Development Matters A Practical Guide for Early Years Practitioners

📘 Development Matters: A Practical Guide for Early Years Practitioners
By Jennifer Billingham

Development Matters: A Practical Guide for Early Years Practitioners is a hands-on resource designed to support early years educators, childminders and nursery staff in delivering high-quality early childhood education. It offers clear explanation and practical strategies grounded in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) principles and curriculum guidance. The book focuses on how young children develop and learn from birth to five, providing stage-by-stage insights into children's learning patterns and development milestones.

Drawing on evidence-informed practice, the guide includes:

•Practical approaches to planning play-based learning that nurtures children's curiosity, communication, physical development and social skills.
•Ways to observe and assess development meaningfully without excessive paperwork.
•Advice on creating inclusive, enabling environments that respond to children's interests and needs.
•Concrete examples of effective interactions, continuous provision and partnership with parents and carers.
•Strategies to support children with additional needs, language delays or behavioural challenges.

Written for busy practitioners, Billingham's guide combines professional judgement with real-world classroom applications to help educators design purposeful learning experiences and ensure every child thrives in their early years.