NDNA is pleased to announce the launch of the 2024 NDNA Awards which are now open for entries to nurseries and NDNA networks across the UK. Next year, 2024 will mark NDNA’s 25th anniversary as a charity and so to celebrate we are launching two new award categories to enter. The ‘Learning Through Play’ award… Continue reading The NDNA nursery awards are back for 2024!
Regions: All
Gold standard first aid accreditation Millie’s Mark comes to Wales
An awards accreditation scheme to support early childhood play learning and care staff to keep children as safe as possible is now available to all early settings across Wales. Millie’s Mark is the gold standard in paediatric first aid for early years and has been available in England and Scotland for a few years. Since… Continue reading Gold standard first aid accreditation Millie’s Mark comes to Wales
NDNA funding partners
We value the support, funding and grants from all NDNA funding partners. This funding enables us to drive positive impact to benefit sustainable communities, a sustainable early years sector, the workforce, families and most importantly, young children. We work closely with a range of funding partners to deliver NDNA’s quality products and services to wider… Continue reading NDNA funding partners
Top tips for working with children under three
Fundamentally, practitioners need to know and understand how caring for young children and meeting their basic needs leads to creating the best conditions for learning. See our top tips for working with children under three. In order for babies and toddlers to flourish, their essential physiological, safety and belonging needs must be met. How can… Continue reading Top tips for working with children under three
A vision for early education and care
Early years organisation National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA) has launched its Blueprint for Early Education and Care to inform decision-makers and politicians to gain the best outcomes for children. The document which will be shaped by NDNA’s members to develop a manifesto for early education and care ahead of the next General Election contains ten… Continue reading A vision for early education and care
Blueprint for Early Education and Care
Find out more about NDNA’s Blueprint for Early Education and Care. NDNA invited a number of experts, economists and representatives from early years sectors to round table discussions during the summer to pull together an ideal-world policy from scratch with children’s outcomes and learning at the heart. The result was our Blueprint for Early Education… Continue reading Blueprint for Early Education and Care
Build positive home-nursery relationships: 6 fun parent engagement ideas.
Sponsored article from Corporate Member Blossom Educational The sky is the limit when parents and practitioners are on the same page. Children thrive when consistent approaches are used and strong home-nursery relationships are the key to success in the EYFS. We share why these relationships are important and a few of our favourite ways to… Continue reading Build positive home-nursery relationships: 6 fun parent engagement ideas.
PANCo training
Our PANCo training, qualification and specialist role is a beacon for quality provision in the early years. The PANCo training programme is a well-being-in-action intervention that promotes positive nutrition and physical activity to support the prevention of obesity within early years settings. Our PANCo qualification gives early years educators a robust knowledge base and the… Continue reading PANCo training
Early Years Employer Toolkit
Download our Early Years Employer Toolkits below. Within these toolkits, we have equipped you with a range of useful information and resources to help maximise recruitment and support you in finding the right candidates for early years settings to thrive. More early years recruitment support
Nursery News cover competition entries
We love all the amazing work you do to support your children’s learning and development and as part of our #Firstfiveyearscount campaign. We want to shout about it as loud as we can by sharing our Nursery News cover competition entries. See our latest Nursery News cover competition entries below. We have been sharing images… Continue reading Nursery News cover competition entries
Child Development: birth to five years – ten facts you may not know
A sound understanding of typical child development, key developmental milestones and how children learn is essential when working with young children. It allows you to appreciate the cognitive, emotional, physical and social growth that children go through from birth and helps you to recognise if a child is developing as expected or if they are… Continue reading Child Development: birth to five years – ten facts you may not know
NDNA publication previews
See a selection of NDNA publication previews via the downloads below. Each preview includes details of the contents pages of the publication plus additional pages. Visit our shop to purchase your publication. NDNA members receive a discount – remember to login and it will automatically apply it at checkout.
Maths Champions Case Studies and Feedback
Supporting improved outcomes for children through participation in the Maths Champions programme. Private, voluntary, independent providers in England were chosen at random to take part (funded by the Education Endowment Foundation partnered with Department for Education) in the evaluation of the Maths Champions programme. The key results were astounding: Maths Champions is low cost but… Continue reading Maths Champions Case Studies and Feedback
Early Years maths programme boosts child development by three months
A National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA) professional development programme aimed at increasing practitioner skills, knowledge, awareness and confidence in supporting early mathematics has been proved to boost young children’s maths skills by three months. A project evaluation report published by the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) alongside a team from the Universities of York and Durham… Continue reading Early Years maths programme boosts child development by three months
Maths Champions Accelerator Fund
Find out more about the research that supports our Maths Champions Programme The research The team of researchers running the research trial was based at the University of York and Durham University. NDNA invited applications from early years providers to take part in a research trial (funded by the Education Endowment Foundation partnered with Department… Continue reading Maths Champions Accelerator Fund
Maths Champions Early Years Maths Training
Improving outcomes for children by embedding maths into play and activities. Maths champions is an online professional development programme with 12 months access. The aim of this innovative programme is to improve children’s maths outcomes by providing access to a range of bespoke online training, evaluative tools and resources which can all be used to develop… Continue reading Maths Champions Early Years Maths Training
£204 million cash boost given to nurseries for childcare expansion
The Government has announced a boost to early years funding with a £204 million cash investment to support the expansion of childcare places. The investment intended to make childcare more accessible allowing more parents to return to work and stimulate economic growth is being celebrated by government as ‘the largest ever investment in childcare.’ But… Continue reading £204 million cash boost given to nurseries for childcare expansion
Top Oral Health Tips from NDNA Nursery of the Year South
An NDNA award-winning Nursery has been working with The Dental Wellness Trust charity to help educate, inspire and engage parents, teachers and children. They have created 14 Easy Top Oral Health Tips for Families to keep their little ones’ teeth in good shape. Bright Little Stars and Dr Saul Konviser, Director of The Dental Wellness… Continue reading Top Oral Health Tips from NDNA Nursery of the Year South
NDNA Awards 2023 returns to celebrate sector achievements
The NDNA’s annual conference and awards evening brought members and sector experts together to celebrate their achievements in a glitzy ceremony held at Coventry Building Society Arena. Celebrity guest Jenny Powell returned for a second year to host the awards, telling the room: “It is a delight to see the room full of early years… Continue reading NDNA Awards 2023 returns to celebrate sector achievements
Audit Scotland: Roll-out of 1140 hours leaves sector fragile
Audit Scotland have today published their review of the progress of delivery of the 1140 hours expansion. Whilst it was noted that the Scottish Government, councils, and partners did well to increase early learning and childcare (ELC) provision to 1,140 hours a year per child, despite the challenge of the Covid-19 pandemic. They also note… Continue reading Audit Scotland: Roll-out of 1140 hours leaves sector fragile