is most effective when there is a clear focus on practice, clearly linked to theory.” – Working with the revised Early Years Foundation Stage: Principles into Practice, 2020, Julian Grenier.}

As part of your early years membership offer, you will have credits which can be used to book one of the following courses:

Four credits

Two credits

*Two people per year under normal circumstances.

Please ensure that you identify that you wish to use your credits at the time of booking. If you have any questions, please contact the training team on 01223 706 349 or via email at eyctraining@cambridgeshire.gov.uk

_{“A continuously improving setting needs continuing professional development for all practitioners” – Birth to 5 Matters: Non-statutory guidance for the Early Years Foundation Stage, 2021, Early Years Coalition.}

A group of children drawing on a piece of paper

Information and Guidance

A ‘per hour’ pricing structure applies to all training sessions advertised in the training programme (unless otherwise stated). Please multiply the hourly rate below by the advertised number of hours for the course to calculate the total cost.

	Members*	Non-Members
Hourly rate (face-to-face)	£9 per hour	£15 per hour
Hourly rate (online)	£6 per hour	£10 per hour

*Silver, Gold, Platinum, and Emerald members receive a 40% discount on training courses (unless otherwise stated).

Peterborough early years and childcare settings/schools will be charged at the non-member rate.
Out-of-county early years and childcare settings/schools will be charged at the non-member rate, subject to availability.

Where possible we have identified the level of knowledge relevant to each course. This will help you plan the Continuous Professional Development (CPD) for everyone in your provision. These are just examples of the courses appropriate to each level of learner, you will find others throughout the training programme.

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Entry level

This level is for staff who are just starting or newly qualified practitioners who would like to enhance their knowledge within specific subjects. Some of these courses may be beneficial to governors or committees to increase their knowledge. Focussing on specific topics, these courses will enable learners to widen their knowledge and expertise in an identified area, thus improving practice.

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Intermediate courses

This level is for qualified or experienced staff seeking to enhance their professional development within their setting to underpin personal performance. Staff will need a good basic knowledge of the course subject. These courses focus on up-to-date research and current trends within the early years. Courses will challenge the learner to develop their understanding whilst drawing on current national and local initiatives. Intermediate courses are ideal for practitioners who are seeking to build their knowledge and skills.

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Advanced courses

Most intermediate courses are also suitable for more experienced staff. Please check that an advanced course is appropriate to the needs and experience of the individual staff member before making a booking.

This level is for practitioners who have significant knowledge and experience of working within the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) and are confident in their practice. These courses will challenge learners to think reflectively and critically whilst developing skills to enhance their early years provision. Learners must hold a minimum of Level 3 qualification with a good understanding of the subject area.

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To book a course:

Click on the link ‘Booking and reservations for Early Years Workforce Development’ at the bottom of each course page.
This will take you through to the BookingBug online booking system. Booking online will enable you to book a place and receive confirmation immediately. When booking online, it is important that you or whoever is completing the booking answer all questions accurately and honestly, as checks are made, and you may lose your place.
Please check that the course is suitable for your provision.
You must contact us if you wish to book more than four people onto one course. See the relevant page for limitations on Designated Person courses.
Once you have booked, you should receive a confirmation by email. If this does not happen, please check your Junk Email folder. Please contact us immediately if you do not receive a confirmation.
You will be sent a link for online training, if you have not received the link the day before the training, please check your Junk Email folder. If you still cannot find the link, telephone 01223 706 349 and we will resend it.
If a course is heavily oversubscribed, we endeavour to offer extra sessions. However, we reserve the right to further limit the places available per provider if necessary.
Please ensure that you read our booking and attendance terms and conditions.

To book online using BookingBug, schools and settings must register first. If you would like to register, or for further information, please contact eyctraining@cambridgeshire.gov.uk

CambsEYC is committed to providing professional development that is of the highest standard and meets the needs of our customers. In return, we ask our customers to ensure they have read through the terms and below before they sign up for courses.

Transferring/changing a booking

A booked place on a course can be transferred to another suitable staff member up to five working days prior to the date of the course. To amend a name on a course booking, you should email the team at eyctraining@cambridgeshire.gov.uk.

You cannot amend via the online booking system.

Cancellations and refunds

Customers who cancel bookings up to 15 working days before the course date will not be charged. If you have already paid, a refund will be given. If you cancel a course within 15 working days of the event or the learner does not attend the course, you will be charged the full amount of the course.

Providers using ‘Cambridgeshire Essentials' membership credits for a chargeable training place must comply with our cancellation terms and conditions. If a place is cancelled within 15 working days of the event or the learner does not attend a course, CambsEYC reserves the right to retain the credit/s and charge a £25 per session non-attendance fee.

CambsEYC will endeavour to provide courses as advertised. However, we reserve the right to change the course date, location, and provider. All service-led changes will not automatically result in refunds, payments will be transferred where possible and will become subject to the terms and conditions above based upon the new date. Courses will be cancelled if there are insufficient participants booked, to avoid disappointment do not leave bookings until the last minute. CambsEYC cannot refund additional expenses incurred by a customer when a course is cancelled.

Please note, all course bookings are subject to these terms and conditions.

Before attending a course it is essential that you check your emails for any advice on cancellations/changes to courses. If we need to cancel or make a change to a course for any reason an email will be sent to the BookingBug account which made the initial course booking.

You will be sent a link for online training, if you have not received the link the day before the training, please check your Junk Email folder. If you still cannot find the link, telephone 01223 706 349 and we will resend it.

Getting ready for online and face-to-face courses

Preparation

Keep a copy of your confirmation
Ensure that you have note-taking materials ready
Think about what you want to learn
Prepare copies of any resources/information you have been asked to have during the training
Complete any pre-course reading
Check your emails prior to starting or setting off for the course to check there are no last-minute changes (this will be the email used to book the course)
For two-day or multi-session courses - please ensure you are available for all of the sessions prior to booking.

Course start

Give yourself at least 15 minutes prior to joining the planned start time to settle in. This will give you time to organise yourself including IT requirements.

During the course

Follow the course etiquette shared at the beginning of the course please keep your camera on during online courses. All participants are required to engage in the activities and discussions.

Course finish

To achieve a certificate in attendance you must stay for the whole session and complete the end-of-course evaluation.

Full-day courses

For face-to-face full-day courses, you will be required to bring your own lunch.

Course etiquette

As participants, you are expected to engage in the activities and discussions in a constructive way
If the course is online you are required to keep your camera on
Everyone has the right to their own opinions, we must accept that all our opinions are different, and we should respect the views of others
Everything discussed during the session must remain confidential to the group
Respect others who are speaking and refrain from interrupting them
Always use appropriate language and accept that you will be challenged if you do not
Most importantly enjoy.