Professional Development

Funded professional development and learning opportunities for early years educators across Birmingham.

BEYN Universal Offer

Our Universal Offer is open to all early years educators in Birmingham; designed to build knowledge, confidence, capability, and coherence across the profession.

UPCOMING
Webinar Wednesday: Implementing WellComm in Practice
Sep 9
Webinar Wednesday: Implementing WellComm in Practice

Weekly online learning sessions; connecting Birmingham’s early years community around key themes, practical strategies and shared expertise.

Project & Partners Information Sharing Session - Autumn Term 2026
Sep 9
Project & Partners Information Sharing Session - Autumn Term 2026

An online session for early years professionals: learn about the latest BEYN projects and connect with key partners across Birmingham.

Webinar Wednesday: Supporting the Unique Child Through Everyday Transitions
Sep 16
Webinar Wednesday: Supporting the Unique Child Through Everyday Transitions

Weekly online learning sessions; connecting Birmingham’s early years community around key themes, practical strategies and shared expertise.

Webinar Wednesday: Introduction to Early Years Essentials
Sep 23
Webinar Wednesday: Introduction to Early Years Essentials

Weekly online learning sessions; connecting Birmingham’s early years community around key themes, practical strategies and shared expertise.

The Unique World of Two-Year-Olds with Kym Scott
Sep 29
The Unique World of Two-Year-Olds with Kym Scott

Exclusively for Birmingham Early Years Practitioners - A session with Kym Scott on understanding two-year-olds and the implications for excellent practice.

Limited places - first come, first served

Webinar Wednesday: Language Learning Reflection & Planning Tool
Sep 30
Webinar Wednesday: Language Learning Reflection & Planning Tool

Weekly online learning sessions; connecting Birmingham’s early years community around key themes, practical strategies and shared expertise.

Project & Partners Information Sharing Session - Spring Term 2027
Jan 13
Project & Partners Information Sharing Session - Spring Term 2027

An online session for early years professionals: learn about the latest BEYN projects and connect with key partners across Birmingham.

Project & Partners Information Sharing Session - Summer Term 2027
Apr 21
Project & Partners Information Sharing Session - Summer Term 2027

An online session for early years professionals: learn about the latest BEYN projects and connect with key partners across Birmingham.

 
 
CATCH UP
Webinar Recordings
Webinar Recordings

Explore our growing library of webinars featuring leading voices from across the Early Years sector.

Projects & Partners Information Sharing
Projects & Partners Information Sharing

Listen to the recording and download the slides from the latest Projects & Partners Online Briefing.

In-Setting Professional Development Series
In-Setting Professional Development Series

Our in‑setting professional development and learning series offers early years practitioners an opportunity to reflect on their practice.

Local & National Partners

Explore professional development opportunities from Birmingham City Council Early Years & Childcare Service, as well as training and sector‑wide learning from the Department for Education (DfE) and other National organisations.

UPCOMING - Bookable CPD
WORKSHOP: WellComm Part 1 - Introduction to WellComm [5 Aug]
Aug 5
WORKSHOP: WellComm Part 1 - Introduction to WellComm [5 Aug]

NEW WORKSHOP DATES for 2025/26

WellComm Part 1: This free online workshop will enable practitioners to use the WellComm Toolkit within their setting.

CHILDCARE BRIEFING: Considering a Career as a Childminder? (Evening Session)
Aug 10
CHILDCARE BRIEFING: Considering a Career as a Childminder? (Evening Session)

Thinking of becoming a childminder? This briefing is intended for individuals in Birmingham who are considering starting a childminding business.

CHILDCARE BRIEFING: Considering Starting a Childcare Business? (Evening Session)
Aug 11
CHILDCARE BRIEFING: Considering Starting a Childcare Business? (Evening Session)

Thinking of starting a childcare business? If you are considering opening a group-based childcare business in Birmingham (such as a Day Nursery or Preschool), this workshop is for you!

Early Talk Boost @ Edgbaston Family Hub
Aug 14
Early Talk Boost @ Edgbaston Family Hub

Face-to-face Early Talk Boost training at Edgbaston Family Hub; each setting will receive two boxes of Early Talk Boost resources.

Places: 20

WORKSHOP: WellComm Part 1 - Introduction to WellComm [20 Aug]
Aug 20
WORKSHOP: WellComm Part 1 - Introduction to WellComm [20 Aug]

NEW WORKSHOP DATES for 2025/26

WellComm Part 1: This free online workshop will enable practitioners to use the WellComm Toolkit within their setting.

 
 
Qualifications and Other Learning
DfE: Help for Early Years Providers
DfE: Help for Early Years Providers

Resources, activities and support articles from the DfE for childminders and practitioners working with children aged 0-5 years.

HEART Midlands Early Years Stronger Practice Hub
HEART Midlands Early Years Stronger Practice Hub

The Stronger Practice Hub for Birmingham is HEART Midlands. Explore their current offer via their website.

Centre for Research in Early Childhood (CREC)
Centre for Research in Early Childhood (CREC)

Explore professional qualifications and development opportunities from CREC, tailored to your role and aspirations.

BCHC: Children’s Speech and Language Therapy (SLT)
BCHC: Children’s Speech and Language Therapy (SLT)

BCHC Speech and Language Therapy team provide specialist support to children (0-19) with a range of specific speech, language and communication difficulties.

BCHC: SEND Occupational Therapy
BCHC: SEND Occupational Therapy

BCHC SEND Occupational Therapy supports children and young people to improve their confidence in daily activities and build independence skills in early years settings.

Startwell Birmingham
Startwell Birmingham

Startwell offers a wide selection of online and in-person training courses for practitioners working in Birmingham; covering healthy eating, physical activity, and oral health from babies to pre-school.

Best Start in Life: Funded Early Years CPD
Best Start in Life: Funded Early Years CPD

The DfE is increasing the amount of free/funded training that early years educators can access. Find out more about the courses on offer — part of the government’s Best Start in Life strategy.

DfE: Early Years Child Development Training
DfE: Early Years Child Development Training

This free, online training by the DfE provides an overview of child development and gives practical advice for supporting the development of children in your early years setting.

Recommended Listening

Early Years Podcasts

Check out our recommended early years podcasts.

The Froebel Trust podcast: Created for educators and early years leaders interested in finding out what a Froebelian approach to early education is all about.

The Froebel Trust podcast: Created for educators and early years leaders interested in finding out what a Froebelian approach to early education is all about.

Little chairs, huge laughs. Famly's Tiny Chair podcast covers daily dilemmas, pedagogy puzzles, and heaps of interactive games. It’s the only EY podcast that’ll make you giggle.

Little chairs, huge laughs. Famly's Tiny Chair podcast covers daily dilemmas, pedagogy puzzles, and heaps of interactive games. It’s the only EY podcast that’ll make you giggle.

Video podcasts - 'vodcasts' - from Foundation Years, covering a wide range of topics in the early years.

Video podcasts - 'vodcasts' - from Foundation Years, covering a wide range of topics in the early years.

Early Education PedPods podcast: Pedagogical conversations with Early Years leaders, teachers and trainers.

Early Education PedPods podcast: Pedagogical conversations with Early Years leaders, teachers and trainers.

Early Excellence Podcast: Ideas and insights about early childhood education for EYFS & KS1 educators.

Early Excellence Podcast: Ideas and insights about early childhood education for EYFS & KS1 educators.

Moonbeams' Early Years podcast: A series of exciting conversations on creativity in early childhood, with education professionals, artists and academics.

Moonbeams' Early Years podcast: A series of exciting conversations on creativity in early childhood, with education professionals, artists and academics.

EY Matters 'In Conversation With...' podcast: Interviews exploring professionals’ experiences of working in the Early Years.

EY Matters 'In Conversation With...' podcast: Interviews exploring professionals’ experiences of working in the Early Years.

Tiny Voice Talks Education podcast: Giving a platform to the quieter voices in the profession - #TinyVoiceTalks

Tiny Voice Talks Education podcast: Giving a platform to the quieter voices in the profession - #TinyVoiceTalks

Sarah Seaman chats with some of the leading educational influencers across the field, gaining their opinions on the importance of outdoor learning.

Sarah Seaman chats with some of the leading educational influencers across the field, gaining their opinions on the importance of outdoor learning.

The Brain Architects podcast: Using the science of child development to improve the lives of the children we interact with every day.

The Brain Architects podcast: Using the science of child development to improve the lives of the children we interact with every day.

Tapestry Talks: Join the experienced education team at Tapestry, alongside expert guests, for insightful discussions designed to enrich your practice and pedagogy in early years and primary education.

Tapestry Talks: Join the experienced education team at Tapestry, alongside expert guests, for insightful discussions designed to enrich your practice and pedagogy in early years and primary education.

TTS Educators' Podcast: Unlocking the potential for learning in the Primary and Early Years.

TTS Educators' Podcast: Unlocking the potential for learning in the Primary and Early Years.

Weekly podcast featuring discussion, reflection, debate and a window into the minds of advocates working with young leaders of tomorrow.

Weekly podcast featuring discussion, reflection, debate and a window into the minds of advocates working with young leaders of tomorrow.