December 2024: The latest early years sector news
National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA)
Brighter thinking for early years / Meddwl disglair ar gyfer y blynyddoedd cynnar
Your free early years activity
Using positive affirmations with children in nurseries
By repeating them often - and encouraging your team to too - your brain will begin to believe them, and you can start to make positive changes. Lots of people choose to use positive affirmations to make specific changes or to support their anxieties.
Your free early years top tips
Teaching children about patterns
Pattern is an integral part of everyday life, it is all around us - visible and invisible. The most obvious and visible patterns are found in things such as clothes and materials but there are lots of invisible patterns too, such as routines.??
Support our underfunded childcare campaign
For nursery settings in all UK nations, the rise in national insurance contributions (NICs) and staffing costs will drastically impact their setting, putting them under huge financial pressure.
This is because staffing costs make up 75% of their total costs. Ultimately, children will be the ones who suffer.
With no business rates relief in early years (for England), nurseries feel the full force of national insurance increases, putting more financial pressure on settings.
We hear you and we support you. This must change.
Together, we will advocate for better outcomes for nurseries, families and children.
England early years policy updates
Funding rates won’t factor in National Insurance Contributions rise
The DfE published the 2025-6 funding rates last week, which we have analysed for you here. You can also download a spreadsheet to see how your rate is changing. Will this increase be sufficient to cover your costs? Your local rates should be published before March.
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MPs debated nursery staffing costs challenges in Parliament
NDNA briefed MPs who debated the impact of National Insurance Contributions rise on PVI providers. They argued that the rise would hit nurseries hard because staffing costs make up 75% of their overall costs and most won’t? be eligible for employment allowance. NDNA’s CEO Purnima Tanuku OBE said: “We urgently need the Government to review their rules and reimburse private and voluntary early education settings in the same way that they will do for schools.”
Scotland Early Learning and Childcare policy updates
Scottish Government Budget 25/26
Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government, Shona Robison MSP, confirmed in the Scottish Government Budget on 4 December, at Holyrood, that there would be additional funding to ELC to ensure that settings are able to pay the Real Living Wage to staff delivering 1140 hours. We will include further details as soon as they are available.
Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) in private,?voluntary?and independent ELC settings?
As set out in a?letter issued by the Scottish Government?in October 2023 to PVI providers of daycare of children services and childminders, it is the responsibility of building owners and managers to check their buildings for Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) and, if identified, to determine whether there is a risk.?
The websites of the?Institution of Structural Engineers (IStructE)?and?the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors?include useful information pages for owners of buildings who wish to understand more about RAAC and action to identify and assess it. IStructE also publish?guidance on how to investigate and assess RAAC?where its presence is confirmed within a building.?
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Stakeholder meeting with Care Inspectorate/Education Scotland – Quality Improvement Framework
Further to sharing our concerns around the new shared Quality Improvement Framework, NDNA Scotland had the opportunity at a meeting last week to discuss in more detail, alongside other key stakeholders and agree a way forward prior to the release of the new framework in January. This was a productive meeting where positive actions were agreed to ensure that the issues raised were address and that the framework will be fit for purpose. We will share more detail when we are able to but are pleased that the issues members raised will be addressed.
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Care Inspectorate Childcare Forum
NDNA Scotland attended the second meeting of the Childcare Forum along with other key stakeholders. We discussed practice issues such as the Care Inspectorate nappy changing policy and the sleep guidance to ensure that issues raised by collective members were fully understood and addressed. We also discussed the plan for Quality Conversations and the need for consistent approaches. This forum was formed because of the findings of the Care Inspectorate Experiences survey that members kindly took part in last year. They have resulted in helpful, open, and constructive conversations about the experiences of settings during inspections.
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Vision for education set out in National Improvement Framework
The Scottish Government has published ‘Achieving Excellence and Equity: 2025 National Improvement Framework’, setting out their vision, key priorities and educational outcomes for children and young people. The vision is for Scottish education to be ambitious, inclusive and supportive to deliver excellence through raising achievement and improving outcomes: ensuring that every child and young person has the same opportunity to succeed.
Wales childcare policy updates
Funding rates increased by 20% but not enough to cover costs
The Welsh Government published the funding rates for the Childcare Offer 2025-6. The rate has increased by ￡1 to ￡6 following three years at ￡5 since 2022. As part of the overall package, the Welsh Government has committed to reviewing this rate each year and has made 100% business rates relief permanent for nurseries in Wales.
However, this increase in funding will not cover all the staffing costs which include a rise in National Insurance Contributions for employers. We are urging the Welsh Government to look at what additional support could be provided to enable day nurseries to remain sustainable.
Free early years factsheet
The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child
All children have the right to grow up in an environment that meets their basic needs and allows them choices and decisions of their own. The UNCRC is a list of 54 articles that list what the rights of each and every child should be, regardless of where they are born or grow up.
This factsheet explores the 54 UNCRC articles and how they fit in to everyday practice and is applicable to all three nations.
Financial management systems for nurseries and early years settings
Top tips on nursery financial planning and management
See our latest top tips guide on nursery financial planning and management, aimed at someone wanting to start a nursery business or set up a childcare setting.
This series of articles will introduce prospective nursery owners and managers to the main aspects of financial planning and management.
In this part, we give some hints and tips on keeping accounting records and choosing a nursery management system.
All things safeguarding
Is your setting in England up to date with its safeguarding policy and procedures?
This 2-3 hour accredited Level 2 Introduction to Child Protection and Safeguarding online course will give you extra reassurance that you’re providing high-quality safeguarding measures and meeting all EYFS requirements.
Early years providers must train all staff in understanding safeguarding policy and procedures, and ensure staff have up-to-date knowledge of safeguarding issues.
Access this course from as little as ￡5 with our online training bundles.
Quick ideas for early years practitioners!??
Are you looking for quick, actionable insights to enhance your practice in early years education???
The Institute of Early Years Education’s free resource collections contain essential tips on key early years topics. From supporting children’s development to managing daily challenges, these infographics are a great addition to your resources.?