By Dr. Aaron Bradbury Home visits used to be part of early years practice as standard. There was a time when they weren’t an optional extra or something you squeezed in if you had time. They were simply what we did because we understood something basic: children settle best when relationships come first. But across the sector, home visits are becoming less common, I’m being told so at events and conferences. Some are being shortened, replaced with phone calls, or removed comp

By Dr. Aaron Bradbury Early years is rich with approaches. Let me be clear from the outset: there is nothing wrong  with choosing an approach. Approaches can give teams shared language, confidence, coherence, and a sense of direction. They can help practitioners articulate what they believe and why they work in the way they do, and that in itself is not a problem. Many settings find security, shared language, and professional confidence through aligning with a particular phil

By Dr. Aaron Bradbury In the days after my article on school readiness was published which you can read here  (Nursery World),  My inbox filled with messages from practitioners, teachers, leaders, and childminders from every corner of the early years sector. Many of them echoed one another, often almost word for word: “ Aaron, we completely agree. But how do we actually do this on the ground?” What struck me was not that professionals lacked strategies, far from it, but that

​ There’s a moment I return to again and again when I walk into an early years classroom. It’s that familiar sound, the hush of children gathered around the sand tray, the soft splash at the water table, the quiet hum of deep engagement. It’s a reminder that, no matter how much the sector shifts, the essentials haven’t changed. Sand and water. Two of the most powerful, underrated tools in early childhood education. Long before we talked about pedagogy frameworks, progress mea

By Dr. Aaron Bradbury As we celebrate World Nursery Rhyme Week, it’s the perfect moment to pause and reflect on the power of these familiar nursery rhymes. For many of us working in early childhood, nursery rhymes are so much more than simple songs, they’re the foundations upon which communication, language, and connection are built. The Power of Rhyme and Repetition Nursery rhymes help young children tune into the rhythm and flow of language. Through rhyme and repetition, ch

By Dr. Aaron Bradbury In an era where digital tools, phonics flashcards, and structured interventions often take centre stage, it’s easy to overlook the simple power of play by using play dough. Yet this humble, squidgy staple has stood the test of time for a reason. It embodies what the early years should be about, sensory exploration, creativity, communication, and connection. Let’s go back to basics and remind ourselves why play dough should never be an optional extra, but

By Dr. Aaron Bradbury There comes a point where you stop and ask yourself, what are we doing to our youngest children? Right now, I genuinely believe the early years are at a crossroads. On one side, we have decades of knowledge, research, and practice grounded in child development, understanding how children grow, learn, and flourish through play, relationships, and experience. On the other, we have a policy agenda that continues to narrow childhood into checklists: school r

By Dr. Aaron Bradbury At a time when politics, public opinion, and professional practice are colliding, the need for strong ethical...

In recent years, early years education has become increasingly shaped by frameworks, assessments, and accountability. While these...

Recently, some children in my area with parents who I know have young children, have started asking about the flags that have been put up...

There’s no denying it, something’s been missing in the fabric of early years support since the slow dismantling of Sure Start. Those...

Blog Post: There is a quiet revolution happening in early childhood education, one that is placing children, not checklists, at the heart...

In December 2024 (https://schoolsweek.co.uk/starmer-wants-75-of-children-school-ready-by-2028/), Labour leader Keir Starmer has made an...

“There is always an alternative. We just need to meet somewhere in the middle.” This sentiment stayed with us as we travelled to...

Click on the image below to link to an article by Claudio Siser, and published on the Male Childcare and Teaching Jobs website. In this...

When we talk about giving children the best possible start in life, the early years takes centre stage. These formative years, full of...

In early childhood education, one of the most powerful tools for learning is play. But not all play is created equal. There’s a...

A recent visual from the government claims that new school based nurseries will “save parents thousands of pounds.” While any policy that...

Recently I wrote an article for BERA called ' The Early Years and Play: The Last Bastion for Democracy and we should always, when...

In the world of early childhood education, we often focus on structured learning, developmental milestones, and curriculum goals. But...