Minimum wages to rise at above inflation rates

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National mandatory minimum wages are set to rise next year by between 6.7% and 18%. The Government has accepted the Low Pay Commission recommendations that the National Living Wage rises from £11.44 to £12.21 from April 2025. This 6.7% rise will benefit anyone aged 21 and over. The Labour Government’s intention is to give one… Continue reading Minimum wages to rise at above inflation rates

Early years funding protected from Budget cuts 

Colorful backpacks, pencils, and books surround a piggy bank on a desk, symbolizing a happy and organized school budget for a successful academic year.

The Chancellor announced that education spending would be prioritised in this week’s Budget which includes early years funding for the entitlement expansion.  Although there are some much-anticipated cuts along with tax increases expected in the Budget on Wednesday 30 October, this means that the £1.8bn already announced for the early years expansion is “protected”.  The… Continue reading Early years funding protected from Budget cuts 

SEN system financially ‘unsustainable’ – NAO report 

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A National Audit Office report looking into the money spent to support children with special educational needs has concluded that children’s outcomes have not improved.  The report reported that 101 local authorities in England had overspent on their high needs block and 50% of children were waiting more than 20 weeks for an education health… Continue reading SEN system financially ‘unsustainable’ – NAO report 

New safeguarding changes to be implemented next year

New safeguarding measures which were the focus of a consultation earlier this year will be implemented from September 2025 to make sure the increase in places doesn’t reduce quality. These updates include safer recruitment practices and safer eating which the Department for Education consulted on between April and June.  They received 1470 responses to the… Continue reading New safeguarding changes to be implemented next year

Eight weeks for schools to apply for school-based nursery grant 

The Department for Education is open for grant applications of up to £150,000 from state-funded schools to create a new nursery or expand an existing one. And they will be updating guidance on charging parents for meals and consumables.  This money is from a £15m pot which the Government believes could support 300 new school-based… Continue reading Eight weeks for schools to apply for school-based nursery grant 

DfE: it’s official childcare places will be called “funded” not “free”

Senior civil servants who attended an NDNA Talk event announced that the Government would be calling 15 and 30 hour childcare places “funded” and not “free”. Mike Davies, Deputy Director Early Years Markets, Strategy and Workforce and Suzanne Taylor, Stakeholder Lead School-based Nursery Division from the Department for Education gave updates on their latest projects… Continue reading DfE: it’s official childcare places will be called “funded” not “free”

Music training to support children with SEND

National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA) is delighted to be able to develop SEND Music training to support and improve the delivery of music sessions with nursery-aged children, specifically those with special educational needs and disabilities.  NDNA will offer training to support 15 settings across five regions as part of an exciting new funded music training… Continue reading Music training to support children with SEND

Labour Party Conference: breakfast clubs and nurseries in schools  

Government ministers announced various policies at the annual conference which will impact on nurseries in England.  These include business rates reform, breakfast clubs in all primary schools and new nurseries in schools.   Early years was a hot topic, discussed in many of the fringe events.  The Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced the review of business rates… Continue reading Labour Party Conference: breakfast clubs and nurseries in schools  

Nurseries continue to close as government-funded childcare expands

Nurseries in England continue to close at a time when the sector should be expanding to provide the 85,000 additional childcare places required by September 2025. This is when all children in working families will be entitled to 30 hours of childcare per week from nine months to starting school. Research by NDNA reveals that… Continue reading Nurseries continue to close as government-funded childcare expands

A further 800 settings to benefit from successful early maths intervention

Thousands of children in 800 early years settings across England will be able to benefit from an effective early maths intervention. Thanks to Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) and the Department for Education’s Accelerator funding, practitioners in 800 additional nurseries, nursery schools and pre-schools will be able to  participate in the Maths Champions Programme. National Day… Continue reading A further 800 settings to benefit from successful early maths intervention

Independent review of joint inspection arrangements

An independent review has been carried out by the Learning Partnership  into the way joint inspections between Care Inspectorate Wales and Estyn work for the non-maintained sector in Wales. In the five years since the introduction of joint inspections, there have been a lot of changes within the sector (Curriculum for Wales, the ALN Act,… Continue reading Independent review of joint inspection arrangements

Landmark as nurseries welcome funded nine month old children for the first time

From this week, nurseries across England are welcoming children as young as nine months old into their settings on funded 15-hour places. This is the second phase of the childcare expansion announced by the previous Chancellor at the Budget in March 2023. Working parents with young children can take up their place from the term… Continue reading Landmark as nurseries welcome funded nine month old children for the first time

Ofsted Big Listen response is published

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Ofsted has published the results of their ‘Big Listen’, a comprehensive independent consultation across all their inspection remits, including early years. This was a day after the Government announced it is scrapping one-word judgements for schools with a promise to replace the existing system for early years providers in time. Following more than 20,000 responses… Continue reading Ofsted Big Listen response is published

PVI nurseries will be included in Ofsted reforms but not this year

Ofsted has announced that it will scrap one-word judgements for schools with immediate effect – but this will only include nurseries in schools and maintained nursery schools. All providers on the early years register – including private, voluntary and independent nurseries – will continue to receive the one-word judgements for this academic year. However, the… Continue reading PVI nurseries will be included in Ofsted reforms but not this year

Two councils in Scotland still to decide on childcare funding rates

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Despite extra funding and guidance on paying a sustainable rate for funded early learning and childcare (ELC) being available from the Scottish Government from April, two councils have still not set out what partner providers will be paid in 2024/25. National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA) Scotland has followed up an earlier investigation in May which… Continue reading Two councils in Scotland still to decide on childcare funding rates

First membership body supporting early education and care professionals  

The Institute of Early Years Education has been launched today (Wednesday 7th August).  It is the first UK-wide professional membership body for all individuals working, or aspiring to work, in the early education and care sector.   Powered by National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA), the Institute supports the personal and professional development of early education… Continue reading First membership body supporting early education and care professionals  

Wellbeing support announced for early years workforce

The new Institute of Early Years Education has joined forces with Spectrum.Life, a whole-of-health digital partner, to offer a healthy lifestyles package to anyone working in the early education and care sector who takes up membership. The healthy lifestyles member benefit is intended to give professionals working in the early education and care sector support… Continue reading Wellbeing support announced for early years workforce

Joint Survey of Care Inspectorate Inspection Experiences

In November 2023 NDNA, along with Early Years Scotland (EYS), Care and Learning Alliance (CALA) and Scottish Childminders Association (SCMA) conducted a joint survey which asked providers to share their experiences of Care Inspectorate Inspections. This was in response to a wide range of concerns raised with all organisations about difficult experiences. NDNA took on… Continue reading Joint Survey of Care Inspectorate Inspection Experiences