Rishi Sunak & Akshata Murty Visit Babyzone to Celebrate Everyday Maths Programme

Spotlight 🌟

Rishi Sunak and Akshata Murty Join Babyzone to Celebrate Everyday Maths Programme

We were delighted to welcome the Former Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, and Akshata Murty to Babyzone earlier this month. During their visit, they spent time with families and experienced first-hand the impact of our new Babyzone Everyday Maths programme. As Rishi remarked, Babyzone is “a great example of a community organisation making a real difference”.

Akshata spoke about the Richmond Project’s mission to bring cultural change in the UK so that everyone feels confident using numbers in daily life. She saw how Babyzone families are already embracing this by having fun with numbers in playful, everyday settings.

The Everyday Maths programme is designed for children aged 0–5 and their parents. From singing number songs and spotting patterns to tea parties that introduce the concept of “three”, the sessions weave mathematical thinking into daily routines. This isn’t about rote learning, but about developing skills like problem-solving, reasoning, and spatial awareness that form the foundations of later learning.

Research consistently shows that early exposure to maths is one of the strongest predictors of later academic success – and even long-term earning potential. That’s why we believe that making maths fun and accessible in the early years can transform lives.

🎥 You can watch Rishi and Akshata’s visit here, and read more about the vital importance of early maths in our full report: The Crucial Role of Early Mathematics Education.

Behind the Headlines 📰

MP Urges Nurseries to ‘Nourish the Future’ Through Better Food

Alex Burghart MP, for Brentwood & Ongar, has launched a local initiative urging early years settings to improve nutrition among young children. His project, supported by Essex County Council and Anglia Ruskin University under the title ‘Nourishing Our Future’, highlights the rising concerns around childhood obesity and tooth decay in the 4-5 age group, along with the cost and children’s reluctance to try new foods.

To tackle this, workshops and sensory-food-education events have been rolled out in nurseries to encourage healthier eating habits, diversify children’s food experiences, and support staff in offering meals that are both nutritious and appealing.

New Early Years Minister Hits Ground Running

Olivia Bailey, newly appointed Minister for Early Education, marked her first week in the role by visiting nurseries to meet practitioners and see settings in action. She expressed excitement about collaborating with the sector, listening to challenges on the ground, and supporting improvements in early childhood provision. Nursery settings are hopeful her early-engagement signals a more responsive and connected approach from government.

In Case You Missed It - Inside The Plan To Track 30,000 Babies In Groundbreaking UK Long-Term Study

Generation New Era will enrol 30,000 babies in the largest UK birth cohort study in 25 years, aiming to collect comprehensive data on health, environment, and social factors influencing development. This initiative provides policymakers and researchers with critical, longitudinal evidence to shape future early childhood interventions. Participation directly supports the improvement of health and wellbeing outcomes for the next generation.

Research & Insights 🔬

Survey Seeks Early-Years Settings Offering Woodwork Provision

Nursery World is calling on early years settings that include woodwork in their programmes to take part in a survey to assess its educational value. The aim: to gather evidence from practitioners about benefits, challenges, and how woodwork contributes to children’s learning, development, and skills. Settings with woodwork benches, tools, or related creative wood-based activities are especially encouraged to participate.

How Early Brain Wiring Shapes Attention & Learning

A study of children aged 4-7 shows that the way brain regions are structurally connected has strong links to attention skills. Using MRI scans, researchers found that when “roads” (brain pathways) allow smooth cross-communication, kids are better at staying focused, filtering distractions, and switching tasks.

In contrast, brains that are organised more like tight-knit social groups, where regions mostly connect internally and less with others, perform worse on those tasks.

This period before and during early schooling years is especially critical. It’s when foundational brain networks are forming, and early intervention (through stimulating environments and supportive learning) can make a big difference.

London Institute of Early Years: New CPD Courses Raise the Bar for Early Years Educators

The London Institute of Early Years (part of LEYF) has teamed up with NCFE to offer accredited CPD programmes aimed at key themes like sustainability, health & food pedagogy, and nutrition. These programmes include three customised qualifications: Developing Sustainability in an Early Years Setting, Level 3 Award in Building Health in Early Years, and Level 3 Award: Improving Food & Health in Early Years Settings.

The accreditation gives external recognition to training, helping practitioners apply evidence-based practice more confidently in their nurseries, with impact seen in better nutrition, more sustainable operations, and stronger learning environments for children.

Global Perspectives 🌎

Momentum Builds: Global Leaders Unite for Early Years

The Act For Early Years campaign, launched by Theirworld, is gaining global momentum with backing from over 150 organisations and high-profile supporters. Its goal: mobilise $1 billion for early childhood initiatives and secure commitments at the UN General Assembly.

Governments are stepping up—Brazil has launched a new national early years policy, South Africa pledged $500m, the Philippines is funding 328 child centres, and Jordan has introduced its first childcare policy. Ukraine is also embedding early years into its reconstruction plans. With 350 million children lacking childcare, the campaign’s “Minifesto” calls on leaders to prioritise the first five years.