What is it really like to move from primary teaching into Early Years and train as an Early Years Teacher while working in a nursery setting? To give an honest, first-hand perspective, we spoke to Holly, who completed her Early Years Initial Teacher Training with Best Practice Network. In this interview, Holly shares her journey into Early Years, what she found most valuable about the programme and how it supported her both professionally and personally.

Please introduce yourself, the programme you’ve been on and what it is you do here at Spring?

My name is Holly; I did my Early Years Initial Teacher Training (EYITT) with Best Practice Network (BPN), and I've been an Early Years Teacher (EYT) here at Spring for a year and a half.

What made you pursue a career in Early Years (EY)?

I originally qualified as a primary school teacher and taught the younger half of primary school. After that, I did some maternity cover, then moved into supply teaching. During the summer, while schools were shut, I was offered nursery work through supply. I came to a couple of the Spring nurseries in Taunton, including this one, and I absolutely loved it. It was through that experience of actually being here that I realised this might be the route for me. A position came up here, so I applied, and now I’m here.

I then decided to retrain as an EYT. I had taken the traditional route straight through university and into primary teaching, so moving into nursery gave me the opportunity to build experience with a younger age group, which I had not worked with before in the same way. It was a really valuable experience and confirmed that EY was where I wanted to be.

What was your very first day on the job like?

My first day felt a bit like being thrown in at the deep end, but it wasn’t overwhelming because I’d already done some supply work here. I was familiar with some of the staff and children, which made things much easier. It felt like I was already part of the team, just now in an official role where I could take on more responsibility.

What is your favourite thing about working in Early Years?

My favourite thing about working in EY is definitely the interactions with the children and seeing them reach different milestones and really flourish. Even in the last few months, some of the children in this room have come on so much more than we expected before going to school, and it’s really lovely to be part of that. I also love that EY is such a fun stage of childhood, before things start to feel a bit more serious at school.

What’s been the biggest difference you’ve seen in yourself since starting the programme?

Definitely my confidence in my EY knowledge. I came into the programme with that teacher presence and some leadership experience already, and other staff said they could tell that was what I’d done before. But the biggest difference has been building my understanding of how to bring things down to the children’s age and stage of development. Before, I was much more familiar with the academic side, so it’s really helped me grow in my knowledge of those earlier development steps.

What has been the most valuable thing that you've learnt from EYITT?

I think the most valuable thing I’ve learnt from EYITT has been around planning. I came from a background of planning very structured lessons, so it’s been really helpful to learn a different approach in EY. You are still planning with children’s development in mind, but it can involve a much wider range of indoor and outdoor experiences and different activities. It’s taught me how to make learning development focused, while also keeping it fun and engaging for all the children.

How did your tutor or the BPN team support you throughout the programme?

They were absolutely amazing. My tutor was really helpful and supportive, and was always there if I needed anything. I also had extra support alongside that, which was really valuable for me. Because I have ADHD, my own learning needs were taken into account, and I felt really well supported throughout the programme.

Working full time and studying at the same time was definitely a challenge, especially because my previous experience had just been university, where studying was my only focus. Doing both together was tough, but with the support from my tutor and the wider team, I was able to find a balance that worked for me, and I really enjoyed the experience.

Do you have any advice to other people with ADHD who are apprehensive about the support they may receive whilst on programme?

Yes, definitely. BPN supported me really well, including when I was first diagnosed with ADHD in adulthood. They adapted lessons, observations and other parts of the programme to make things more accessible for me, and they made sure I had clear timelines and the support I needed in place. That made a huge difference.

I’d say to anyone with ADHD who feels a bit apprehensive not to be afraid to ask for support, because it really is there. I felt listened to, understood and supported throughout. They really do make an effort to support every learner.

For some people, the idea of attending training days and completing placements during the year can feel like a challenge. How did you find that side of the programme, and what was the year like for you overall?

Yes, the year was really positive. My training days were all online, which worked really well for me. I was able to do them here in the office, and because they were planned in advance, it was easy to build them into the timetable and prepare for them.

I also really enjoyed the placement side of the programme. Here at the nursery we have children from babies through to pre school, and I was lucky that one of my placements could be completed within the nursery itself. That meant I was able to spend time in different rooms, including swapping with the middle room lead so I could work with toddlers and babies as well. As I had only recently started, that was really valuable because it gave me a much better understanding of the nursery as a whole.

I absolutely loved my placement in the primary school as well. It was lovely to be back in that environment, but this time with a focus on Reception, which I had not experienced before. From my perspective as a room lead, it also gave me a much clearer understanding of where the children go next. We do lots of activities with our school leavers to help prepare them for that transition, so seeing a Reception class firsthand was really helpful in understanding those next steps beyond nursery.

Overall, I found it all really manageable. The online training was easy to access, and the tutors were very supportive. If there was ever anything I could not find or something I was unsure about, they were always there to point me in the right direction.

Cost can sometimes be a barrier for people considering further training. How did you find that aspect of the programme, and what would you say to others who might be unsure about it?

One of the biggest benefits of the course is that it is fully funded, so I did not have to pay anything myself. That made it really accessible and took away a lot of the worry around starting something new.

I think sometimes people assume there will be costs involved, but actually that is not the case, and that can be a real barrier if they are not aware of it. Knowing it was fully funded made the decision much easier for me. I would definitely say to others that if cost is something holding you back, it is worth looking into properly, because the support available makes it much more accessible than people might expect.

Thank you for reading and for taking the time to hear about Holly’s experience of EYITT with Best Practice Network. We hope her story has given you a helpful insight into what the programme can offer, from professional development and practical experience to tailored support along the way. If Holly’s journey has inspired you to take the next step in your own Early Years career, you can apply for EYITT with Best Practice Network yourself here: www.bestpracticenet.co.uk/eyitt-paths.

 Click here to visit our EYITT webpage                                                                                                                                       

 Email: enquiries@bestpracticenet.co.uk

Tel: 0117 920 9200 (8.30am-5.30pm, Mon-Fri)