Early Moves is in partnership with NHS Greater Manchester and the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) to support the early years’ workforce and school readiness outcomes for some of the children and families experiencing the most severe health inequities in the city region, in an innovative new project, Early Moves.

Through a successful bid to Place Partnership through Arts Council England, Early Moves aims to support nurseries in developing the gross motor skills of their nursery children, while simultaneously supporting the skills development and wellbeing of their workforce through delivering regular dance activity.

If your nursery is successful in its application, you will receive a training package to help your early education practitioners to develop the skills they need to confidently deliver short, fun and regular movement sessions with young children. This will include:

• Training in the Rambert Grades’ Creative Dance for Early Years syllabus. You can read more about Rambert Grades here.
• Further workshops with Rambert facilitators to help develop their teaching practice over the course of the year
• Ongoing guidance and support with the Rambert team, including an Early Years Specialist facilitator
• Opportunities to see Rambert performances

All training and time away from work will have backfill pay provided. We encourage two early education practitioners from each nursery setting to apply, so they can learn together and support each other through the process.

The project will begin in January 2025 and the support package will continue until March 2026. Some key dates include:

Two-day Rambert Grades’ Creative Dance for Early Years training:

• Monday 13th and Tuesday 14th January 2025 (group one) OR
• Wednesday 15th and Thursday 16th January 2025 (group two)

Practitioners will be split into two groups, and so will only need to attend one of the above.

Further training with Rambert team:

Half day training, up to 3 sessions across the year: dates TBC in April, September and February 2026

All nurseries that take part in Early Moves will be expected to be fully committed to the project. This will include:

• Allowing their practitioner/s to attend all training dates as required (backfill pay provided)
• Supporting them in setting up and starting their weekly dance sessions
• Liaising with the Rambert team on their and the children’s progress.

In order to measure the success of the project, we will be evaluating both practitioner and child outcomes and we will ask for your support on this. This may include the Rambert team visiting the setting, practitioner and nursery staff logging observations, distributing parent feedback forms and giving permission to film exams.

The project will end with an end of project celebration for the children, where they will receive certificates and badges for completing their Creative Dance for Early Years exam. We’ll ask for the nursery’s support and cooperation with the logistics of this.

All early education practitioners or nursery managers working in Greater Manchester can apply by filling in this form here.