Early Years

Today

7th Jul 2025

Nursery teachers in disadvantaged communities to be offered £4,500
The DfE has also announced new funding for partnerships between schools and nurseries to strengthen transitions
Nursery teachers in disadvantaged communities to be offered £4,500 incentive

Friday

4th Jul 2025

School-readiness targets ‘must not be a stick to beat schools’
With the DfE launching a new data tool in its drive to increase the number of children who are school-ready, heads’ leaders warn that ministers cannot rely on ‘targets alone’
School readiness targets must not be a ‘stick to beat schools’

Friday

2nd May 2025

Heads forced to ‘lobby’ for specialist provision in early years
Despite young pupils’ increasingly complex needs, leaders fear there is too little focus on getting them the right support
Early years class

Thursday

24th Apr 2025

3p rise in FSM funding will ‘stretch’ school budgets
Funding for infant free school meals will rise to just £2.61 next year
Stacked coins

Tuesday

8th Apr 2025

School-ready pupils target ‘at risk’ because of family support cuts
Funding cuts for children’s centres and Family Hubs are putting ‘unsustainable’ pressure on schools and teachers, warns the Centre for Young Lives
School readiness target is at risk because of funding cuts, DfE is warned.

Wednesday

2nd Apr 2025

Funding for school-based nurseries doubles
The DfE announces more funding for schools to open nurseries – but sector leaders voice doubts about finding enough staff
School nursery

Tuesday

25th Mar 2025

Can metacognition be effective in the early years?
Helping children as young as 3 to ‘reflect on their thinking’ and ‘make intentional choices about their learning’ is the aim of Nord Anglia’s ongoing research project
Metacognition in the early years drives research by international schools group

Tuesday

11th Mar 2025

The 28 signs of ‘school readiness’
Trusts and charities call on the government to support the new Starting Reception definition of school readiness
A coalition of education groups is calling for an agreed definition of school readiness

Friday

7th Mar 2025

Early years: Teachers to be trained to supervise toothbrushing
School leaders warn government not to expect them to ‘fix all of society’s ills’ following supervised toothbrushing announcement
Headteachers leaders have warned against transferring parental responsibilities to schools after the government announced funding for a toothbrushing scheme

Tuesday

28th Jan 2025

DfE announces new early years training routes
Ministers unveil a three-year early years teacher degree apprenticeship and a new experience-based training route
DfE announces new early years training routes

Tuesday

10th Dec 2024

Early years funding: all you need to know
The government has announced an uplift to the early years pupil premium and higher funding rates for 2025-26
Two children looking through magnifying glasses
Early years pupil premium rising by 45%
Government also announces a £75 million expansion fund for extra early education places and staff
Early years pupil premium rising by 45%