Where Small Data Grows up
When people talk about career progression, it’s usually about moving up. Becoming a manager. Leading a team. Running an organisation. But in early childhood education and care, that’s not the only — or even the best — way to grow. In fact, for many practitioners, career development isn’t about leaving the classroom. It’s about deepening …
Continue reading "Career pathways in early years: Why it’s not just about climbing the ladder"
Qualifications matter — not just for compliance, but for confidence, capability and career progression. Yet the situation seems different in early childhood education and care. Across England’s group-based providers, the data tell a clear story: most staff stop at Level 3 — and not because they want to. According to the Department for Education (2024): …
Continue reading "Qualification plateau: Why early years staff get stuck at level 3"
Early years settings in England face a simple math problem. Most government-funded early education and childcare places are underfunded, particularly those for three- and four-year olds, making it nearly impossible for providers to raise wages without increasing fees or cutting quality. Let’s break it down: 1️⃣ Funding doesn’t match delivery costsThe DfE’s own data (e.g. the …
Continue reading "Why higher funding is the cornerstone of a sustainable early years sector"
Staff turnover in early years settings isn’t just high — it’s chronic. Each year, 18% - 20% of the early years workforce in England leaves the sector entirely. That’s one in five educators walking away from a profession that supports children at the most sensitive stage of development. The reasons are familiar: low pay, limited progression opportunities, lack of …
Continue reading "1 in 5 early years educators leave every year"
We have heard it before: early years educators in England are low paid and undervalued. We usually discuss their pay in terms of hourly wage, but let’s look at this like with every other profession: by annual salary. A graduate working full time in a nursery typically earns a starting salary of around £27,000 a year. …
Continue reading "Degree-qualified early educators earn the same as dog walkers"
Sara Bonetti Research 