As the nights get longer and the weather gets worse, the thought of escaping the UK to a hot and sunny beach or a crisp ski slope can be very tempting. If you think that a season working abroad as a childcarer could suit you, turn to our free supplement Head for the Sun, which has all the information and contacts you need to pursue your dream. Our Special Report this week ('American dream?', pages 10-11) also looks overseas, at the state of play in US early years and childcare. In some ways a long way behind the UK in terms of universal provision, the States nonetheless can teach us some important lessons about the difference that highly-trained practitioners can make to children's life chances.
As the nights get longer and the weather gets worse, the thought of escaping the UK to a hot and sunny beach or a crisp ski slope can be very tempting. If you think that a season working abroad as a childcarer could suit you, turn to our free supplement Head for the Sun, which has all the information and contacts you need to pursue your dream.
Our Special Report this week ('American dream?', pages 10-11) also looks overseas, at the state of play in US early years and childcare. In some ways a long way behind the UK in terms of universal provision, the States nonetheless can teach us some important lessons about the difference that highly-trained practitioners can make to children's life chances.
For those early years professionals who will be staying here for the foreseeable future, Nursery World has a wealth of useful information this week. We visit schools and nurseries where early years music programmes and peer massage sessions are helping many aspects of young children's development. There's lots of activities, too, including a great Foundation Stage project based on a popular children's book and team games for lively, active fun at out-of-school clubs.
Next week, don't miss our four-page pull-out about promoting children's independence, as well as the final poster in our nursery rhyme series - 'I'm a little teapot'.
