Making Every Contact Count

Over 50 Early Years Practitioners attended physical activity training sessions to support them to create an active setting.

The free training Purposeful Physical Play Training enables Early Years practitioners to promote and deliver effective purposeful play and physical development programmes to children aged 0-5 years.

In order to recognise the commitment of the practitioners, and their achievements in incorporating physical activity into their environment, nominations for the Early Years Awards opened in December.

The Most Active Setting Award was open to any Early Years setting demonstrating that they are committed to promoting the health and wellbeing of its children through excellent implementation of Purposeful Physical Play in an effort to get their children moving.

The Early Years Champion Award was for an individual who had shown a passion for getting their Early Years setting more active by attending Purposeful Physical Play training and transferring this positively into their workplace.

The Parental/Carer Engagement Award was open to settings who had shown exceptional attempts to engage with parents/carers and ensure that children stay active beyond the Early Years setting.

From 20 nominated settings there were four winners, with three settings awarded 'highly commended', at the LRS Celebration Event.

"Members of staff have been attending Purposeful Physical Play training sessions and sharing their practice with other schools and settings. From these initial training sessions Fairfield EYFS have developed a range of new initiatives to support Purposeful Physical Play and encourage physical activity at home" Fairfield Preparatory School, Charnwood