Alliance survey finds that government is at risk of failing to deliver on 30-hours offer Fewer than half of the country’s childcare providers are currently planning to sign up to the government’s 30-hour offer, according to a new survey conducted by the Alliance. The Alliance surveyed 1,332 childcare providers in March 2017 about […]

Education secretary announces proposals to change assessments for primary school children Reception children could face a baseline test shortly after starting under proposals revealed in a new consultation launched today. The Department for Education has put forward plans to scrap SAT tests for children aged seven in favour of a baseline assessment at […]

Dedicated mini-site will explain funding concerns to parents The Alliance has announced that it is extending its Fair Future Funding campaign to parents. The campaign will be launching a dedicated mini-site to help them understand current concerns about funding for the early years sector. In the meantime, parents can sign up as a supporter of […]

New parent website to share information about 30-hours and tax-free childcare The government has launched a new website, Childcare Choices, to help parents check what childcare support is be available to them as it prepares to roll out the 30-hour funded childcare offer and tax-free childcare later this year. The website includes a […]

Spring Budget documents reveal places will “rise more slowly than originally assumed” The number of available childcare spaces for the 30-hours offer may not be sufficient to cover demand, according to policy documents released by the government. The Spring Budget: policy costings states that the government has “made a small adjustment to the […]

Family and Childcare Trust report claims that one in 10 childcare workers are underpaid The Alliance has criticised a report from the Family and Childcare Trust which claims that up to 22,000 childcare practitioners are being paid at a rate below the minimum wage. The report claims that one in 10 practitioners are […]

Alliance criticises government for refusing to publish details about official childcare taskforce The Alliance has criticised the government for refusing to publish information about the work of its official childcare taskforce despite being instructed to do so by the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO). The Alliance filed a Freedom of Information request in December […]

Ofsted figures reveal that the number of registered childminders is still falling The number of childminders in England has dropped 23% since 2012, according to statistics released by Ofsted. As of December 2016, there were 44,000 childminders registered with Ofsted, down 700 from the previous total in August 2016, and 13,000 since August […]

Tailored approach to professional development offered to early years practitioners The Alliance has announced the launch of its new professional development programme SMARTpd, designed to offer bespoke support to settings. With several recent changes to areas such as safeguarding, Ofsted guidance and Prevent duty, many practitioners are looking to keep their training up-to-date […]

Chancellor’s latest Budget brings no additional funding ahead of 30-hours roll-out The government’s Spring Budget announcements this week included no changes in funding for the early years sector ahead of the 30-hours offer coming into place this September. Chancellor Philip Hammond confirmed plans for the new tax-free childcare scheme, which will see the […]

Functional skills will be accepted as an equivalent to GCSEs from 3 April onwards Level 3 practitioners will no longer need a GCSE in English and maths to count in early years ratios, following an announcement from the DfE this morning. Early years minister Caroline Dinenage confirmed the policy change at the Childcare […]

Research from Family and Childcare Trust shows “soaring” cost of childcare British parents are paying an average of £116 a week for childcare, according to new research from the Family and Childcare Trust. The charity used data from local authorities across Britain for its 16th annual report, finding that families spend up to 45% of […]