Tes - 3 in 4 Reception teachers find baseline test ‘unhelpful’
Only 3 per cent of Reception teachers think the Reception Baseline Assessment (RBA) provides accurate information, a new poll suggests.
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Sky News - More than a million children in the UK experiencing 'horrifying levels of destitution'
More than a million children experienced the most extreme form of poverty last year, according to a new report from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation who slam such "horrifying levels of destitution" as a political choice.
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The Guardian - Naps, nuts and gentle parenting: everything you need to know about new babies
A quick guide for parents to the latest research and studies on raising infants and looking after toddlers.
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The Mirror - 'Baby’s birth weight could help predict the child's future IQ'
Dr Miriam Stoppard looks at new research into the impact a baby's birth weight has on cognitive performance, and finds that while results show a heavier weight is good for IQ, a more subtle approach to development may be required.
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Tes - Early years: Fix ‘grim’ workforce crisis first, Labour warned
Early years leaders and experts warn emergency funding and an immediate plan to fix the workforce shortage is needed if Labour is to achieve its aims for the sector.
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The Week - 'Cost-of-children crisis': the mounting expenses of parenthood
Analysis shows that one in five UK households with children are in 'serious financial difficulty'. Parents across the UK are facing a "cost-of-children crisis" as families are hit especially hard by high inflation, Action for Children has warned.
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Children and Young People Now - Early years leaders publish manifestos for next government
Early years leaders have laid out their calls for the next government around improving childcare in England.
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Nursery World - NDNA to launch Institute of Early Years Education
The National Day Nurseries Association is in the process of developing an Institute of Early Years Education, an independent membership body for the early years workforce.
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The Early Years Educator - ‘Largest attainment gap on record’ for five-year-olds with additional needs, report finds
Analysis by the Education Policy Institute’s (EPI) reveals the attainment gap for children receiving SEN support at age five is the ‘highest on record’ and that they are over one year behind their peers.
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The Metro - One in four working parents in London are skipping meals to feed their kids
One in four working parents in London are struggling to feed their families due to the cost-of-living crisis, new figures have shown. Food charity, The Felix Project, has surveyed more than 2,000 working parents in the capital, with a quarter saying they skipped meals or didn’t buy food for themselves so their children could eat.
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The Conversation - Childcare reform: education is the responsibility of the state – care of young children should be too
Professor Ulrike Hohmann explores the complex system of the care and education of our youngest children.
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Tes - Phonics attainment up but still below pre-pandemic levels
The proportion of pupils achieving the expected standard in the KS1 phonics check has increased since last year but is still below levels achieved in 2019.
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Tes - Primary school nurseries to expand under Labour plan
Shadow education secretary Bridget Phillipson announces plan for early years review led by former Ofsted chief Sir David Bell.
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Children And Young People Now - Labour Conference 2023: Phillipson announces plan for early years review
The Labour Party will carry out a review of early years provision in England, chaired by former Ofsted chief inspector Sir David Bell, if elected, shadow education secretary Bridget Phillipson has said.
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The Mirror - 'Screen time in childhood adds up to a heavier heart and bigger risk of stroke'
Dr Miriam Stoppard delivers a warning from Exeter and Bristol universities on the link between kids, teens and technology and the risk of disease
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BBC News - Mental health help for under-fives overlooked – report
More support is needed to prevent babies and young children developing mental health problems in later life, leading doctors say.
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Nursery World - Alliance calls for a 'comprehensive long-term plan' for the sector to be made a priority by the next government
The Early Years Alliance is calling on the next government to provide an emergency financial rescue package for early years providers before carrying out a wholesale review and ‘overhaul’ of the current childcare system.
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FE News - New report highlights need for greater focus on professional development and career progression in the early years sector
A new report by NCFE providing expert insight into current and future challenges in early years has highlighted the need to improve professional development and career progression opportunities in the sector.
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Wales Online - Families urged to act now to save up to £2,000 a year on childcare
Childcare can cost a small fortune for working families and with school holidays approaching this can rise even further. Find out more about ways to save on childcare.
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The Guardian - Tell us: have you tried different childcare methods to save money?
The Guardian want to hear about different models of childcare that people have experimented with as childcare cost continue to rise in the UK.
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Save the Children - Labour must introduce a new child poverty act if they win power at the next election
Keir Starmer should introduce a Child Poverty Act for the next generation to show Labour are serious about helping the UK’s poorest families, a leading children’s charity has said.
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Huffington Post - Mum Shares What Childcare Is Like In Norway And We're Honestly Trying Not To Cry
“Why am I seeing this seconds after paying over 1k for childcare this month?" A parent’s TikTok video about life in Norway has gone viral after she described just how enticing the country’s childcare offering is.
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Nursery World - Early years maths scheme to expand nationally
The early years ‘maths champions’ programme run by the National Day Nurseries Association is being expanded nationally with funding from the Education Endowment Foundation.
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EEF Blog - Manipulatives and representations – Helping children to ‘see’ the maths
Cat Eadle is a Specialist Dyscalculia Teacher and Co-Founder of the Dyscalculia Network. In this blog, she explains how mathematical representations, like dot patterns, can help build number sense in our young children.
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Huffington Post - So THAT's Why Your Child Is So Impacted By The Clocks Changing
Mood swings, behaviour changes, sleep disruption? For kids, the changing of the clocks can wreak havoc on their sleep cycles.
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HR News - Rising childcare costs and the reality of returning to work for new mums
News that childcare costs are soaring to over £600 per month, following companies insisting on a return to the office, has resulted in many parents opting to either re-think their career or leave the workforce entirely.
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NCFE - Sector Spotlight: Early Years and Childcare
A new report providing expert insight into current and future challenges in early years has highlighted the need to improve professional development and career progression opportunities in the sector.
Read the report here
HM Revenue & Customs - Press release: Save up to £2,000 a year on childcare costs for your little pumpkins
Working families can save up to £2,000 a year on their childcare bills with Tax-Free Childcare.
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Education Committee - Education Committee publishes Government response to landmark childcare report
The Education Committee has published the Government’s response to its report on supporting the childcare and early years sector.
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Department for Culture, Media and Sport - Press release: Thousands of free and affordable events for families this half term
Thousands of free and affordable events for families this half term. An interactive map showing low and no-cost events across the country to help plan half term activities.
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Action For Children - One in five parents in dire financial straits as charity warns UK in ‘cost-of-children crisis’
New Action for Children analysis shows that by almost every financial measure families with children are among the hardest hit by the cost-of-living crisis.
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The Felix Project - 1 in 4 working London parents struggle to afford to feed their families
New research by a London food charity has found 1 in 4 (25%) working parents in the city have, on multiple occasions, struggled to afford to feed their families in the last year. That could be the equivalent of over 308,0001 working mums or dads across London.
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The Royal College of Psychiatrists - Infant and early childhood mental health: the case for action
The Royal College of Psychiatrists report shows there is growing evidence that intervening very early on - from conception to the age of five - may help stop mental health conditions arising or worsening.
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Blackpool Better Start Annual Conference - Sharing the Science of Early Childhood: Who Knows Best?
16th November, 9:00 am - 2:30 pm | A live panel session will explore the challenges of connecting national campaigns and broad public health messages with local communities. Together, the panel will share their thoughts on what makes a successful campaign and what we can all do to support and enable greater connection between research and lived experience.
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