In the hustle and bustle of running a nursery, it’s easy to forget some details. You might misplace your keys, forget why you walked into a room, or even overlook an important anniversary. However, there are some things you simply can’t afford to forget, especially when it comes to your insurance. Overlooking certain aspects can… The post I is for Insurance appeared first on Connect Childcare ..read more

Working in early years education can be a whirlwind of paperwork, observations, planning, theories, and philosophies. The traditional cycle of observation, reflection, and planning can be time-consuming. However, using the in the moment planning approach allows educators to do all this instantly. By closely observing a child’s interest and extending it in real-time, educators can… The post The Benefits of In the Moment Planning in Early Years Education appeared first on Connect Childcare ..read more

Nutrition in the early years not only fuels growth but can shape cognitive development; setting the stage for healthy eating habits, and influence future health outcomes. Early years settings have a unique opportunity not only to offer nourishing food that meets a child’s nutritional needs but also to influence food preferences and set the stage… The post H is for Health and Nutrition appeared first on Connect Childcare ..read more

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) sets standards for the learning, development and care of children from birth to five years old which early years settings across England must meet. Given its statutory nature, adherence to the EYFS and understanding its ‘guidance’ is paramount for ensuring the delivery of high-quality early years education. As of… The post G is for Guidance appeared first on Connect Childcare ..read more

Next in the series of “Preparing for the New Academic Year,” we’re diving into organisational culture within nurseries and early years settings. We’ll explore how leaders and managers can shape and nurture the culture in their nurseries. In this article, we’ll talk about why having a strong culture is so important and how it impacts… The post Getting Ready for the New Academic Year: Early Years Culture appeared first on Connect Childcare ..read more

More funded childcare. It’s a game changer but not ‘free’ When the Chancellor Jeremy Hunt announced his plan in March 2023 for expanding the childcare support for parents with young children across England, families across the country were jumping for joy.  Some of these children who will be benefiting from the new places for nine… The post F is for Funded Not Free appeared first on Connect Childcare ..read more

Would you like the children you educate and care for to have a long and prosperous life?  I do. And not just for my grandchildren, but for all the thousands of children in our nurseries.  Children have a right that “their best interests must be a top priority in all decisions and actions that affect… The post E is for Environmental Impact appeared first on Connect Childcare ..read more

As the world continues its shift towards becoming increasingly digital, it’s never been more vital for all early years childcare providers to have steps in place that help protect devices and systems – and, ultimately, their data. This isn’t only vital for safeguarding personal, confidential, and sensitive information – whether about staff, children, their families, or the organisation – against online criminals, but accidental damage and loss too.  It’s only in recent years that childcare providers received guidance from the Government’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) and were ..read more

Boogie Mites has dedicated years to researching how music impacts the brains of young children. In this guest blog, we spoke with Sue Newman, founder of Boogie Mites, an organisation that develops music programs to enhance learning, development, and wellbeing in early childhood. Sue shares insights on how music can stimulate brain activity and support child development. The science behind music and brain development Research with children aged 3-4 years shows that processing language involves numerous neural messages firing around the brain. These messages use the same neural pathways de ..read more

Child-centred practice is at the heart of the early years and more so when considering the safeguarding and child protection responsibilities that early years practitioners must meet in order to help, support and protect children.  Whilst adopting child-centred approaches, such as those that focus primarily on the needs of children is a widely shared fundamental principle, we must acknowledge that sometimes the pursuit of placing children first in the context of safeguarding can be challenging for lots of reasons.  I have the privilege of working with some amazing early years set ..read more