Better Start, Better Journey: Rethinking Early Years with Bloemfontein Primary School

Around one in three children start reception not ‘school ready,’ impacting teachers, families, and long-term outcomes. In this episode, we explore what school readiness really means and why early years education and child development are so critical.  Our guests (Anna Hughes, Head of Early Years, and Alex Armstrong, Head Teacher) from Bloemfontein Primary share how they’ve created a birth-to-11 strategy, opening a new nursery and providing year-round early years provision to support parents and carers. We discuss the importance of language, communication, and core life skills, as well as the role schools can play in closing the attainment gap, reducing social disadvantage, and helping every child thrive. If you’re a school leader, an early years professional, or simply someone who cares about the future of our youngest learners, this is a conversation not to be missed.   Find out more about Schools North East by visiting the website - click here.