During lockdown, everyone at Bright Horizons collaborated to find the best ways to support its families as they adapted to new dynamics in their work and home lives. This track record is standing the nursery group in good stead as it now reopens its doors, says director Heidi Falconer.
Changes to the Early Learning Goals for mathematics in the revised EYFS do not reflect the input from experts and research, and will not support children to develop a love of the subject, says the Early Childhood Mathematics Group.
The economic fallout from coronavirus will bring families in and out of eligibility for the two-year-old and 30 hour entitlements. This will profoundly affect provider models as demand shifts and changes impacting on place sufficiency, capacity and use. Parental use of childcare has changed for a very long time, believes James Hempsall.
We live in one world made up of differences and these should continue to be celebrated in early years provision as they currently are. But this celebration of diversity must also address the very existence of racism and never leave it unchallenged, says Sandra Smidt.
The Children and Childhood Research Group at Manchester Metropolitan University is investigating the impact of the Birth to Three Matters framework and how it lives on in practice today and invites EYE readers to share their thoughts.
Researchers at De Montfort University, Leicester, have partnered with Medina Publishing to produce a new e-book explaining how germs spread, supporting parents and practitioners to educate young children about handwashing in relation to viruses such as COVID-19.
Dr Jack Lewis, Kim S Golding and Dr Suzanne Zeedyk will be giving a series of live webinars in June and July, organised by Thrive, which trains teachers and other education professionals to support children’s mental and emotional well-being.
‘Continuous provision’ can imply that a well resourced environment is enough to support learning without an adult being present. But the adult is always the most precious resource, says Jan Dubiel.
With professional development now more important than ever, PACEY's online learning platform is designed to inspire its users and encourage them to share, reflect and extend best practice. And the good news is, it's free.
Sian Marsh flags up the importance of keeping parents in the loop and being guided by the principles of the EYFS as childcare providers make changes to the way they operate.
The art of listening has an important role to play in raising the quality of classroom dialogue and the learning that goes with it. Jamie Thom offers strategies to ensure that all children – whether they are naturally quiet or extrovert – derive maximum benefit.
While the priority is to ensure that staff and families feel safe as children begin to return after the coronavirus lockdown, this will involve settings making changes to their policies and procedures.
Alex Quigley explores the key issues underpinning his latest professional book, Closing the Reading Gap. In it he focuses on how to identify where children are struggling and provides practical strategies to support their reading progress.
As the sector moves towards a phased reopening, it is imperative that the Government steps in to provide financial support for those who are facing a fall in demand for places – and for those who cannot afford to open at all.
Sarah Presswood, manager and owner of the outstanding George Perkins Day Nursery in Edgbaston, says that while life in Covid lockdown has been hard work, her family-focused ethos is bringing more rewards than ever.
