The Anna Freud Centre has today published its findings from a survey about staff wellbeing alongside NDNA’s sample well-being policy. Early years staff working in nurseries or preschools would like their settings to be more open about staff mental health, and to ensure staff wellbeing policies are in place and upheld. While many find their… Continue reading NDNA agrees that it’s time to make staff wellbeing a policy
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NDNA research used in Parliament
A debate was held by MPs in Parliament yesterday on early education funding. The debate was called by Wera Hobhouse, Liberal Democrat MP for Bath, who recognised the crucial role of early education during the pandemic and to child development. She said: “The Government say that they understand parents’ concerns about the cost of childcare.… Continue reading NDNA research used in Parliament
Early years guidance: No more bubbles from 19 July
Following statements in Parliament, yesterday by the Health Minister and Education Minister, early years settings will no longer be responsible for contact tracing or keeping children in small groups or bubbles from 19 July. Secretary of State for Education Gavin Williamson revealed some new key messages in Parliament yesterday that further restrictions would be lifted… Continue reading Early years guidance: No more bubbles from 19 July
Plans to reduce self-isolation in critical roles
The Government has announced plans for critical workers not to need to self-isolate. We have seen reports about employers needing to seek permission from their relevant government departments who will make a decision on a case by case basis for each individual. NDNA has raised this as a matter of urgency with the DfE to… Continue reading Plans to reduce self-isolation in critical roles
Social Mobility Commission: children must be at centre of pandemic recovery
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
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
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
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
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
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
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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
Blossom Educational offer financial incentives to England nurseries
The leading all-in-one Nursery Management Software company, Blossom Educational, is collaborating with the National Day Nurseries Association, NDNA, to provide further support to the nursery sector during what will no doubt be a challenging 2021; with below average occupancy rates and increasing operating costs. Founded by nursery practitioners, managers and education consultants, Blossom remains a… Continue reading Blossom Educational offer financial incentives to England nurseries
Give equal access to testing for all early years workers
The Department for Education’s announcement that early years workers in private and voluntary run settings must attend community testing centres while maintained nurseries and nursery classes in schools get ‘at-home’ test kits delivered demonstrates how the sector has been treated. The announcement means that staff in private, voluntary and independently (PVI) run nurseries and preschools… Continue reading Give equal access to testing for all early years workers
NDNA employees trek through all 3 nations
A group of National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA) employees have challenged themselves to “virtually” walk, jog and run between their 3 main offices in England, Wales and Scotland in April. The group of 12 – who live across England and near Edinburgh – “set off” from NDNA’s head office in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire on 1… Continue reading NDNA employees trek through all 3 nations