Welcome to 2022 with our January issue!

Best practice features: 

• New series – Keys to the outdoors
  Expert Jan White kicks off a new series spanning 12 monthly parts unlocking every aspect of best practice outdoors. In part 1 she examines staff attitudes and suggests how to build their confidence and positivity.
• Expressive Arts and Design: Focus on painting – with Penny Tassoni. Support children to immerse themselves in the joy of painting and find out how it can link to all areas of the EYFS.
• Health and nutrition – the Family Hubs network which offers services to children, young people and their families is on course for expansion. Meredith Jones Russell takes a look at what they offer.
• Take advice from the Early Years Nutrition Partnership – a new monthly column which provides information on nutrition, menus and mealtimes.
• Anatomy: ‘V’ is for vulva – Caroline Vollans explains why we should teach young children the correct name for all parts of the human body.
• Intergenerational learning – discover how young and old have renunited in Torbay to celebrate nature and music making outdoors, as part of a new series of intergenerational projects. 
  
  In our activity section: 
• V... is for Values, Visits and Watermelons in our ongoing A – Z of activities at the outstanding Rachel Keeling Nursery School; in this month’s SEND feature Georgina Durrant outlines a range of practical activities that support children to analyse a situation and problem solve; tap into ideas and essential resources to support children’s rotation schemes; start 2022 with our brand new Outdoor Calendar for January which features activities linked to communication and language, and making the most of small spaces.

Management: 

• Special report: Get up to speed on the latest developments in early years training and qualifications, from T Levels to degrees.

Staff health and wellbeing

• Charlotte Goddard investigates the importance of respecting all aspects of personal identity and considers issues around intersectionality.

Anti-racist leadership

• In the first part of a new series, Liz Pemberton sets out how early years leaders can implement anti-racist practice

Managers’ problem page –new series

• An expert panel suggests solutions to problems affecting children and staff in your setting.

News, analysis and opinion includes –

• Analysis – what will 2022 bring?
  Find out about the hopes and dreams of a diverse range of individuals in the sector.
  
  
• Health inequalities
  With health inequalities between disadvantaged and advantaged children increasing, according to new research, we look at why new resources are urgently needed.

Opinion

• Michael Pettavel, nursery school headteacher: How we can change our view of the world from fitting in to belonging.
• Rachael White, the RSPB: Why it’s important to get involved with the annual Big Schools’ Birdwatch

Interview

• Patrick Butler, general manager of new intergenerational village Belong, provides the lowdown on its integrated nursery.
  
  POSTER –
  featuring homes, free with the January issue