September 2025 - Issue 1
- Matthew K, Northall
- 3 days ago
- 4 min read
Newsletter
Issue 1 - September 2025
Dear Members,
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A warm welcome to the start of a new academic year. There are some exciting
developments ahead for the ECSDN, and we are delighted to share this journey with
you.
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This year, we will be celebrating excellence across our network through the ECSDN
Awards. Don’t forget, nominations are open now, and we encourage you to submit
yours by the end of September.
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We also recognise that the landscape of early childhood is at a crossroads, not just for
the sector but for many of our members also. As a network, we remain committed to
working alongside you to strengthen the sustainability of our courses and champion the
value of Early Childhood Studies across the sector.
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We wish you every success for the term ahead and look forward to continuing our work
together in shaping and strengthening our field.
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With best wishes,
Aaron and Tanya
13 Days Left to Nominate - ECSDN Awards 2026
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Its time to nominate either yourself or someone else!
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Head over to the website using the link below;
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ECSDN Awards are free and open to all membership institutions to nominate to the following categories:
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· Graduate of the year
· Outstanding Early Childhood practitioner of the year
· Researcher of the year
· Placement provider of the year
· Mentor of the year
· Early Childhood advocate of the year
· Publication of the year
· Social impact of the year
· Best innovation / practice with babies of the year
· Early Childhood transformation of the year
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Closing date for nominations is Midnight on 30th September 2025.
Sponsor an ECSDN Award
We have a couple of opportunities left for your organisation to sponsor one of the
categories.
The cost of Sponsorship is £300 and includes the following;
One complimentary ticket which includes a hot buffet
You will be invited to present your sponsored award on the night
Receive promotional photos
Recognition as a key supporter of the ECSDN Awards
Brand visibility on our website and across social media platforms
For further information contact Jo josteele@ecsdn.org
Research and Members Network Meeting
Dates of ECSDN Meetings for the Forthcoming Academic Year
Members Meeting online ~ Thursday 23rd October  4pm until 6pm
Members Meeting online after the Research Conference ~ Friday 30th Jan 2pm to
3pm
AGM Face to Face ~ Friday 27th March face to face, details to be confirmed nearer
the time. ( A small pot of funds has been set aside to contribute to expenses and will
be first come first served)
Members Meeting online ~ Thursday 25th June  2pm to 5pm
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University of Warwick Seek External Examiner - BA (Hons) Early Childhood Degree from the 2025/26 Academic Year
The University of Warwick: Child and Family Team are delighted to advertise the
post of External Examiner for the BA(Hons) Early Childhood Degree.
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This post is to commence from the 2025-2026 academic year and will run for a period
of 3 years. This Degree programme supports students who may be returning to
education later in life and hence, may already hold positions within related settings. We
are a vibrant and happy team and we are looking for an External Examiner who is
passionate about Early Childhood Degree programmes and more broadly the Early
Childhood Sector. The post involves attendance at Examination Boards as well as
review support for course developments and enhancements.
Interested colleagues are asked in the first instance to send an expression of interest
and attach their CV by 29th September 2025Â to the Director of provision: Dr Charlotte
Jones -Â Charlotte.e.jones@warwick.ac.uk
Book Review by Emeritus Professor - Eunice Lunsden
Published by Penguin Random House
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Why Love Matter by Sue Gerhardt had a profound impact on my thinking when I first
read it in 2004, so when I was invited to review her latest book, I jumped at the chance.
If you have not read it yet, I highly recommend it—to colleagues, students, and anyone
working in Early Childhood. It’s a challenging, compelling, compassionate, and
scientifically informed exploration of how our earliest experiences shape our lives.
Gerhardt makes a powerful case for why policymakers must invest in early childhood,
and her insights into the impact of poverty are spot on. This book reminds us why a
holistic approach in Early Childhood is not just beneficial—it’s essential.
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Emeritus Professor Eunice Lumsden
Early Years Reviews Publications
Early Years Reviews have produced 2 new publications;
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Play Policy and Power - A report reviewing literature: Early Childhood Education in
the UK
written by Dr Aaron Bradbury & Meredith Hare
This literature report critically explores the evolving role of play within early childhood
education and care (ECEC) policy and practice in England from 2010 to 2025.
Successive policy changes, including revisions to the Early Years Foundation Stage
(EYFS) and national directives like Bold Beginnings, have prioritized standardized
teaching and "school readiness." This shift has led to a narrowed curriculum and the
increasing use of data to measure learning. The report argues that play, once central to
early years pedagogy, is now subordinated to accountability measures.
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Child in the NOW: Reclaiming Early Childhood
Written by Dr Aaron Bradbury and Tamsin Grimmer
Developed by Dr Aaron Bradbury and Tamsin Grimmer, the Child in the NOW model is a
powerful call to action, an invitation to reimagine early years education by centring love,
presence, and relationship.
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In a policy climate that too often prioritises performance over child centred approaches
and child development, this model brings us back to what matters most: the child as
they are today, not as a project to prepare for tomorrow. It offers a principled, research-
informed framework for early years practice that honours the whole child, emotionally,
relationally, and developmentally.
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To download your free copy of the reports use the following link;
