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Foundation Years March Bulletin | |
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Introduction of the Experience-Based Route for Early Years Staff | |
The Government has introduced an experience-based route for early years staff. This route allows suitable early years staff without an approved qualification to be included in the staff:child ratios at level 3 following a period of supervised practice.
The experience-based route recognises that staff members with the right experience and knowledge can significantly contribute to the care and education of young children. This optional flexibility supports the recruitment and retention of early years staff, allowing providers to use it where they believe it will best serve their staff and children in their care.
This route can now be started by eligible providers and staff. However, it will not be possible to be included in the staff:child ratios at level 3 through this route until at least September 2025 when we expect to update the Early Years Foundation Stage statutory framework. For more information go to: Experience-based route for early years staff - GOV.UK | |
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Closing soon! Survey of practitioners in their first year working in an Early Years role | |
Have you started a role working in an early years setting with children under 5 since April 2024? Or have you applied for a role like this since then?
The Department for Education want to hear about your views on jobs and careers in early education.
Click here to complete a short 5-10 minute survey: www.iffresearch.com/eyfi/web
The Department has commissioned IFF Research to conduct this research in 40 local authorities across England. Simply click the link above, and if the role you’ve started/applied for is in one of those areas, you will be able to complete a short 5–10-minute survey and will receive £5 on completion as a thank you for taking part.
Your feedback will help the Department to learn more about what attracts people like you to work in early education. They will use this information to make decisions about working conditions and pay. | |
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Check an Early Years Qualification (CEYQ) Service is Now Live | |
We announced in January that we were developing a digital tool to help Early Years (EY) managers check whether staff qualifications meet ratio requirements in England. Following final testing, we are pleased to announce that the Check an Early Years Qualification (CEYQ) service has now launched on GOV.UK. By entering details such as the qualification name, awarding organisation, and course start date, managers will receive a clear outcome that can be printed for records. This service simplifies qualification checks, saving time during recruitment and HR processes. It supports workforce planning, ahead of the expanded funded childcare entitlements by September 2025. CEYQ is for EY managers only and currently covers UK qualification. Other users should continue using the Early Years Qualifications List (EYQL) to check their qualifications or seek guidance from Ecctis. If you are require assistance when using the service, please follow this link. | |
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Ofsted consultation: Improving the way Ofsted inspects education | |
In February we launched our consultation seeking the views of parents, carers, professionals and learners, on a new approach to inspecting and reporting on education providers, including early years providers. The consultation runs for 12 weeks, closing on 28 April. Please take the time to read through our proposals and share your views: Improving the way Ofsted inspects education - GOV.UK. | |
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Foundation Years Event - Creating Inclusive Early Years Environments
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In Leeds, on 6th March, Foundation Years hosted Creating Inclusive Early Years Environments, a dynamic and insightful event that brought together passionate educators, sector leaders and experts to explore strategies for ensuring that every child thrives in an inclusive learning environment.
With thought-provoking discussions, inspiring case studies and practical guidance, attendees left feeling empowered to implement meaningful change in their settings. Head of Begin Bright, Seb Thorpe, comments: “Thank you to all who supported our first face-to-face event. A special thank you to our incredible speakers, whose insights were invaluable in shaping discussions on inclusion and best practice.
We also want to extend our gratitude to everyone who attended. Your engagement, thoughtful contributions and commitment made the event truly special. It was fantastic to see so many professionals come together to learn, reflect and collaborate.
We look forward to continuing the conversation to make a lasting impact in the early years sector.” | |
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Strengthening the Early Years Workforce – Foundation Years’ Recruitment & Retention Vodcast Series | |
At Foundation Years, we recognise the ongoing challenges in recruiting and retaining high-quality early years educators. To support the sector, we launched a four-part vodcast series last month, featuring expert insights, real-life experiences and practical strategies to help settings attract and retain skilled educators.
Each episode delves into key aspects of workforce sustainability, from addressing recruitment barriers to fostering professional development and staff wellbeing. Seb Thorpe, Head of Begin Bright, spoke to sector leaders, educators and policy experts to gather perspectives and offer actionable solutions that support long-term retention. If you missed the series or want to revisit key discussions, you can watch all four episodes below: | |
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Childcare Works launches two new FREE toolkits for early years and wraparound providers | |
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Funded by DfE and launched in January 2025 the toolkits can be found on the Childcare Works HUB www.childcareworks.org.uk.
Created to collate useful resources, providers have said you need to start, grow and sustain early years and childcare businesses. Resources are organised into six categories:
Business Planning Running Childcare Provision Business Growth Leadership and Management Partnership Working SEND and Inclusive Practice
All resources are free, specially created for this year, and collate information from childcare organisations, Government, and Government funded organisations. Whatever stage of business, from small start-up to national chain, you’ll find information in three areas: Start Up, Growth, and Sustain.
We know these are significant tasks and a big change, that’s why we’ve been working with providers to identify what would be most useful. The HUB has videos, tools, documents, links, helpful suggestions, and real-life case studies, all with a strong voice of the provider. | |
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New resource: EEF Guide to the Early Years Pupil Premium | |
The Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) has launched new guidance this month that will help early years settings to make the most of their increased Early Years Pupil Premium (EYPP) funding.
Published alongside new Department for Education (DfE) guidance, the EEF Guide to the Early Years Pupil Premium is based on the best available evidence of what works to support socio-economically disadvantaged children.
The guide recommends settings take a balanced approach to spending, encouraging them to develop quality practice, tailor personalised support, and thoughtfully plan and sustain their EYPP strategy. The resource outlines a step-by-step process for decision-making and includes information on evidence-informed approaches which contribute to high-quality education and care.
The EEF is calling on early years educators to explore these evidence-based resources and make full use of them in planning their EYPP spending. To access this guidance, click here. | |
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NDNA’s Healthy Body, Happy Me is back for 2025 with ‘Busy Bodies’ | |
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Get ready to jump, stretch, wriggle and roll, as this year we are celebrating all things active with our theme Busy Bodies. This year’s Busy Bodies theme is packed with activities designed to get children moving and excited about physical play. From tummy time to twisting bodies and twirling fingers, balancing like a flamingo and taking on a fun 10-minute daily challenge, we’re promoting active play every step of the way.
NDNA’s annual Healthy Body, Happy Me campaign encourages better health and happiness, by giving nurseries free resources for play, learning and fun, to aid children’s development for all ages.
Be prepared for Healthy Body, Happy Me. You can download your free resources, home learning pack and check out all of the week’s activities: https://ndna.org.uk/ndna-campaigns/healthy-body-happy-me/?utm_source=website&utm_medium=foundation_years_newsletter&utm_campaign=NDNA_healthy_body_happy_me_04_03_25 Healthy Body, Happy Me is proudly sponsored by Hope | |
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Early Years Stronger Practice Hubs | |
Early Years Stronger Practice Hubs will continue to provide support to regional networks of early years practitioners in England to share knowledge, effective practice and evidence-based approaches until at least March 2026. The programme includes a range of funded professional development opportunities.
Using the website and resources The Stronger Practice Hub website enables practitioners to find their local hub and to access the latest information on upcoming events and programmes. It contains useful resources, written by subject specialists, early years practitioners and a variety of hub partners. These resources are underpinned through themes contained in the Early Years Evidence Store created by the DfE’s evidence partner on this project, the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF).
You can find your nearest Stronger Practice Hub and get involved at: www.strongerpracticehubs.org.uk/hubs. | |
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Foundation Years is funded by the Department for Education and brought to you by Begin Bright. |
Our mailing address is: foundationyears@beginbright.com | | | |
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