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The importance of empathy

The importance of empathy

Like nursing, early years is a profession that demands compassion, says Dr...

 
To the point - Phased by fussiness?

To the point - Phased by fussiness?

By Annabel Karmel, author of books on nutrition and cooking for babies,...

 
To the point - It's all nonsense

To the point - It's all nonsense

The early years sector needs to stand up and fight the Government's...

 
To the point: You must be kidding

To the point: You must be kidding

Trying to have a childcare system like the French does not come...

 
Where's the evidence on unruly toddlers, Minister?

Where's the evidence on unruly toddlers, Minister?

The on-going controversy over Government early years policy hit the national headlines...

 
Editor's View: It's time to 'lobby a Lord'

Editor's View: It's time to 'lobby a Lord'

What's next in the fight against ratio changes?

 
The ''Tesco-isation'' of England's Early Years: The Choices before Us

The ''Tesco-isation'' of England's Early Years: The Choices before Us

Those who lived through the bleak days of the Woodhead/Blunkett Education regime...

 
Government plans risk creating 'low quality, no frills childcare'

Government plans risk creating 'low quality, no frills childcare'

Childcare will be one of the key issues at the next election....

 
Viewpoint - Beyond Disneyfication

Viewpoint - Beyond Disneyfication

I signed up to the campaign calling for an immediate end to...

 
Exclusive: Teach First will benefit under fives

Exclusive: Teach First will benefit under fives

Elizabeth Truss, Education and Childcare Minister, explains why she believes Teach First...

 
Editor's view - A week is a long time in the early years sector

Editor's view - A week is a long time in the early years sector

What a hectic week it has been - both for the early...

 
Do we really need Teach First for the early years?

Do we really need Teach First for the early years?

John Wadsworth, Senior Lecturer in Education (Early Childhood) at Goldsmiths takes issue...

 
Jill Rutter

'We cannot just borrow childcare policies from other countries'

Research shows that high quality early childhood education and care (ECEC) improves...

 
Editor's View - Policies that put the child's needs first

Editor's View - Policies that put the child's needs first

Perhaps the most difficult subject of all for all of us involved...

 
To the Point - LA support is vital

To the Point - LA support is vital

On three occasions in recent weeks, in far-flung counties, I have been...

 
To the Point: But will it happen?

To the Point: But will it happen?

In last month's Budget, the Government unveiled its long-awaited childcare reforms.

 
Tax-free childcare - unfair all round

Tax-free childcare - unfair all round

Alison Garnham, Chief Executive, Child Poverty Action Group

 
Viewpoint: New Level 3 questions

Viewpoint: New Level 3 questions

Will the new Early Years Educator qualifications be the modern equivalent of...

 
Editor's view - It's hard to have your say on More Great Childcare

Editor's view - It's hard to have your say on More Great Childcare

You could almost hear the collective cheer from the early years sector...

 
Looking for answers about 'More Great Childcare'

Looking for answers about 'More Great Childcare'

Leading experts from Early Education have some urgent questions about the Government's...

 
Too few staff can lead to premature independence

Too few staff can lead to premature independence

Dr Louise Emanuel explains why she believes that proposals to reduce ratios...

 
'The link between the reforms and the roll-out of two-year-old places is not straightforward'

'The link between the reforms and the roll-out of two-year-old places is not straightforward'

What will be the impact of changes to ratios on Government plans...

 
To the Point - Being in the moment

To the Point - Being in the moment

It's not surprising that early years practitioners who study and gain qualifications...

 
To the point: UK needs higher wages

To the point: UK needs higher wages

Something about the current downturn has been puzzling economists: employment has remained...

 
'As long as we're reading stories, chidren will be chanting "again", "again!"'

'As long as we're reading stories, chidren will be chanting "again", "again!"'

Many parents and carers realise that children love to hear the same...

 
Exclusive: Why I believe we need to raise qualifications

Exclusive: Why I believe we need to raise qualifications

At Ofsted, we recognise that early years really do count. We see...

 
All in all... Children and Families Bill

All in all... Children and Families Bill

'Shake up' or 'lost opportunity?' Opinions are divided on the Children and...

 
Editor's view - Outrage grows over 'More Great Childcare'

Editor's view - Outrage grows over 'More Great Childcare'

Impassioned reactions to the Government's 'More Great Childcare' reforms continue to pour...

 
Look to our past, not Europe

Look to our past, not Europe

We should remember past mistakes in early years policy when trying to...

 
Letters - what the sector has to say about Elizabeth Truss' announcement on ratios and more

Letters - what the sector has to say about Elizabeth Truss' announcement on ratios and more

The recent launch of the Government's 'More Great Childcare' report provoked a...

 
To the point - Speak up for children

To the point - Speak up for children

It's difficult to know where best to focus these words, since I...

 
To the point - Tax cuts miss the mark

To the point - Tax cuts miss the mark

The question Treasury civil servants ask most often about spending more on...

 
An early years workforce stretched to breaking point

An early years workforce stretched to breaking point

Concerned parents should be afraid...very afraid about the proposals in More Great...

 
Why is Government not listening to us?

Why is Government not listening to us?

Pre-School Learning Alliance chief executive Neil Leitch calls for a proper consultation...

 
Why Elizabeth Truss has got it wrong on ratios

Why Elizabeth Truss has got it wrong on ratios

Julie Lightley, owner of The Village Nursery in Trafford Park, explains why...

 
We don't need to re-invent the wheel when it comes to support for childcare

We don't need to re-invent the wheel when it comes to support for childcare

Last week the Government announced plans to help working families by introducing...

 
To the point: In the balance

To the point: In the balance

It's hard to remember a time in the past decade when childcare...

 
To the point - Only one pair of hands

To the point - Only one pair of hands

If an early years practitioner gains a higher level qualification, will she...

 
Editor's View - Speculation continues on relaxation of ratios

Editor's View - Speculation continues on relaxation of ratios

Still no pronouncement on ratios, regulation and childcare affordability as Nursery World...

 
Better Communication Research Programme findings reveal good outcomes

Better Communication Research Programme findings reveal good outcomes

Last month saw the release of the Better Communication Research Programme (BCRP)...

 
Exclusive: Rising to the challenge for two-year-olds

Exclusive: Rising to the challenge for two-year-olds

Education and Childcare Minister Elizabeth Truss calls on providers to help deliver...

 
Setting up children to fail in maths?

Setting up children to fail in maths?

A recent report in the education press claimed 'yet another year of...

 
A new international manifesto for early childhood

A new international manifesto for early childhood

Early years practitioners need to take a principled stand against political power...

 
To the point - Thinking must join up

To the point - Thinking must join up

Men's aspirations to be involved in family life are on the up....

 
We need more - not less!

We need more - not less!

Nancy Stewart's To the Point article - ' A hostage to paperwork?'...

 
Separated families - let's stop thinking in terms of stereotypes

Separated families - let's stop thinking in terms of stereotypes

Nick Woodall of the Centre for Separated Families explains how proposed legislation...

 
It's time to take EYPS up to the next level

It's time to take EYPS up to the next level

The Status has proved its worth on many fronts and now it...

 
Editor's view - Positive signs for EYPs

Editor's view - Positive signs for EYPs

Although there has been no response yet from the Government to the...

 
To the Point - A hostage to paperwork?

To the Point - A hostage to paperwork?

It's time to sweep away layers of paperwork along with the autumn...

 
To the point: Denmark points the way

To the point: Denmark points the way

Whenever I visit a Nordic country, I'm mistaken for a native. I...

 
Editor's View - Twos are centre stage on the early years scene

Editor's View - Twos are centre stage on the early years scene

Two is definitely the magic number in the early years sector at...

 
Do-able ways to make childcare more affordable

Do-able ways to make childcare more affordable

Everyone agrees that childcare is increasingly unaffordable for most families in Britain....

 
To The Point - How can we let go?

To The Point - How can we let go?

The recent terrible events in Machynlleth force those of us who call...

 
To the point - What really counts

To the point - What really counts

The Olympics and Paralympics brought cheer to millions, and I thoroughly enjoyed...

 
'Berated, frozen out, colluded against...' why one male practitioner knows he is definitely not welcome

'Berated, frozen out, colluded against...' why one male practitioner knows he is definitely not welcome

Let me introduce myself. I'm nasty and aggressive; a bit of an...

 
Editor's view - A capital idea?

Editor's view - A capital idea?

It's been quite a week - beginning with Nick Clegg's announcement of...

 
To the point - No easy way to quality

To the point - No easy way to quality

Quality in childcare matters. High-quality provision imp- roves child development, school readiness...

 
Opinion: Editor's View - Elizabeth Truss - a force for good?

Opinion: Editor's View - Elizabeth Truss - a force for good?

Looking back, the appointment of Elizabeth Truss as parliamentary under-secretary of state...

 
To the point - Strive for the best

To the point - Strive for the best

A recent international study found that UK pre-school provision is among the...

 
To the point: We need 'parental' leave

To the point: We need 'parental' leave

A debate has been running largely unnoticed in the mainstream media about...

 
Editor's View - The nursery landscape is constantly changing

Editor's View - The nursery landscape is constantly changing

Much of the early years sector's attention over the past few months...

 
No sound strategy for children

No sound strategy for children

The BBC's Strategy for Children's Audio has hit the youngest listeners hardest,...

 
Exclusive: The Minister's View - We want you to grow

Exclusive: The Minister's View - We want you to grow

The 2011 census found there were 3.5 million children under five in...

 
Editor's View - Future of school sport remains uncertain

Editor's View - Future of school sport remains uncertain

The euphoria occasioned by the golden performances of the Team GB Olympic...

 
To the Point - Mixed messages

To the Point - Mixed messages

With just one month before the EYFS revisions come on stream, it...

 
To the point: All agreed on quality?

To the point: All agreed on quality?

In the run-up to the school holidays, childcare policy was given prominence...

 
'These findings are shocking but not surprising' - Lousie Casey's troubled families report

'These findings are shocking but not surprising' - Lousie Casey's troubled families report

Government adviser Louise Casey says the chaotic histories of thousands of "troubled...

 
Exclusive: The Minister's view - join the crusade

Exclusive: The Minister's view - join the crusade

By children's minister Sarah Teather

 
Editor's view - A new resource that's on the money

Editor's view - A new resource that's on the money

It's not often I feel moved to say this, but a new...

 
'Don't close the door to new recruits'

'Don't close the door to new recruits'

Raising the qualifications bar risks locking out some school leavers and young...

 
To the point: We must aim high

To the point: We must aim high

'Narrowing the gap' has been a central focus of investment in early...

 
To the point - One way forward

To the point - One way forward

In recent weeks we have seen two important announcements on childcare and...

 

Editor's view - Can we do it like Denmark?

I sometimes wonder if Denmark ever tires of the constant flow of...

 
Why Barnardo's welcomes the Government's childcare commission

Why Barnardo's welcomes the Government's childcare commission

Childcare needs to be more accessible and more affordable, but at the...

 
The Minister's View - Making a difference

The Minister's View - Making a difference

Ensuring that early education and childcare professionals have the right skills is...

 
Nutbrown Review: Not just a qualification!

Nutbrown Review: Not just a qualification!

Put young children first when responding to the final report from Nutbrown,...

 
To the point: Today not tomorrow

To the point: Today not tomorrow

A children's author serving on an official commission on childcare noticed that...

 
To the point - Prevention not cure

To the point - Prevention not cure

David Cameron's recent turn to domestic policy with his 'Can Parent' classes...

 

Editor's view - listen to Mrs Hodge

The return of the first-ever children's minister Margaret Hodge to the early...

 
Exclusive: The Minister's View - Parents are central

Exclusive: The Minister's View - Parents are central

How can we best engage parents in the work we do in...

 
To the point: Opt-outs ill-judged

To the point: Opt-outs ill-judged

At the same time that the principles of excellent early years practice...

 
To the point - Stand up for women

To the point - Stand up for women

Ever heard of Laura Trott? Probably not. She isn't a household name....

 
Exclusive: The Minister's View - It's common sense

Exclusive: The Minister's View - It's common sense

I would hazard a guess that most early years professionals did not...

 
"It doesn't take GCSEs..."

"It doesn't take GCSEs..."

"It doesn't take GCSE's or anything else to change nappies, just common...

 

Editor's view - it's going to be a busy year

We're here to help as the run-up to the new Early Years...

 
To the point: Let's get on with it

To the point: Let's get on with it

The revised EYFS has now been pored over and has met with...

 
To the Point - Where is the vision?

To the Point - Where is the vision?

In his recent budget, George Osborne announced that Child Benefit will be...

 

Editor's View - courses need to do their level best

We have to make sure that courses offer early years students what...

 
The revised EYFS: Too little, too late

The revised EYFS: Too little, too late

It's time for a completely new approach, argue Margaret Edgington, Grethe Hooper...

 
To the Point - The dangers of localism for Sure Start

To the Point - The dangers of localism for Sure Start

The Department for Education has just published a consultation on statutory guidance...

 

Editor's View - the revised EYFS

The revised EYFS is everywhere - except on the DfE website home...

 
Exclusive: The Minister's View - Let's raise the bar

Exclusive: The Minister's View - Let's raise the bar

There have been plenty of eye-catching reports relating to childcare over the...

 

Editor's view - the Nutbrown Review

The Nutbrown interim report, the Level 3 Diploma and what it all...

 
To the point - Serve the common good

To the point - Serve the common good

Politicians of all parties sign up to the goal of social mobility....

 
To the point - Being in the here and now

To the point - Being in the here and now

What is early education and childcare for? If you follow one of...

 

Editor's view - the needs of those who look after babies

Nurturing babies by nurturing those who care for them

 
Ofsted - like Marmite, love it or hate it!

Ofsted - like Marmite, love it or hate it!

By June O'Sullivan, chief executive of London Early Years Foundation

 
Editor's view - who's the Daddy?

Editor's view - who's the Daddy?

Why new TV series 'Daddy Daycare' isn't likely to boost recruitment of...

 
Babies are people

Babies are people

All peope have rights, so what about babies' rights? asks Penelope Leach...

 
To the point: Know how to fight racism

To the point: Know how to fight racism

When I was first working in schools, in the late 1980s, there...

 
To the point - Why favour the wealthy?

To the point - Why favour the wealthy?

You can usually tell when a Government is gearing up to announce...

 

Editor's view - you won't stop the riots by smacking children

Violence is no solution to social unrest, so let's not backtrack on...

 
Exclusive: The Minister's View - Change for the better

Exclusive: The Minister's View - Change for the better

2012 promises to be a challenging but rewarding year for the early...

 

Editor's View: taking back the free entitlement cash

Warning to parents - get to nursery on time or your 'free...

 
Too much, too soon

Too much, too soon

It is astonishing that the unrealistic writing targets in the EYFS haven't...

 
Why I believe the plans for EYFS reform don't make the grade

Why I believe the plans for EYFS reform don't make the grade

A Critical Commentary on Reforming the Early Years Foundation Stage (the EYFS):...

 
To the point: Bonds make us strong

To the point: Bonds make us strong

In the week before Christmas, children from different schools in Tower Hamlets...

 
To the Point - Prioritising under-fives

To the Point - Prioritising under-fives

So now we have it: the Government has abandoned the target of...

 

Editor's View - Is it worth waging war on the Government's refusal to change reception class ratios?

The tricky position of reception classes in the Early Years Foundation Stage...

 
Exclusive: The Minister's View - We need your input

Exclusive: The Minister's View - We need your input

For me, one of the Government's most important commitments has been our...

 
Exclusive: Why are nursery nurses going on strike?

Exclusive: Why are nursery nurses going on strike?

Up to 30,000 nursery workers and teaching assistants are taking industrial action...

 
Childcare is becoming dangerously unaffordable

Childcare is becoming dangerously unaffordable

Ryan Shorthouse, researcher at the Social Market Foundation, says that action is...

 
Leadership - so much to say about books

Subscriber content Leadership - so much to say about books

At Southwark Primary School in Nottingham, nursery leader Pip Otter is exploring...

 
To The Point - Cuts by the thick skinned

To The Point - Cuts by the thick skinned

I have recently moved to Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council in South Yorkshire,...

 
Passage to India: a nursery owner's experience of a new, fast-moving market

Passage to India: a nursery owner's experience of a new, fast-moving market

Sarah Steel, managing director of the Old Station Nursery group, has just...

 
To the point - A little goes a long way

To the point - A little goes a long way

If your child was born after the first of January this year,...

 
To the point: Babies' right to choose

To the point: Babies' right to choose

An interesting debate about group times arose among a group of nursery...

 
To the Point - Poverty policies at odds

To the Point - Poverty policies at odds

The debate about child poverty is currently taking place in two parallel...

 
To the point: It's just not 'good' enough

Subscriber content To the point: It's just not 'good' enough

Sometimes it seems as if the language spoken in nurseries is evolving...

 
To the Point: Integrate and intervene

To the Point: Integrate and intervene

On 8 August, my daughter was born in St Thomas's hospital, London....

 
To the point: Making the first move

To the point: Making the first move

You would be forgiven for wondering what the new UK Physical Activity...

 
To the point : Supporting Families in the Foundation Years - A welcome document

To the point : Supporting Families in the Foundation Years - A welcome document

By Naomi Eisenstadt, senior research fellow in families, early learning and literacy...