£126 million government funding boost for families to access early years support
Families are set to receive a £126 million funding boost aimed at increasing early years support, the government has announced.
The UK’s Largest Early Education Event Returns to London in 2025
Childcare & Education Expo is set to return to Olympia Events, London, from 28 February to 1 March 2025, bringing together the UK’s largest early education community. The organisers are preparing for another record-breaking event after welcoming 3395 visitors, 110 exhibitors and 50 speakers in 2024.
New IFS report shows sector set to continue to face financial pressures despite funding uplifts
Research from the Institute for Fiscal Studies has concluded that despite recent increases in early years funding, providers are set to continue to face significant financial pressures. The IFS’ Annual Report on England Spending in England, highlighted that while early years spending has doubled in real-terms since 2010, it does not go far enough to […]
‘Mission-led’ government must centre vulnerable children, says safeguarding review panel
The government must ensure that at-risk children are at the heart of strategies to break down barriers to opportunity, the Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel has stated in its latest annual report.
New DfE statistics highlight sharp rises in early years fees for parents
Average parent-paid fees for early years places increased steeply between 2023 and 2024, new statistics published today by the Department for Education (DfE) show.
Government announces over £2 billion boost to secure expansion in early education
Early years settings are to receive an additional £2 billion to support the rollout of 30 hours of government-funded early education from September 2025, the government has stated.
Early years entitlement funding rates for local authorities announced
Local authority funding rates for the early years entitlement from March 2025 to April 2026 have been set, the government has confirmed.
DfE confirms £75 million expansion grant and pupil premium funding increase for early years settings
A new £75 million grant, alongside an increase in Early Years Pupil Premium funding rates, has been announced by the Department for Education (DfE) today.
Disadvantaged and rural families unlikely to benefit from early entitlement expansion without reforms, research shows
The expansion of government-funded early years places currently underway across England is at risk of not delivering for poorer families, according to a new report from the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) and Save the Children.
Ofsted annual report highlights plan to focus on the most disadvantaged and vulnerable children
Focusing on disadvantaged and vulnerable children at the earliest stage in life is a key priority for Ofsted, the inspectorate announced today in its annual report.
Prime Minister announces focus on early years in ‘Plan for Change’ speech
Improving outcomes in the early years is a key part of the government’s long-term plan to deliver change, the prime minister announced today in a speech.
New EPI report urges government to tackle food poverty in the early years
Tackling food poverty in the early years should be a priority of the government’s Child Poverty Taskforce, a new report by the education thinktank Education Policy Institute (EPI) has argued.