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The Early Years Workforce in England: Annual Report 2026

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Title: The Early Years Workforce in England: Annual Report 2026
Language: English
Authors: Lillian Flemons, Jack Worth, National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER) (United Kingdom)
Source: National Foundation for Educational Research. 2026.
Availability: National Foundation for Educational Research. The Mere, Upton Park, Slough, Berkshire, SL1 2DQ, UK. Tel: +44-1753-574123; Fax: +44-1753-637280; e-mail: enquiries@nfer.ac.uk; Web site: http://www.nfer.ac.uk
Peer Reviewed: N
Page Count: 24
Publication Date: 2026
Sponsoring Agency: Nuffield Foundation (United Kingdom)
Document Type: Reports - Evaluative
Education Level: Early Childhood Education
Descriptors: Foreign Countries, Early Childhood Education, Early Childhood Teachers, School Personnel, Faculty Development, Child Caregivers, Labor Force, Labor Turnover, Employment Qualifications, Salaries, Work Environment, Well Being, Employee Attitudes
Geographic Terms: United Kingdom (England)
ISBN: 978-1-916567-50-4
Abstract: The latest survey data suggests that early years staff numbers may have plateaued in 2025 after previous strong growth. This may indicate that workforce pressures are constraining the sector from making available the additional childcare places required to deliver the expanded entitlement. The relative attractiveness of the early years sector to higher qualified staff is also of particular concern, with low relative pay and limited opportunities for career progression being key factors that may mean the early years sector offers little long-term incentive for gaining higher qualifications. The aim of the National Foundation for Educational Research's (NFER) annual series of reports on the education workforce is to monitor progress towards meeting workforce supply challenges. This report summarises the latest research and key trends in early years staff numbers, recruitment, retention, pay and working conditions and points towards policy actions that are likely to have the greatest impact on addressing the challenges.
Abstractor: ERIC
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: ED679736
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
  Availability: 0
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  – Url: https://eric.ed.gov/contentdelivery/servlet/ERICServlet?accno=ED679736
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  Data: The Early Years Workforce in England: Annual Report 2026
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  Data: English
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Lillian+Flemons%22">Lillian Flemons</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Jack+Worth%22">Jack Worth</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22National+Foundation+for+Educational+Research+%28NFER%29+%28United+Kingdom%29%22">National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER) (United Kingdom)</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22National+Foundation+for+Educational+Research%22"><i>National Foundation for Educational Research</i></searchLink>. 2026.
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  Data: National Foundation for Educational Research. The Mere, Upton Park, Slough, Berkshire, SL1 2DQ, UK. Tel: +44-1753-574123; Fax: +44-1753-637280; e-mail: enquiries@nfer.ac.uk; Web site: http://www.nfer.ac.uk
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  Data: N
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  Data: 24
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  Label: Publication Date
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  Data: 2026
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  Data: Nuffield Foundation (United Kingdom)
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  Data: Reports - Evaluative
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  Label: Education Level
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Early+Childhood+Education%22">Early Childhood Education</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Foreign+Countries%22">Foreign Countries</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Early+Childhood+Education%22">Early Childhood Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Early+Childhood+Teachers%22">Early Childhood Teachers</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22School+Personnel%22">School Personnel</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Faculty+Development%22">Faculty Development</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Child+Caregivers%22">Child Caregivers</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Labor+Force%22">Labor Force</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Labor+Turnover%22">Labor Turnover</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Employment+Qualifications%22">Employment Qualifications</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Salaries%22">Salaries</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Work+Environment%22">Work Environment</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Well+Being%22">Well Being</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Employee+Attitudes%22">Employee Attitudes</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
  Label: Geographic Terms
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22United+Kingdom+%28England%29%22">United Kingdom (England)</searchLink>
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  Data: 978-1-916567-50-4
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
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  Data: The latest survey data suggests that early years staff numbers may have plateaued in 2025 after previous strong growth. This may indicate that workforce pressures are constraining the sector from making available the additional childcare places required to deliver the expanded entitlement. The relative attractiveness of the early years sector to higher qualified staff is also of particular concern, with low relative pay and limited opportunities for career progression being key factors that may mean the early years sector offers little long-term incentive for gaining higher qualifications. The aim of the National Foundation for Educational Research's (NFER) annual series of reports on the education workforce is to monitor progress towards meeting workforce supply challenges. This report summarises the latest research and key trends in early years staff numbers, recruitment, retention, pay and working conditions and points towards policy actions that are likely to have the greatest impact on addressing the challenges.
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  Data: ERIC
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  Data: 2026
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  Data: ED679736
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=eric&AN=ED679736
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  BibEntity:
    Languages:
      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 24
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Foreign Countries
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Early Childhood Education
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Early Childhood Teachers
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: School Personnel
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Faculty Development
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Child Caregivers
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Labor Force
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Labor Turnover
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Employment Qualifications
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Salaries
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Work Environment
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Well Being
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Employee Attitudes
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: United Kingdom (England)
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: The Early Years Workforce in England: Annual Report 2026
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            NameFull: Lillian Flemons
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              Y: 2026
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              Value: 978-1-916567-50-4
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