Early Years Alliance

Become a member | www.eyalliance.org.uk Become a member Working in the early years sector can be one of the most rewarding jobs there is. As an education professional, you get to shape the next ge ...

Not yet a member? Find out more about the benefits of Alliance membership here: www.eyalliance.org.uk/become-a-member or fill out our 10-second form and a member of our membership team will arrange a convenient time to answer any questions you have: bit.ly/3LZBb8D

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EY Instant Update. early years policy update for alliance members. The Department for Education has published plans to improve support and funding for children and young people with special educational need and disabilities (SEND).

The government has published its plans for significant reforms to SEND provision across the education sector, including early years provision.

Alliance members: check your inbox for a summary of the changes.

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Alliance Connect Roadshows: Building Belonging Join us as we celebrating the power of difference to create kinder, stronger and more inclusive early years environments! Book your place at one of our two upcoming events in London and Manchester vi...

The first 50 to buy a ticket will receive a free publication!

Alliance members: £55
Non-members: £90

Thursday 16 April, 9.30am - 4pm
London
bit.ly/3LxcvDW

Thursday 15 October, 9.30am - 4pm
Manchester
bit.ly/4aXn11Q

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Alliance Connect Roadshows: Building Belonging Join us as we celebrating the power of difference to create kinder, stronger and more inclusive early years environments! Book your place at one of our two upcoming events in London and Manchester vi...

We’re pleased to be joined by Ofsted Chief Inspector Sir Martyn Oliver at our London event, and Sam Sleeman-Boss and Wendy Ratcliff from Ofsted at our Manchester event.

London: bit.ly/3LxcvDW
Manchester: bit.ly/4aXn11Q

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Alliance Connect Roadshow: Building belonging

Celebrating the power of difference to create kinder, stronger, and more inclusive early years environments

Join us at one of our two Alliance Connect Roadshows taking place this year.

Book today!
London: bit.ly/3LxcvDW
Manchester: bit.ly/4aXn11Q

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FREE Alliance Connect: Making movement matter

Join us for this session with Angelo Ciccarelli, the founder of Super Star Sport and passionate advocate for giving children the opportunity to develop a love of physical activity and movement.

Tuesday 27 Jan, 6.30pm - 7.30pm

Book now! bit.ly/3NeYA65

- an under-twos funding rate of £12.04 from 1 April 2026, an average increase of 4.28% compared to 1 April 2025. Individual council under-twos rates here: bit.ly/4pHsU7Q

Read more: bit.ly/4aiLezd

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- an average two-year-old funding rate of £8.90 from 1 April 2026, an average increase of 4.36% compared to 1 April 2025. Individual council two-year-old rates here: bit.ly/4s2ZXow

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@departmentforedu.bsky.social has confirmed that local authorities in England will receive:

- an average three- and four-year-old funding rate of £6.42 from 1 April 2026, an average increase of 4.95% compared to April 2025. Individual council three- and four-year-old rates here: bit.ly/4oTL2Kk

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Increased local authority funding rates announced for early years in 2026-27 | www.eyalliance.org.uk LAs will receive average funding increases of 4.3% for under-twos, 4.4% for two-year-olds and 4.95% for three- and four-year-olds

The government has today confirmed the local authority funding rates for 2026/27 (frontline provider rates will be confirmed by individual local authorities by 28 February 2026).

Read more: bit.ly/4aiLezd

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All Best Start Family Hubs will be expected to have a SEND professional and services to support speech and language development, the government has confirmed today.

www.eyalliance.org.uk/news-events/...

Childcare & Education Expo's CPD Seminar Programme is officially live 🎉

To book your seminars, register first and then log into your Visitor Hub to book: forms.reg.buzz/childcare-ex...

View the full programme here: www.childcareeducationexpo.co.uk/london-progr...

Neil Leitch, CEO of the Early Years Alliance, said: "... in theory, plans to boost the wages of the lowest paid should be positive news for the sector. The reality is, however, that without adequate govt funding, these changes could be the final nail in the coffin for EY businesses."

Podcast: Just the Start: Nutrition in Early Years Settings | Early Years Series Hannah Brinsden, Head of Policy and Advocacy at the Food Foundation is with a panel of experts for a deep dive into the food provision in Early Years settings to make sure that all children can get a ...

Alliance CEO Neil Leitch took part in a new podcast with the Food Foundation, discussing food poverty in the early years, why government must do more to support the provision of health meals and snacks in PVI settings and more.

You can listen here: foodfoundation.org.uk/news/podcast...

DfE evaluation finds early years recruitment bonus scheme failed to boost sector applications | www.eyalliance.org.uk The DfE's evaluation of pilot recruitment scheme found that it had "no measurable increase in ... the number of applicants per vacancy"

A newly-published evaluation of the Department for Education’s (DfE) Early Years Financial Incentives pilot scheme has found that it failed to meet its objectives.

It found that the scheme had “no measurable increase in … the number of applicants per vacancy”.

Read more: bit.ly/4oLMI98

New government figures highlight need for urgent action on the early years in the upcoming Budget | www.eyalliance.org.uk The 'funded' early education and childcare scheme is at risk due to ongoing issues with staffing and finances, according to new figures

The expansion of the government’s ‘funded’ early education and childcare scheme is at risk due to financial and staffing pressures, new statistics from the Department for Education (DfE) reveal.

Read more: bit.ly/3L91dFE

Ofsted has today confirmed significant changes to how it will inspect education settings – incl. early years providers – going forward.

The changes, which will come into effect from 10 Nov, follow a recent consultation into proposed inspection reforms: www.eyalliance.org.uk/news/2025/09...

Education Committee launches new inquiry into early years sector - Committees - UK Parliament The Education Committee has today launched an inquiry into the early years sector, looking at issues around the sustainability of its workforce, families’ access to services and the quality of o...

The Education Committee has launched an inquiry into the early years sector looking at issues around the sustainability of the workforce, families’ access to services and the quality of outcomes for young children.

committees.parliament.uk/committee/20...

Government announces next phase of school-based nursery expansion The government is inviting more schools to bid for up to £150,000 of funding from a £45 million pot to create a further 300 new or expanded school-based nurseries from September 2026.

The government has announced funding of £45 million to create a further 300 new or expanded school-based nurseries from September 2026.

However, the Alliance has called on government to place more focus on private and voluntary providers.

Read more: www.eyalliance.org.uk/news/2025/09...

5 Live Breakfast - Rick and Rachel announce the winner of our Sportswoman of the Century vote - BBC Sounds Rachel Burden and Rick Edwards with unique stories, and the biggest news and sport.

So all in all, great rhetoric, great soundbites – but the reality is that we have a sector that is struggling.”

bbc.in/3I3vAfj

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“This is the biggest initiative in terms of early years that we’ve had, right in the middle of a recruitment and retention where there is gross underfunding – and then we’ve just had the nice wallop of national insurance increases, which we are prohibited from passing on to parents.

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5 Live Breakfast - Rick and Rachel announce the winner of our Sportswoman of the Century vote - BBC Sounds Rachel Burden and Rick Edwards with unique stories, and the biggest news and sport.

Alliance CEO Neil Leitch appeared on BBC 5 Live Breakfast earlier, discussing the expanded early years entitlement that comes into effect today.

Listen from 11 minutes here: bbc.in/3I3vAfj

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New phase of DfE early years recruitment campaign encourages more men to join the early years workforce The latest phase of the government’s early years recruitment campaign will focus on increasing the number of male educators working in early years settings

The latest phase of the government’s early years recruitment campaign will focus on increasing the number of male educators working in early years settings, the Department for Education has announced.

Read more: bit.ly/3Hdjujm

Wealthier families more likely to benefit from government-funded hours than most disadvantaged families, new analysis reveals The richest households in England will be eight times more likely to benefit from the full roll-out of the government’s funded early entitlement expansion

The richest households in England will be eight times more likely to benefit from the full roll-out of the government’s funded early entitlement expansion than the most disadvantaged families, analysis by the New Economics Foundation (NEF) has found.

www.eyalliance.org.uk/news/2025/07...

Ofsted outlines measures to aid start of inspections under new framework Ofsted has today announced several measures to “reassure the education sector” about the rollout of the renewed Ofsted inspection framework in November.

@ofstednews.bsky.social has today announced several measures to “reassure the education sector” about the rollout of the renewed Ofsted inspection framework in November.

www.eyalliance.org.uk/news/2025/07...

Plans for professional early years register backed by sector and parents as a way to give educators the 'recognition they deserve' - Nursery World The sector and parents have welcomed the Government’s plans to introduce a professional register for early years staff, but stressed it ‘must be more than just names on a list’ and inclusive of the wh...

84% of parents of under-fives support the introduction of a professional register for early years staff, new research commissioned by the @coalitionedcare.bsky.social and conducted by More in Common, has found.

Read more: www.nurseryworld.co.uk/content/news...

Education committee chair calls for government action on early years funding The Labour MP has urged government to take action to prevent early years closures

Labour MP and chair of the Education Select Committee Helen Hayes called on the government to take action to ensure that early years settings aren’t forced to close as a result of the impact of high delivery costs and inadequate funding rates during a Westminister Hall debate on Wed:

bit.ly/4kuvfzy

What does the public really think about childcare and early education, and what do they want the Government to prioritise next?

Join a free panel discussion with @coalitionedcare.bsky.social and the Alliance’s Shannon Pite on Wednesday 16 July at 12pm: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/childcare-...

Commenting, Alliance CEO Neil Leitch welcomed the "ambitious and wide-ranging strategy" but stressed that "the ambitions detailed in this strategy can only – and will only – be possible with sufficient funding from government."

Alliance members: check your inbox for a full overview of the key changes outlined in the strategy document.

Not an Alliance member? Contact membership@eyalliance.org.uk or fill out this 10-second form to find out more about membership and how to join: bit.ly/4eRXh6c