The Importance of Upskilling Your Team in Early Years
If you’re managing an early years setting, you’ll recognise the juggling act: compliance requirements, staff development, parental expectations, and the wonderful day-to-day care of the children. You might have team members whose experience is invaluable but you’re also aware that early years practice is constantly evolving with exciting new research, updated frameworks, and fresh insights. It’s a dynamic sector, and keeping pace means staying curious and committed to growth.
You’re not alone in this. Every early years manager we speak with shares similar questions: “How do I keep my team’s knowledge current without disrupting the day to day running of the setting?”. This is an important question, and it matters because the quality and consistency of your provision rests on the shoulders of your talented team.
Training Opportunities
The early years sector has transformed dramatically, and that’s something to embrace. What worked five years ago might not meet today’s standards, but that means we know so much more about supporting children effectively. Children in your care benefit from practitioners who understand current best practice in attachment theory, communication and language development, SEND support, and safeguarding. This shows up in small but important moments, such as how a practitioner supports a child settling in, adapts communication for a child with additional needs, or confidently explains their approach to a parent.
And here’s the exciting part: when your staff feel confident and knowledgeable, the day to day running of the setting feels more manageable. Behaviour management improves because practitioners understand child development more deeply. Observations become more meaningful and insightful. Your setting’s reputation grows because quality provision speaks for itself, and word spreads.
What happens if you don’t put time into your staff’s development
When staff skills remain static, the impact is often gradual, but it builds over time. You might notice practitioners relying on outdated approaches, struggling with new EYFS requirements, or lacking confidence when parents ask questions. Perhaps team meetings feel repetitive because no one’s bringing fresh ideas. These aren’t failures of character; they’re symptoms of a team that needs investment.
Consider too what happens when you recruit. Strong candidates want to work somewhere they’ll continue growing professionally. If your setting can’t offer that, you’re limiting your pool of talent at a time when recruitment is already challenging enough.
Understanding the Challenges (So You Can Overcome Them)
Let’s be realistic about what you’re working with. Budgets are tight, finding cover for training can be tricky, and coordinating professional development around your setting’s busy schedule takes planning. You might have team members at different stages of their careers, from those with decades of experience to enthusiastic newly qualified practitioners.
These are genuine considerations. But here’s what we’ve learned from working with settings that have successfully navigated these challenges: with the right approach, these obstacles become manageable stepping stones rather than roadblocks.
What do your staff need to know about?
Professional development works best when it’s strategic, embedded, and relevant to your setting’s specific needs. Start by identifying where your team would most benefit from development.
- Where could increased confidence make the biggest difference?
- What does your team feel excited to learn more about?
Perhaps it’s supporting children with SEND, implementing the EYFS more effectively, or understanding safeguarding practice better. Targeted training that addresses real needs always delivers meaningful results.
Training needs to complement your setting’s routine. Online learning, twilight sessions, and in-setting training days can all work beautifully when they’re well-designed and budgeted for. The key is ensuring that learning translates into practice. When you take a whole-team approach, you create shared language, shared understanding, and shared commitment to improving the setting.
The power of having staff who know what they’re doing
When you invest in your team’s development, you’re sending a powerful message: you value them, you believe in their potential, and you’re committed to excellence together. This creates positive ripple effects throughout your setting.
Staff who feel supported in their professional growth bring more energy, creativity, and fresh ideas to their practice. They become advocates for your setting, enthusiastically sharing their knowledge with colleagues and modelling the joy of continuous learning for the children. Your setting becomes known as a place where both children and adults flourish.
Can you make it happen?
Knowing that staff development matters is one thing; finding a realistic way to deliver it is another. Apprenticeships are a worthwhile investment. With thoughtful planning, this kind of professional development can fit your budget and your schedule while delivering transformative results for your team and the children you care for.
The settings that truly thrive are those that embrace supporting staff development as an ongoing journey of excellence. Your team wants to do brilliant work. They want to feel competent, confident, and inspired in their practice. By investing in apprenticeships, you’re unlocking their potential and empowering them to be the outstanding practitioners they aspire to be.
How to move forward
Supporting staff development is most effective when it feels realistic, relevant, and rooted in the day to day life of your setting. This is often where having the right external support can make a meaningful difference.
At Orange Moon we specialise in supporting early years settings to upskill their staff in ways that raise standards, support best practice and create clear development pathways.
Our delivery team comprises sector specialists with many years’ experience working as early years managers and early years practitioners, headteachers, teachers and teaching assistants. We are approved to deliver apprenticeships from Level 1 to Level 6, which means we can support staff development at every stage, from new starters through to experienced leaders.
If you are thinking about how to support your team’s development in a way that fits your setting, apprenticeships can offer a structured and sustainable route forward. Taking the time to explore your options can help clarify what would work best for your staff, your budget, and the children you care for.
To find out more about how apprenticeships could support your setting, you can explore your options with Orange Moon Apprenticeships or get in touch for an initial conversation.
