Early Years Digest

23 September 2025

PRESS & MEDIA 

More school-starters missing key skills, teachers say - BBC News

Headteachers in England doubling up as caretakers as funding ‘hits rock bottom’ - The Guardian

What if... we all agreed what children should learn before age 5? - TES Magazine

Schools will be ordered to communicate better with parents - The Times [subscription required]

Ofsted to press ahead with new inspection regime despite opposition - The Guardian

Children from families earning over £100k ‘less likely to be bullied’ - The Telegraph [subscription required]

Cost of children's homes doubles but care can be poor - BBC News

Two-child benefit cap is 'punishing' working families - The Big Issue

 

FEATURE STORIES

SEND overseas: 5 lessons from Germany’s schools - TES Magazine

The reality behind the ‘hidden crisis’ of suicide among new fathers - The Independent

'I couldn't believe the size of the bill for one month of nursery' - The Mirror

I spent a day with my kids at school - The Mirror

The pitfalls of RISE teams’ new ‘low attainer’ push - Schools Week

Should smacking be banned? Poll finds ethnic and regional divide - The Times [subscription required]

 

RESEARCH & POLICY DEVELOPMENT

Parentkind publishes National Parent Survey 2025 with The Times and The Sunday Times - Parentkind

Education Committee launches new inquiry into the early years sector - UK Parliament

SEND crisis: ‘Full system overhaul’ needed, says report - TES Magazine

Preventing and Tackling Adverse Childhood Experiences: Initial Summary Report - Leathersellers’ Company

Connecting Early Childhood Development to Climate Change - Harvard Center on the Developing Child

 

BLOGS, PODCASTS & MORE

Early Excellence Podcast (EYFS & KS1) - Early Excellence

£1 Million in Grants to Support Babies and Families - 1001 Critical Days

Changes to EYFS - Famly Blog

 

EVENTS & RESOURCES

CONSULTATION: Generation New Era birth cohort study - 6 October 2025, 11:00-15:30 - Centre for Longitudinal Studies, UCL (in-person, London, free)

London Bi-annual London Ofsted Big Conversation - 13 October 2025, 16:00-18:30 - Eventbrite (in person, London, £6.13)

 

JOBS

Head of England & Westminster - Save the Children (Hybrid, England)

Director of Engagement and Fundraising - NSPCC (London, Hybrid)
 
Policy & Campaigns Officer - CoramPACEY (London, Hybrid)
 

Trustee - Early Years Alliance (information session 24th September 18:30, online)

Early Years Programme Manager - National Portrait Gallery (London) 

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