Free Video: Helen Battelley on Early Years PE

Helen Battelley, an internationally respected Early Years Physical Development consultant, trainer, author and brings energy and a motivational approach to raising the profile of PA in the early years. As the chair of the National Early Years Active Start Partnership (NEYASP), she leads a diverse group of stakeholders from across the UK to address the systemic challenges in the early years sector to ensure that every child benefits from the positive outcomes of play and PA. NEYASP are taking positive action to inform and support policy makers and inspection bodies to ensure the sector is taking an evidence-informed approach and valuing the place of physical development in a child’s life, right from the moment they enter the world!

In 2024 Helen was the movement consultant for ‘Awesome Animals and Mini Me’ a series for young children on SKY TV. The series is currently available on Sky and NOW TV. The training she delivers ranges from supporting educators in developing activities to support the Early Years Framework, to working with coaches and PE leads to create PE schemes of work and methodology suited to young children.

In this session, Helen explores why physical development is often the “forgotten and overlooked prime area” despite underpinning children’s holistic development. She shares practical strategies for integrating more movement indoors and outdoors, introduces her PRISM framework, and explains how purposeful physical development in early years directly affects children’s learning and eases the transition into Key Stage 1 PE.

In this episode you’ll:

Discover why physical development matters with research showing a five-month cognitive boost
Learn practical strategies for maximising movement in small indoor spaces
Understand the PRISM framework and apply it in your setting
Explore what “risky play” looks like and why it’s essential for children
Get tips for evaluating external coaches before they deliver PE sessions

Watch this episode to equip yourself with the knowledge and strategies to prioritise physical development in your setting and prepare children for future physical education success.