Welcome to the latest e-bulletin from the Earlyarts Network, connecting people and information to nurture our creative leaders. Please invite your colleagues to subscribe by sending an email here.

Earlyarts is the largest national professional development network supporting people in the arts, culture, and early years sectors who work and play creatively with young children and their families. We offer a range of services, including our Professional Development Days (PDDs) which take place around the country to share practice, learn skills, build ideas, find inspiration and make connections on a local level.

BRAND NEW EARLYARTS MEMBERSHIP SCHEME click here to find out more. Earlyarts really is what you make it, and with our new membership scheme you can choose from Earlyarts Free through to Earlyarts Gold, selecting a level of services and opportunities to suit you.

Earlyarts Members benefit from being connected with over 5000 amazing people working responsibly with children and families, read more here. We believe that, in order to make a big difference in the lives of children, we need to inspire a sea-change in the creative leadership of the professionals around those children - more about our five core areas here.

For special Earlyarts discounts on certain events please see below.

Earlyarts News

EARLYARTS PATRON SIR KEN ROBINSON - on March 16th our Patron, Sir Ken Robinson, presented a talk to the Learning Without Frontiers community, take a look here. And here are Sir Ken's views on Passion.

FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT - follow Earlyarts friend Rachel Riggs from Imaginary Leaps as she spends a year in Australia.

FORTHCOMING EARLYARTS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DAYS - More dates are constantly being added to our national programme - check the regional listings below or view PDDs here.

EXPERIENCE AN EARLYARTS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DAY IN PICTURES and see what our members get up to.

International

BECOME A FOREIGN CORRESPONDENT - for Korea Arts and Culture Education Service, deadline 20 April

SERVING SPECIAL NEEDS THROUGH THE ARTS - Learning Early Network Conference, 29 April 2011, Pennsylvania

PEPITES: L’ART ET LES TOUT-PETITS - Early Years Performance Festival, Belgium, 18-29 May - amazing offer from Earlyarts Pathfinder Partner Take Art, see South West below

INTERNATIONAL ART IN EARLY CHILDHOOD CONFERENCE - Toledo, Ohio, 6 June 2011

SMALL SIZE NETWORK - the European Network for the diffusion of performing arts aimed at early childhood (0-6) has a new website

AUSTRALIAN EARLY YEARS LEARNING FRAMEWORK - embedding a respect for children’s cultural heritage through expressive arts

THE IMPACT OF THE ECE ICT PL PROGRAMME report from New Zealand's CORE Education

National

EYFS REVIEW - FOUNDATIONS FOR LIFE, HEALTH AND LEARNING - independent report by Dame Clare Tickell, plus comment, TES article and Dame Clare Tickell's response here.

WHAT THE ARTS COUNCIL FUNDING CUTS COULD MEAN FOR EARLY YEARS critical analysis by Earlyarts Director Ruth Churchill Dower

OPENING DOORS, BREAKING BARRIERS - The Government’s approach to the Foundation Years

ESTELLE MORRIS ON MICHAEL GOVE'S CURRICULUM - A 21st-century education must surely look different from that of 30 years ago, says Estelle Morris

THE CHILDREN'S COMMISSIONER FOR ENGLAND - independent review by Dr Jon Dunford

BUILDING CULTURAL LEARNING MOMENTUM - More and more voices supporting and championing cultural learning are being heard in press conferences, symposia and meetings across the country

THE DRAMA AND THEATRE AND YOUNG PEOPLE MANIFESTO - copy of the manifesto, FAQs and call for evidence

THE FUTURE OF CWDC - their plans to continue beyond March 2012

REVISED CWDC APPRENTICESHIP FRAMEWORK - for Children and Young People's Workforce

PARENTS OPPOSING THE CLOSURE OF SURE START CENTRES - Parents are being encouraged to form campaign groups to fight the closure of children's centres in their area.

PRINCIPLES FOR ENGAGING WITH FAMILIES - a framework for supporting local authorities and national organisations to effectively engage with parents and families

PHONICS TESTING BY AGE SIX - National Literacy Trust response

TECHNOLOGY TEACHING IN THE EARLY YEARS - Ofsted report

NATIONAL YEAR OF COMMUNICATION - a campaign to increase understanding of how important it is for children and young people to develop good communication skills

FROM HERE ... TO THERE, NATIONAL TOUR - Tell Tale Hearts, children's touring theatre company,are currently touring their hugely successful early years show, until mid June 2011, showcased at the Earlyarts International UnConference

WONDERFUL THINGS - using museum objects for learning

ACTING LIKE CHILDREN - masterclasses delivered by three of the UK's leading children and young people's theatre companies

FUTURE PLAYGROUND EVENT 16 MARCH - summaries of discussion and contributions

LADYBIRD LIVE - national celebration of storytelling, 2 June, free storytelling kit available

FAMILY LITERACY WHEEL - a resource from the National Literacy Trust

CHILDREN'S TRADITIONAL GAMES - new website to accompany research 'Children's Playground Games and Songs in the New Media Age'

London

WHOSE CURRICULUM IS IT ANYWAY? - conference, 16 May 10% discount for tickets bought through Earlyarts click here for more information

PIECING TOGETHER PERFORMING ARTS EDUCATION - conference 17 May 10% discount for tickets bought through Earlyarts click here for more information

TEACHERS PLAYTIME - Outdoor Play, twilight training session, 23 June

Midlands

THE SPARK CHILDREN'S ARTS FESTIVAL - Earlyarts Pathfinder Partner's fortnight long festival in early June

WHAT NEXT? - Exploring a range of creative responses to early years dance performances, an Earlyarts PDD, 2 June, Leicester

STORYMAKING IN EARLY YEARS - techniques for helping children to tell stories and techniques for using their stories for extended learning, an Earlyarts PDD, 6 June, Leicester

North East

JACK DRUM SHOWS - Earlyarts Pathfinder Partner shows, From Cinders to Tatters and Feather in the Sky, available for booking

North West

EARLY YEARS MUSIC WORKSHOP - (Kodály), a very practical workshop packed with ideas and resources, by Turton Music, Rochdale, 25 May 2011

South West

PEPITES: L’ART ET LES TOUT-PETITS - Early Years Performance Festival, Belgium, 18-29 May - three bursaries available from Earlyarts Pathfinder Partner Take Art for Somerset Artists more here

SHAPING THE FUTURE - Earlyarts Pathfinder Partner 5x5x5=creativity conference, 15 July, Bath special discount through Earlyarts, see more here

Calderdale/Yorkshire

DISCOVER THE EARLY YEARS Using artefacts, songs, rhythm and rhyme from museums and libraries as stimulus for storytelling and imaginative journeys, an Earlyarts PDD, 23 May, Halifax

EARLYARTS CALDERDALE PATHFINDER CREATIVE APPROACH TO COLLABORATION - introducing our Calderdale Pathfinder Consortium

SHARING SPACE - GETTING THE BEST FROM ALL YOUR GROUP training event 9 May 2011, Leeds

Scotland

SISTEMA SCOTLAND - a project in a deprived estate near Stirling, that encourages children to play classical music together

IMAGINATE FESTIVAL - promoting and developing the performing arts for children and young people in Scotland, 9 - 15 May, Edinburgh

DIGITAL CHILDHOODS - PLAYING AND LEARNING EVENT - Have technological toys and games changed the way children play? Open Day, 12 May, Stirling

Wales

MAKING SONGS - focusing on making songs with a specialist in music for/with under fives experienced in a wide variety of music projects and productions. Earlyarts PDD, 25 May 2011, Cardiff

MAKING STORIES - focusing on three story-making projects based on the work of Chicago Early Years’ Educator, Vivian Gussin Paley. Earlyarts PDD, 13 July 2011, Cardiff

TIDDLY PROM TOUR 2011 - available for booking from Earlyarts Pathfinder Partner Arts Active

---

We hope you find this e-bulletin useful

Please forward this email to any friends or colleagues who would be interested in Earlyarts.

Register with Earlyarts
or
Log-in and edit your profile

Read regional, national and international case studies of creative good practice in action
or
Contribute your case studies

Contact the Earlyarts Team