Early Years Digest

3 December 2025

PRESS & MEDIA 

Betrayal of our children: Covid inquiry finds lockdowns 'brought ordinary childhood to a halt' and the closure of schools 'will have lasting effects' – Daily Mail  

Schools urged to trial four-day week to ease pressure on teachers in England and Wales – The Guardian 

Princess of Wales visits the Anna Freud Centre to launch new project supporting children's mental health – Daily Mail 

Huge surge in children with little or no language skills – The Times 

FEATURE STORIES

EYFS: Rise in Reception pupils with ‘good’ development – TES Magazine

Children aren’t cheap… in fact it now costs £249,000 to raise one – The Times 

The Guardian view on Labour’s budget: real gains for children and struggling families are a welcome shift – The Guardian 

Adolescence lasts into 30s - new study shows four pivotal ages for your brain – BBC News  

‘Generational shift’ in reading for pleasure sparks inquiry – TES Magazine

RESEARCH & POLICY DEVELOPMENT

CALL FOR EVIDENCE: Reception Teachers: Participate in DfE Research – Foundation Years 

REPORT: Ofsted annual report 2024/25: education, children’s services and skills – Ofsted 

REPORT: Transforming Early Education and Childcare in Wales Women’s Equality Network (WEN) Wales

 

 

Sign up to the digest

Every fortnight we provide a summary of some of the work published in the EY sector. Sign up using the form below.