The early years is a crucial time in a child’s life where their learning and development can be rapid and where their experiences have a significant impact on their future life chances. Those of us who work with babies and young children…
Over the last few days we have seen one report and one survey that shine a spotlight on early years children and their families.
Nuffield Health has published a new report called How are the lives of families with young children cha…
Mother’s Day is coming up this weekend, and in settings and schools there may be a focus on Mummies. Perhaps cards will be made, or paper flowers, and perhaps there will be lots of conversations about what our Mummies do for us and why w…
Reflective Teaching in Early Education
Jennifer Colwell and Amanda Ince et al.
This book on reflective practice is aimed at early education students and professionals. It covers all aspects of practice, from the indiv…
This Book Is Anti-Racist: 20 lessons on how to wake up, take action, and do the work by Tiffany Jewel
To understand the value of this book, an acknowledgement of your place on the road to anti-racism is important. In addition …
When Michael Rosen wrote this tweet I’m sure he wasn’t expecting the backlash that he got from some people.
I’m sure it was never his intention to make out that teachers were not experts in teaching. He himself comes from a fam…
Last week’s Coffee Break highlighted podcasts as a useful way to keep yourself up to date with the latest news, theories and discussions in education. This week it is the turn of the article or blog post as a way to get your CPD fix with…
The world is filled with uncertainty, educators are on the frontline, and anxiety is a familiar feeling for everyone. When everything around us is wobbling, it can be hard to concentrate, to reach beyond the things we have to do each day, t…
This New Year’s Eve felt…heavy. It was hard to see it as the fresh start we so often attribute to the change from one year to the next.
But I decided to keep to the annual tradition of making a resolution. Not everyone is into new …
Nichole Hughes, Early Years and Key Stage teacher, education consultant supporting parents, and a parent herself, shares her reflections on encouraging play at home.
‘Play? Play is not learning! How are you learning? It’s j…
The tale of Christmas Past is one filled with children singing, angels crying and sheep wondering off around the stage as the annual joy of the Nativity, or whatever festive show you usually produce, takes place. This year however, it is u…
We have a great responsibility as educators: to our children, their families and our colleagues. And beyond that, to our communities, and to society. The role of the early years professional, and of school staff, is far reaching.
But t…
For teaching staff, this term has been a turbulent one. The frequent changes to policy, provision and practice and considerations for the safety and wellbeing of children and staff has led many to feel wholly unsettled. On a daily basis, s…
When schools opened their doors to Reception, Year 1 and 6 back in June this year, the guidance was for smaller classes and, where possible, to keep windows and doors open to allow for greater ventilation. This guidance continued once scho…
It’s generally considered a fairly miserable event when the clocks go back at the end of October. It’s the start of a period that can often mean leaving for work in the dark and returning home to the same. This tends to coincide with…
I am a list maker. Anyone who lives or works with me knows that I write them obsessively. On post-it notes, in my diary, in little books, on scraps of paper.
I think they might drive the people around me a bit crazy…
I have lists…
This is my final ‘coffee-break’ in a series that I have written, about getting #BackToBasics when it comes to approaches that we use to support our children’s learning. I’ve discussed the importance of a sound knowledge of child …
Our recent survey of more than 200 early years practitioners and reception teachers showed that as we continue to teach and learn in the pandemic, parental engagement, communication, and the use of technology to support these, will be key.…
Admittedly, the slightly sensationalist title suggests that children don't climb trees anymore. This is not actually the case. There is a brilliant tree in my local park and children form an orderly queue to get their turn on it. It'…
Working with children can provide you with great challenges and joy every day. I have met many teachers who are confident to speak in front of a hall full of children but ask them to speak in front of their peers – other teachers or thei…
Last November, during the campaign trail, Boris Johnson painfully mumbled his way through 'The Wheels on the Bus' while on a visit to a primary school. At the time my colleague Ben wrote a brilliant short piece in Nursery World about the f…
I was interested to read an article a few days ago about a research project teaching teenagers the science of babies’ brain development. Secondary school pupils attended science lessons designed by researchers from the University of Oxfo…
The government’s own news item on the recent Spring Budget opened with the words ‘A revolution in childcare’. Here we take the Chancellor’s announcements and suggest 5 revolutionary ideas.
1. Putting children at the …
Maths to 18 will equip young people with the quantitative and statistical skills that they will need for the jobs of today and the future.
This includes having the right skills to feel confident with finances in later life, including …
Food. One of the most important parts of growing and surviving as a human. Our relationship with food begins from a very young age, watching those around us carefully as they move this mysterious substance towards their mouths and then ope…
