Early years education

The government must step up to give early years pupils the best start in life | Letter

Letter: If the government does not step up, nursery closures will affect children for decades to come, writes Steve Brine MP

02, Feb, 2023 @6:28 PM

Good early years teaching may boost earnings of children in England – study

Study reports one in 40 primary schools in England produce entire classes likely to earn more than their peers

Richard Adams Education editor

26, Jan, 2023 @9:30 AM

‘They want toys to get their children into Harvard’: have we been getting playthings all wrong? – podcast

For decades we’ve been using toys to cram learning into playtime – and toys have been marketed as tools to turn children into prosperous, high-achieving adults. Is it time for a rethink?

Written by Alex Blasdel, read by James Sobol Kelly and produced by Jessica Beck. The executive producer was Ellie Bury

06, Jan, 2023 @5:00 AM

Thursday briefing: How to tackle the crumbling early-years childcare crisis

In today’s newsletter: Increasing costs and under-investment have left an industry struggling to survive. Could a radical overhaul not only help families but also boost the economy?

Nimo Omer

08, Dec, 2022 @7:01 AM

‘The whole setup is diabolical’: parents’ fears over childcare costs

As fees are to rise by as much as 19% in the new year many families are considering cheaper options

Sally Weale Education correspondent

08, Dec, 2022 @7:00 AM

The Observer view on radical change being needed to overcome elitism in education | Observer editorial

In acting as a conveyor belt to the most sought-after jobs, many schools shut out more able young people

Observer editorial

04, Dec, 2022 @6:00 AM

Seven in 10 nurseries in England warn fees will rise amid energy crisis

Over 10% of early years providers say they will close if energy bill relief scheme not extended, survey reveals

Sally Weale Education correspondent

02, Dec, 2022 @10:30 PM

UK parents: are your children’s nursery costs increasing in January?

We want to hear from parents who have been told their child’s nursery costs will go up in the new year

Guardian community team

30, Nov, 2022 @11:38 AM

The Guardian view on the pandemic’s educational impact: make good learning losses | Editorial

Editorial: Increasing numbers of primary-age pupils are missing targets. Nurseries as well as schools need resources to catch up

Editorial

24, Nov, 2022 @6:55 PM

‘They want toys to get their children into Harvard’: have we been getting playthings all wrong?

The long read: For decades we have been using toys to cram learning into playtime – and toys have increasingly been marketed as helping to turn children into prosperous, high-achieving adults. But it turns out this approach is all wrong

Alex Blasdel

24, Nov, 2022 @6:00 AM

UK parents: have you left the workforce because of childcare issues?

We’d like to hear from parents who have decided to leave work because of the cost of childcare