Discovery Hour: AI - Possibilities and Pitfalls

Continuing our popular Discover Hour series, join us for an introductory look at using AI. 

You’ve probably heard of ChatGPT and other AI tools and maybe you’ve had a go at using them.  Join us to hear a bit more about the possibilities as well as the pitfalls specifically for Early Years and Out of School providers.  No previous knowledge necessary but if you’re an experienced user you are welcome to come along and share your experience.

The session will cover why AI is becoming relevant in Early Years/Out of School settings, practical possibilities for providers, safeguarding and data handling and we will provide a simple checklist for staff when using AI.

The session will be run by the PATA Senior Management Team and is open to all PATA Member settings. 

Suitable for: Committee Members, Manager and Deputies and interested practitioners.  

Date: Friday 13th March   Time: 1:00pm - 2:00pm 

Venue: Online

Cost: FREE (for PATA members only) Maximum of two bookings per setting. 

Important additional Information:

• Before booking a place, please read our information sheet which can be found here
• Please note Teams invitations will be sent out 24 hours before the course/meeting starts. 

The EYFS Environment in the context of wrap-around provision

This course is for all Gloucestershire wrap-around providers and is free of charge, funded by GCC. 

Course Aim: Wrap-around providers with children of Reception age or younger must be aware of the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). In the context of this, join us to consider how your environment facilitates play for the youngest children in your care. 

Course Information: during the session we will explore:

• The role of the environment in the EYFS
• What is play? (based on the 8 Principles of Playwork)
• The role of the playworker
• Key characteristics of play
• Continuous provision 
• Auditing your environment

Suitable For: All Gloucestershire Wrap-around providers. 

Date: Tuesday 17th March

Time:  9.30am - 11.00am

Venue: Online 

Cost: £0

Important additional Information:

• Before booking a place, please read our information sheet which can be found here
• Please ensure you complete the 'attendee name' and 'attendee email address' (of the person attending) to ensure we send the Zoom Invitation to the correct email address. A contact telephone number for the attendee is also required in case we need to contact them.
• Please note zoom/teams invitations will be sent out 24 hours before the course/meeting starts. 
• Please notify us if you are unable to attend so that your place can be given to the next person on the waiting list. 

Safeguarding for wrap-around provision in the context of the EYFS

This course is for all Gloucestershire wrap-around providers and is free of charge, funded by GCC. 

Course Aim: Wrap-around providers with children of Reception age or younger must comply with the Safeguarding and Welfare requirements in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS).  Join us to look at the specific requirements, the reporting processes in Gloucestershire and best practice within your setting.  

Course Information: during the session we will explore:

• Knowing the EYFS Safeguarding and Welfare requirements
• The reporting processes in Gloucestershire
• Communication including security arrangements, information gathering
• Scenarios to help understanding in a practical context. 

Suitable For: All Gloucestershire Wrap-around providers. 

Date: Tuesday 24th March

Time:  9.30am - 11.00am

Venue: Online 

Cost: £0

Important additional Information:

• Before booking a place, please read our information sheet which can be found here
• Please ensure you complete the 'attendee name' and 'attendee email address' (of the person attending) to ensure we send the Zoom Invitation to the correct email address. A contact telephone number for the attendee is also required in case we need to contact them.
• Please note zoom/teams invitations will be sent out 24 hours before the course/meeting starts. 
• Please notify us if you are unable to attend so that your place can be given to the next person on the waiting list. 

Anna Ephgrave's Planning In The Moment (via Zoom) 

We welcome bookings from all over the UK and internationally - we have noticed a number of bookings recently from Welsh Schools and settings - please note that this training session is generic and will not be specific to the Welsh Curriculum unless it is booked as a bespoke session. 

Course Aim: To provide you with the necessary tools to help your children feel confident and independent especially through outdoor play and risk taking play. The course will give delegates the chance to explore the theory and rationale behind child-initiated play.

Course Information:  Delivered by Anna Ephgrave the course will cover:-   

• Rationale and Complexities of Child-Initiated Play
• Planning and Teaching in the Moment    
• The Role of the Adult - interacting is your teaching
• Brain development and levels of involvement
• Enabling Environments with emphasis on developing an outdoor classroom
• Planning in the Moment and the paperwork associated with it

It will also touch on:-         

• Literacy and Numeracy in Early Years

Date: Saturday 28th March   Time: 9:15am - 3:00pm

The training will be delivered in 3 sessions. The approximate timings are as follows:-

Session 1         9:15am until 10:45am  (Please be logged on by 9:10am ready to be admitted from the waiting room)

Session 2         11am until 12:45pm

Session 3         1:15pm until 2:30pm (please allow until 3pm).

Venue: Online

Delivered by: Anna Ephgrave

Cost:  (one person per booking) Members:  £75 / Non Members  £115

If you have multiple people wishing to attend this session please contact training@pataglos.org.uk for a group booking price.

Important additional Information:

• Before booking a place, please read our information sheet which can be found here
• Upon settlement of the invoice, PATA will share the attendee details with Anna Ephgrave who will liaise with the attendee regarding the training.
• Please ensure you complete the 'attendee name' and 'attendee email address' (of the person attending) to ensure Anna is able to send the  Zoom Invitation to the correct email address. A 'contact telephone number for the attendee is also required in case Anna needs to contact them.
• Please note zoom invitations will be emailed to you by Anna Ephgrave. She is unable to send these until the invoice has been settled.
• If payment cannot be made within the 7 day timeframe then please email training@pataglos.org.uk to agree an extension to your payment deadline, otherwise, your place on the course may be cancelled.
• Upon settlement of the invoice, we will share the attendee name, name of setting/school. email address and contact number with Anna Ephgrave.

Makaton Training

Our Makaton training is delivered in multi-session blocks. Dates vary by level and availability. 

Please visit our Makaton Training page for full details, prices and current dates, or email training@pataglos.org.uk. 

NoodleNow (online)

Please ignore the start date of December 2026 - these courses can be started at any time of the year.

NoodleNow provide online courses (there are currently 93 but this is increasing all the time). Once you are registered you can log in at any time and work through a course. At the end you will undertake a short test and if successful receive a certificate for your CPD file. All the courses are included in the cost and access is for one year from registration.

It's a great way for practitioners to upskill at their own pace, but also to pick a course to help with a specific issue - for example there is a course on dealing with biting. If you have a child who starts biting, any members of your team who are registered with NoodleNow can do the course as a refresher and come up with a plan of action.

We think that these courses will complement our 'live' training and provide you with another option for keeping your practice fresh and relevant.

Course included in the package cover everything from food safety, manual handling, physical development and outstanding practice. You can see the full list of courses here.

Cost (PATA Members only):

We are able to offer access to our members for 

£25 per person (no additional VAT) with no minimum number and including Noodle Nibbles.

(Individual membership is usually £99+VAT or organisational membership (with a minimum of 5 people) is usually £25+VAT per person (so a minimum of £150). There is also a ‘bolt on’ package of short courses called Noodle Nibbles which are usually an extra £5+VAT per person which will be included in your package.)

The access will last for a year and you can do as many of the courses in that time as you wish for no additional costs. 

PLEASE NOTE YOUR INVOICE MUST BE SETTLED BEFORE YOU CAN RECEIVE YOUR LOG IN DETAILS.

Roles and Responsibilities: Key facts for your Committee 

Please ignore the advertised date. We are currently registering interest for this course - please join the waiting list to register your interest for this training and we will be in touch. Please note this course can be run as a bespoke session for your setting. Please email training@pataglos.org.uk

This relaxed and informative session is ideal for all new and experienced committee members and/or setting managers to exchange ideas and feel more confident in their role. Using the PATA constitution as a framework, we will break down each section and use this to discuss the committee’s full responsibilities both regulatory (Ofsted and Charities Commission) and day to day in the running of the setting.

Suitable For: Those involved in managing and leading settings – parents, committee members and managers.

We would strongly encourage both a committee member(s) and senior member of staff to attend this course. Whilst this course is entitled ‘Roles and Responsibilities: Key Facts for your Committee’ the emphasis of the course is on both the committee and senior staff working together and respecting and understanding each other’s roles, so we feel it is important and beneficial for both committee and senior members of staff to attend if possible.

Date: date to be confirmed

Time:  7:00pm - 9:00pm  (exact times to be confirmed)

Venue: online 

Cost:  Members £38 / Non Members £71

Important additional Information:

• Before booking a place, please read our information sheet which can be found here
• Please ensure you complete the 'attendee name' and 'attendee email address' (of the person attending) to ensure we send the Zoom Invitation to the correct email address. A contact telephone number for the attendee is also required in case we need to contact them.
• Please note zoom/teams invitations will be sent out 24 hours before the course/meeting starts. We are unable to send out zoom/teams invitations until your invoice has been settled. 
• Payment is required within 7 days of the invoice date or 24 hours before a course/meeting starts (whichever is sooner). If payment cannot be made within this timeframe then please email training@pataglos.org.uk to agree an extension to your payment deadline, otherwise, your place on the course may be cancelled.