Supporting Leadership in the EYFS

The early years foundation stage (EYFS) statutory framework requires that early years practitioners are engaged in a cycle of effective supervision:

“Providers must put appropriate arrangements in place for the supervision of staff who have contact with children and families. Effective supervision provides support, coaching, and training for the practitioner and promotes the interests of children. Supervision should foster a culture of mutual support, teamwork, and continuous improvement, which encourages the confidential discussion of sensitive issues.” (paragraph 3.22).

The Early Years Service and its partners have published guidance ‘Staff supervision in early years and childcare’ to support early years and childcare settings to establish appropriate arrangements for the supervision of staff. This booklet includes the following model documents and templates that settings can adapt for their own use.

This guidance provides information, advice, and examples to support early years and childcare leaders and managers to carry out workplace supervision.

Supervision is a supportive and developmental process that ensures staff are confident, competent, and well-supported in their role, ultimately improving outcomes for children.

Supervisor responsibilities

Being a supervisor is a significant responsibility and one which needs to be taken seriously. Your setting and the individuals you supervise expect you to provide supervision that is:

• Based on a written agreement or contract.
• Planned well in advance and only changed in exceptional circumstances.
• Well-structured, allowing both you and the individual to contribute to the agenda.
• Provided in an appropriate location and free of interruptions.
• Inclusive of all the functions outlined in the section below.
• Properly and promptly recorded, with notes copied to the individual.
• Based on the EYFS, and considers the supervisor’s contribution to the setting’s learning environment, considers each child’s individual needs, and enables the supervisee to evidence their own professional skill and expertise.

Preparation

• Have you made appropriate arrangements for the meeting, for example, quiet locations, adequate time, and no interruptions?
• Have you planned the meeting schedules?
• Have you made sure you have the correct format for recording the meeting?
• Have all supervisees contributed to the content of their supervision agreements?
• Have you got a copy of the last notes of the meeting?

Conducting the supervision meeting

• Will the supervision meeting provide opportunities to discuss pastoral issues such as workload, annual leave, and work concerns?
• Are you using the agreed recording format to record the notes of the meeting?
• Have you included time for the supervisee to reflect on their recent practice, challenges, and successes?
• Have you maintained appropriate professional boundaries and ensured the discussion remains focused on work-related matters?
• Have you considered any cultural, language, or accessibility needs of the supervisee?
• If supervision is conducted remotely, have you ensured a secure and private digital environment?
• Have you enquired whether there have been any changes in circumstances which are relevant to the setting or the role, for example, being investigated, cautioned, or charged for an offence which calls into question your suitability for the role, disqualification by association, and so forth? Since the last supervision?

Ending the discussion

• Do all supervision notes indicate the actions that have been agreed upon?
• Have any training or development needs been identified?
• Are clear timescales agreed?
• Has the date of the next supervision meeting been agreed?
• Have you signed the notes?
• Have you given a copy to the supervisee?
• Have you reflected on your own effectiveness as a supervisor and identified any support or training you may need?

Why supervision matters

Supervision is a key part of your professional development. It provides a regular opportunity to reflect on your work, receive support, and plan for future learning and growth. It is both a right and a benefit for all those working in the EYFS. Supervision helps ensure that your work is valued, your well-being is supported, and your skills continue to develop.

Your role in supervision

Supervision is most effective when you are actively involved. It’s not just something that happens to you – it is a shared process. Your input is essential to make it meaningful and productive. You should not spend an onerous amount of time preparing. However, it will be useful to spend some time before the session to prepare to ensure you get the most out of the session.

In particular, you should:

• Prepare for each supervision by reviewing notes from the previous meeting and identifying topics you want to discuss.
• Be ready to share your thoughts, ideas, and reflections on your practice.
• Be honest about what’s going well and where you need support.
• Take responsibility for following through on agreed actions and development goals.
• Read and check the supervision notes and raise any concerns or clarifications.

Preparation checklist

• Do you know the date and time of your supervision meeting in advance?
• Have you confirmed your availability and attendance?
• Have you made arrangements to attend without interruption?
• Do you have any relevant documents or notes from training, meetings, or CPD activities?
• Do you have a copy of your last supervision notes?

During the supervision meeting

• Be open about any areas of difficulty or concern.
• Share successes and ideas for improvement.
• Ensure the discussion is recorded by your supervisor using the agreed format.

Ending the discussion

• Do the supervision notes clearly show the actions that have been agreed?
• Have any training or development needs been identified?
• Are timescales and responsibilities clearly agreed?
• Has the date of the next supervision meeting been set?
• Have you signed the supervision notes?
• Have you received a copy of the notes?

Purpose of the form

This form is designed to be a starting point for identifying and supporting key areas of a practitioner’s role. It is intended to be adapted to suit the needs of individual staff members. For example, practitioners with additional responsibilities – such as Designated Safeguarding Leads (DSLs) or Special Educational Needs Coordinators (SENCos) – may require extra sections to ensure their specific duties are regularly reviewed and supported.

Using the form over time

The form is a working document, designed to be added to over time – ideally across an academic year. This approach allows supervisors and supervisees to track progress, development, and emerging needs in a structured and consistent way. It also provides a valuable record of professional growth and support, which can be used during appraisals or inspections.

Note: Not every section needs to be discussed at every supervision session. The form should be used flexibly, with the focus tailored to the practitioner’s current priorities and challenges.

Why wellbeing should always be included

Wellbeing is a core component of effective supervision. When practitioners feel supported, valued, and emotionally safe, they are more likely to:

• Engage positively with children and families.
• Maintain high standards of care and education.
• Manage stress and workload effectively.
• Remain in the profession long-term.

Supervision provides a safe space for staff to talk about their work/life balance, emotional wellbeing, and any personal or professional challenges they may be facing. Regularly checking in on wellbeing helps to:

• Identify early signs of burnout or stress.
• Offer timely support or adjustments.
• Foster a culture of openness and trust.

Recommendation

Even if time is limited, always include a brief wellbeing check-in during each supervision session.

Top tips for using the supervision record form

• Date every entry: Always write the date next to each supervision conversation or update to track progress over time.
• Be consistent: Use the same form throughout the academic year to build a clear picture of development and support.
• Highlight key actions: Clearly record agreed actions, who is responsible, and by when.
• Use bullet points: Keep notes concise and focused – bullet points help make information easier to review later.
• Prioritise wellbeing: Always include a wellbeing check-in, even if brief.
• Adapt as needed: Add or adjust sections to reflect the practitioner’s role, for example, DSL, SENCo.
• Review regularly: Refer back to previous notes to ensure continuity and follow-through.
• Keep it secure: Store completed forms in a confidential and secure location.

Peer observation can take place in several different ways and is strongly recommended to understand the quality of interactions between practitioners and children. Peer observations can feed into supervision or honest and supportive reflective discussions. Peer observations can also be used to support members of staff in self-reflection.

Agreeing a focus for the observation in advance can be supportive and ensure that the reflective discussion is effective. For the observer, peer observation helps them to reflect on their interactions and can help improve their communication skills during the feedback process.

Care must be taken to ensure that feedback is both honest and constructive and that thought is given to how to support and develop the practitioner further if this is needed.

Benefits for the setting can include improved quality of teaching, developing an open and sharing culture among peers and enabling practitioners to make changes in their practice that they have self-identified.

As a leader, it is important to be a good role model and demonstrate how this is carried out effectively.

Identifying training needs for individuals, through supervision, to raise the quality of teaching and keep staff up to date with current and relevant research in the early years sector is vital to ongoing professional development. Alongside this having an overall view of the training needs of the setting is essential to ensure that you can provide a broad and balanced curriculum. Using cohort analysis to identify any areas of weakness can provide a rigorous method of recognising training needs.

CambsEYC strongly recommends that settings utilise their Professional Development Programme to ensure that practitioners are aware of local processes, especially regarding SEND and Safeguarding.

Bespoke training can be offered to settings at a cost or as part of your membership package, please contact your Early Years Adviser for more information.

Coaching is instructing a person to achieve a specific goal or skill – usually a formal process

Mentoring is guiding, counselling and supporting improvement – usually has a broader outcome and is more informal.

Both coaching and mentoring have key roles in supporting quality improvement in the setting. Coaching will normally be carried out by a manager or senior leader, whilst mentoring can be assigned to any member of staff who has the appropriate skills to support the mentee.