Take-up of funded entitlements in England nears pre-pandemic levels
Comparing figures from January 2022 and January 2020, progress is being made towards previous levels of take up of funded early education. Latest figures from the DfE show that 92% of eligible 3- and 4-year-olds took up their entitlement to 15 hours of early education in January 2022, compared to 93% in 2020. However, this […]
New National Plan for Music extended to early years
Early Education welcomes the news that the new National Plan for Music Education has been extended to cover the early years. We are glad to see that this includes recognition that many early years practitioners are not music specialists and an extension of the role of Music Hubs to include supporting the early years sector. […]
More than half of England’s maintained nursery schools struggling to cover core costs
A survey carried out by sector body Early Education in association with education unions the NAHT, NEU and UNISON, has found that more than half of all maintained nursery schools in England had an in-year deficit in 2021-22 and 28% of had a cumulative deficit. Only 4 in ten (41%) had been able to set […]
Times Education Commission calls for “significant boost” to early years funding
The Times Education Commission has today published a report which calls for “A significant boost to early years funding targeted at the most vulnerable and a unique pupil number from birth, to level the playing field before children get to school.” It also calls for wellbeing to be put at the heart of education and […]
The Family Music Hub – early childhood practitioners set to benefit from an exciting new initiative

Press release: May 2022 Early Education and Early Childhood Music practitioners Katie Neilson, Rosie Adediran and Nicola Burke are pleased to announce they have been awarded funding to develop a brand new initiative – The Family Music Hub. This new initiative seeks to explore existing early childhood music (ECM) practice and collaboratively develop new ways […]
<strong>Why we need anti-racism training in the early years</strong>
We deplore the recent article by The Telegraph which singled out Liz Pemberton for criticism of her anti-racism training, which she has delivered for many clients including local authorities. The Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage (as recently revised by the current Conservative government) states that: “The EYFS seeks to provide: …equality of […]
Ofsted’s new strategy and focus on the early years
Ofsted has today launched a new five-year strategy. Elements of this which affect the early years include commitments to “simplify the regulatory regime for childminders” “develop the evidence base about early years education, including curriculum and pedagogy, and act on it… develop the evidence base around the early years learning and development curriculum through our […]
Government’s new sustainability and climate change strategy
We welcome the government’s new Sustainability and climate change strategy for education and children’s services, and that early years is reflected through a range of strands including commitments to: provide opportunities to develop a broad knowledge and understanding of the importance of nature, sustainability and the causes and impact of climate change and to translate […]
The Schools White Paper: highlighting the gap between early years and schools policy
Government has today published its Schools White Paper “Opportunity for all”. We welcome the fact that early years gets a few mentions: The Secretary of State flags in his introduction that “a flourishing schools system… will only be made a reality by building on a great early years education”. The new NPQ in Early Years […]
Birth to 5 Matters Spring Festival

We’re delighted to be supporting the Birth to 5 Matters Spring Festival this month.