Saffron Teaching School Hub Blog Feed - Spotlight on Early Years Evidence

Screen time guidance for children under 5

Mon, 27 Apr 2026 10:12:23 GMT

Managing children’s access to screens is an area that many parents and carers find challenging. New advice on screen time for young children published in March 2026 provides accessible guidance which has been developed with input from parents and a panel of paediatric experts to support families with that process.

Getting it right from the start: how Early Years practitioners work with babies and toddlers

Wed, 25 Feb 2026 09:44:52 GMT

Commissioned by Ofsted in 2024 and published in 2025 to look specifically at practice with babies and toddlers, this research aimed to help address what was seen as a largely neglected area of Early Years research. This is particularly pertinent in the context of recent childcare reforms which have increased the entitlement to funded places and therefore the number of babies and toddlers in early years provision.

Children of the 2020s: home learning environment and screen time at age 2

Wed, 4 Feb 2026 10:54:35 GMT

In January 2026, the Department for Education published its second summary of key findings from the Children of the 2020s (COT20s) study on the home learning environment at age 2, including screen time and digital media use.

This phase of the research was carried out by UCL - you can read their key summary of the findings here:

https://www.ucl.ac.uk/news/2026/jan/toddlers-spending-two-hours-screens-day

The Children of the 2020s Study

Wed, 4 Feb 2026 10:56:22 GMT

The Children of the 2020s (COT20s) study is a longitudinal national research study following the lives of children born in the 2020s over the course of their first five years.

The study has been commissioned and funded by the Department for Education (DfE). It is being led by University College London (UCL), and the independent research organisation Ipsos is collecting the data. The project also involves the University of Cambridge, Oxford and Birkbeck, University of London who are providing scientific advice and guidance.

Starting Reception website

Fri, 23 Jan 2026 12:15:58 GMT

The Starting Reception website has been developed by a coalition of early years organisations, and is promoted by the Department for Education. It aims to support parents and educators with guidance and resources to help their children develop the essential skills needed for starting primary school.

https://startingreception.co.uk/

EEF Early Years Toolkit

Tue, 11 Nov 2025 15:24:37 GMT

The Early Years Toolkit from the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) is an accessible summary of the evidence base for a range of approaches that have the potential to improve outcomes for children.

Best Start in Life: A Research Review for Early Years

Tue, 11 Nov 2025 15:34:13 GMT

Best Start in Life is one in a series of curriculum research reviews carried out by Ofsted in recent years. This report focuses on the pre-school age phase, from birth to 4 years. It has been produced with the aim of supporting Early Years practitioners to raise the quality of Early Years education.