Blogs

The Ofsted workshop at the recent Coram PACEY conference offered a detailed walkthrough of the renewed inspection framework, with a strong focus on transparency

Home-based childcare may be small in scale, but as the panel of practitioners made abundantly clear, its impact is vast. At the recent Coram PACEY conference

In the landscape of early years education, where policies shift, pressures rise, and childhood itself sometimes feels rushed, Georgina

In every community, there are people whose work quietly shapes the daily lives of families. For many in her corner of Sidcup, that person is Carol.

When we talk about homebased childcare, nannies are often overlooked — yet they occupy one of the most intimate, complex, and impactful roles in early childhood care.

When Monira first became a childminder more than a decade ago, she never imagined how deeply the role would reshape her identity, her confidence

During Childminding Week 2026, Coram PACEY joined a REACHout network meeting in Hertfordshire, a small group of childminders

Coram PACEY launched Childminding Week 2026 in Plymouth, by hosting a Stay and Play in collaboration with Plymouth City Council.

Looking back on Childminding Week 2026, I feel an immense sense of pride in what we achieved as a community, and I am overwhelmed by the support that we have received from childminders

In the 1970s and 1980s, 83% of children were out of nappies by 18 months old. Today, 1 in 4 children start reception in nappies.

This sensory play activity provides young children with a hands-on opportunity to explore caring for the environment. Through imaginative play, children are introduced to the idea that oceans can become polluted and that they can help to make a difference. The activity encourages curiosity, cooperation and early awareness of looking after the world around them in a simple and engaging way.

Dummies can be a helpful way to comfort and settle babies, especially in the early months. However, as children grow, it’s important to balance dummy use with lots of opportunities to talk, listen and interact. These tips will help staff to support parents to make confident, informed decisions about when and how to use a dummy and how to reduce reliance on it over time.

Our tips focus on two areas where individual responsiveness makes a particularly significant difference: the learning environment and inclusive practice.

St George never visited England – so what better way to mark his day than by finding out where he came from with this activity guide for nurseries.

Playdough offers a rich sensory experience that nurtures creativity, imagination and fine motor development. Create an inviting space where children feel inspired to explore and engage in sensory play. This open-ended experience encourages children to experiment, create and express their ideas freely, supporting their curiosity and individuality.

Peer observations are a valuable approach for developing a reflective and supportive culture that promotes high-quality practice. They provide opportunities for practitioners to learn from one another, share ideas and strengthen collaborative working.

Support children to develop positive attitudes and interests in mathematics through engaging activities to explore shape. Our activity takes children into their local community to identify shapes in a familiar environment.

Providing meaningful opportunities for the voice of the child requires adults to genuinely listen, act upon what children are sharing and to teach children the power and importance of their own voice. Review our top tips below to assess your daily practice for including the voice of the child in your setting.

This activity supports practitioners to create a special picture book by inviting children to draw their own ideas as part of a shared story. Adults are there to support each child with their picture and write down their words, helping to build language and confidence. All the pages are then put together into a book to read and enjoy as a group, celebrating every child’s contribution and creating

Supporting families with healthy eating is an important part of promoting children’s overall well-being. By building positive relationships and sharing simple, achievable strategies, you can help parents feel more confident in creating healthy eating habits at home that work for them and their children.