ITV News - Staggering number of children entering school ill-prepared for the educational journey ahead
As the academic year unfolds, teachers are finding themselves grappling with a significant challenge: a staggering number of children entering school are ill-prepared for the educational journey ahead.
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The Guardian - One in four school-starters in England and Wales not toilet-trained, say teachers
One in four children starting school in England and Wales are not toilet-trained, according to teachers who now spend a third of their day supporting pupils who are not school-ready, a report has found.
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Mail Online - Pupils starting primary school try to swipe books like iPads with one in four not able to use one correctly, shocking report reveals
One in four children start primary school not knowing how to use a book correctly – with many trying to swipe or tap pages like a phone or tablet, a report reveals today.
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TES - Pupils less school-ready this year, say half of teachers
More children ‘appear to be starting primary school without the basic life skills they need’, heads’ leader warns
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Sky News - 'Underfunded' government free nursery place scheme driving providers out of business
The hourly rate being offered to nurseries is often less than the cost of providing the place, forcing them to raise prices for supplying food or for private clients.
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The Guardian - Children’s services leaders in England call for national ‘plan for childhood’
Children's services leaders have called for a national “plan for childhood” to transform the health, emotional wellbeing and life chances of youngsters scarred by austerity and the pandemic.
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National Literacy Trust - Early Words Matter
National Literacy Trust launches Early Words Matter campaign to raise awareness of the critical role that the early years play in a child's future social mobility.
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The Independent - Thousands of student nurses and midwives ditching training over free childcare scheme exclusion
Thousands of student nurses, midwives, and teachers are leaving their courses or ditching training altogether because the government’s free childcare scheme does not extend to them, The Independent has been told.
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Children and Young People Now - Expanded childcare offer underfunded by £5bn, researchers warn
The gap between the government’s £4.3 billion investment in the expansion of funded childcare and the cost of delivering the hours for providers could lead to a £5 billion shortfall, a think tank has warned.
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Nursery World - LONG READ: Sector is split over decision to provide funded twos places
Two surveys show that many settings will not be able to offer parents places for the extended entitlements, as the start of the roll-out of the expanded policy nears.
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Nursery World - Working families on the 'breadline' would need to work eight days a week to escape poverty
New analysis by Action for Children suggests 300,000 low-income families with children are trapped in poverty despite parents working full-time.
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The Independent - Childcare providers ‘too full’ to roll out Sunak’s free childcare scheme
Childcare providers have no space to roll out the government’s expanded free childcare policy, with around seven in 10 services already full, a damning new study has found.
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Nursery World - Parents unlikely to benefit much financially under expanded offer
For a third of parents, the expanded ‘childcare’ offer will save them less than £100 a month due to charges for extras and increased fees outside of the funding, new research suggests.
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The Guardian - Staff absences fell 50% after schools introduced longer half-term break
Suffolk-based schools trust also found that pupil absences for illness fell 25% after extending autumn holiday.
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Children and Young People Now - Experts urge ministers to produce emotional health guidance for schools
The Department for Education should produce guidance for schools on the implementation of good emotional health for children, a new report has urged.
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The Guardian - Birthrate in UK falls to record low as campaigners say ‘procreation a luxury’
Campaigners have warned that “procreation has become a luxury item”, after it emerged that the fertility rate in England and Wales had fallen to its lowest level since records began in 1939.
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Early Years Alliance - Early years costs have rapidly outstripped inflation since 2010, Labour analysis reveals
Labour has unveiled data analysis showing that early education and childcare costs have increased beyond the rate of inflation by over a third since 2010.
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ITV News - Parenting advice YouTuber jailed for keeping her children in 'concentration camp-like setting'
A popular parenting advice YouTuber has been jailed for child abuse, after police found she had kept her six children in a "concentration camp-like setting".
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Nursery World - Early years job vacancies up by 146 per cent on pre-pandemic levels
Job vacancies for early years practitioners have risen by 146 per cent since before the Covid-19 pandemic, reveals new data.
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Sky News - Having a kid feels 'like financial suicide' as more parents take on debt to pay for childcare - report says
The Government's Money Helper website says the average cost of sending a child under the age of two to nursery full time is £14,030 a year.
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The Independent - Government urged to double maternity pay to reach minimum wage as mothers choose between food and heat
The government has been urged to more than double maternity pay so it is equal to minimum wage as mothers are being forced to choose between eating and heating their homes.
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The Guardian - Pregnant women and new mothers shouldn’t be sent to jail, UK public says
The British public backs reforms to how pregnant women and mothers are sentenced in courts, a new poll shared with the Observer has found.
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The Mirror - 'I'm an ex-nursery nurse - don't ever send your child in with toys or teddies'
A stay-at-home mum and ex-nursery nurse has shared the things she would never let her children take into nursery with them - and many parents agree it makes life tonnes easier.
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The Independent - The school summer holidays are just six weeks of hell for working parents
A charity says the current calendar dating back to Victorian times is unfit for purpose – and the summer break should be cut from six weeks, to four. I couldn’t be more in favour, writes parent-of-two Victoria Richards.
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NHS Confederation - Children’s mental health needs more
Now we have the data to prove that waiting times are far too long for children and young people's mental health services, something must be done.
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HuffPost - When You Should ACTUALLY Give Your Child A Phone
In the last few years, due to the rise of social media and the constant need to feel connected, bringing your phone to school has been normalised.
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Twinkl Talks - Nurturing Curiosity
Twinkl Talks explores the theme of curiosity, why it is so important to nurture it in the EYFS and what happens when we lead with it in our practise.
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GOV.UK - Everything you need to know about apprenticeships in early years and how to find one
Early years educators play a vital and rewarding role in helping children get the best start for life and preparing them to begin school.
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GOV.UK - Government launches crackdown on mobile phones in schools
Schools will receive new guidance on prohibiting mobile phone use during the school day.
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The True Cost of Childcare - Financial Times - Webinar - Friday 8 March | 12:30 - 13:30 GMT
In honour of International Women's Day, the Financial Times is hosting a free one-hour online lunch and learn event, organised in partnership with the FT's Financial Literacy and Inclusion Campaign charity and the FT Women employee network, which will examine the impact of childcare costs on women's finances, careers and future earnings potential - and why everyone needs to play a part in solving one of society's big injustices.
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