The early years foundation stage (EYFS) sets the standards for the learning, development and care of children from birth to 5 years old. In October…
Childcare for 2, 3 and 4 year olds Encouraging your toddler’s independence Family Information Services Family relationships Preparing to be a parent School reception class…
Early Years Practitioner (Level 2) Qualifications New level 2 Early Years Practitioner qualifications developed to meet the new DfE level 2 criteria came into effect…
The reception baseline assessment (RBA) is a new national assessment that will be administered in all primary, infant and first schools in England to children…
30 hours childcare In June 2019, the Department for Education launched a campaign to raise awareness of the benefits of 30 hours childcare, with a…
Business Sustainability Managing monthly finances Marketing Developing a Business Plan Sustaining Success Introduction to the Sustaining Success programme led by the Primary National Strategy and…
Case Studies Childminder Taking Funded Twos – Rachel Rachel decided that she would like to take funded twos because she felt that some children have…
The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) statutory framework sets standards for the learning, development and care of children from birth to 5 years old. All…
We all know that findings from early childhood studies and neuroscience have shown that children’s early experiences are important in affecting health, behaviour and developmental…
The Study of Early Education and Development (SEED) is a major longitudinal study of early years education following almost 6,000 children in England from age…
School-childminder partnerships case studies As part of the Department for Education’s Voluntary and Community Sector grant programme, Action for Children developed sustainable cross-sector partnerships and…
The Ofsted Education Inspection Framework sets out Ofsted’s inspection principles and the main judgements that inspectors make. Ofsted consulted on a draft education inspection framework and proposed handbooks between…
As professionals working in the foundation years, we all do our bit by taking on the responsibility of partnership working with our colleagues in health,…
Children’s Centres are pivotal in cementing the early years and for providing families with services. As a professional working in the foundation years you will…
Free Early Years Provision: Model Agreement The DfE has published a model agreement outlining the information local authorities should include in their agreements with early…
Introduced by the Department for Education in 2014, childminder agencies are ‘one-stop shop’ organisations that register childminders and provide them with training, advice, administrative support…
The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) sets standards for the learning, development and care of children from birth to 5 years old. All schools and Ofsted-registered…
Eat better, start better Getting children eating well for life means starting early. The Eat Better, Start Better guidance and supporting material was developed to help early…
Case studies Building Firm Mathematical Foundations in the Early Years Friars Primary School and Nursery is a two form entry school based in Shoeburyness, near…
As a professional, you know that evidence shows high quality provision during the foundation years has a lasting impact on children’s outcomes, future learning and…
In 2019, the Department for Education launched Hungry Little Minds – a three-year campaign to encourage parents to engage in activities that support their child’s early…
Safeguarding children and protecting professionals in early years settings: online safety considerations The Government has published guidance to help those who work in early years…
Gateway to Writing The Gateway to Writing resources highlight the importance of the four interdependent strands of language development, and the crucial role of practitioners…
SEN and Disability in the Early Years Toolkit 4Children and the Council for Disabled Children (CDC) produced a toolkit for SEN and disability in the early…
Government review into SEND launched In September 2019, the Government announced a major new review into support for children and young people with Special Educational…
Exploring Mathematics in the Early Years should be fun for both children and practitioners. But sometimes it can be hard to know where to begin…
Good health is one of the most important determinants of a child’s life chances. All professionals working in the foundation years need to be involved…
Reception class is the first year at primary school, but unlike every other school year, it is not compulsory for your child to attend, but…
Working with fathers is a central, if often neglected, part of the process of giving families the support they need to build healthy, long lasting…
Mums and dads are the first and most important influence on their child’s development and future outcomes. What interactions take place in the home environment…
The Department for Education’s guidance for education and childcare settings sets out the process for managing confirmed positive cases of coronavirus (COVID-19) when the individual…
Message from Vicky Ford, Minister for Children and Families – featured in the September 2020 edition of the Foundation Years newsletter. I am delighted to…
This hub includes all the latest policy announcements, Government guidance, and free resources from across the sector to support all early years providers during the…
The Department for Education (DfE) has today published Development Matters, new non-statutory curriculum guidance which supports the delivery of the revised early years foundation stage…
Funding to help schools boost early language skills The Department for Education has today announced up to £9 million for schools to boost Reception-age children’s…
