The early years sector has warned it cannot afford another minimum wage increase – unless the government plugs a claimed £662m funding shortfall. The Early Years Alliance chief executive Neil Leitch said early years professionals deserve...
Childcare might become ‘available only in rich areas’
Childcare in England risks becoming the preserve of the wealthy, unless a £660m funding gap in a free childcare scheme is plugged, MPs are warning. Severe financial strain has been placed on private and independent nurseries offering the...
Level 3 qualified nursery workers down by a third
The number of nursery workers qualified to Level 3 has hit crisis point after dropping 37 per cent in the last four years, according to a new report by the National Day Nurseries Association. The latest early years workforce survey carried out by...
Controversial Synthetic Phonics Programme and Check – The Evidence
Should synthetic phonics remain mandated as the only way to teach all children to read and the Phonics Screening Check remain a statutory assessment in England for all six-year-olds? There is overwhelming evidence ignored by government that does not...
Use of children’s centres falls by a fifth in most deprived areas
The number of children using Sure Start children’s centres in the most deprived areas of England has fallen by more than a fifth, driven by austerity cuts, new research has found. Action for Children’s Closed Doors report found that...
Fifth of nurseries in deprived areas face closure
Nearly one in five nurseries in deprived areas of England are facing closure within the next 12 months due to the early years funding shortfall. Independent research agency Ceeda found that 17 per cent of childcare providers in the most deprived...
