Department For Education
Overview
Early years stronger practice hubs will provide advice, share good practice, and offer evidence-based professional development for early years practitioners.
The hubs are part of the early years education recovery support package which also includes the early years experts and mentors programme.
Early years stronger practice hubs are distributed across England. We have an ambition of 2 hubs in each of the 9 government office regions (18 in total).
Our final selection round is underway. We are looking for 6 new hubs one in each of the following regions:
- East Midlands
- East of England
- London
- North East
- North West
- Yorkshire and the Humber
The early years stronger practice hubs programme is supported by the Education Endowment Foundation and the National Childrens Bureau.
Whats involved
Early years stronger practice hubs will be funded for 2 years, until late 2024.
They will support other nurseries and childminders in their area to adopt evidence-based practice improvements, by:
- establishing local networks of early years educators to share knowledge and effective practice
- proactively sharing information and advice on evidence-based approaches - for example, through newsletters, blogs and social media
- acting as a point of contact for bespoke advice, and signposting to other funded support
- working with the Education Endowment Foundation to select evidence-based programmes to fund and make available to nurseries and childminders
More information about stronger practice hubs is available on the National Childrens Bureaus website.
How to apply
Early years settings can apply to become stronger practice hubs using the application form on theNational Childrens Bureaus website. You have until 17 March 2023 to apply.
The hubs
The first round of applications for hubs closed on 23 September 2022. Hubs are made up of a lead group-based setting and up to 4 additional partners. Some hubs may add additional partners to their partnership.
Further details will be made available about how early years educators can access support from the hubs.
East Midlands
Lead:
- Pen Green Centre
Partners:
- Kingswood Community Nursery
- Pen Green Centre (0-to-3 provision)
- Leona Smith (childminder)
- Charnwood Nursery and Pre-school
East of England
Lead:
- Highfield Nursery School
Partners:
- Early Years @ Highfield
- Early Years @ Highfield, Whitehouse
- Wigwams Nursery
- The Oaks Primary School
London
Lead:
- Sheringham Nursery School and Childrens Centre
Partners:
- St Barnabas Pre-school
- Honeys Childcare
North East
Lead:
- Benedict Biscop CE Academy (Northern Lights Learning Trust)
Partner:
- Sunningdale Special School
North West
Lead:
- Lime Tree Primary Academy (Bright Futures Educational Trust)
Partners:
- Wellfield Infant and Nursery School
- Stanley Grove Primary Academy (Bright Futures Educational Trust)
- Essa Primary Academy
South East
Lead:
- Blagdon Nursery School
Partners:
- Hungerford Nursery School Centre for Children and Families
- Victoria Park Nursery School and Family Hub
- Maidenhead Nursery School
- Dingleys Promise
Lead:
- Discovery Day Nursery
Partners:
- Northfleet Nursery School
- Smarties Nursery
- Oaks Day Nursery
- Gemma Maclachlan (childminder)
South West
Lead:
- St Pauls Nursery School and Childrens Centre
Partners:
- Redcliffe Nursery School
- Archfield House Nursery and Pre-school
- Millies Garden
- Springboard Opportunity Group, Clevedon
Lead:
- Plym Bridge Nursery and Day Care
Partners:
- Ham Drive Nursery School and Day Care
- The Cabin
- Beckys Tiny Teddies
West Midlands
Lead:
- Bloomsbury Nursery School
Partner:
- Castle Vale Nursery School
- Weoley Castle Nursery School
- Adderley Nursery School
- Norton Hall Children and Family Centre
Lead:
- Ryders Hayes School (Ryders Hayes Academy Trust)
Partners:
- Fullbrook Maintained Nursery School
- Abu Bakr Day Nursery
- Kiddies Playhouse
Yorkshire and the Humber
Lead:
- St Edmunds Nursery School
Partners:
- Childrens Place Day Nursery, Dewsbury
- Dixons Allerton Academy
- Belinda OHare (Childminder)
- Co-op Academy Delius
Contact
Email any questions you have about the programme to the National Childrens Bureaus stronger practice hubs team at sph@ncb.org.uk.
Last updated 8 February 2023 +show all updates
-
We are looking for 6 new hubs. We have added details about where we want to establish them and how to apply. We have removed a reference to the hub led by Wingate Community School, in the North East, as it has withdrawn from the programme.
-
The partner setting, Little Oaks, has been removed from the list of hub partners as it has now closed.
-
Guidance updated, including details of the successful first round hubs.
-
Applications for hubs closed on 23 September 2022, and information about the successful hubs will be published in November 2022. The page has been updated to reflect this.
-
First published.