Abstract

The Nursery School Federation were approached to support a group of childminders in developing their approach to coastal school. The initial aim was to support the childminders in their professional development, however it evolved into a collaborative learning experience for all participants. The Federation are part of the Early Years Stronger Practice Hubs (DfE, 2023) which aim to provide support childminders in developing their practice. This is with a view to have consistent high quality practice, developed through effective evidence based programmes. Supporting childminders in building evidence informed practice is the overall aim (EEF, 2022), however it is evident that it also supports social learning opportunities among all practitioners involved.
A traditional action research model was undertaken (Lewin, 1946) to allow for a cyclical approach to practice. This would allow for ongoing reflexive responses to the observations in practice. The EECERA ethical principles (2014) are adhered to throughout the study to ensure power imbalances are acknowledged and reduced at each stage of the cycles through reflection and discussion. Initial findings suggest that the process has been not only effective in developing the childminders approach to coastal school experiences but has also been enlightening for the team providing the support. This has in turn led to reflections on practice within the Federation. The findings suggest that the approach has the potential to not only support the development of practice by sharing knowledge but also for collaborative learning with increased reflection from those settings identified as a ‘hub’.