In another tumultuous week for the country I report on the announcement of £180 million of funding to improve children’s development in the early years and potential strike action by members of the NEU and NAHT if approved in national ballots.

Early Years funding
The government has announced funding of £180 million to improve children’s development in the early years. Aiming to put children’s education and skills back on track after the pandemic, the funding will be used to improve teaching of children’s early speech, language and numeracy, along with professional development. Among the planned strategies is a new universal online child development training offer to help staff improve their knowledge and understanding of children’s development.

Union strikes over pay “likely” to take place in January
The NEU has said teachers and support staff strikes over pay are “likely” to take place from the end of January next year if approved in a national ballot which will open next week. The NAHT has also confirmed that it will ballot its members on whether they want to strike over pay, for the first time in its 125 year history.

The move to industrial action follows the 5% pay rise agreed for teachers and headteachers, with increases rising to 8.9% for newer teachers as a step towards achieving a minimum starting salary of £30,000. The planned increases have been criticised amid current levels of inflation and the resulting cost of living crisis as well as off the back of years of real term pay cuts to the profession.