In the busy, high-energy world of Early Years, it can be easy to fall into a trap of thinking and feeling that “teaching” only happens during planned activities or group times. Whilst we understand that children’s spoken language underpins all seven areas of development, evidence is clearer than ever that the most profound linguistic development […]
The updated Ofsted Early Years Inspection Toolkit (September 2025) marks an important shift for early years settings. Inclusion now sits as a standalone area of evaluation, contributing directly to inspection judgements since November 2025. For nursery leaders and owners, this brings a clear message: inclusion is no longer viewed through isolated actions or individual examples. […]
If you’re leading a team while juggling inspections, staffing pressures, training requirements and ever-rising expectations, January can quickly start to feel overwhelming. This blog is here to support you. It’s written to help you take a breath, step back, and approach the year ahead with a little more clarity and confidence. By taking a few […]
Is anyone immune? Is this a real problem? Research says that 74% of early years educators are regularly stressed, so what does this look like and what can we do? 67% suffered with anxiety, 65% with fatigue, and 64% with loss of motivation. Do you relate to this? Over 30 years working in education, I’ve […]
From 1st September 2025, the statutory reforms to the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) brought a much tougher stance on employment references, and for good reason. Key Updates to EYFS Reference Request Requirements At the heart of the update is a requirement for all references to come directly from senior individuals within the candidate’s current […]
Leading a nursery right now takes real strength. The combination of staffing shortages, rising costs, higher needs among children and the ever present pressure of inspections can test even the most experienced leaders. And yet across the country there are nurseries that are managing to stay calm and steady. Their teams are positive, their standards […]
How can we make maths feel natural, exciting, and totally doable in everyday moments? Too often maths gets boxed into “counting time” or “number corners” and ends up being something people feel nervous about, but research and practice tell us that babies and toddlers are doing maths all the time if we let them. They […]
Curriculum is one of those words that can feel a little heavy. With the new Ofsted inspection framework arriving in November 2025, it’s a word that will be coming up more and more in conversations across our sector. But here’s the truth: curriculum is not the EYFS alone. And it’s not just the planning or […]
STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) might sound more suited to secondary school than story circles and sandpits. But in reality, STEM learning begins long before children enter formal schooling. And in an era of persistent inequality, it’s about more than enrichment, it’s about equity. Here’s the thing, STEM isn’t a subject you “get to” […]
September might still feel far off, but in the nursery world, it’s the big reset. Children move on to school, new families start, and some spaces suddenly become free. The good news? There’s still time to fill them… if you focus your marketing now. And no, that doesn’t mean shouting ‘Spaces available!’ into the Facebook […]
In the earliest years of life, food does far more than satisfy hunger. It plays a crucial role in shaping a child’s long-term health, development, and relationship with food. That’s why the latest updates to the EYFS nutrition guidance matter so much, particularly its firm, no-nonsense stance on sugar: Sugary foods and drinks should not […]
This week, the Education Secretary has once again placed “school readiness” at the forefront of the early years conversation. The rhetoric is familiar, concerns about children unable to sit still, follow instructions, or manage basic self-care. But beneath these headlines lies a deeper issue, one where young children, particularly those with special educational needs and […]