The Early Years Collaborative Method for Improvement provides a METHOD and a CULTURE to:
– learn from each other
– test ideas
– implement changes
– spread improvement

If we want to make changes that bring about reliable and sustainable improvements we need a method. Model for Improvement has been adopted by the Early Years Collaborative – it is simple to apply and enables testing to provide confidence that a change will achieve improvement. It can be used to test out new ways of working at all levels.

The Model for Improvement is made up of 2 parts – the thinking part and the doing part
The 3 questions – the thinking part prepares you for the test by asking the ‘so what’ question
They need to be thought through, answered and written down by the improver to ensure that they, and therefore their colleagues, are clear on the benefits to them and their work.
The Plan Do Study Act cycle is a simple tool that is used to test out ideas that will improve your systems and processes while learning what works and doesn’t work.
It is a structured approach for making small incremental changes to systems that allow you to test on a small scale, learn from successes and failure and redesign as you go.
It builds learning and enables practitioners to develop knowledge about their own system as they continue to upscale tests when success has been achieved.

Karen Thomson, Senior Early Years Officer, Falkirk Council Curriculum Support Team, has recently presented awareness raising sessions for all Nursery and Primary Head Teachers,   Nursery Teachers and Management Network Sessions as well as a session for the QIO Team and Curriculum Support Staff.

This session gives an overview of the set up of the Collaborative and the commitment that Falkirk has made to this as well as explaining the Test of Change and PDSA cycles that are relevant to the Model for Improvement for the Early Years Collaborative.

Please feel free to have a look at this presentation and use with early years staff if you feel appropriate.  If you have any further queries, please contact Karen on 01324 503764.