---
title: Early Years Digest - 18th July 2024
description: Welcome to the seventy second Early Years Digest. Every fortnight we provide a summary of some of the work published in the EY sector.
image: https://info.kindredsquared.org.uk/hubfs/EY%20Digest.gif
---

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# Early Years Digest

## 18 July 2024

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PRESS & MEDIA 

Education Secretary says early years is her ‘number one priority’- [The Independent](https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/bridget-phillipson-education-secretary-government-labour-london-b2577402.html)

Reading, writing and maths remain below pre-lockdown levels for Year Six pupils - [The Telegraph](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/07/09/year-six-primary-pupils-reading-writing-maths-sats-results/) \[subscription required\]

One in three adults willing to pay £5 GP fee to fund early childhood services - [Nursery World Magazine](https://www.nurseryworld.co.uk/news/article/one-in-three-adults-willing-to-pay-5-gp-fee-to-fund-early-childhood-services)

Nearly 1.6million kids affected by 'cruel' two-child benefit limit, DWP data shows - [The Daily Mirror](https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/breaking-over-15million-kids-affected-33217237)

Sweden just allowed grandparents to take parental leave – the UK should do the same - [The Independent](https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/grandparent-leave-childcare-costs-sweden-maternity-b2574870.html) 

New children's laureate Frank Cottrell-Boyce: 'Children need reading now more than ever' - [The Big Issue](https://www.bigissue.com/news/social-justice/frank-cottrell-boyce-childrens-laureate-waterstones-books-reading/)

 

FEATURE STORIES

How Labour can put learning at the heart of its nursery plan - [TES Magazine](https://www.tes.com/magazine/analysis/early-years/how-labour-can-put-learning-heart-its-nursery-early-years-plan)

How to be a Norwegian parent: let your kids roam free, stay home alone, have fun – and fail - [The Guardian](https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/article/2024/jul/11/how-to-be-a-norwegian-parent-let-your-kids-roam-free-stay-home-alone-have-fun-and-fail)

Want a child and a career? Better move to Spain - [The Times](https://www.thetimes.com/life-style/parenting/article/child-and-career-move-abroad-7nffqf32s) \[subscription required\]

 

BLOGS, PODCASTS & MORE  

BLOG - What will a Labour government do for children? - [Action for Children](https://www.actionforchildren.org.uk/blog/what-will-labour-government-do-children-general-election-2024/)

 

PODCAST: The future of the two-child benefit cap - [BBC Woman's Hour](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m0020xz0)

 

BLOG: Teacher education, research and practice: addressing the recruitment and retention crisis through the reassertion of professional judgement - [UCL, Faculty of Education & Society](https://blogs.ucl.ac.uk/ioe/2024/07/09/teacher-education-research-and-practice-addressing-the-recruitment-and-retention-crisis-through-the-reassertion-of-professional-judgement/)

 

 

 

RESEARCH & POLICY DEVELOPMENT

The science of play - [UNICEF](https://www.unicef.org/parenting/child-care/science-of-play)

 

“Disregarded and undervalued”: early childhood teacher’s experiences of stress and anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic - [Early Years: an international research journal](https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09575146.2024.2374059)

 

 

 

EVENTS & COURSES

[PEDAL Conference 2024](https://onlinesales.admin.cam.ac.uk/conferences-and-events/faculty-of-education/play-in-education-development-learning-pedal/pedal-conference-2024) - 11 September, Cambridge (£20)

[More than a village: what does it take to really change childhoods?](https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/more-than-a-village-tickets-940249279907) - Better Start conference.14 November. 9:30am-2:00pm, online (free)

 

 

We welcome any feedback about how we could improve the digest, so if you have any suggestions, let us know at: [digest@kindredsquared.org.uk](mailto:digest@kindredsquared.org.uk)

If you have submission ideas or content to share - please get in touch.

 

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