Welcome to the Early Learning Launchpad
'EW FOUNDATIONS'
EARLY LEARNING PROGRAMME
ONBOARDING: Get prepared to start your journey
BRONZE LEVEL: Deliver your first activities
SILVER LEVEL: Develop your understanding and practice
GOLD LEVEL: Become independent in planning and delivery
EW Foundations is our ‘symbol-tastic’ visually supportive programme and approach to building the foundation language and understanding required for developing lifelong emotional literacy, competence and wellbeing in young children and Early Level learners.
This Launchpad is a dedicated training and resource platform for Teachers and Practitioners delivering the EW Foundations Programme.
SUITED TO
- Pre-schoolers / 3-5 year olds
- Pupils with additional support needs (ASN) at a similar developmental level
EW Foundations Programme
LIVE TRAINING & SUPPORT
'NEW to EW'
WELCOME SESSION
NEXT STEPS & SILVER LEVEL TRAINING
EXTENSION & GOLD LEVEL TRAINING
Onboarding 0.1 Programme Overview
Welcome Aboard!
'EW FOUNDATIONS' PROGRAMME OVERVIEW
You can work through the Onboarding content on your own or be walked and talked through it and the Bronze Level content by our programme creator, Claire Murray, at one of our live online ‘New to EW’ welcome sessions.
NEW to EW?
LIVE WELCOME & GETTING STARTED SESSION
Onboarding 0.2 Identifying Staff Starting Points & Goals
Track your own progress
PRACTITIONER CPD TRACKER & PROGRAMME EVALUATION
The ONBOARDING section of our EW Foundations Practitioner Journey Tracker should be completed before you start engaging with and delivering the ‘EW Foundations’ programme.
Part 1: Consider the 4 self evaluation statements and rate yourself on a scale of 0-10 for where you feel you are in relation to each area of knowledge or competence.
Part 2:
Complete the additional questions and tasks as summarised below.
Make a note of at least 3 personal (CPD) goals for yourself relating to Emotion Works training and delivery of the EW Foundations Programme
What other benefits are you hoping to see as a result of using the EW Foundations Programme with:
- The children you work with
- Parents & Families
- Working with colleagues
- Your setting generally
Are you planning to work through the Early Learning Setting Award programme?
- Yes, alongside my personal development journey
- Yes, but not until I know more about it
- No
- Not applicable
How to access your copy of the EW Foundations CPD Tracker
Link to the pdf version here to print out and fill in by hand. This file will open in a new tab.
Download the word doc version here to complete as a digital document. This file will download to your downloads folder.
We are also creating a Microsoft Forms version of the tracker which will be live soon in this space.
Onboarding 0.3 - Learner Starting Points - Observations & Interactions
Identify & Observe
LEARNER STARTING POINTS
Before moving on to your first activities from the Bronze section, allow some time to introduce a variety of emotion themed resources that you already have access to into your setting or provision to provide an opportunity to observe how your learners respond.
- Is there an interest in the things you share?
- What kinds of conversations arise?
- Make a note of who is able to use words and language to show an early level of knowledge and understanding about feelings and emotions.
- Are there learners who aren’t yet engaging in verbal or non-verbal interactions around emotional prompts and props?
Books & Stories featuring Emotions
- Find and gather books and stories you already have with emotional themes and select a few to informally explore with your learners.
2. Make observations of your learner’s own engagement with the books and also the interactions you have with them when reading and looking at the books and stories together.
Onboarding 0.4 - Gather & Prepare your resources
Hard Copy & Digital Resources
YOUR EARLY LEARNING RESOURCE PACK
Getting Organised
This section will help you to get familiar with the contents of your hard copy Early Learning resource pack to make sure you have everything you’ll need to work through the EW Foundations Programme.
Any missing resources can be downloaded and printed out as digital copies or top up hard copy resources can be purchased via our Members Shop here
Staff Reference & Planning Tools:
- Introducing Emotion Works Training Booklet digital version
- Progression Booklet – with Nursery / Early Level sections digital version
- Feelings & Emotions baseline assessment & guide digital version
- Foundation Language Word Grid & Symbol Tracker digital version
- Developing Foundation Language quick guide digital version
- Vocabulary planning tool digital version
Learning & Teaching Resources:
- A3 Character Poster digital version here
- 2 Symbol Books *
- Full Symbol Set *
- ‘DIY’ Discussion Prompt Card Sheet digital version here
- Emotion Character Digital Resource
* If you don’t have hard copies of the Symbol Tools these digital versions can be made into booklets / prompt sheets / or cut to make loose symbol prompts.
Bronze B.1 Journey Steps to Bronze Accreditation
Bronze Level Criteria
PRACTITIONER CPD ACCREDITATION
& EARLY LEARNING SETTING AWARD
Know what’s involved in completing this stage of the journey as an Early Learning Practitioner and to meet the criteria for achieving an Early Learning Setting Bronze Award.
Bronze Level Early Learning Practitioner
Onboarding Tasks Completed:
- ‘NEW to EW’ session attended or recording watched
- Practitioner CPD Tracker Baseline completed & Personal Goals Set
- Emotion themed books, toys and other props you have gathered and a selection explored with learners
- Emotion Works Resource familiarisation / organisation – getting prepared
Bronze Tasks Completed:
- CPD 1: Watched the Component Model Training video (45 minutes) and completed training activities
- CPD 2: Engaged with the ‘Symbols, Symbols, Symbols’ reading & guidance material
- Delivery 1: Symbol resources introduction and observations
- Delivery 2: Interaction scripts for baseline assessments
- Delivery 3: Starter activities – 1 Story | 1 Song | 1 Space | 1 Choice
- Practitioner CPD Tracker completed for Bronze Level
BRONZE AWARD - Early Learning Setting
Please make sure you can meet all of the criteria listed below before applying for a BRONZE Early Learning award for your setting or ASN provision.
Staff Development
- Your Emotion Works Lead Practitioner has reached Bronze Practitioner Status
- Ideally, but not essential, another staff member is also at Bronze Level status.
- Any other staff involved in delivering Emotion Works in your setting have attended a ‘New to EW’ live session or have been introduced to the EW Foundations approach and resources by another member of staff.
Your learners who you’re using EW Foundations with have recently experienced :
- Delivery 1: Symbol resources introduction and observations
- Delivery 2: Interaction scripts for baseline assessments
- Delivery 3: Starter activities – 1 Story | 1 Song | 1 Space | 1 Choice
All done? Apply for your BRONZE Early Learning Award (link)
Bronze B.2 The Emotion Works Cog Model & Curriculum TRAINING
Training Recording
UNDERSTANDING THE BIGGER PICTURE OF EMOTION WORKS
45 minute recording, click the play button to watch
Part 1 Introducing the Component Model
up to 24:00 minutes
An introduction for Early Learning Practitioners to the ‘Component Model’ Cog Framework that underpins the entire Emotion Works programme across all ages and stages.
Part 2 A tool for adult understanding and staff discussion / reflection
24:00 – 37:30
As this training is mainly focused on adult understanding of the Component Model, there is an opportunity to try it out as a tool for…
- Unpacking and reflecting on our own emotions
- Observing and understanding children’s emotional experiences
Component Model Training Handout (side 1 and 2)
Part 3 Emotion Works Progression
37:40 – 44:45
At the end of a session we take a closer look at the progression overview for delivering Emotion Works to learners, highlighting the need to teach and develop emotion vocabulary and language as an important foundation for emotional literacy and future Cog learning in the Primary Programme.
Progression Document
Symbol Book
By the end of this training you should
- Know what different areas of emotional learning each of the cogs in the Cog Model represent.
- Be able to explain why the Cog Model is a useful framework for adults working with younger children and Early Level learners even though we don’t deliver cog lessons or use cog teaching tools at the ‘EW Foundations’ level.
- Be able to say why the borders and pages of the Symbol Book are coloured the way they are.
Silver 1 Programme Overview Reminder
What's involved at Silver Level
'EW FOUNDATIONS' PROGRAMME OVERVIEW
NEXT STEPS & SILVER LEVEL TRAINING
Early Learning Bronze Level Content
GETTING PREPARED & GETTING STARTED
45 minute recording, click the play button to watch
Bronze Level
INTRODUCTORY TRAINING
An introduction to the Component Model of Emotion with a particular focus on adult understanding of the Model and it’s use as a tool for reflecting on our own and children’s emotional experiences.
Also includes an overview of the Emotion Works Curriculum and progression, highlighting the need to teach and develop emotional language as an important foundation for emotional literacy and future Cog learning.
Getting Prepared
STAFF RESOURCES
Make sure you have all of the key reference documents, guidance information & planning tools for the Foundations Programme
Getting Prepared
TEACHING RESOURCES
Hard copy & digital resources for delivering Emotion Works learning experiences for developing foundation language
Getting Prepared
STAFF ENVIRONMENT
& RESOURCE ORGANISATION
Suggestions for setting up your environment to help you keep the ‘Model in Mind’ and stay focussed on the goal of developing foundation language through your interactions with learners.
Getting Started
INTRODUCTORY ACTIVITIES
Some initial activities & observations to help you get familiar with Emotion Works resources and make a start with your implementation.
Baseline Activities & Observations
Learning Environment
THESE WILL BE UPDATED TO BRONZE SPECIFIC ACTIVITIES WB 22 MARCH
ELC settings can apply for a BRONZE award once you reach this point in your roll-out.
Early Learning Silver Level Content
NEXT STEPS WITH STAFF & PUPIL LEARNING
The content below will be covered in our ‘NEXT STEPS’ live online training on 12th June find out more and sign up to attend here
Activities to develop staff knowledge, understanding & planning skills
Cog Model Dialogue Tool
STAFF DISCUSSION
& REFLECTION
Complete a staff discussion exercise to reflect on a recent emotional event or experience in your setting.
Foundation Language
PLANNING TOOLS & RESOURCES
Take time to reflect on and familiarise yourself fully with the Foundation Language materials
Staff Visuals
REMINDERS
& PROMPTS
Discuss Coggle Vision and the idea of ‘keeping the model in mind’. What helps you to do this?
Consolidating and Extending Practice
The above content will contribute towards an ELC SILVER award. Download the Silver Application Form as a Word Document here: 2026 Early Learning Silver Application form
Muirton | Invergowrie | Lochside | Our Lady’s | Busy Bees | Methven (older format)
PREVIOUS TRAINING RECORDINGS
Links to recordings from Early Years Training sessions can be found here
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