Guest Authors
How to Bring Safer Consent Into Early Years Music
Discover why consent matters in early years music sessions, and how small moments of choice build trust and wellbeing. Read on to find out more.
Early Years Safeguarding: A Proven Path to Trust
Discover how early years safeguarding depends on trusted, emotionally safe relationships with children. Read on to explore what this means for practice.
Early Years Transitions: A Proven Path to Settling In
When the Honeymoon Period Ends: Securing Early Years Transitions After September (Part 1) True early years transitions don't end when a child walks through the door in week one - and successfully settling in EYFS children after September means...
KCSIE 2026: A Proven Path to Safer Recruitment
Discover the key KCSIE 2026 safeguarding changes affecting early years leaders in England, and what action your setting needs to take. Find out more.
Imaginative Play: A Proven Path to Emotional Well-being
Discover why imaginative play matters for children's resilience and emotional well-being. Read on to find out how movement-rich play builds confidence.
How to Support Autism Communication with Complete Clarity
In each of this series of 12 articles Dr Jo Grace shares an autistic trait with us, showing how early research pathologised difference as a problem and then giving us insight into more contemporary work in which difference is viewed as neutral...
Inclusive Literacy: The Ultimate Boost for Every Child (Part 2)
Every Child Has a Voice: Understanding Inclusive Literacy - Part 2 In Yemisi Manuwa's concluding part of her inclusive literacy article, she moves from theory to practice, exploring what inclusive literacy looks like in everyday early years...
STEM in Early Childhood Education: More Than Activities
More Than Activities: (Re)thinking STEM in Early Childhood Education Conversations about STEM in early childhood education have never been more prominent. Across the world, early years settings are embracing investigations, loose parts,...
STEM in the Early Years: Curiosity, Not Worksheets
STEM in the Early Years Begins with Curiosity, Not Worksheets. What is the first thing a child does when they discover something unexpected? They stop. They look. They point. Then comes the question. “What’s that?” Almost immediately followed...
Interpreting Policy in Early Years – Everyday Leadership
Interpreting Policy: The Everyday Leadership Work That Brings Policy to Life How leaders translate national expectations into everyday practice that truly works for children and teams. Interpreting policy is one of the most important and least...
Can I Really Do This? Thriving as a Neurodivergent Trainee in Early Years (Part Two)
Can I Really Do This? Thriving as a Neurodivergent Trainee in Early Years (Part Two) In part two of Michelle Windridge's article about thriving as a neurodivergent trainee in early years education, the focus shifts to practical strategies and...
Autistic Attention – Listen & Understand
You're Not Listening to Me! Understanding Autistic Attention In each of this series of 12 articles, Dr Jo Grace shares an autistic trait with us, showing how early research pathologised difference as a problem and then giving us insight into...
The Magic of Childminding – Why It Deserves Recognition
The Magic of Childminding The magic of childminding was put in the spotlight during Childminding Week this year, which gave a much needed lift to the work that childminders do, and Coram Pacey's extensive report, The Magic of Childminding,...
Autism and Info Dumping – Sharing as Connection
In each of this series of 12 articles, Dr Jo Grace shares an autistic trait with us, showing how early research pathologised difference as a problem and then giving us insight into more contemporary work in which difference is viewed as neutral,...
Beyond Readiness: Creating Environments Where Children Feel They Belong
School readiness matters deeply - but whose readiness are we really measuring? A four-year-old child stands at the classroom door. Around the child, adults are focused on transition plans, routines, assessments and expectations. Everyone wants...
Emotional Regulation in Early Years – Movement, Play and Big Feelings
Supporting emotional regulation in early years settings is one of the most meaningful things a practitioner can do – and it starts with understanding what children are really communicating. Big emotions are a natural part of early childhood....
Dealing with Big Feelings
Dealing with big feelings in young children is one of the most demanding aspects of early years care. It is when children are at their most emotionally distressed, furious, frustrated, fearful, over-excited or otherwise out of control that...
Can I Really Do This? Thriving as a Neurodivergent Trainee in Early Years – Part Two
Introduction Being a neurodivergent trainee in the early years sector comes with its own unique challenges – but also its own extraordinary strengths. In part two of Michelle Windridge’s article, the focus shifts to practical strategies and...
Musical Games in the Early Years: It’s Only a Game!
Musical games in the early years are one of the most powerful tools in any practitioner's toolkit - giving children immediate, joyful feedback on rhythm, listening, and co-ordination without a worksheet in sight. Gamification has been called a...
Flipping the Script on School Readiness: Why Schools Must Adapt to the Child
School readiness is a topic that dominates early years conversations every year - but it’s time we asked whether we’re focusing on the right thing. Every summer term, a familiar wave of anticipation and anxiety ripples through early years...
From Inclusion to Participation: Supporting Neurodivergent Children in Everyday Practice
Supporting Neurodivergent Children in Everyday Practice In many early years’ settings, there is a strong and genuine commitment to inclusion for our children. As practitioners, we work hard to ensure that all children are welcomed,...
Eye contact – Autism
In each of this series of 12 articles, Dr Jo Grace shares autism traits with us, showing how early research pathologised difference as a problem and then giving us insight into more contemporary work in which difference is viewed as...
VR-AR-MR-XR: Mixed Reality in the Early Years
Mixed Reality in the Early Years Technology in the early years is a mixed bag, and it doesn’t get more mixed than Mixed Reality. Mixed Reality strictly is a form of visual-audio experience that can be experienced and acted on in place of...
The Schools White Paper: What it Means for Early Years Educators
The Early Years White Paper For so long, the UK’s early years education policy has felt like a story that starts at the school gates. The Department for Education’s recent Schools White Paper: Every Child Achieving and Thriving, however, gives...
Communication at the Heart of Inclusive Learning
Communication at the heart of inclusive learning Inclusive learning is not simply a strategy or checklist; it is a way of seeing every child as capable of connection, communication, and participation. In early years settings, communication sits...
What Does Inclusion in Early Years Really Look Like? – Part 1
In this first part, I explore what literacy really means in the early years. Through real classroom experiences, I challenge traditional ideas of literacy and highlight why inclusive approaches matter. From recognising non-verbal communication...
Can I Really Do This? Thriving as a Neurodivergent Trainee in Early Years
Thriving as a Neurodivergent Trainee in Early Years In the first part of this series, Michelle Windridge explores the reality of training in the early years sector as a neurodivergent individual. She unpacks common doubts, explains what...
Tech in the Early Years: Neurofeedback‑Enhanced Music
Neurofeedback‑Enhanced Music There has been a lot of “neuro” talk recently, and then I came across another term to add to them: neurofeedback-enhanced music. We have neurodivergence, neurolinguistic programming, neurographic art, so perhaps it...
Supporting Neurodivergent Colleagues, part 3
Supporting Neurodivergent Colleagues Greetings, fellow travellers, and welcome to my third instalment on how to support neurodivergent colleagues at work. Neurodivergent Timekeeping Time can be a tricky thing to grasp when you have a...
The Whole Child in Motion: Why Holistic Learning Begins with Movement, Connection and Play
Why Holistic Learning Begins with Movement, Connection and Play Step into any early years setting, and you might see a child spinning with a scarf, completely absorbed in their own rhythm, while others begin to watch, copy, and join in their...