Early Years News March 2026

Welcome to March! As early years providers across the country prepare to start their spring activities and put winter behind them, Childcare.co.uk has trawled through the latest information and updates to make it easier for you to get on with the more important job of caring for children.

Latest resources from Childcare.co.uk have also been published with this aim in mind. You can see them all in the Ofsted inspection section of the website and search for resources by name using the useful resource library.

Kindred² school readiness report 2025

The latest Kindred² school readiness report for 2025 has been published and it does not make easy reading.

Survey results show an increasing number of children are struggling with key skills for starting school and the number of children who are not 'school ready' has risen from 34% to 37% since 2024.

The main issues observed by teachers are around toileting (lost teaching hours taking children to the toilet or changing nappies), emotional regulation (lack of perseverance and more dysregulation), independence (getting dressed, eating) and basic language skills (listening to books, responding to instructions, asking questions) with the highest concerns in the northeast of England, west Midlands and parts of London.

The team at Kindred² state that they believe school readiness to be critical. They feel that parents do not have the right information to support their children either – so it's clearly important that you, as an early years provider, let parents know what you are working on with the child to help them prepare for school.

Will the Govt's Best Start in Life Strategy make a difference? There is information about 'school readiness' on the website alongside other resources and guidance. We will have to wait and see.

DfE – toilet 'training'

As part of their commitment to supporting providers and parents to ensure school readiness, DfE has updated information on the 'Help for early years providers' website to include a page on Toilet training.

There is also more guidance dedicated to potty training published by a coalition of experts on the Foundation Years website, which is backed by the Govt including a 'checklist', 'toilet story' for children and 'handout for parents'.

DfE – SEND reform white paper

DfE has released its white paper and a consultation about proposals to reform SEND support for children.

They are suggesting a tiered system of support – a universal offer for all children which DfE expects will meet the needs of most children and 3 layers of additional support including targeted (set out in an individual support plan - ISP), targeted plus (with input from health and education professionals) and specialist (through an EHCP). The intention is that EHCPs will only be created if the other layers of support are not working for the child.

The white paper emphasises starting SEND identification and support as early as possible, recognising that the earlier a child's additional needs are spotted and planned for, the better the outcomes over time. Early years settings will be expected to work alongside Best Start Family Hubs to deliver the new initiative. This means that you might be expected to engage earlier and more formally with identifying concerns and working with parents and local partners – for example, collaborating with health visitors, special educational needs coordinators (SENCOs) and family support services, to plan early support.

This is already exemplified in the Ofsted early years inspection handbook which evaluates 'inclusion' throughout inspection and shows the direction policy is moving in over the coming years.

DfE – updated funding statutory guidance

DfE has published the latest update to their early years funding statutory guidance for Local Authorities (9.2.2026) which will replace the current statutory guidance in April 2026.

They haven't published a changes document alongside it, so it might take some time reading through to spot any relevant changes. I note the requirement that extra charges to parents are voluntary remains in place and the word 'free' is used repeatedly. I also note one of the main changes, relating to when councils can withdraw funding as a result of lower Ofsted gradings, begins with immediate effect (see the section 'Inspection judgements and specified grades' (see below).

Some sections of the statutory guidance have been worded differently but have the same meaning:

• Charging guidance – providers can still make voluntary charges to parents for meals, consumables and activities but these must not be mandatory in order to take up a funded place.
• Places must be free – providers must be able to offer places that are totally free. However, nothing in the guidance dictates when or what patterns these must be offered.
• Additional hours – parents must not be told that they have to buy additional hours as a condition of taking up a funded place.
• Artificial breaks are not allowed – for example, telling parents they have to collect their children for a lunch break

There are some updates, for example:

• Deposits – A1.38 confirms that deposits should be refundable, but providers can keep a deposit for a funded place if the parent does not take up the place.
• Parental declaration – A1.43 states that the declaration (provided by your LA) must be completed before a parent takes up a place. There is a sample declaration provided as part of the guidance.
• Flexibility – A2.7 states there is no requirement for funded places to be taken on particular days or at particular times, 'unless the local authority has chosen to include additional terms in their arrangements with providers within the parameters set out in A4.12, there is no requirement that free places must be taken on, or delivered on, particular days of the week or at particular times of the day.'
• Safeguarding – A4.13 states that you must work with your LA safeguarding partnership and 'fully engage with the partnership.'
• Training – A4.15 states that the LA can 'impose' training or quality improvement requirements depending on the providers' inspection grade (more information to follow – see 'withdrawing funding').
• Child absences – A4.32 states LAs must use their discretion on child absences and can withdraw funding. The guidance states that, 'Local authorities should have assurances in place that these remain up to date.'

DfE – withdrawing funding

Clarification for those who have just read about funding withdrawal. Local Authorities have the power to withdraw all funding in the following circumstances:

• If safeguarding standards are graded 'not met.'
• If the 'leadership and governance' is judged as needing 'urgent improvement.'

In addition, councils may remove funding for the two-year-old entitlement for families receiving additional support if the 'leadership and governance' at a setting is judged as 'needs attention'. The council would need to show that there are available places at a high-quality provision nearby before removing funding for these places.

DfE – monthly funding payments

DfE has also announced that funding payments must be offered monthly for those providers who want to be paid that way. Some LAs have cited extra costs as a reason for paying termly but they will not be allowed to do this anymore from October 2026.

Your LA portal should be updated later in the year to show how they will make the payments available to you if you are currently not paid monthly and want that to change.

See A4.10 in the funding guidance from April 2026.

Ofsted – inspector training videos

Ofsted has made some of their inspector training videos available to providers. Labelled 'toolkit familiarisation' the videos explain how inspectors have been prepared for the changes to inspection under the new inspection framework.

Ofsted – banned dog breeds

Ofsted has released the following information (6.2.2026)

'We'd like to make you aware of our confirmed position regarding banned dog breeds in domestic childcare settings. We do not believe that banned breeds are compatible with childcare. This means any dog classified as a banned breed must be kept in an entirely separate area with no access to any space used by children when childcare takes place. We have worked with the Department for Education and the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to reach this decision.

We have updated our registration guidance to reflect this. This impacts childminders and childcare on domestic premises providers.

If we become aware that an existing provider has a banned breed of dog on the premises, we may need to take action to remove the risk to children. Providers already registered to provide childcare from a domestic premises where a banned breed of dog resides should contact us.

Inspectors will discuss the possible options available to providers and applicants as part of their work.'

Ofsted – inspection report findings

Childcare.co.uk has reviewed hundreds of early years inspection report cards from childminders and group settings to put together an unscientific list of commonly noted issues. The theory behind the recently published 'Inspection reports to 02.2026' blog is that we have done the hard work for you, so you can learn from the inspection areas that have recently tripped up early years settings.

Report findings are graded from 'expected standard' which Ofsted has described as a 'high bar' up to 'strong standard' or down to 'needs attention' and 'urgent improvement'.

Note that, according to practitioner feedback, inspectors have made it clear during a number of childminder inspections that the 'exceptional' grade is not available to childminders.

This Childcare.co.uk 'Inspection report findings' blog takes a close look at some of the areas you might want to use to focus on when auditing your setting and ways of working.

Richard, please add blog link.

Online safety – how to recognise a phishing / spam email or text

Unfortunately, some childminders were caught out by a phishing email recently – there were 2 including one saying the provider was suspended and another offering support grants. There are red flags that we all need to be aware of including –

• A link in the message to follow that does not look genuine – often it's a strangely suspicious combination of letters and numbers, for example 'Cutt.ly' is a URL shortening site that would never be used by a genuine company.
• A sending email or number that does not look genuine.
• Urgent language and fear tactics – often that you are being suspended or your account is about to be closed.
• Bad grammar or spelling.
• Pretending to be a govt agency or bank.
• The message does not include your name.
• Exclamation marks and coloured text suggesting urgency.
• Links and / or requests for personal information.
• Mismatched sender / reply addresses.
• Your phone or email might have put it into spam or include a spam warning with the message.

What should you do if you receive a phishing text or email?

• Do not follow the link.
• Do note reply 'stop' – it confirms to the sender that your number is active.
• Report the message if you know how.
• Block the incoming number / email address.
• Check with a trusted colleague if you are unsure.
• If you are on a computer, don't forget to keep your anti-virus software updated.

Ofsted has stated that they will never ask for personal or financial information using a text message link. Childcare.co.uk has asked Ofsted to comment on how they are going to reassure the sector, given most inspector pre-inspection phone calls are made from a withheld phone number.

Ofsted – inspection and safeguarding outcomes

A number of members are asking for support in understanding where safeguarding might go wrong during inspection. In the new Ofsted early years inspection framework the outcome for safeguarding is a binary 'met' or 'not met' evaluation. The inspection outcome is high stakes for providers, with a 'not met' evaluation leading to local authority decisions about whether to allow the provider to continue receiving funding payments.

For this reason, Childcare.co.uk researched and has written a Recent safeguarding concerns for childminders blog. Thankfully safeguarding issues in early years settings are rare, but it is important to recognise that safeguarding does sometimes go wrong and most of the issues identified by inspectors can be easily avoided with some forward planning.

Ofsted – excessive paperwork requests

Childcare.co.uk has received reports from providers who have been inspected recently stating that inspectors are asking to see assessment paperwork. It is not a requirement of the EYFS to complete paperwork beyond the statutory 'Progress check at 2' and it is not an expectation to complete any documentation – you can, for example, talk to parents about how their child is getting on and share information from your observations to support children's home learning.

If your inspector asks you for paperwork beyond the statutory, you are advised to ask them where it states that paperwork is required in the EYFS (paragraph 2.2) and to refer them to their own guidance which states that inspectors will not ask for additional documentation from providers.

There are also reports that inspectors are asking to see childminder / family DBS checks. Again, the Ofsted early years inspection guidance states that inspectors will not ask to see DBS checks – indeed, many childminders do not have them. you should refer Ofsted to their operating guide – part 3, 'Planning the timetable' for clarification.

Risk assessment – product recalls

There have been a number of product recalls recently – information about dangerous products which you can use for your early years setting to keep children safe and share with parents to support safety at home.

You will find updated product recall information on the Foundation Years website.

DfE – screen time guidance

In a new 'research brief' entitled Home learning environment and screen time at age 2 DfE announced plans to introduce official screen time guidance for parents and carers of pre-school children from April 2026. This guidance follows recent research which found that two-year-olds in the UK were spending an average of 90 minutes a day on digital devices.

In addition, you should be sharing information with parents about keeping children safe online – this is an Ofsted expectation. You should have received online safety training as part of the DSL element of your safeguarding training to comply with the EYFS Annex C safeguarding training requirements.

Ofsted – getting help for children

We have noted some Ofsted early years inspection feedback which needs to be unpicked.

While most Local Authority Health Visitor and / or SENCO support is only available to childminders with parental permission, Ofsted are expecting engagement with other professionals regardless of what parents say. For example, a childminder was criticised by her inspector for not approaching the health visitor to ask for support for a child who was obese – Ofsted felt they were doing enough by working on healthy eating with parents and supporting a healthy diet in the setting. In another example, parents refused to give a nursery permission to approach the SENCO for support their child because they didn't want the child to be labelled – the Ofsted inspector said this was not good enough and the nursery has a duty of care to request support for the child. In another instance, an inspector was critical of a term time pre-school who did not follow up with other agencies through the holidays when the pre-school was closed.

We must be mindful of Ofsted's answer to the question, 'What will happen in the inclusion section of the new inspection framework if you want to access support for a child, but parents refuse permission?'

Ofsted replied that 'When grading this evaluation area, we will consider what the setting has done to seek advice from external partners. Whether parents agree or not, leaders need to seek and implement advice from external partners and specialists and take a graduated approach.'

Childcare.co.uk has a webinar coming up on the graduated approach.

DfE – Packed lunches questions and answers

Foundation Years has released a blog with some commonly asked questions about packed lunches answered by DfE and Ofsted. The blog links to the latest DfE nutrition statutory guidance released in April 2025 and included in the EYFS 2025.

Childcare.co.uk has a recorded webinar with guidance on packed lunches.

Childcare Works – an inclusive curriculum

Are you confident that your curriculum is inclusive for every child? Curriculum is a 'hot topic' during inspection – your Ofsted inspector will ask about it during the initial planning call and then watch to see what you are doing during your inspection. You must be able to explain your curriculum confidently to your inspector. Inclusion is also a 'hot topic' during inspection, with an inclusion theme running through all other areas including curriculum and teaching.

The resources from Dingley's Promise are a useful read and watch – there is a handbook and there are some short films you can watch in your own time, which will help you to evaluate the inclusiveness of your current curriculum and give you ideas for how to explain your inclusive curriculum during inspection.

Childcare.co.uk also has a library of flexible resources to support your curriculum development, linked to however you work – next steps, play based, linked to children's interests, holistic learning etc.

Ofsted – instead of a badge

When you are re-inspected using the new inspection toolkit you can no longer use your 'outstanding' or 'good' badge in your advertising (see Ofsted's early years inspection information guidance). Instead, Ofsted's Sir Martyn Oliver emailed all providers to inform them that they will be provided with a new QR code individual to the setting and they are encouraging providers to display it alongside any comments about their inspection outcome they might include in advertising – for example, banners, leaflets and brochures. Ofsted state that this will help to maintain 'transparency and accessibility in sharing inspection outcomes.'

Safeguarding – domestic abuse

A multi-agency report on domestic abuse has recently been published from Ofsted, Care Quality Commission, HM Inspectorate of Constabulary of Fire and Rescue Services and HM Inspectorate of Probation. The report 'looks at how local partnerships and services respond to children who are at risk of, or who have been victims of, domestic abuse' and the stated aim of the report is to help improve practice, knowledge and understanding for local areas, partners and agencies working in domestic abuse.

The most effective outcomes were reported when all agencies and professionals work together to support the child. This includes early years providers who might notice a concern around domestic abuse and notify other agencies and professionals to get help for the family.

Group planning for March

March is a lovely month for early years planning – the worst of the winter weather is usually behind us and the ground is warming up ready for spring planting. We can visit baby animals at the farm and might spot baby birds in the trees. We will hopefully start to enjoy longer days outside without being wrapped up in winter coats, boots and scarves.

This year, Childcare.co.uk gold member monthly planning guides are focusing on special days in the curriculum which will build into a useful library of 'events' which you can dip into through the years.

The planned activities for March include –

• Overarching theme – baby animals and birds.
• Week 1 – St David's Day.
• Week 2 – Mothering Sunday.
• Week 3 – St Patrick's Day.
• Week 4 – World Water Day.
• Week 5 – Easter.

Childcare.co.uk free webinars for March

March is going to be a busy month for webinars, with 5 planned FREE training sessions for Childcare.co.uk members. Webinars are presented at 7pm on Tuesday evenings and recorded for Childcare.co.uk gold members to watch again in their own time.

The planned webinars for March 2026 include:

• 3rd March – Scaffolding Learning – how practitioners work alongside children to observe, assess and plan during play. Based on Vygotsky's 'Zone of Proximal Development' this approach breaks complex tasks into manageable steps, gradually removing support as children gain independence.
• 10th March – Fundamental Movement Skills – Ofsted has stated in their inspection framework that they expect to see practitioners 'explicitly teach' fundamental movement skills but what are they and how can they be included in the curriculum?
• 17th March – Maths and Explicit Teaching – Ofsted has stated in their inspection framework that they expect to see practitioners 'explicitly teach' mathematics and inspection reports are noting when practitioners miss opportunities for maths. In this webinar, we will look at how to include maths in everything we do.
• 24th March – Resilience in the Early Years – the latest Kindred² school readiness report notes that children are starting school without the resilience skills they need to manage in a busy classroom. This webinar will look at some of the ways we can build children's resilience.
• 31st March – Responding to Inspection – as the new Ofsted inspection framework continues to raise concerns among providers about some of the decisions inspectors are making, we will discuss how to respond if you are unsure your inspection is a fair representation of your normal service and what to do if you want to raise a complaint.

More information and resources

Childminder Guides

Childminder Paperwork

Childminder Policies

Childminder Organiser

Childminder Diary

Childminder e-books

Childminder Budget Planner

Safeguarding Quick References Cards

COEL Quick Reference Cards

Health & Safety Toolkit

Information Sheets for Parents

Early Years Safety Blog

Activities Ideas & Resources

Childminder Insurance
 

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