Parents avoid new childcare scheme

According to The Times, only 3% of families have chosen the ‘tax-free’ system over childcare vouchers, and one family still taking advantage of the childcare vouchers scheme (amongst 780,000 other

Launch of new ‘Fire it Up’ campaign for apprenticeships

Education Secretary, Damian Hinds, has said that employers are realising the advantages of apprenticeships in their workplace. Big companies like Lloyds Banking Group and Marks & Spencer are already taking

New jobs created at nursery in Beverley

New jobs have been created at a nursery in Beverley after a £150,000 expansion to meet the childcare needs. Educare, a family-run nursery, has been able to generate six new

Nursery rated ‘outstanding’ for the third time

Footsteps Nursery in Workington was rated as ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted for the third time in a row. The nursery was inspected in four areas: the effectiveness of leadership and management;

Fundraising for Playskill

Press release from Boys & Girls Nursery Boys & Girls Nursery were thrilled to fundraise for Playskill - their chosen charity for 2018. Playskill is a local charity that runs

Childminders are facing delays registering for Ofsted

Registration delays with Ofsted are having a knock-on effect for childminders, with many people being put off the prospect of a childminding career due to the delays reported. Last week,

How the elderly and the young can have a beneficial relationship through intergenerational care

According to a think-tank, joining nurseries and care homes for the elderly can help children with their reading and social skills. The think-tank is now calling for more childcare settings

Twins and triplets graduate from childcare club in Swindon

The twins and triplets from a special childcare group celebrated ahead of their first day at pre-school. The Swindon Twins And Multiples Group, aka STAMP, give advice and help parents

Understanding the needs of children in the care system: part 1

In the last year, there were 2.4 million calls to children’s services because of concerns about a child – a 78% rise over 10 years. More serious investigations (where a

Can you help treat SAD in children?

Summer is definitely behind us. Unfortunately, as the seasons change, so can some people’s emotional states. Sunshine gives us a dose of essential nutrients that we often struggle to receive

How to improve the wellbeing of your staff

January is the time when our thoughts naturally turn from presents, snow and flying reindeer, to where we are in our life and what we want to achieve in the

‘Snowflake’ award and TV appearance for Highgate Day Nursery, Sheffield

Press release from Highgate Day Nursery, Sheffield. Staff from Highgate Day Nursery in Sheffield took part in a sponsored walk from Highgate to Sheffield Children’s Hospital and back. They wore

Encouraging children to sing

Why sing? Singing is one of the most joyful activities we can do. Helping children to develop their own voices is a great way for early years practitioners to support

Dealing with children’s food allergies in your setting

The recent tragic death of teenager Natasha Ednan-Laperouse, who died after suffering an allergic reaction to a baguette, highlights the dangers that people who suffer with severe allergies face on

Mini Mozart craft

Parents should limit own screen time and ‘lead by example’

Parents should set up limits for screen time on themselves to prevent distraction, according to Damian Hinds. The education secretary has addressed all parents, encouraging them not to let any

Love for outside play groups builds

The advantages of outside play are well documented and in North Essex, there has been a significant rise in the number of outdoor groups for toddlers. These groups have helped

Stamford nursery’s successful year

The Ark Nursery, which focuses on outdoor learning, celebrated its first year in business. The nursery, which is located in the grounds of St George’s School, opened its doors to

How practitioners can support children’s superhero play

The ideas of the Behaviourists: are they still relevant?

I recently attended a Halloween party at my grandson’s nursery, which involved all of the children dressing up. To begin with, the children were read a story and then they