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Early Years Alliance @eyalliance.bsky.social · Sep 9

Ofsted has today confirmed significant changes to how it will inspect education settings – incl. early years providers – going forward.

The changes, which will come into effect from 10 Nov, follow a recent consultation into proposed inspection reforms: www.eyalliance.org.uk/news/2025/09...

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Early Years Alliance @eyalliance.bsky.social · Sep 4

The Education Committee has launched an inquiry into the early years sector looking at issues around the sustainability of the workforce, families’ access to services and the quality of outcomes for young children.

committees.parliament.uk/committee/20...

Education Committee launches new inquiry into early years sector - Committees - UK Parliament

The Education Committee has today launched an inquiry into the early years sector, looking at issues around the sustainability of its workforce, families’ access to services and the quality of o...

committees.parliament.uk

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Early Years Alliance @eyalliance.bsky.social · Sep 4

The government has announced funding of £45 million to create a further 300 new or expanded school-based nurseries from September 2026.

However, the Alliance has called on government to place more focus on private and voluntary providers.

Read more: www.eyalliance.org.uk/news/2025/09...

Government announces next phase of school-based nursery expansion

The government is inviting more schools to bid for up to £150,000 of funding from a £45 million pot to create a further 300 new or expanded school-based nurseries from September 2026.

www.eyalliance.org.uk

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Early Years Alliance @eyalliance.bsky.social · Sep 1

So all in all, great rhetoric, great soundbites – but the reality is that we have a sector that is struggling.”

bbc.in/3I3vAfj

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5 Live Breakfast - Rick and Rachel announce the winner of our Sportswoman of the Century vote - BBC Sounds

Rachel Burden and Rick Edwards with unique stories, and the biggest news and sport.

bbc.in

Early Years Alliance @eyalliance.bsky.social · Sep 1

“This is the biggest initiative in terms of early years that we’ve had, right in the middle of a recruitment and retention where there is gross underfunding – and then we’ve just had the nice wallop of national insurance increases, which we are prohibited from passing on to parents.

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Early Years Alliance @eyalliance.bsky.social · Sep 1

Alliance CEO Neil Leitch appeared on BBC 5 Live Breakfast earlier, discussing the expanded early years entitlement that comes into effect today.

Listen from 11 minutes here: bbc.in/3I3vAfj

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5 Live Breakfast - Rick and Rachel announce the winner of our Sportswoman of the Century vote - BBC Sounds

Rachel Burden and Rick Edwards with unique stories, and the biggest news and sport.

bbc.in

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Early Years Alliance @eyalliance.bsky.social · Aug 1

The latest phase of the government’s early years recruitment campaign will focus on increasing the number of male educators working in early years settings, the Department for Education has announced.

Read more: bit.ly/3Hdjujm

New phase of DfE early years recruitment campaign encourages more men to join the early years workforce

The latest phase of the government’s early years recruitment campaign will focus on increasing the number of male educators working in early years settings

bit.ly

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Early Years Alliance @eyalliance.bsky.social · Jul 31

The richest households in England will be eight times more likely to benefit from the full roll-out of the government’s funded early entitlement expansion than the most disadvantaged families, analysis by the New Economics Foundation (NEF) has found.

www.eyalliance.org.uk/news/2025/07...

Wealthier families more likely to benefit from government-funded hours than most disadvantaged families, new analysis reveals

The richest households in England will be eight times more likely to benefit from the full roll-out of the government’s funded early entitlement expansion

www.eyalliance.org.uk

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Early Years Alliance @eyalliance.bsky.social · Jul 15

@ofstednews.bsky.social has today announced several measures to “reassure the education sector” about the rollout of the renewed Ofsted inspection framework in November.

www.eyalliance.org.uk/news/2025/07...

Ofsted outlines measures to aid start of inspections under new framework

Ofsted has today announced several measures to “reassure the education sector” about the rollout of the renewed Ofsted inspection framework in November.

www.eyalliance.org.uk

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Early Years Alliance @eyalliance.bsky.social · Jul 15

84% of parents of under-fives support the introduction of a professional register for early years staff, new research commissioned by the @coalitionedcare.bsky.social and conducted by More in Common, has found.

Read more: www.nurseryworld.co.uk/content/news...

Plans for professional early years register backed by sector and parents as a way to give educators the 'recognition they deserve' - Nursery World

The sector and parents have welcomed the Government’s plans to introduce a professional register for early years staff, but stressed it ‘must be more than just names on a list’ and inclusive of the wh...

www.nurseryworld.co.uk

Early Years Alliance @eyalliance.bsky.social · Jul 10

Labour MP and chair of the Education Select Committee Helen Hayes called on the government to take action to ensure that early years settings aren’t forced to close as a result of the impact of high delivery costs and inadequate funding rates during a Westminister Hall debate on Wed:

bit.ly/4kuvfzy

Education committee chair calls for government action on early years funding

The Labour MP has urged government to take action to prevent early years closures

www.eyalliance.org.uk

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Early Years Alliance @eyalliance.bsky.social · Jul 8

What does the public really think about childcare and early education, and what do they want the Government to prioritise next?

Join a free panel discussion with @coalitionedcare.bsky.social and the Alliance’s Shannon Pite on Wednesday 16 July at 12pm: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/childcare-...

Early Years Alliance @eyalliance.bsky.social · Jul 7

Commenting, Alliance CEO Neil Leitch welcomed the "ambitious and wide-ranging strategy" but stressed that "the ambitions detailed in this strategy can only – and will only – be possible with sufficient funding from government."

Early Years Alliance @eyalliance.bsky.social · Jul 7

Alliance members: check your inbox for a full overview of the key changes outlined in the strategy document.

Not an Alliance member? Contact [email protected] or fill out this 10-second form to find out more about membership and how to join: bit.ly/4eRXh6c

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Early Years Alliance @eyalliance.bsky.social · Jul 7

The government has published a new strategy for early years care, education and support – entitled ‘Giving every child the best start in life’, including planned changes to funding, professional development and Ofsted inspections: assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/686bd6...

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Early Years Alliance @eyalliance.bsky.social · Jul 6

The Alliance has welcomed government plans to roll out up to 1,000 family support services in every local authority in England by April 2026.

Read more here: www.gov.uk/government/n...

Government revives family services, supporting 500,000 more kids

Up to 1,000 Best Start Family Hubs to be rolled out across the country to provide wide-ranging help for families, such as parenting and early development.

www.gov.uk

Early Years Alliance @eyalliance.bsky.social · Jun 30

The government has confirmed that roughly 4,000 new early years places will be delivered across 200 new or expanded school-based nurseries from this September, as part of the first phase of the previously-announced school-based nursery programme.

lnkd.in/e7Hi6XBZ

Early Years Alliance @eyalliance.bsky.social · Jun 25

We're delighted to publish 'No child left behind', our new FREE essay collection where key early years experts reflect on the current sector challenges & outline their long-term vision of a system underpinned by fairness & equality.

Download your copy: bit.ly/3TKhTUE

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Early Years Alliance @eyalliance.bsky.social · Jun 24

If you’re an active Alliance member who wants to build early years sector that respects and values its workforce and puts the needs of children and families first, then you sound like just the type of person we want to join our Board of Trustees.

Find out more: bit.ly/3GeahXx

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Early Years Alliance @eyalliance.bsky.social · Jun 17

New analysis conducted by London Economics and commissioned by @savechildrenuk.bsky.social has modelled the cost of various changes to the current early years model which, if implemented, could “improve inclusion and quality” in the sector.

www.eyalliance.org.uk/news/2025/06...

New analysis estimates funding needed to improve early years quality and inclusion

New analysis conducted by London Economics and commissioned by charity Save the Children has modelled the cost of various changes to the current early years model which, if implemented, could “improve...

www.eyalliance.org.uk

Early Years Alliance @eyalliance.bsky.social · Jun 17

Following confirmation that the government's school-based nursery policy will be rolled out in full, the Alliance has called for primary schools that have forced PVI early years settings to leave their premises to be prohibited from applying for school-based nursery funding.

bit.ly/3FH4BoV

Alliance calls for ban on schools closing PVI early years settings to take up government school-based nursery funding

Primary schools that have closed private, voluntary or independent (PVI) early years settings on their premises to apply for school-based nursery funding should not be allowed to participate in the go...

bit.ly

Early Years Alliance @eyalliance.bsky.social · Jun 12

"If you saw it and lived it, you'd make different decisions."

Alliance CEO Neil Leitch spoke to the Famly Tiny Chair Podcast, where he spoke about his message to the Chancellor and how his own childhood shaped his own views on why early years matters:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3hS...

Early Years Alliance @eyalliance.bsky.social · Jun 10

One in 10 early years settings in England warn they are at risk of closure in the next two years due to rising costs, according to a new poll conducted by @coalitionedcare.bsky.social

Read more: www.eyalliance.org.uk/news/2025/06...

Early years settings to cap funded hours from September to cut costs, new poll finds

One in 10 early years settings in England warn they are at risk of closure in the next two years due to rising costs

www.eyalliance.org.uk

Early Years Alliance @eyalliance.bsky.social · Jun 9

Read more about what we’re calling for and what we have to say: bit.ly/45eyszl

Call for online safety to be included in early years curriculum to protect under-fives - Nursery World

Early years organisations are calling for an explicit reference to online safety and digital literacy in be added to the EYFS, ahead of the conclusion of a government inquiry.

bit.ly

Early Years Alliance @eyalliance.bsky.social · Jun 9

We’ve recently joined forces with NDNA and Early Education – ahead of the conclusion of the House of Lords Communications & Digital Committee’s review into media literacy – to call for online safety and digital literacy to be added to the EYFS.

Call for online safety to be included in early years curriculum to protect under-fives - Nursery World

Early years organisations are calling for an explicit reference to online safety and digital literacy in be added to the EYFS, ahead of the conclusion of a government inquiry.

bit.ly

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