Category: Research on Early Years Development

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Cockfosters Nursery Early Years Education Hadley Wood Nursery Pre-School Learning Research on Early Years Development

The fine balance between teaching and play

A recent report by Ofsted produced a good practice survey to address the recurring myth that teaching and play are separate activities in the early years education sector.

Inspectors visited a sample of the most successful early years providers to observe the interplay between teaching and play. All providers were selected because they were successful in achieving good or better outcomes for children.

You can read the full report here: Teaching and play in the early years: a balancing act

Read about Alphablocks Nursery School’s ethos and approach to early years education, as well as best practices on How to choose a nursery for your child.

Alphablocks Nursery School in Hadley Wood empowers children to become confident learners through a balanced combination of hybrid teaching methods and play.

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Cockfosters Nursery Early Years Education Early Years Foundation Stage Research on Early Years Development

Play’s the thing: new research directions on the importance of play from the University of Cambridge

A four year old girl (who happens to be my daughter, but this could be almost any child in that age group) is gathering sticks and leaves in the park. She uses them to make a tiny tent on the base of a large oak tree. I don’t interfere with her play, although I’m just near enough to make out some of the things she’s saying to her imaginary pets. Apparently, there is a storm coming and they have to protect themselves while she’s away. Later on, she will explain the whole situation to her friend, who’ll join her important project, and together they’ll ensure the safety of their extraordinary collection of pets – ranging from squirrels to unicorns. This is play in its purest form and, as most parents and early years educators would say, it seems to be extremely beneficial for the overall development and learning of children.

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The impact of spontaneous play on early learning cannot be overestimated – Alphablocks Nursery School & Pre-Prep, Hadley Wood
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Early Years Education Pre-School Learning Research on Early Years Development

Children who have early education get higher GCSEs

The long-awaited longitudinal study by EPPSE is finally out and provides parents and educators with some remarkable insights as to the importance of early learning.

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