As Prime Minister and new Conservative Party leader Liz Truss appoints her new cabinet, Kit Malthouse, Member of Parliament for North West Hampshire, has been appointed as the new Secretary of state for Education. The Member of Parliament for North West Hampshire has worked as Work and Pensions Ministers, Crime and Policing Minister, and served… Continue reading Kit Malthouse appointed as new Secretary of State for Education
Author: Isaac Priestley
Sharp rise in summer nursery closures ring alarm bells for winter months
Many more nurseries have closed during the summer term than previously, setting course for a disastrous year for early years settings, says National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA). NDNA, the voice of the early years sector, has tracked nursery closures since the 30 hours policy was introduced in 2017. During the summer term April to July… Continue reading Sharp rise in summer nursery closures ring alarm bells for winter months
Half of Scottish nurseries still don’t know funding rates for next week
Nearly half of councils in Scotland (47%) have yet to make a decision on the hourly rates they will pay to early learning and childcare (ELC) providers from next week, according to information provided to National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA). Responding to an FOI request, 15 councils said they had not made a decision about… Continue reading Half of Scottish nurseries still don’t know funding rates for next week
Sector returns to celebrate achievements in annual nursery awards!
Staff and practitioners made a triumphant return to NDNA’s annual awards to celebrate their achievements in glitzy ceremony at the Chesford Grange Hotel in Kenilworth. NDNA’s annual conference returned during the day, bringing members and sector experts together before finalists and their families gathered in anticipation at the awards dinner. The biggest award of the… Continue reading Sector returns to celebrate achievements in annual nursery awards!
Private and voluntary nurseries expected to deliver more for less
Scottish private and independent nurseries are delivering almost a third of the country’s funded childcare places but councils are only allocating about a fifth of their budgets to pay for this. National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA) Scotland put out a Freedom of Information (FOI) request to all Scottish local authorities asking what percentage of funded… Continue reading Private and voluntary nurseries expected to deliver more for less
New Children and Families Minister announced
Following on from the resignation of Will Quince from the Government on 06 July, Brendan Clarke-Smith MP has been appointed as the new Minister for Children and Families. This role is responsible for early years and childcare within the Department for Education. Mr Clarke-Smith joins new ministers James Cleverly, MP for Braintree in Essex who… Continue reading New Children and Families Minister announced
Ofsted updates to Education Inspection Framework don’t go far enough
Education watchdog, Ofsted, have published updates to the Early Years inspection handbook and to the guidance for early years providers that sits alongside it. They have also published a summary of the changes. The new inspection handbook will be in use from September 2022 and Ofsted have said it will not result in a change… Continue reading Ofsted updates to Education Inspection Framework don’t go far enough
Children’s Minister resigns and Education Minister becomes Chancellor
Children and Families Minister Will Quince, who has the brief for childcare and early education, resigned after defending the Prime Minister with information that later emerged as “inaccurate”. The MP for Colchester who has been Children’s Minister since September said in his resignation letter: “I wish my successor well. It is the best job in… Continue reading Children’s Minister resigns and Education Minister becomes Chancellor
Government announce consultation on ratios changes
The Government has announced a consultation on ways to tackle the soaring childcare costs amid the cost of living crisis. The Minister for Children and Families, Will Quince, gave notice of the consultation in May 2022, and has confirmed that it will look at increasing the number of children that can be looked after by… Continue reading Government announce consultation on ratios changes
1 in 5 nurseries inspected since September inadequate or require improvement
Ofsted has published its official statistics for Childcare Providers and Inspections, their latest report, since August 2021 before the Cost of Living Crisis. Worryingly, inspection data from the report suggests that in the last seven months before March 2022, more providers received ‘Inadequate’ and ‘Requires Improvement’ judgments than previously and once ‘Outstanding’ providers found it… Continue reading 1 in 5 nurseries inspected since September inadequate or require improvement
Less than 1/5 of parents recognise unique importance of age 0-5
The Royal Foundation has unveiled its newest findings of research into the public perceptions of early childhood development. The Duchess of Cambridge’s Foundation, which aims to drive awareness of and action on the extraordinary impact of the early years, published the research based on a survey of 4,682 adults and over a 1,000 interviews with… Continue reading Less than 1/5 of parents recognise unique importance of age 0-5
Urgent funding boost for childcare sectors is needed as costs rise £2000 a year since 2010
New analysis published by the Trades Union Congress on Monday reveal that the cost of childcare for children under two has drastically increased by more than £2000 (£185 per month )in the last decade since the Conservatives took office. Parents saw an average annual nursery bill for a child under two of £4,992 in 2010.… Continue reading Urgent funding boost for childcare sectors is needed as costs rise £2000 a year since 2010
We are failing our children – MPs debate education recovery
MPs accused the Government of failing our children at a House of Commons debate about education recovery and the cost of childcare. The Opposition Day debate was led by the Shadow Children’s Minister Bridget Philipson a year after Sir Kevan Collins of the Education Endowment Foundation resigned as Education Recovery tsar. She pointed out that… Continue reading We are failing our children – MPs debate education recovery
TAX FREE CHILDCARE: Less than half of eligible families accessing support
HMRC have published the statistics on the usage of their Tax Free Childcare offer for the 2021/22 tax year. The Government scheme offers up to £2,000 a year per child towards childcare costs, including nursery provision. The latest statistics show that only around half of the estimated 1.3 million eligible families are accessing the support… Continue reading TAX FREE CHILDCARE: Less than half of eligible families accessing support
Pay equity for Scotland PVI sector needs significant investment MSPs
The Scottish Parliament’s Education, Children and Young People’s Committee met to discuss and assess the rollout and implementation of the 1140 hour offer. The committee is made up of ten cross party Members of the Scottish Parliament and it is their role to scrutinise the policies implemented by the Scottish Government. They meet weekly when… Continue reading Pay equity for Scotland PVI sector needs significant investment MSPs
MPs Question Minister on early years funding and ratios
With the cost of living crisis hitting both parents and early years providers , MPs have put questions to Will Quince about the current challenges the sector is facing. Labour MP for Bedford Mohammed Yasin raised the point during education questions in the House of Commons. He said that childcare costs have gone up because… Continue reading MPs Question Minister on early years funding and ratios
New report shows the impact of the pandemic on children
A report published by the Education Endowment Fund has revealed that repeated lockdowns in 2020 had a very damaging effect and the educational progress and social development of children in their first year of school. Finds from the report reveal that the only 59% of children were reaching the expected levels in communication and language,… Continue reading New report shows the impact of the pandemic on children
Department for Education to consult sector on ratios changes
Children and Familie’s Minister, Will Quince MP has announced his plans to consult with the sector with the idea to move towards a ratios system similar to that employed in Scotland, with a ratio of one to five instead of one to four for two-year-olds. The minister said over twitter, “we will be consulting on… Continue reading Department for Education to consult sector on ratios changes
Early years investment is essential for children with special needs
The national charity, Cerebra, alongside The Challenging Behaviour Foundation, Council for Disabled Children, University of Warwick and Mencap, have published a new report: Investing in Early Intervention. The report has examined the benefits in terms of health, wellbeing and quality of life that early intervention with targeted support can have on children with learning difficulties… Continue reading Early years investment is essential for children with special needs
Cost of delivering childcare to increase as inflation soars to 10% during 2022
As prices across the spectrum continue to increase, the Bank of England has raised interest rates in an attempt to reduce the upward trend in the cost of living. Interest rates have risen from 0.75% to 1%, their highest since 2009, the fourth time since the start of December that the rates have been risen.… Continue reading Cost of delivering childcare to increase as inflation soars to 10% during 2022