Woman and child playing with blocks

Useful Resources


There are a number of resources and support available, to support you with how to implement or enhance the Physical Development offer within your setting or service.

Resources for Early Education Practitioners: 

EYFS 2024 – Physical Development Educational Programme (External Website)

This Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) framework is mandatory for all early years providers in England from 4 January 2024. The educational programmes are high level curriculum summaries which set out what should be taught in settings for each area of learning. They must involve activities and experiences that enable children to learn and develop, as set out under each of the seven areas of learning.

Development Matters - Page 60-73 (External Website)  

Development Matters offers a top-level view of how children develop and learn for all early years practitioners. Support professional in the assessment of children’s progress and development.

Birth to 5 Matters - Page 44, Page 76 and 86 (PDF, 7.3 MB) 

Birth to Five Matters supports practitioners in their statutory responsibilities within the EYFS areas of learning and development and to help children make progress toward the Early Learning Goals (ELGs) Support professional in the assessment of children’s progress and development.

Guidance on Physical activity from the Chief Medical Officer (PDF, 377 KB) 

Infographic explaining the physical activity needed for general health benefits for children under 5 years of age. Used by settings to promote physical activity for children under 5.

Mary Sheridan's From Birth to Five Years: Children's Developmental Progress (External Website)

This book aims to improve the clinical management of children with developmental disorders, through providing the full range of developmental attainments, methods of observation, and advice about when to seek help. Support professional in the assessment of children’s progress and development.

Education Endowment Foundation (External Website)

This Physical Development resource explores how early years professionals can support young children’s physical development. It focuses on three approaches; teaching the skills needed for movement and handling, promoting physically activity, and teaching the skills for mark making and letter formation.

The Ages & Stages Questionnaires®, Third Edition (ASQ®-3) (External Website)

This is a developmental screening tool that pinpoints developmental progress in children between the ages of one month to 5 ½ years. Its is a parent-centric approach and used by health visitors to check children’s development at their 2-year-old check.

British Heart foundation Pack (PDF, 246 KB) 

The British Heart Foundation (BHF) has just published a new early years physical activity guide. This pack is designed to help early years practitioners plan and organise physically active play environments for children under five.

GM Moving in Action strategy (External Website)

The Greater Manchester strategy for physical activity. Encouraging all children, from birth to eighteen, to keep moving to help with their physical development, wellbeing and mental health. It includes different resources that are freely available online to help you and your children keep moving.

Help for EYs providers – physical activity section (External Website)

Website that providers can access resources, activity ideas and advice for supporting early years children with physical development.

SEND

Resources and organisations to support considerations around how children are developmentally different.

The National Portage Association (External Website)

The NPA provides a quality framework and training for Portage across England and Wales; supporting Portage services, Portage Practitioners and parents.

Journal for babies and children with downs syndrome (External Website)

This Journal is to help parents and families record and celebrate children’s development, strengths and achievements through the preschool years, and to identify any areas of difficulty that may need closer attention. It’s for you and your child.

Early Years SEND Review Guide (External Website)

This guide has been designed for those working in or with an early years setting, to review their SEND provision and addresses specific areas most pertinent to young children and the breadth of early years settings.

Dingley's Promise (External Website)

Dingley’s Promise support children in the early years with special educational needs and disabilities to achieve their full potential.

Resources for Parents. 

Can be viewed on our 'useful resources for parents/carers' page