Penny Cartwright

Early Education Associate

Penny Cartwright is an independent early years consultant and trainer. For over twenty years she worked in an advisory capacity for the London Borough of Lewisham, supporting and promoting quality improvement. Her last role was Team Leader for the Early Years Improvement Team, working with schools, settings and childminders, with particular responsibility for settings and childminders. Previous roles included Strategic Lead for the Every Child a Talker programme, School Improvement Officer with responsibility for early years, Early Years Advisor and Early Years Advisory Teacher. Since 2013, Penny has been an independent early years consultant and trainer. Penny has been part of the URLEY project (Using Research tools to improve Language in the Early Years) and the NDNA Maths Champions programme. Penny has an extensive track record of improving quality across a wide range of early years provision, working with leaders and practitioners in schools, private settings and with childminders. She provides advice, support and training for schools, settings, childminders and local authorities. Penny believes passionately that all children deserve high quality learning environments, indoors and outdoors, that will support them to become confident and independent learners, inspire them and motivate them to want to learn. Penny is co-author of the successful publications ‘A Place to Learn – Developing a stimulating learning environment’ and ‘Focus on Planning – Effective planning and assessment in the early years’ produced by LEARN.

Areas of expertise

Quality improvement
Stimulating learning environments – indoors/outdoors
Observation, assessment and planning
Mathematical development
Communication and Language

Sample courses

Planning effectively to meet children’s individual needs and interests
Effective Observation, Assessment and Planning in the EYFS
Getting the foundations right for literacy and numeracy

Planning effectively to meet children’s individual needs and interests – delivered by Penny Cartwright

The EYFS states that ‘Practitioners must consider the individual needs, interests and development of each child in their care, and must use this information to plan a challenging and enjoyable experience for each child in all areas of learning and development’ (September 2021)

During this session, delegates will have opportunities to:

consider how to identify children’s individual needs and interests, including children’s starting points and ongoing achievements
• develop their understanding on how to use observations and assessments to plan effectively for the next stage in children’s learning
• reflect on the different stages of planning, long term, medium term and short term
• examine how to plan stimulating and challenging experiences to support all children to make good or outstanding progress

Target audience: Practitioners working in the EYFS in schools and settings and childminders

Effective Observation, Assessment and Planning in the EYFS – delivered by Penny Cartwright

The Statutory Framework for the EYFS states: Practitioners must consider the individual needs, interests, and development of each child in their care, and must use this information to plan a challenging and enjoyable experiences for each child in all areas of learning and development.

This course will support practitioners to:

develop their understanding of the assessment requirements and the principles of assessment as set out in the Statutory Framework for the EYFS (September 2021)
become familiar with the educational programmes as set out in the revised EYFS for each area of learning, what this looks like in practice, and how to plan to support all seven areas of learning and development
reflect on the observation, assessment and planning cycle and how this can be used to identify children’s individual needs and interests and to support children’s learning in all areas
become familiar with the non-statutory guidance (Development Matters 2020 and Birth to 5 Matters and how these can be used to support effective practice
consider ways to involve parents and children in contributing to assessments

Target audience: Practitioners and managers working with children aged two to five in schools and settings

Getting the foundations right for literacy and numeracy – delivered by Penny Cartwright

This session will provide participants with opportunities to:

develop their knowledge and understanding on how to lay the foundations for children’s literacy and numeracy
consider the role of the adult and how to maximise opportunities to support literacy and numeracy
examine how everyday routines and the organisation can support literacy and numeracy
explore a range of practical ideas on how to provide a literacy and numeracy rich environment, indoors and outdoors through all areas of provision
reflect on their own practice and identify ways to develop practice further

Target audience: Practitioners and managers working with children aged two to five in schools and settings

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Penny Cartwright