As expected, a revision to the statutory guidance will be issued this year to take into account the new paediatric first aid requirements and Safeguarding advice. There will also be a new model agreement for Local Authorities. Although issued…
New shadow early years minister announced: In the announcement of the new shadow cabinet, Tracy Babin MP (Batley and Spen) has been selected as shadow minister for early years. Elected to Parliament in October 2016, the Batley and Spen by…
A non-statutory guide for practitioners and inspectors has just been released by the Department for Education. Comprising the first column of the original Development Matters document, Early Years Outcomes has been published so that it can …
The Department for Education have released a model form and letter for parents, to help providers identify which children are eligible for the EYPP.
Find it here
Sam Gyimah, Childcare Minister,has announced that LAs will receive an additional £1.5 million to support them in preparing for the introduction of the EYPP. The EYPP, at a value of £50 million for 2015-2016, will be given to providers deliv…
Education Policy Institute warns of Childcare sector losing staff to the Retail sector: The Education Policy Institute (EPI) has released a worrying report identifying great uncertainty over recruitment and retention, with growing report…
A survey has been launched by a coalition of early years organisations that includes the Early Years Alliance, Early Education, NDNA and PACEY 'to help better understand attitudes towards the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) ahead of a…
Nick Gibb MP, Minister for School Standards, Department for Education, has shared his thoughts on the ways forward for Primary Assessment. The STA and Ofqual also contributed. The TES has comprehensively summarised the meeting, you can read t…
As previously discussed in forum conversations we'd like to confirm that we are officially retiring PRAMS at the end of this academic year (2016). PRAMS is no longer being actively developed, and from 31st July 2016 we will no longer be suppo…
The materials to be used by the EYFSP pilot schools have been published following the announcement by Children and Families Minister Nadhim Zahawi on Friday. You can read the full announcement here. From September, 25 schools across the co…
In their report 'Putting quality at the heart of early years' the Family and Childcare trust report calls for the introduction of an Early Excellence Fund to support four aims. The aims are: 1) Ensuring there is at least one experienced earl…
Report reveals that childcare prices have surged at double the rate of inflation, undermining Government’s new investments. Following the rollout of new government support schemes in 2017, most parents are now entitled to some help with c…
As we have discussed before on the FSF the business rates re-evaluation that happened last year created significant increases for many non-charity run early years settings. With the increasing costs of minimum/living wage, pensions and con…
In the recent budget, the Chancellor announced a rise in the level of minimum wage and also the living wage. The early years funding rates have also been announced for 2018/19. You can read the new rates and comment on the thread 'Costing n…
Don't forget these key strategies to fostering phonics success in Reception and beyond.
Every early years teacher wonders the same thing. Is there a formula? A secret formula to getting early reading right in Foundation Stage? We kno…
20% of 2-year-olds from some of the poorest families are now eligible for free childcare – this number will double next year. The Deputy Prime Minister has announced how free childcare for 2-year-olds is being doubled so that 40% of fam…
We attended the Westminster debate on Monday and listened with interest as MPs discussed the current situation in early years with the Minister Caroline Dinenage. You can read about our involvement and watch the debate on Parliament TV from here.
On Monday 21st November we attended the London meeting to hear from the Childcare works team and the DfE about the 30 years pilots and the full roll out in September 2017. You can read our notes and download the presentation documents from th…
We have been asked to collect and submit our views on a series of questions that are due to be discussed in Westminster on 21st November. Please share your thoughts here.
Speaking at Child Expo this morning, Minister Caroline Dinenage has announced that the GCSE maths and english requirement for L3 practitioners has been scrapped. She said: "I was determined to listen to you" : Minister says that response to …
You may have read some of the furore in the EY press over the weekend regarding Gill Jones' comments on singing in nursery. Gill, Ofsted’s deputy director of early education, told an NAHT conference that the demise of singing in nursery …
This is a report on the outcomes of the consultation regarding the proposals to make revisions to the framework for the inspection of early years providers from November 2013. You can access the report here
