Have the Newstainment shows (aka The News) gone the full soap and reality TV in their pursuits for dopamine clicks? Political reporting has to take the form of “GET AHT OF MY PUB” or ‘There’s going to be a fight at the reunion dinner…’ RIP tv journalism ⚰️

First swifts of the year on 8th May? I’m sure they aren’t the first but this seems early…🧐

Managed Moves - neither EXCLUSION nor INCLUSION? The latest SEBDA Newsletter has a transcript of the (free-to-view) podcast, where Marcia White talks about her research on managed moves, with Dr Rob Long and Dominic Gunn. sebda.org/newsletter/

Early Education London Conference 2026… With Julie Revels and Kerry Murphy. app.sheepcrm.com/early-educat... Education

Blow-torching food 🔥 Is this to my dinner what Little Wandle or Read, Write Inc is to literature and poetry? 😶

Co-working space with adjacent childcare. Do we have this anywhere in UK? (Thanks to Reasons to be Cheerful) reasonstobecheerful.world/little-break...

Well this is nice. And, no, you won’t hear about it on the newstainment programmes or phone-ins.

Including and Supporting All Children’ in Early Years…with me and Tamsin Grimmer. 25th August 2026 - a perfect start to the new academic year (or culmination of the last, for those of us who don’t close for summer holidays!) Just one of the valuable CPD events available through Early Education.

In this month’s issue, our Zeitgeister Caspar Henderson reminds us that we share a ‘play equation with penguins (thanks to John Mitchinson) PLAY=joy+learning

Words that many feel but beautifully, delicately put by Maya C Popa

Transition to Year R Good work, everyone! Here are some tips based on my findings since September 😉

Thanks to all those who enjoyed my 12 Days of Early Years Transition to Year R Christmas posts🎄 I’ve put them all on one page on the link below - let me know if i’ve forgotten something!

On the 12th Day of Transition to Year R Christmas, my Early Years Advisor said to me… 🎄Join or at least engage with trusted organizations like: Early Education, Froebel Trust, PEDAL, TACTYC... These will guide and fuel your practice and ensure you can articulate your pedagogy to senior leaders.

On the 11th Day of Transition to Year R Christmas, my Early Years Advisor said to me… 🎄Free-flow, outdoor learning, continuous provision, and ‘flow’ overlap but are not the same. Long child-led periods, with agency, enabled across environments, is a more helpful thought for you professionally.

On the Tenth Day of Transition to Year R Christmas, my Early Years Advisor said to me… 🎄EYFS is a sensory curriculum, to be presented in a sensory environment. Before you timetable sensory circuits or buy a ‘sensory room’, ensure you are confident about your ordinarily available sensory provision.

On the Ninth Day of Transition to Year R Christmas, my Early Years Advisor said to me… 🎄Do you really need all those transitions during the school day? The answer is ‘No’ and some will be educationally damaging. But some might be necessary, so make sure you know which is which.

On the Eighth Day of Transition to Year R Christmas, my Early Years Advisor said to me… 🎄Your children can’t see the visual communication aids when they are in the cupboard. (Not being over-critical - I’ve done it🤦‍♂️But we mustn’t).

On the Seventh Day of Transition to Year R Christmas, my Early Years Advisor said to me… 🎄Sing, Sing, Sing…and Sign! It’s much easier and more effective to sign for the whole class - no need to wait for Makaton training first (although recommended when the opportunity arises)

On the Sixth Day of Transition to Year R Christmas, my Early Years Advisor said to me… 🎄Children should not be directed to copy letter shapes before they have secured handwriting prerequisites. Ensure you know what these are and which unique child is still developing in this area.

On the Fifth Day of Transition to Year R Christmas, my Early Years Advisor said to me… 🎄Systematic Synthetic Phonics lessons as sole or even primary method for teaching reading and spelling will fail on average about 20% of your class. So don’t subject them to additional phonics catch up lessons.

On the Fourth Day of Transition to Year R Christmas, my Early Years Advisor said to me… 🎄When you have completed the DfE Child Development training modules (and you should) ask yourself for each child ‘What is developmentally meaningful?’ (Thanks to Kerry Murphy/ Diverse Pathways).

On the Third Day of Transition to Year R Christmas, my Early Years Advisor said to me… 🎄What does a Dojo (or your chosen extrinsic reward system) give a child that your loving, honest, connected relationship does not?

On the Second Day of Transition to Year R Christmas, my Early Years Advisor said to me… 🎄Did you know in Reception that the title is still ‘Keyperson’, not ‘Keyworker’? And it is statutory? And there is a good reason for this?

On the First Day of Transition to Year R Christmas, my Early Years Advisor said to me… 🎄Ask yourself if a commercial whiteboard programme making children sit and subitise at a level they already understood 18 months ago is necessary.

A few people have asked about the audit tool I've developed, aligned to the DFE writing framework. I've made it available here: www.lulu.com/shop/ruth-swailes/integrated-early-writing-talk-and-physical-development-audit-tool/ebook/product-v8qn2z9.html?q=integrated+early+writing&page=1&pageSize=4

Yr R and Assessment. If you’re feeling that we over-assess ‘progress’ in EYFS…that’s because we do! A fun, provocation with the help of a toy balloon and Carlo Rovelli here:

Brotastic Bubblenomics by Carole Cadwallader. Sometimes we have to work hard to make visual aids work. But when we do… open.substack.com/pub/broligar...

Absolutely, sing with young children. And that doesn’t include a whiteboard doing it for us btw! Recommended training by Early Education, Froebel, and me😁

For the attention of @sebdaorg.bsky.social and anyone considering the different values and purposes of ‘observation or surveillance?’

Siren Films have extended their free to watch offer on our short, but beautiful, film about sustainability at The Grove. Do share with friends and colleagues ...

Statutory guidance on "Children missing education" has been updated: It's not also statutory for schools and includes a summary of responsibilities, including for parents, and a policy and procedure checklist: www.gov.uk/government/public...

Monk Debunks - well worth sharing with anyone who is still to understand how grains of truth are manipulated by some media to present something utterly deceptive in order to generate outrage and conflict for their own personal gain. open.substack.com/pub/monkdebu...

Just a reminder about the excellent range of local and national events to fuel and inspire us this Autumn, from Early Education: early-education.org.uk/news/events/...

Useful reminder of Cathy Gunning’s previous advice on Healthy Settling for High Well-being. Also, that there is no ‘key worker’ in EYFS. The ststutory term, and requirement, is ‘Keyperson’. early-education.org.uk/settling-chi...

Although late to the cricket party, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed this. And not least because, after nearly 25 days of serious effort…there is no ‘winner’! The endeavour is still valued, and tells us so much about the individuals and the teams. Yes, assessment of children’s abilities is still on my mind.

Non-linear progress in Early Years. The National Strategies, 2008. Clearly accepted that educators can incorrectly or incompletely assess ‘progress’ if under-trained and reliant on linear assessment models. We’re not doing that now, are we? Especially with SEND, or non-SEND learning differences?

Is the Cornish word for ‘childish’ really ‘betwattled’?

@mrjamesob.bsky.social reading 1984 now, for all those who quote it without realising it is they who Orwell warns us about.

The ‘profound violence’ of Key Performance Indicators…

Read more about the Best Start in Life Strategy through the Early Education newsletter. ‘We welcome the emphasis on integrated services within the Early Years..’

Just discovered this from Emma Monk. Perfect for Mondays media (or statistics) lesson plan, teachers! coff.ee/MonkDebunks

www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/epis... Took a while to find it but here’s the gem. Femi thanking the teachers, social workers, therapists and everyone supporting young people 🫶

Children’s agency, as well as Teacher agency and Teaching Assistant agency, need to be understood and enabled far better if we are to improve education. Looking forward to Dominic and Yana’s book immensely.

Highly recommended! If only I was younger… tomorrowswarriors.org/2025/05/30/i...

@mrjamesob.bsky.social ‘When I grow up, I want to be Nick Abbot’ 😂😂😂😂😂😂 Is this a podcast? I’ve already subscribed in anticipation.

A few nice reminders from Book Trust. David Threlfall was great in Skellig at The Young Vic wasn’t he! elinkeu.clickdimensions.com/m/1/11332944...

Eton records 27% of its pupils with SEND in most recent data? We support children everywhere. But it’s a reminder that data isn’t simple or absolute. It needs unpicking and it needs context if it is to be useful at all. www.specialneedsjungle.com/19-5-pupils-...

Fascism, Art and Education. A mini post on the central role of art in education. substack.com/@dominicgunn...

I miss the days when there was understanding of the incredible benefits of properly supporting children and families. www.theguardian.com/education/20...

Timely. makaton.org/TMC/News_Sto...