A brief guide into interactions

Reflecting on the new Ofsted framework and on-the-ground implementation.

There is now more than ever a microscopic focus on high quality interactions following the new Ofsted framework. Rightly so Ofsted are pulling their focus right back to the adults impact. It seems that this may be incredibly important towards securing strong foundations — something that we have always focused on but now will be the main driver into looking into Early Years from a HMI lens. Under the renewed Education Inspection Framework (effective November 2025), Ofsted evaluates early years settings using a five-point grading scale, focusing heavily on warm, responsive and purposeful interactions that promote communication and language (Ofsted, 2025). After receiving training myself, focusing on the new case study sampling it really seems that this shift is making sure that no child is left behind and no corner is being left unturned. Could this be the start of major turning point in education?

Early Years pioneers have always highlighted the importance of the practitioner, it is nothing new! You are the most valuable part of a child’s learning environment, (Vygotsky, 1978). The practitioner leads the way and provides opportunities for the children. Linking to the zone of proximal development in which you are there to aid, scaffold and act as a guide to reach the highest effectiveness of the environment. The new Ofsted framework seems to back this approach, again moving away from paperwork evidence, the floor books and ‘wow’ moments because at the end of the day knowing our children and their next steps is the most powerful tool and that is something that every Early Years practitioner should take great pride in. To have these strong interactions at the heart of what we do means that communication and language is the jigsaw piece of the puzzle linking our areas of development together. With regards to correlations there is a positive link between a child’s social skills, academic ability and outcomes with strong a “communication and language rich environment at 18-24 months” (Department for Education, 2021) This needs to be your first priority in your Early Years to starting your strong foundations.

My previous post delves into the interaction types in the Early Years.

How do you implement an interaction into your setting?

Focus on one interaction type at a time. Build up with your team over a two week period. At your next briefing follow the step by step instructions.

Step 1

Tell your team the focus you are looking at e.g narrated learning and give them the explicit definition. Give your time frame. Be careful keep it short and focused.

Step 2

Model this to your team and explain your expectations. Have a think what areas will this interaction be most beneficial in. What will this style of interaction lend its self to? Narrated would be great in the malleable or the creative when you are specifically talking through your actions.

Step 3

Using my planning mat — scaffold the high quality interaction focus as a team — this will go into detail the frequency and leave room for active reflection. Focus on your spotlight children. Question which children needs this the most and why? How will it benefit them? Ask your staff team who they think would be ideal to target. Model the chosen interaction in the setting, in real time with the children at any chance.

Step 4

Set your team off on the challenges. The first two days you need to be dropping in, observing and giving constructive informal feedback. At the end if the week it is best if you carry out a whole team reflection. This will give you an assessment opportunity to see who needs more support what is going well and what needs to be improved. Explain that the following week you will be doing drop in observations.

Step 5

Carry out your observations and see how much your staff team has grown! If your team need more support visit my shop section for scripts. This will support your staffs interaction style. Always reflect this is the most powerful assessment tool you will have.

Reflections and prompts

Is there an interaction type in the EYFS that has the most impact in your setting?
What do our children need?
Which interaction type benefits our children the most? Why is this?
Is there purpose to your practise?
What is your rationale for that area of learning?

So now is it finally time that the importance of strong foundations, are acknowledged and will there be a movement of a bottom up approach focusing on the EYFS? Will what the pioneers of early years and education finally be revived publicly and be brought into the 21st century for all educational bodies to actively promote instead of being used as a reference in literature of what education should be like?