140+ organisations call on government to put children at the heart of the nation’s recovery

Despite the Prime Minister’s pledges on Building Back Better and Levelling Up, the resignation of Sir Kevan Collins has highlighted a disturbing truth: supporting babies, children and young people to recover from the impact of the pandemic is still not a priority for Government investment. That’s why we’re joining the National Children’s Bureau and 140+ […]

Nursery Schools forced to make further cuts as government leaves them in the dark over key funding decisions

A new survey carried out by Early Education, NAHT, NEU and UNISON has revealed that over a third (34%) of Maintained Nursery Schools are cutting staffing and services to balance their books as a result of lost income and additional Covid costs, coupled with a lack of certainty over the funding they will receive from spring 2022. […]

Birth to 5 Matters guidance is launched

Following six months of consultation and input from across the early years sector, the Early Years Coalition tonight launches Birth to 5 Matters.  The materials include a core document available as a free download, with printed copies available to purchase, and an interactive online version which includes all the text from the core document, plus additional resources, […]

Building children’s wellbeing and resilience in challenging times by Vicky Hutchin

As schools and settings open up fully once more to all children after yet another long lockdown, now is a really important time for practitioners to talk to the children about settling back in when they may be feeling anxious and confused. Changes over the past year due to the pandemic have undoubtedly had a […]

February 2021

Letter from the APPG Officers to the Chancellor

An Early Years qualification for primary school headteachers? by Julie Fisher

A call for universal expertise for applications to primary school headship Transition for children from the Reception class into Year 1 in England remains fraught with challenge. The absence of national principled guidance makes this age group particularly vulnerable to inappropriate expectations and targets. Since the introduction of the National Curriculum the pedagogical direction of […]

January 2021

Briefing on the impact of COVID-19 on the early years sector – safety concerns and funding

Covid-19 costs and loss of income could lead to mass cuts and closures

Only 10% of local authority maintained nursery schools in England are confident of being able to keep going with current funding levels, according to a survey carried out by early years charity Early Education and unions NAHT, NEU and UNISON published today (Friday). Delays to a long-promised revision of their funding formula has left these schools facing […]

Anti-racism in the early years by Rachna Joshi

Introduction Race and racism in society is as important as ever; I am writing not only as a British South Asian who has experienced racism, but as an ally against white supremacy and anti-Black sentiment that perpetuates our consciousness. Structural racism is insidious, and we need to look at ourselves and think about the messages […]

Sharing home learning at a distance – loving home learning in lockdown, by David Yates

Entering the unknown It was extremely hard and emotional to say goodbye to the children and parents in my Reception class at the end of the day, before our school closed to all but a small number of children, due to the Coronavirus pandemic. We did not know when we would see each other again, […]