90% of nurseries in England have an Ofsted grading of good or outstanding According to the Early Years regulators latest report, the number of nurseries in England that have been graded as good or outstanding is at it highest ever. Ninety percent of Early Years providers have received high grades from Ofsted, in their overall effectiveness. … [Read more...] about Highest Ofsted grading for nurseries in England
Supporting children’s development through mealtimes
Mealtimes are an important part of the day for children, enabling them to build on all areas of their development. Physical development Mealtimes give children the opportunity to build on their physical development, strengthening their fine and gross motor skills. Manipulating cutlery can support children to develop fine motor skills; as the … [Read more...] about Supporting children’s development through mealtimes
6 ways to bring mud play inside
How can mud play be accessed indoors? Mud play is often associated with the outside environment; however this may not always be accessible. Mud play can be brought inside to ensure children are still able to benefit from the experience. Here are 6 easy ways to offer mud play inside. Dinosaur world Tuff spots are a great way to offer mud play … [Read more...] about 6 ways to bring mud play inside
Children at risk of losing nursery funded places
Will there be enough funded places available with the increase to 30 hours? With the funded hours of childcare for all three and four year olds increasing from 15 hours to 30 hours next year, many children may find themselves losing out due to lack of free places. Many childcare settings have expressed their concerns over the … [Read more...] about Children at risk of losing nursery funded places
8 alternative ways to offer water play
Water play is great fun for children of all ages, however it can be difficult to think of alternative ways to offer the play. Here are 8 fun and exciting activities to encourage water play in your setting. Food colouring ice cubes Add colour to your water tray using food coloured ice cubes. Simply add a small amount of food colouring to an ice … [Read more...] about 8 alternative ways to offer water play
Should preschool graduation be encouraged?
Are preschool graduations taken too far? Over the last 10 years preschool graduations have become more and more popular in the UK, with tens of thousands of graduation gowns being sold to preschools across the country. The tradition has been a strong theme in the USA for nearly 50 years with an increasing number of UK preschools following … [Read more...] about Should preschool graduation be encouraged?
Why is den building important for children’s development?
How can den building activities support children's development? On the 17th of June 2016, children across the country took part in a den building day to raise money for charity. Save the Children held the campaign to raise awareness for children around the world who lack vital resources such as water and shelter. This also gave children the … [Read more...] about Why is den building important for children’s development?
Having grandparents as children’s full time carers
How can children benefit from having grandparents as their full time carer? It is estimated that around 100,000 grandparents in the UK are bringing up their grandchildren as full time carers. This may be informally or as approved foster carers. There are many reasons for grandparents to take on the parental role such as drug or alcohol abuse, … [Read more...] about Having grandparents as children’s full time carers
8 ways to extend children’s vocabulary
8 easy ways to extend children's vocabulary in your setting Developing children's vocabulary can be achieved through a range of strategies or activities. It is important to remember that every child will develop language at their own pace. Vocabulary building is critical in developing good language and communication skills. These skills are … [Read more...] about 8 ways to extend children’s vocabulary
Extra funding for pilot areas
Local Authorities have now secured an increase in funding from the Department for Education From September 2016 the new proposed 30 hour funding is being piloted in specific areas of the country; however Early Years settings had previously threatened to boycott the scheme due to funding being too low and unsustainable. Many pilot settings have … [Read more...] about Extra funding for pilot areas