We are a national charity supporting early years practitioners with training, resources and professional networks, and campaigning for quality education for the youngest children.

Our values

We believe every child deserves the best possible start in life and support to fulfil their potential. A child’s experience in the early years has a major impact on their future life chances.  

Our activities

We offer support to all early childhood education practitioners, including those in maintained settings, private, voluntary and independent provider and home-based childcare, as well as local authority staff.  We offer a variety of support for professional learning.  Both members and non-members can access our services. 

We campaign to improve early childhood education policy.  We represent our members’ concerns to government, maintain dialogue with policy makers and campaign to raise awareness of key issues.  We also undertake project work to trial new approaches and spread best practice in the sector.

Our history

Early Education was founded in 1923 as the Nursery School Association. A century later we remain committed to supporting families and the professional development of all those working in early childhood education to ensure effective early childhood education experiences of the highest quality for all children across the United Kingdom. 

Today, there is an increasing awareness that the earliest years of a child’s life are the foundation for future life chances and achievement.  A secure, safe and happy childhood is important in its own right, and provides the foundation for children to make the most of their abilities and talents as they grow up.

Find out more about how we celebrated our Centenary in 2023.