As we say goodbye to 2024, Nursery World asked a selection of people who work with, or whose work concerns, children and families in the early years what their hopes and dreams are for the next 12 months, against a backdrop of ever-increasing challenges.
Amanda Allard and Matthew Dodd
co chairs, Children and Young People’s Health Policy Influencing Group
‘Our hope is that 2025 brings new investment and fresh thinking to reverse the shocking decline in the health of our children, and particularly the health of the most disadvantaged. Children must be a central pillar of the Government’s ten-year NHS plan and treated equitably in decisions on funding. We also hope the needs of children with long-term conditions, disabilities and those in end-of-life care are not overlooked in the necessary focus on prevention.
‘We look forward to working with the Government, NHS England and Integrated Care Systems and encouraging them to take greater accountability for child health outcomes. The renewal of the children’s health sector workforce through effective recruitment and retention will also be a top priority, alongside the introduction of a single unique identifier to allow better multi-agency working to protect and promote the health and wellbeing of all children and young people.’
(The Children and Young People’s Health Policy Influencing Group is a coalition of over 60 charities and Royal Colleges advocating for action on child health.)
Abby Jitendra
principal policy adviser for care, family and relationships, Joseph Rowntree Foundation
‘The early education and childcare system will see a huge shift in the coming year as the expansion of the maximum number of funded childcare hours, from 15 to 30, draws to a close. This poses big opportunities, helping more parents, especially women, into work and helping lower the cost of childcare. It also poses challenges, as providers, local authorities and workers shift to a system which more closely resembles a public service but without the necessary controls.
‘My hope for the year is that Government takes seriously what it means for childcare to be a public service, ensuring providers are given the right funding and support to help workers, children and their local communities thrive. I’m excited by the prospect of local authorities having a more active role in designing their local childcare systems, and hope Government can better understand and shape a changing market of increasingly bigger players.’
Leo Holmes
head of policy and advocacy, Early Years Wales
‘In 2025, I would like to see a continued focus, from all four governments across the UK, on the importance of the early years sector especially in relation to its cognitive and physical developmental benefits for children. We know that the childcare sector provides vital support for all of us in society, and it is important that this value is reflected in the approach taken by all governments to early-years-focused policies.
‘I would like to see a consistent message across all four nations about the value of high-quality play for children. This would involve government policy designed to promote and protect spaces in our society where play is encouraged for children in the early years. Play forms a young child’s relationship with the world around them, and the child’s right to play is a human right. Therefore, it is crucial this is reflected in our society.’
Rachel Bucker
trainer specialising in safeguarding
‘My hopes for 2025 are that we see significant investment in the early years sector on various levels. First, we need Government to provide appropriate funding that not only enables the sector to be sustainable but that tips the balance back in favour of support for the most vulnerable of children. I hope policy-makers invest in priorities that drive forward a creative and collaborative workforce and one that applies stronger partnership models to developing dynamic early childhood services centred on the needs of children and families.
‘In an ideal world, my dream for the coming year and beyond would centre on having processes and systems that prevent any child being hidden or left behind. It’s a big dream but important to remind ourselves that we must have high expectations and ambitions for children we work with. My priorities for the year ahead are to continue to invest in a resourceful and tenacious workforce, equipping them to develop competencies and skills that help them navigate safeguarding and child protection processes, especially within social care contexts, which have become even more challenging over time.’
Julian Grenier
senior content & engagement manager, early years, Education Endowment Foundation
‘My strongest hope for the year ahead is a fairer start for every child. Achieving this will require significant effort and collaboration. I’m eager to work alongside and learn from childminders and practitioners in settings and schools. Together, we can make meaningful progress toward this goal.
‘The widening disadvantage gap this year is deeply concerning, but the passion and energy within the early years sector always inspires me. I’m proud of the work we’re doing at the Education Endowment Foundation to make high-quality research evidence accessible and actionable.
‘Our priority must be to redouble efforts to support children from lower-income backgrounds, ensuring they have an equal chance to thrive. By focusing on evidence-based practices and building strong partnerships across the sector, I’m hopeful we can create opportunities for every child to enjoy, learn and succeed in their early years.’
June O’Sullivan
chief executive, London Early Years Foundation (LEYF)
‘The year 2025, the Chinese Year of the Snake, symbolises wisdom, elegance and transformation – a timefor growth, creativity and intuition. Furthermore, Angel numbers [repeating number sequences believed to hold personal and spiritual significance] for 2025 emphasise partnership, diplomacy, co-operation and consideration, perfectly aligning with my hopes for the early years sector.
‘In 2025, I wish for us to come together to create an inclusive, collaborative and sustainable approach to delivering high-quality early education and care for every child in the UK, regardless of their background. This is our opportunity to not only transform the sector but also shift public perception, reaffirming why children deserve joyful, play-based, developmentally appropriate early education.
‘Equally vital is recognising the incredible staff who provide this care and education. These professionals deserve to be valued, respected and celebrated for their indispensable role in shaping young lives. Let’s make 2025 a year of transformation, unity and celebration – a true Party of the Year!’
Dr Tanya Richardson & Dr Aaron Bradbury
co-chairs, Early Childhood Studies Degrees Network
‘We would like to wish everyone a happy, healthy and prosperous 2025. This wish extends to the sector as a whole – to the children, the families and the practitioners that all make up the wonderful fabric that is early years.
‘As the network for those delivering Early Childhood Studies degrees, we hope that the sector continues to be supported and developed by a high-quality, well-qualified workforce who are rewarded in a way that befits their level of expertise. We also hope that in 2025, decisions that are made at a wider level recognise the wonderful work and the detailed research that informs how we practise in the field of early childhood. We would like to see the language change from “childcare” to “early childhood provision” so that the nuanced and in-depth work that is happening within the sector is recognised by society and valued accordingly.
‘As co-chairs, we raise a glass to you all.’
Anthony Newman
senior specialist relationship manager, Allica Bank
‘Following the expansion of free childcare provision from the Government, 2024 saw a flurry of activity that we don’t expect to slow down in 2025.
‘We will need to see a proactive approach taken by Government to support operators as they look to meet this growing demand. This is especially the case with staffing, both in terms of finding enough talent and absorbing the increase in National Insurance costs.
‘It’s important too that new entrants to the market are encouraged, which will be vital for increasing the capacity of the sector. In particular, banks like Allica and others lenders need to remain open-minded to help these business owners get started with access to funding, helping foster talent and sector expertise among owner-operators in the long term.
‘It’s going to be an interesting year, but I am confident that this resilient sector will remain focused on delivering exceptional care for our children.’
Anna Speke
education officer, nasen
‘At nasen, we know that early years education lays the foundations for lifelong learning, and our hopes and dreams for this critical stage centre on inclusivity and opportunity; for children, for families and for educators.
‘Every child, and member of staff, deserves an environment where they feel valued and supported. We hope to see a return to the language of early years education, with fair and sufficient funding, resource and status given to settings and educators to enable them to do the very best for all children, including those with additional needs.
‘We want all early years practitioners to feel confident and equipped with the skills and resources to meet each child’s unique needs. Families must be empowered as partners on this journey – with strong communication and support systems in place.
‘Ultimately, we want everyone involved in early education to dream big, to be bold and courageous in building inclusive practice and celebrating diversity.’
Mya Sharma
head of operations, Ely Nursery, London
‘One thing I would love to do in 2025 is volunteer abroad in an early years school or nursery. Back in 2018, I volunteered in India, teaching English to children with physical and mental disabilities at Navchetan School. That experience stayed with me – it showed me how much we can learn from each other, no matter where in the world we are.
‘In the UK, we’re constantly finding ways to navigate challenges like funding and recruitment while still delivering the best for children and families. It’s inspiring to see how resilient and creative early years professionals can be. I’ve learned so much working with nurseries here, and I’d love the chance to see how early education works in other parts of the world.
‘For me, it’s about building connections – between people, ideas and approaches. I think collaboration, whether it’s local or global, is how we keep improving as a sector. If anyone reading this knows of great charities or opportunities for volunteering abroad in early years, I’d be so grateful to hear about them!’
Tom Symons
deputy director of fairer start at ‘innovation agency’ Nesta
‘The Government’s commitment to the early years in their Plan for Change is a significant moment. In 2025, Nesta hopes to see decisive steps to ensure every child has the same chance of developing to their full potential through:
- A bold vision and long-term commitment to preventative, integrated family support systems – alongside an expansion in Family Hubs, this should be underpinned by a radical policy agenda which permanently embeds high-quality holistic support for families in communities.
- More focus on scaling what works – worldwide there are pockets of brilliant practice, but we need a cross-sectoral effort and commitment, with better enabling conditions.
- Experimentalism woven into the sector’s DNA. We need a culture of innovation and experimentalism to develop the ideas to improve the lives of the families who need it the most.’
Louise Lloyd-Evans
director, Young Friends Kindergarten, Hove
‘Our wishes are rooted in our ongoing commitment to sustainability and wellbeing. We dream of a greener, more sustainable future where more and more early years settings lead the charge in eco-conscious living and learning. Our hope is to expand our influence, not only within the walls of our kindergarten but across the community, inspiring other settings to embrace sustainable practices.
‘We are also focusing on enhancing our staff’s professional development opportunities, ensuring that every team member loves what they do but also excels at it.’
Dr Helen Edwards
co founder, Tapestry
‘There is momentum gathering towards more child-centred assessment processes in specialist settings, and there is no reason why this can’t be embraced more widely in settings and primary schools.
‘We need to fix the provision, not the child. Our assessment systems should be like our learning environments – inclusive, responsive and adaptable. Educators need the time, and tools, to be more reflective, holistic and inclusive when assessing each child. Hopefully, our work with Doncaster Local Authority to create a Reflection Toolkit can provide practical support.
‘Ultimately, our assessment procedures need to help us develop a deep understanding of each child so we can create the right learning environment and offer the right opportunities for them to thrive. If we’re not able to do this, why are we assessing?
‘I also hope that the fast-moving developments in AI can provide practical assistance. In 2025, we need to seize the opportunity to reflect on what we want from new technology. My hope is that we recognise how to use AI to support – but not to replace – our expertise and professional judgement.’
Mark Smith
co founder, Green Bottoms
‘My biggest wish for 2025 is we carry on doing a great job for the hundreds of nurseries that we’re proud to serve. A priority is completing our transaction for an additional warehouse, enabling us to provide nappies and wipes in even more efficient and eco-friendly ways.
‘We’ll also be continuing the nappy recycling trial we started in summer 2024, where the nursery nappy waste we collect from Birmingham to Bristol is repurposed into new uses, like an additive to asphalt for roads and paths. We recycled around 175,000 used nappies before Christmas and we’d like to get to 500,000 or beyond by summer.
‘Finally, I was proud that we helped our customers eliminate millions of single-use plastic items in 2024 by switching to zero-plastic baby wipes, and also our social impact work with Baby Basics and the amazing LEYF. I hope 2025 brings more of the same!’
Top 10 most read stories of 2024
We look back at the most read stories of the year.
- ‘Stockport deputy nursery manager caused the death of a baby she strapped to a beanbag, face down’
- ‘Pilot childcare scheme to run in schools this summer’
- ‘Stockport nursery tragedy: Jury shown moment staff realised baby was not breathing’
- ‘Ofsted to overhaul early years inspections and regulation’
- ‘HMRC answers your questions on Tax-Free Childcare’
- ‘Government “taking action” over nursery “top-up fees”’
- ‘PM sets target of 75 per cent of Reception children ‘school-ready’ in plan for change’
- ‘Early years practitioners invited to take part in programme to improve children’s self-regulation’
- ‘Link between meeting early learning goals in EYFS and later school absence’
- ‘Early years education is “too important to be left to chance”, says Ofsted
