Valued by children, but feeling undervalued by society
In Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) settings across the world, staff are greeted each morning with hugs, smiles, laughter and occasionally some tears.
Half of England’s maintained nursery schools unable to balance budgets as funding review looms
A recent survey reveals that many of England’s 376 maintained nursery schools face severe financial struggles.
Nearly three-quarters of nursery schools to cut costs amid pressures
Many maintained nursery schools are struggling to stay afloat, research shows – at a time when the government is talking up early years’ role in getting children school-ready.
DfE Early Years Champion urges sector to ‘work as one’ amid claims policy ‘pits school-based nurseries against PVIs’
Sue Robb has urged the early years sector to ‘work as one’ amid concerns that the Government’s Best Start in Life strategy ‘pits private, voluntary and independent (PVI) nurseries against school-based nurseries’.
Primary school teachers matter for learning, but may have little impact on attendance
A long-running question in education research is just how much difference individual teachers make to pupil outcomes.
Nursery teachers to get £4,500 tax-free bonus if they take jobs in these 10 areas
Qualified nursery teachers will be offered a £4,500 tax-free bonus to take jobs in 10 areas of the country with the most acute staff shortages.
Are parents happy with early years childcare? MPs hear evidence on affordability and safeguarding
The Committee has been investigating the access, affordability and quality of early years provision, among other issues including the safeguarding of children in early years settings.
School based nurseries 'far more likely' than PVI providers to receive an Ofsted ‘needs attention’ grade
An investigation by National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA) suggests that far more schools with early years provision are receiving ‘needs attention’ grades, than private or voluntary settings.
Ofsted to include safer sleep in inspections – early years minister Olivia Bailey
Ofsted will now consider safe sleep practices as a routine part of inspection, alongside an update to safe sleep requirements in the early years curriculum from September.
Half of primary pupils now taught in academies
The DfE has published its latest census figures on schools and pupil characteristics. Here are some of the key trends.
Council acted unlawfully by failing to provide single-sex toilets at primary school
7. Scotland: Primary school’s unisex toilets breach girls’ rights, judge rules | The Telegraph
Education secretary encouraging all schools to join Government's free breakfast club programme
The education secretary is encouraging all primary schools to get involved in its free breakfast club programme, as the policy marks a milestone of having served 10 million free breakfasts to over 300,000 children, across 1,250 clubs.
The school-based nurseries programme could be Labour’s early years legacy – but there are real problems with it
Something significant is happening in childcare policy in England.
Free training course aims to improve safer sleep in 1,000 nurseries
A new online training course is designed to improve knowledge around safer sleep in 1,000 nurseries.
N Family Club announces US expansion
N Family Club, which has 54 settings in London and the South East, has announced plans to expand into America with 80 nurseries expected to open by 2032.
Families of former nursery work Vincent Chan’s victims take steps towards legal action against council
Families of the victims of former Bright Horizons nursery worker Vincent Chan have taken steps towards a legal challenge against Camden Council over claims it has refused to investigate whether the nursery group breached health and safety legislation.
Camden Council faces legal action over child sexual abuse safeguarding failures
Camden Council is facing legal action over safeguarding failures at a nursery home where a man sexually abused children as young as two years old.
Families protest closure of charity-run Islington nursery
Families have gathered outside Islington Town Hall to protest against the planned closure of a nursery based in a children’s centre in the borough.
2025 Childcare Provider’s Finance Report
London Economics were commissioned by the Department for Education (DfE) to investigate the state of childcare providers’ finances and the cost of childcare to parents, using information from the 2025 Survey of Childcare and Early Years Providers (in partnership with IFF...