The Social Mobility Commission (SMC) has published its latest State of the Nation report 2021, unveiling details of the devastating impact of the Covid-19 pandemic across all four UK nations. The report looks at seven pillars of recovery including early years. It recommends higher pay and a better career structure for a workforce crucial to… Continue reading Social Mobility Commission: children must be at centre of pandemic recovery
Author: A. Callaghan
Updates to Development Matters
The Department for Education (DfE) has published a revised version of Development Matters following feedback on the original version first published in September 2020. Please note that the DfE has said the changes to the content are minor and you will not need to alter any planning based on the previous (September 2020) version. The… Continue reading Updates to Development Matters
Many Scottish nurseries suffering real terms cut in ELC funding rates despite increased costs
Almost one in five Scottish local authorities will not be increasing their hourly early learning and childcare funding rates for three to five-year-old’s once the 1140 hours policy is mandatory from August. NDNA Scotland put out an FOI to all Scottish local authorities asking what they will be paying childcare providers for the 1140 hour… Continue reading Many Scottish nurseries suffering real terms cut in ELC funding rates despite increased costs
MPs – Early years catch-up premium needed struggling sector
The APPG for Childcare and Early Education, of which the National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA) is a sponsor, calls for the Government to provide almost £3,000 per child to tackle underfunding. A cross-party group of parliamentarians has today called on the Government to use the Spending Review to address funding shortages in the early years… Continue reading MPs – Early years catch-up premium needed struggling sector
High employment rates will put stress on early years recruitment
The Office for National Statistics released its latest figures for the UK labour market this week. Employment is estimated at 75.4% – 1.1 percentage points lower than pre-pandemic levels, but 0.4 percentage points higher than last quarter. Unemployment figures came in at 4.3, a decrease of 0.5 percentage points and is only marginally higher then… Continue reading High employment rates will put stress on early years recruitment
NDNA launches nursery sustainability study
National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA) has released three surveys – one each for nursery providers in England, Scotland and Wales – ahead of the Comprehensive Spending Review in England and budget planning in Wales and Scotland. With the Coronavirus pandemic still affecting nursery costs and the numbers of children in settings, the surveys aim to… Continue reading NDNA launches nursery sustainability study
NDNA, Walker Books and Maisy are all going to nursery – are you?
National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA) has teamed up with Walker Books as they celebrate 30 years of “Maisy” stories using the picture book Maisy Goes to Nursery by Lucy Cousins. They are hoping nurseries and other early years settings will take part in a dedicated storytelling day and are offering a whole host of resources… Continue reading NDNA, Walker Books and Maisy are all going to nursery – are you?
Covid isolation led to closures in up to 4 in 10 early years settings
Covid isolation drove up to four in every ten early years settings to close across England, Wales and Scotland during the spring, a new report from the Education Policy Institute (EPI) and the National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA) reveals. The survey, which is the final report from a year-long research project investigating the impact of… Continue reading Covid isolation led to closures in up to 4 in 10 early years settings
APPG Launches Childcare & Early Education Week
The All-Party Parliamentary Group for Childcare and Early Education has launched the inaugural Childcare & Early Education Week, which will take place between Monday 25 and Friday 29 January 2021. This year’s theme – ‘Celebrating Our Sector’ – aims to thank childcare and early education practitioners for their work during the COVID-19 pandemic, where they… Continue reading APPG Launches Childcare & Early Education Week
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 that includes all the text from the core document, plus… Continue reading Birth to 5 Matters guidance is launched
Early years coaching programme supports dozens of London practitioners
A coaching programme funded by the Mayor of London’s office successfully helped dozens of early years practitioners to improve the quality of their provision and also to lead them through the challenges of the pandemic. National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA) ran the Early Years Leaders Programme across London to develop aspiring early years leaders and… Continue reading Early years coaching programme supports dozens of London practitioners
Early years organisations launch joint campaign
Leading early years organisations the Early Years Alliance, the PACEY and NDNA have today issued a joint call for the government to take urgent steps to protect the safety and financial sustainability of those working in nurseries and other childcare settings in England, in light of the government decision to ask early years settings to… Continue reading Early years organisations launch joint campaign
Fewer children in nursery so Government must reverse funding decision
A snap poll by National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA) shows that the average nursery has a third fewer children than normal and figures published by the Department for Education suggest this could be closer to half across all early years settings. The situation is now critical as 58% of nurseries are not confident they will… Continue reading Fewer children in nursery so Government must reverse funding decision
Final piece of research in year-long Covid study launched
Early years membership organisation National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA) and the Education Policy Institute (EPI) have launched the fourth and final survey in their year-long research project looking at the effects of the pandemic on the early years workforce. As the numbers of positive cases subside during the spring months, this survey looks at how… Continue reading Final piece of research in year-long Covid study launched
NDNA Scotland publishes early learning and childcare election manifesto
This election represents a chance for the next Scottish Government to get it right for early learning and childcare (ELC) as National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA) Scotland has published key issues for children, families and nurseries ahead of the May elections. NDNA Scotland’s manifesto, Getting ELC Right for Scotland’s Children, focuses on improving the funding… Continue reading NDNA Scotland publishes early learning and childcare election manifesto
NDNA Cymru publishes early years and childcare election manifesto
This election represents a chance for the next Welsh Government to get it right for early years and childcare as National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA) Cymru has published key issues for children, families and nurseries ahead of the May elections. NDNA Cymru’s manifesto, Getting it Right for Early Years and Childcare, focuses on improving the… Continue reading NDNA Cymru publishes early years and childcare election manifesto
Joint statement about vaccinations
Leading early years organisations National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA), Professional Association for Childcare and Early Years (PACEY) and Early Years Alliance have joined forces to put out a statement calling for certainty regarding vaccinations for early years workers: “We are aware that a number of early years providers and their staff have been able to… Continue reading Joint statement about vaccinations
Latest research: Early years sector is heavily reliant on the furlough scheme
Nurseries, pre-schools, and other early years settings have been heavily reliant on the government’s Coronavirus Job Retention scheme during the height of the winter lockdown, a new report from the Education Policy Institute (EPI) and National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA) finds. The report, which looks at how early years settings in England, Scotland and Wales… Continue reading Latest research: Early years sector is heavily reliant on the furlough scheme
Majority of nurseries in Wales fearing for their future
A snap poll by National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA) Cymru shows that the average day nursery has only two thirds of the number of children attending compared with last year prompting real concerns about their financial sustainability. One in five families were keeping their children at home either over fears about the virus or because… Continue reading Majority of nurseries in Wales fearing for their future
Education Secretary puts climate change at the heart of education
In the midst of the COP26 summit, the Education Secretary, Nadhim Zahawi MP, has come out today to empower nursery children to take action on the environment in his new aim to “put climate change at the heart of education”. His vision intends to highlight the importance of conserving and protecting our planet, encouraging children… Continue reading Education Secretary puts climate change at the heart of education