{{ item.label }}: {{ item.title }}

Early Years Teaching is in Crisis: What Can be Done About it?

Early years teaching has been under the spotlight for a while now, with the Department for Education expanding childcare to further help families by providing additional childcare hours and other methods. However, not everyone is in agreement.

The Fawcett Society, a leading UK charity organisation, stated that childcare in England was falling short on various fronts: affordability, quality, and levels of public spending.

The charity examined early childhood education and care (ECEC) provision in Australia, Canada, France, and more – all nations that have recently completed or are undergoing government-led transformations in the sector – and discovered that England's childcare lacked ambition and effective implementation.

Jemima Olchawski, the Fawcett Society’s chief executive, said:

“For too long we’ve seen the cracks in our dysfunctional childcare system papered over. We’ve got a patchwork of provision that doesn’t meet the needs of children, parents or the childcare sector. But a broken system isn’t inevitable, as the countries in our research clearly show. We need politicians from all parties to work together and make genuine commitments that last beyond this election – and indeed the next – to reform childcare.”

Their report warns that “designing a system which is focused narrowly on [affordability] without strengthening and resourcing the system … may ultimately be counterproductive and unable to meet the demands it has set up”.

Whilst there seems to be a disconnect between the government, charities, and the education sector itself, the changing landscape of early years teaching means that new approaches and attitudes must be explored.

For example, Ofsted’s five-year strategy puts a strong focus on early years and the importance of a good early education, and the recent updates to the Statutory Framework for the EYFS highlight a change in early years teaching, but, what can you do about it?

If you are an early years teaching educator, we have resources to support you. Whether you are preparing for inspection or planning and creating assessments for early years teaching, we can help you.

Our Preparing for Inspection in Early Years virtual conference features many experts and speakers who can help you understand how Ofsted will inspect the quality of education judgement, as well improve your knowledge on the evidence that the inspector will want to see on intent, implementation, and impact of your curriculum.

Are you looking for something a bit more bitesize? Why not check out our Effective Observation, Assessment and Planning in the Early Years half-day masterclass? Facilitator Dr. Sue Allingham will guide you through the key principles of observing and assessing learning and development in early years teaching.

 

Related Events

Getting the Best of Boys in School
Choice of Dates
Virtual, Online
The Highly Effective Head of Year
Mon, 7 Oct 2024
Virtual, Online
School Business Leadership Update Conference
Wed, 16 Oct 2024
Virtual, Online
Effective School Site Management
Choice of Dates
Virtual, Online
Effective Management of Formal Complaints
Choice of Dates
Virtual, Online
New to the Role Attendance Officer
Choice of Dates
Virtual, Online
Supporting Neurodiversity in the Classroom
Tue, 12 Nov 2024
Virtual, Online
Academy Finance - A Taxation Perspective
Wed, 13 Nov 2024
Virtual, Online
Developing Senior Mental Health Leads
Wed, 13 Nov 2024
Virtual, Online
Handling Difficult Conversations in Schools
Choice of Dates
Virtual, Online
Becoming a Brilliant Line Manager
Tue, 19 Nov 2024
Virtual, Online
Academy Finance for Beginners
Wed, 20 Nov 2024
Virtual, Online
Suspensions and Exclusions Conference
Thu, 21 Nov 2024
Virtual, Online
Improving Oversight of Alternative Provision
Tue, 26 Nov 2024
Virtual, Online
Dyscalculia and Maths Difficulties
Fri, 29 Nov 2024
Virtual, Online
Effective PA to the Headteacher Conference
Wed, 4 Dec 2024
Virtual, Online
The Outstanding Head of Department
Fri, 6 Dec 2024
Virtual, Online
New to the Role School Business Manager
Fri, 10 Jan 2025
Virtual, Online
Improving Behaviour in Schools Conference
Tue, 14 Jan 2025
Virtual, Online
New to the Role Pupil Premium Lead
Mon, 20 Jan 2025
Virtual, Online
Managing Tricky Grievances in the Workplace
Wed, 22 Jan 2025
Virtual, Online
Sustainable Income Generation for Schools
Thu, 23 Jan 2025
Virtual, Online
Working Pastorally with Children
Mon, 27 Jan 2025
Virtual, Online
Meeting the Challenge of Falling Pupil Rolls
Wed, 29 Jan 2025
Virtual, Online
Protecting Children from Online Pornography
Thu, 30 Jan 2025
Virtual, Online
Reframing Unconscious Bias in the Classroom
Wed, 5 Feb 2025
Virtual, Online

Browser unsupported

You’re using an unsupported browser.

This website uses the latest web technology and your browser doesn't support those technologies at this time.

Please update to Chrome, Firefox, Edge or Safari (on Mac) to view the full experience.