Imagine you’re visiting a vibrant nursery bustling with the laughter and chatter of children. As you walk through, you notice that all the educators, both men and women, interact with the children with equal enthusiasm and skill. But this scene is far from common. In reality, nurseries across the UK see a stark underrepresentation of male educators, […]
For all early years settings, success hinges on the strength and cohesion of our team. While in the current climate, recruitment itself can be a hugely challenging and stressful process, the journey doesn’t end once you’ve managed to onboard those wonderful new team members. Effective communication is the key to fostering alignment, a shared understanding, […]
Building self confidence as a leader Thinking about progressing into a management role? New to leadership and looking for advice and tips to make the transition as successful as possible? This blog is for you and will outline some helpful strategies to guide you through the process. Stepping into a leadership role in Early Years […]
The routines established during childhood frequently influence an individual’s lifestyle and behavioural tendencies in later life. Engaging in gardening activities such as growing fruits and vegetables presents a distinct opportunity to foster enduring, beneficial habits concerning nutrition, mental health, physical activity, mindfulness, and environmental consciousness in our children. Gardening with children provides a unique […]
Change can be unsettling, but it can also be the catalyst for positive transformation. In the early years sector, a shift appears to be underway as Ofsted introduces more updates to its Early Years Inspection Handbook, effective from January 19, 2024. These changes have been prompted by the tragedy surrounding Ruth Perry, do they signal […]
As 2023 ushered in crucial changes in early years legislation, it’s vital that, as an early years provider, you revisit your policies. The updated regulations and guidance, surrounding areas such as the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) and Prevent Duty, require us to have a proactive approach to get things right not only from a […]
With the latest amendments coming into force in January of 2024, we’ve seen many changes to the Ofsted Early Years Inspection Handbook over the years. In this blog, we travel back to September 2019 to discover what these differences look like and what you can expect. The Learning Walk With every Ofsted inspection comes a […]
What is a language-rich environment? It’s a term we hear a lot in the early years, particularly by Ofsted, but what does it actually mean? A language-rich environment in a childcare setting means more than just having a lot of words on display. It’s about creating a fun and talkative space! Instead of just reading, […]
The horizon of 2024 is shining bright, and it’s the perfect time to reflect on the year that was and make plans for the year to come. Last year we wrote a blog that outlined a simple 5-point strategy for 2023. Now we’re curious to find out how it went. Did the year go as […]
The annual autumn statement saw the Chancellor promising a hike in staff wages and a drop in national insurance contributions. Whilst it got a large hooray from many, it has left the early years sector to deal with growing expenses without tax relief or help to make things more affordable. Here’s my take on it […]
The quest for continuous improvement is the driving force behind many industries, including early childhood education. By keeping up-to-date with new studies and ensuring best practices are followed, early years settings can deliver consistently high-quality experiences for our children. One approach to continuous improvement is the practice of peer-on-peer observations. In this blog, we cover […]
For many adults, maths is a bit like Marmite. You either love it, or you hate it. And that has a lot to do with how we experienced learning maths during our childhood. The thing is, maths is important. Simple maths concepts we learn as kids forge the foundations for skills we need in adult […]
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