Early Years

Thursday

18th Jun 2026

DfE proposes early years training shake-up
Government is consulting on two options for redesigning early years training so it leads to Qualified Teacher Status
An early years teacher reading to young children

Tuesday

9th Jun 2026

Nearly three-quarters of nursery schools to cut costs amid pressures
Many maintained nursery schools are struggling to stay afloat, research shows – at a time when the government is talking up early years’ role in getting children school-ready
Stay afloat

Thursday

16th Apr 2026

Deprived schools need bigger share of nurseries cash, DfE told
Most of the schools successful in applying for the grant to open new nurseries have fewer FSM pupils than the national average, Tes analysis reveals
School‑based nurseries scheme should be 'better targeted' at deprived areas
Exclusive

Friday

27th Mar 2026

Ofsted to inspect early years providers more often
Early education minister’s letter to chief inspector outlines new requirements for Ofsted, including the need to inspect every four years
Early years providers

Friday

20th Mar 2026

Why early years settings need to reduce noise and ‘visual clutter’
Pre-school children’s brains are less able to filter out visual and auditory distractions – but their settings are among the noisiest and busiest, says early years expert
Why early years settings need to address noise and visual 'clutter'

Wednesday

11th Feb 2026

Ofsted: We ‘could do more’ on early years safeguarding
MPs question senior Ofsted official on whether the safeguarding system in the early years is fit for purpose
Small child in a bubble

Friday

6th Feb 2026

School-readiness focus for new Best Start in Life ‘champion’
The DfE’s appointment of Sue Robb comes amid concerns that too many children are arriving in Reception lacking basic skills
Sue Robb

Thursday

22nd Jan 2026

Reception staff spend over an hour a day on toilet assistance
The first term of Reception is often ‘written off’ because of the need to give basic life skills to children who are not school-ready, staff warn
Children washing their hands

Tuesday

6th Jan 2026

Schools’ growing role in early education revealed
DfE research shows that school-based day nurseries are on the rise, and that schools have the most qualified staff
Data reveals growing childcare role for schools and nurseries

Monday

1st Dec 2025

Social media use in pre-school children ‘deeply alarming’
Former education minister’s comments come after research from Centre for Social Justice suggests more than 800,000 children aged 3 to 5 have used social media
Social media

Thursday

27th Nov 2025

EYFS: Rise in Reception pupils with ‘good’ development
DfE data shows an increase in the proportion of four- and five-year-olds meeting their development targets – although results are still below pre-Covid levels
EYFS

Tuesday

11th Nov 2025

School-readiness target is ‘risky’, expert tells MPs
The ‘good level of development’ measure is a ‘blunt tool’ to assess children, particularly pupils with SEND, MPs have been warned
Children lining up on a start line