The ‘Childcare providers and inspections as at 31 December 2015’ statistics – released today from Ofsted – show a 2% decline in the number of childminders in the UK since August 2015. Since 2012 this number has dropped by more than 10,000, and the number of providers of childcare on non-domestic premises has also […]
Children that are exposed to parental conflict will have poorer life chances and are more likely to suffer from mental health issues, new research has revealed. Carried out by the Early Intervention Foundation (EIF) and the University of Sussex for the Department of Work and Pensions, the review found that children’s long-term life chances […]
The National Literacy Trust is urging more dads to get involved in reading to their children, after a new study revealed that mothers feel they have more influence in early literacy development than fathers. Early literacy practices at home in 2015: The annual survey of parents showed that half as many fathers as mothers said […]
The Department for Education does not hold all of the data it cites in its latest childcare costs report, the Pre-school Learning Alliance has discovered. In its Review of childcare costs: the analytical report, published in November 2015, the department quotes figures on provider costs by Deloitte multiple times, but has since claimed it does not […]
A survey of nearly 400 early years providers has shown that many settings are struggling with either inadequate or a total lack of outdoor space. The Early Childhood Forum and national charity Learning through Landscapes – the organisations behind the survey – are appealing for more staff training in this area as well as help […]
The national minimum wage for 21- to 24-year-olds is to increase to £6.95 an hour, the government has announced. The increase, which is based on recommendations by the Low Pay Commission and set to come into effect from October, is worth around £450 a year to workers, according to the government. The changes were originally […]
As of May, local areas will have a longer notice period of SEND inspections in a bid to provide parents and others with a greater opportunity to contribute their views and experiences, Ofsted has announced. The inspections of facilities responsible for children and young people with special education needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are designed to […]
A report from the Social Mobility and Child Poverty Commission has revealed that middle class parents are more informed about the early years childcare services available to them than working class parents. “The experiences of early parenting differ according to social grade; which clearly has implications for social mobility,” the report stated. “Middle class parents are […]
Education secretary Nicky Morgan has this week outlined plans for reforms designed to end unfairness in the school funding system. Morgan claims that the existing system for distributing funding is outdated, inefficient and unfair, and a new formula is due to be introduced from 2017 to 2018. Presently, for example, a school in one part […]
Despite making significant progress with the 15 hours free childcare scheme for parents of three and four year olds, the Department for Education (DfE) has not yet achieved full value for money, the National Audit Office has said. According to the NAO’s latest report, Entitlement to free early education and childcare, the department cannot track […]
Ofsted will directly manage its early years inspections and regulatory work as of April 2017, the inspectorate has announced today. Two companies, Tribal and Prospects, manage the existing early years inspections on Ofsted’s behalf, with their contracts ending on 31 March 2017. “As these contracts come to an end this is the right time to consider […]
The NSPCC has joined forces with the home office to launch a whistleblowing helpline for employees to speak out about child protection failures. The government has provided £500,000 to set up the service, which will be open Monday to Friday and includes a helpline as well as email support. It is designed for employees from any […]
