Nursery News
Find out the top nurseries in 2024
24 Apr 2024 News
The top nurseries in the UK have been announced by daynurseries.co.uk, the leading nursery reviews site. Looking for the right nursery for your child isn’t easy. You need to see if it is in the right location,.....
Should nurseries ditch words 'boys' and 'girls' and use inclusive pronouns like 'they', 'them' or 'theirs'?
21 Sep 2022 Debates
Jackie Irvine, chief executive of Care Inspectorate
YES
Scotland’s care regulator the Care Inspectorate has issued new guidance for nurseries (in partnership with the gender equality organisation Zero Tolerance Scotland) recommending nurseries ‘use more inclusive...
Zoë Raven, chief executive of Acorn Early Years FoundationNO
Zoë Raven, is the founder and chief executive of Acorn Early Years Foundation, which
runs 17 nurseries in Milton Keynes and Northamptonshire.
Zoë Raven who established her first nursery 30 years ago,........
Should smacking children be banned in England?
21 Mar 2022 Debates
Welsh government, Wales
YES
Wales has now joined Scotland and a whole host of other nations in banning physical punishment of children, which includes smacking, hitting and slapping.
From 21 March, it is illegal to physically punish...
Westminster, EnglandNO
Westminster says it has no plans to ban smacking in England, claiming it would wrongly criminalise parents.
In England, you have the legal right to smack your child if it is 'reasonable punishment'. If........
Should nurseries ban superhero costumes and toy weapons?
20 Nov 2016 Debates
Dr Sharon Lamb, professor of mental health at University of Massachusetts
YES
Some nurseries have banned superhero costumes, toy swords and guns claiming ‘they encourage aggression and violence’.
This move seems to be backed up by research by Dr Sharon Lamb, professor of mental health at University...
Mini MoHo Nursery, EastbourneNO
A nursery has warned that banning superhero costumes and toy weapons could have a ‘negative impact on children’s development, particularly boys’.
Mini MoHo Nursery in Eastbourne, has drawn up a policy explaining why it encourages........
Is controlled crying harmful for babies?
30 Jun 2016 Debates
Sarah Ockwell-Smith, Author of The Gentle Sleep Book
YES
“Leaving a baby to cry evokes physiological responses that increase stress hormones. Crying infants experience an increase in heart rate, body temperature and blood pressure. These reactions are likely to result in overheating...
Mandy Gurney, Founder of the Millpond Sleep ClinicNO
Controlled crying is a sleep training method that teaches children to sleep independently.
“Controlled crying does not mean you abandon your baby to their tears but instead you return to briefly check them at set intervals........
Should the Government reinstate Functional Skills as an alternative to GCSE English and maths for Level 3 nursery practitioners?
16 Jun 2016 Debates
Julie Hyde, executive director, CACHE (Council for Awards in Care, Health and Education)
In 2014 the Government changed the requirements so that all Level 3 Early Years Educators (EYEs) must have at least a C grade in GCSE English and in GCSE maths to count in the ratios. Before this, Functional Skills had been accepted...
Nikki Palmer, assistant head of Early Years education at City of Wolverhampton CollegeWhen this first came out I strongly agreed that functional skills qualifications were a better alternative for the work that early years professionals actually do, I’m now not so sure.
What worries me more than anything is the........
Should teachers boycott baseline tests for four-year-olds?
10 Mar 2016 Debates
Dr Richard House, Co-founder of Early Childhood Action, education campaigner, trained Steiner Kindergarten and class teacher
YES
From 2016, all primary schools in England will have to test children when they start school at the age of four. High-achieving schools will be able to opt out of the testing from 2023 and will be judged on Year 6 attainment....
Department for Education, GovernmentNO
The Government claims that a baseline assessment of children’s literacy and numeracy as soon as they start school will enable their progress through the school to be measured better.
A Department for Education spokesperson........
Should nurseries provide gender-specific activities?
14 Oct 2015 Debates
Jenny Buckley, headteacher at Chichester Nursery and Children’s centre
YES
Gender-specific activities can aid children’s development at nurseries particularly boys, according to the head teacher at Chichester Nursery and Children’s Centre.
Jenny Buckley has introduced gender specific activities...
Jess Day, spokeswoman for Let Toys Be ToysNO
Let Toys Be Toys is a voluntary group of parents campaigning against the targeting of specific genders in the marketing of toys.
Spokeswoman Jess Day believes that any activities tailored to attract a specific gender are........
Should schools take children from the age of two?
07 Jun 2015 Debates
Nicky Morgan, Education Minister
YES
The Government is pushing for more school nurseries to take toddlers. It is encouraging schools to do this by removing red tape so they don’t have to register with Ofsted to take two-year-olds.
It also wants school nurseries...
Neil Leitch, chief executive of Pre-School Learning AllianceNO
Critics opposed to the plan claim the Government is just trying to provide childcare on the cheap.
They also argue it is leading to a ‘schoolification’ of the early years, and the money that is being spent on a pilot scheme........
Should nurseries allow parents to watch their child using webcams?
02 Jul 2014 Debates
Dan Powick, owner, Rendlesham Day Nursery and Bridge Farm Day Nursery
YES - When Dan Powick opened Rendlesham nursery with his wife Tina in 2005, one of the first things they did was to fit webcams into the nursery. Mr Powick only wanted to employ staff members who felt confident...
Karen Quinton, manager, Bright Stars Childcare ServicesNO - Karen Quinton operates Bright Stars Childcare Services in her family home in Sutton-in-Ashfield and believes the use of webcams in childcare settings are “obtrusive.”
Ms Quinton said: “My staff and I work........
Should the Government provide free universal childcare?
06 Mar 2014 Debates
Dalia Ben-Galim, associate director for families and work, IPPR (Institute of Public and Policy Research)
Currently, the Government funds 15 hours of free childcare for all three to four-year-olds and disadvantaged two-year-olds in England. Wales and Scotland follow similar policies.
However the think tank IPPR (Institute for Public...
Dr Richard House, senior lecturer in Early Childhood at the University of Winchester and founder of Early Childhood ActionDr Richard House believes universal childcare would be bad for both children and family life and is being proposed for the good of the economy rather than for children’s wellbeing.
He says: “In 'The Condition of Britain' report,........
Should Early Years Teachers have Qualified Teacher Status?
29 Nov 2013 Debates
Professor Cathy Nutbrown, head of the School of Education at Sheffield University
YES
Professor Nutbrown wrote the Nutbrown Review, which called for an increase in the number of qualified teachers with specialist early years knowledge.
She has said she is “disappointed” with the proposals in ‘More Great Childcare’...
Elizabeth Truss, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Education and ChildcareNO
In the Government’s report ‘More Great Childcare’, Elizabeth Truss said “we will introduce graduate-level Early Years Teachers specifically trained to teach young children. The Effective Provision of Pre-School Education Project........
Is it beneficial for children to use ICT in nursery?
14 Oct 2013 Debates
John Siraj-Blatchford, honorary professor at the University of Swansea centre for child research
YES
John Siraj-Blatchford argues that there is substantial research evidence supporting the use of ICT in early childhood.
He says: "I am keen to promote the use of mobile touch screen technologies in early childhood because...
Sue Palmer, literacy expert and author of the bestseller Toxic ChildhoodNO
An increasing number of nurseries have got interactive boards and computers whilst a small but growing number have even gone as far as buying iPads for their children to use.
However former head teacher, Sue Palmer believes........
Should the Government change legislation so parents decide whether summer-born children start school later?
09 Oct 2013 Debates
Dr Richard House, senior Lecturer in Education (Early Childhood), University of Winchester and chair, Early Childhood Action (ECA)
Dr Richard House would like to see every parent being given the choice of when their summer-born child starts school. Currently it is up to the local authority, which means parents have to battle to get a decision in their favour,...
Elizabeth Truss, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Education and ChildcareIn a recent Westminster parliamentary debate, Elizabeth Truss agreed with many campaigners who have been advocating parental flexibility in terms of summer-borns. However she is not in favour of a legislation change which would give........
Should there be more formal testing of young children?
04 Jul 2013 Debates
Sir Michael Wilshaw, Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector, Ofsted
YES
Sir Michael Wilshaw, Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector, would like to see more nurseries carrying out regular assessments of children as he believes the most effective nurseries are those which regularly assess children and set...
Dr Richard House, senior lecturer in Early Childhood Studies, University of WinchesterNO
Dr Richard House sees Sir Michael’s push for more testing of young children as “the creeping ‘schoolification’ of early childhood in England” and questions Sir Michael’s evidence for the “best nursery and primary schools”, asking........
Do you agree with the childcare minister that British nurseries are ‘chaotic’ and need more structure?
09 May 2013 Debates
Elizabeth Truss, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Education and Childcare
YES
Childcare minister, Elizabeth Truss, recently launched an attack on nurseries in Britain, saying many are “chaotic”, “where children are running around” and “there’s no sense of purpose”.
She made the comments in an interview...
Sarah Steel, managing director of the Old Station Nursery chainNO
Ms Steel found the childcare minister’s comments on nurseries in the UK “so disappointing”.
She said: “Ms Truss seems to have fallen in love with all things French and the latest assertion is that French children have lovely........
Two-thirds of councils are failing to ensure there is enough affordable childcare. Who is to blame?
08 Mar 2013 Debates
Anand Shukla, chief executive of Daycare Trust and Family and Parenting Institute
The Government needs to help as councils are struggling with budget cuts
The Childcare Costs Survey 2013 by the Daycare Trust and Family and Parenting Institute revealed that two out of three local authorities...
Spokesperson, Department for EducationIt is up to councils to ensure there is enough affordable childcare in your area
A Government spokesperson said: “By law, councils must make sure there are enough childcare services in their area.
“Many parents........
Would cutting staff ratios reduce the quality of care in nurseries?
10 Jan 2013 Debates
Stephen Twigg, Labour's Shadow Education Secretary
YES
Childcare minister, Elizabeth Truss, wants a deregulated childcare system similar to that of France which could see early years practitioners being responsible for up to eight children.
Currently in nurseries and pre-schools,...
Elizabeth Truss, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Education and ChildcareNO
Childcare minister Elizabeth Truss wants to reform the way childcare is organised and provided in order to offer parents a more flexible and affordable system. One of her solutions is to increase the child to adult ratios in........
Should nurseries shun traditional nativities and put on secular plays that are more inclusive?
12 Dec 2012 Debates
A secular nursery, based in Scotland
YES
Britain is becoming increasingly multicultural with a diverse range of religions and cultures. In order to be inclusive many nurseries have gone down the path of putting on secular plays at Christmas time. The latest Census...
Zoe Raven, managing director of Acorn ChildcareNO
Zoe Raven who runs nine nurseries in Milton Keynes and Northamptonshire believes it is political correctness that has gone too far and says: “Children from all cultural backgrounds can enjoy the Christmas story as well as other........
Should early years frameworks have second-language teaching included among their key objectives?
07 Nov 2012 Debates
Dr Frank Monaghan, vice chair and senior lecturer, Open University in London
YES
The early years forms a critical stage in children’s development. If children are to become and remain bilingual, early years settings have a role to play in providing opportunities for ‘additive’ rather than ‘subtractive’...
Dr Fiona Copland & Dr Sue Garton, senior lecturers in TESOL (Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages), Aston UniversityNO
“We should state clearly from the start that we are in favour of introducing languages into schools at all ages. However, both the theoretical issues and the practical implications of formally learning languages at an early........