In-the-moment planning turns the usual planning cycle round. Instead of writing next week’s activities and hoping the children are interested, you notice what a child is deeply involved in right now, teach inside that play there and then, and record afterwards only what is genuinely useful. This course shows your team how to do it well, and how to keep curriculum intent and paperwork in healthy proportion.
It is written for real rooms. Each lesson ends with a short task to try with your own children, from two minutes of quiet watching to a one-page plan for piloting the approach in your setting.
Why in-the-moment planning matters
Written activity plans are often abandoned by ten o’clock anyway. When children pursue their own fascinations, they tend to be more deeply involved, and a child absorbed in something meaningful has little appetite for disruption. Adults spend more of the day playing and talking with children, and less time preparing, laminating and writing up activities that may not land. The approach is widely associated with early years consultant Anna Ephgrave.
It also fits within the EYFS. The statutory framework requires a curriculum and effective teaching. It does not require written daily or weekly plans, a set number of observations per child or a set format for learning journals. The Department for Education has repeatedly said paperwork should be proportionate and should never take practitioners away from the children. In-the-moment planning is one legitimate way of meeting the framework, not the only one.
What’s in the course
- What In-the-Moment Planning Is (and Isn’t)The live cycle of observe, assess, respond and record, and why it never means no planning.
- The Teachable Moment: Noticing and RespondingReading deep involvement, the OWL habit, and deciding whether to join play or leave it alone.
- Quality Interactions: The Adult’s Role in Child-Led PlayCommenting before questioning, sustained shared thinking, and adding vocabulary and challenge.
- The Environment as Your Planning PartnerContinuous provision as the planned foundation, workshop-style resourcing and enhancing around interests.
- Recording Less, Noticing More: Proportionate PaperworkWhat is actually required, the focus-child rhythm, and the records that must never be cut.
- Making the Shift: Introducing It in Your SettingStarting small, bringing the team and parents with you, and reviewing after half a term.
- Assessment10 questions. Pass mark 80%. Resit as many times as you need.
What you’ll learn
- The four-step cycle: observe, assess in the moment, respond with a teaching interaction, and record afterwards
- The signs of deep involvement, from concentration and persistence to a visible sense of satisfaction
- The OWL habit of observe, wait, listen, and why ten or twenty seconds of watching can change your reading of the play
- How to lead with describing, narrating and wondering aloud, and use open questions sparingly
- How to set up workshop-style continuous provision that children can reach and return without adult help
- The purpose test for any record: who is it for, and what decision does it change
- How a focus-child rhythm gives every child real depth across a term
- Why accident logs, medication records, attendance, child protection records and the progress check at age two stay untouched
Who this course is for
- Practitioners who want to teach more responsively inside children’s play
- Room leaders exploring child-led practice for their room
- Managers and leaders who want to cut unnecessary paperwork without losing curriculum intent
- Settings planning to pilot in-the-moment planning with their team
How it works
- OnlineStudy on any device and pick up where you left off.
- 6 short lessonsPractical lessons with a task to try in your own room after each one.
- 10-question assessmentPass mark 80%. Resit as many times as you need.
- CertificateIssued when you pass. NFAQ accredited.
Training your team
The approach works best when every adult in the room shares the same understanding, and it often fails when leaders still ask for the old paperwork, so train managers and practitioners together. Choose the number of learners at checkout, with group rates from 3 learners, or get it as part of the Training Portal for £5 per learner per month. It pairs well with Characteristics of Effective Learning (CoEL) and Loose Parts Play.
Frequently asked questions
Does in-the-moment planning mean no planning?
No. The planning moves from paper to people. A clear curriculum intent, a well-planned environment and skilled adults do the heavy lifting, and the teaching happens live.
Does the EYFS require written plans?
No. The statutory framework requires a curriculum and effective teaching. It does not require written daily or weekly plans, a set number of observations or a set format for learning journals.
Is child-led the same as letting children do what they like?
No. Child-led never means adult-passive. The approach depends on adults teaching well inside children’s play, with safeguarding and supervision as sharp as ever.
Do we have to switch the whole setting over at once?
No. The course recommends starting with one session or one area, telling parents before you change anything, and reviewing honestly after half a term. Some settings adopt the approach fully and others settle on a blend. Both are legitimate if the choice is deliberate.
What happens if I don’t pass the assessment?
You can resit it as many times as you need until you pass. Your certificate is issued as soon as you reach the 80% pass mark.
Will this help at Ofsted?
Ofsted does not approve training providers, and the certificate is evidence that training was completed. The course explains that inspectors look for practitioners who know their children and a curriculum the setting can explain, rather than folders of evidence.
