Letter to the next Prime Minister

The letter below sets out our key asks for the next government.

Thinking together with children: conversations that generate, amplify and sustain children’s learning

Early Education Associate, Debi Keyte-Hartland reflects on a recent commission by Balcarras Teaching School Hub In Gloucestershire to deliver a four-day course on Sustained Shared Thinking. The aim of this 4-day professional learning course for Balcarras Teaching School Hub is to build educators knowledge and practice through a combination of professional learning mechanisms designed to […]

Researchful practice: a “breath of fresh air” for early educators in challenging times

Guest blog by Frances Giampapa and Claire Lee Introduction A wealth of evidence demonstrates the fundamental role played by early years (EY) education in shaping a thriving and equitable society. The importance of valuing and nurturing skilled professionals in this sector is more evident than ever before. Years of underfunding, the devaluing of skills and […]

How the Reception Year can be more inclusive for children with SEND

by Katherine Gulliver Introduction Early Education was recently asked to review the special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) provision in the early years within one local authority, and this article picks out some findings which are of national significance in relation to inclusion in the Reception year. The early years has a rich history of […]

Physical development in early childhood

Clare Devlin, Early Education Associate What aspects of physical development should we focus on within the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) and other early years curricula? In this article, I explore the importance of physicality at this crucial point in a child’s development. The article explores two key aspects, “moving and handling” and “self-care”. It […]

Children’s creativity with digital technology and media

By Debi Keyte-Hartland, Early Education Associate This article is based on one included in the Early Education Journal no 100. To access the full article and the rest of the Journal, become a member or purchase this issue of the Journal. I have always been interested in children’s creativity and their ways of expressing their […]

The benefits of sustained CPD

In this article, Kate Irvine from Bristol Early Years discusses the impact of practitioners engaging in a sustained process of CPD through cluster groups and the communities of practice to improve children’s learning and development, with additional benefits for staff wellbeing and retention. When we first embarked on the “Building on EYFS” project back in […]

Resisting intensified accountability: is now the time for inspection reform?  

by Dr Jo Albin-Clark, Edge Hill University and Dr Nathan Archer, Leeds Beckett University Inspection in the news Being involved in education in England involves navigating an intense policy landscape where accountability is entangled with surveillance and performativity (Spencer Woodley, 2014; Kilderry, 2015). Ofsted, the regulatory accountability mechanism in England, has seen heightened scrutiny recently […]

Fundamental British Values in early years

What are “Fundamental British Values”? by Vicky Hutchin The so-called “Fundamental British Values” form a part of the Prevent Duty, introduced in 2015 and last updated in 2021. It all began with the government’s Prevent Strategy in 2011 with the aim of preventing people being ‘drawn into’ terrorism and terrorist attacks. The Prevent Duty places […]

Open letter to HMCI Amanda Spielman regarding the Early Years Curriculum Review

The open letter below was sent to Ofsted in November 2023. Download Ofsted’s response We the undersigned are writing to you about the recently published Ofsted document Best start in life part 1: setting the scene. While we welcome Ofsted’s recognition of the vital role of the early years, we are concerned that as a […]