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
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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 […]
Why we need anti-racism training in the early years
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
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Government has today published its Schools White Paper “Opportunity for all”. We welcome the fact that early years gets a few mentions: However, the “key facts” only list the numbers of children in the school system, not the 1.5m in early years provision. There is mention of where children’s outcomes are improving, but no mention […]
Nominate a colleague for the Famly Children’s Champion
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We’re supporting Famly’s Children’s Champion Award 2021 as an opportunity to recognise the work of early years practitioners who have gone “above and beyond” this year to support children and families. Nominate someone you know and they will be in with a chance to win £5,000, a trophy and a year’s individual membership of Early […]
How do we increase the graduate workforce in Early Years?
DfE has just published new figures on the number of new entrants to Early Years Initial Teacher Training (EYITT). This is the route that leads to Early Years Teacher Status, which does not have parity of career options to Qualified Teacher Status, despite requiring the same entry requirements and following a broadly similar programme of study. […]
Hundreds of school staff march on Downing Street to save nursery schools
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Today (Tues 19 Oct), 150 representatives from maintained nursery schools in England will gather in London’s Parliament Square, alongside parents, campaigners and MPs, before marching to Downing Street to deliver a petition to the Chancellor, calling on him to ‘take urgent action’ over funding. The petition has been signed by over 2,000 school leaders, staff […]
Early Education and unions call for long-term MNS funding
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Organisations representing Maintained Nursery Schools have joined together to warn the government that it must provide a long-term funding solution for Maintained Nursery Schools (MNS) as part of this autumn’s spending review if further closures and cuts to staffing and services are to be avoided. Early Education, NAHT NEU and Unison have written to both […]