Hannah Crown
@hannah-crown.bsky.social
Freelance journalist specialising in early years education and young people. Writes/commissions for Nursery World, CYPNow and others. Winner of the 2025 BASW Trade Press Award
As Clive Belgeonne of @genderaction.bsky.social says, we need both subject parity and gender equity in schools for more #girls in #STEM. Because "when boys feel comfortable to do dance and drama, girls are more likely to do physics and chemistry". www.cypnow.co.uk/content/best...
Awareness training improves pupils' recognition of gender stereotypes - CYP Now
Primary school students and teachers have benefited from taking part in a training and awards programme to encourage gender equity.
www.cypnow.co.uk
November 21, 2025 at 10:11 AM
As Clive Belgeonne of @genderaction.bsky.social says, we need both subject parity and gender equity in schools for more #girls in #STEM. Because "when boys feel comfortable to do dance and drama, girls are more likely to do physics and chemistry". www.cypnow.co.uk/content/best...
@ofstednews.bsky.social inspectors will no longer spend large chunks of inspections in front of a screen typing, but will take down notes in longhand first as this is less intimidating. P1 of new series on #childminders changes www.nurseryworld.co.uk/content/feat... @nurseryworld.bsky.social
EYFS changes: How inspections for childminders are moving to a more 'collaborative' process - Nursery World
In part 1 of this series, Hannah Crown explores changes for childminders within the new inspection framework
www.nurseryworld.co.uk
November 21, 2025 at 10:10 AM
@ofstednews.bsky.social inspectors will no longer spend large chunks of inspections in front of a screen typing, but will take down notes in longhand first as this is less intimidating. P1 of new series on #childminders changes www.nurseryworld.co.uk/content/feat... @nurseryworld.bsky.social
We are 100, but we still don't know who was the first ‘editress’ of @nurseryworld.bsky.social Launched by Sir Geoffrey Cust Faber, of @faberbooks.bsky.social at 24 Russell Square London. One possible name is Mrs N Rieu. Who can help? @annetterawstrone.bsky.social @gabriellajoz.bsky.social
October 1, 2025 at 10:28 AM
We are 100, but we still don't know who was the first ‘editress’ of @nurseryworld.bsky.social Launched by Sir Geoffrey Cust Faber, of @faberbooks.bsky.social at 24 Russell Square London. One possible name is Mrs N Rieu. Who can help? @annetterawstrone.bsky.social @gabriellajoz.bsky.social
Campaigners are trying to make #play a statutory duty in England, but Parliament looks unlikely to pass a crucial amendment. Why? Wales already has this, Scotland and NI have protections @appgonplay.bsky.social @eugeneminogue.bsky.social
www.nurseryworld.co.uk/content/feat...
www.nurseryworld.co.uk/content/feat...
It's time to 'let play lead the day' - Nursery World
In the past children enjoyed far greater freedoms to play. Hannah Crown reports from an event which was a call to action to address this fundamental right.
www.nurseryworld.co.uk
September 23, 2025 at 9:18 AM
Campaigners are trying to make #play a statutory duty in England, but Parliament looks unlikely to pass a crucial amendment. Why? Wales already has this, Scotland and NI have protections @appgonplay.bsky.social @eugeneminogue.bsky.social
www.nurseryworld.co.uk/content/feat...
www.nurseryworld.co.uk/content/feat...
What is your curriculum? Could you define it to a friend, a colleague, @ofstednews.bsky.social inspector?
Going through this process doesn't have to be complicated, provides excellent CPD focused on a cohort and helps in inspections: @profveritycb.bsky.social www.nurseryworld.co.uk/content/feat...
Going through this process doesn't have to be complicated, provides excellent CPD focused on a cohort and helps in inspections: @profveritycb.bsky.social www.nurseryworld.co.uk/content/feat...
All about …devising your own curriculum - Nursery World
Where should a setting start when creating a unique curriculum? Hannah Crown speaks to some who have done it to ask why they took the step, and how they did it
www.nurseryworld.co.uk
September 8, 2025 at 9:40 AM
What is your curriculum? Could you define it to a friend, a colleague, @ofstednews.bsky.social inspector?
Going through this process doesn't have to be complicated, provides excellent CPD focused on a cohort and helps in inspections: @profveritycb.bsky.social www.nurseryworld.co.uk/content/feat...
Going through this process doesn't have to be complicated, provides excellent CPD focused on a cohort and helps in inspections: @profveritycb.bsky.social www.nurseryworld.co.uk/content/feat...
When did #nature become uncool? Scheme aiming to tackle #adolescent #mentalhealth, learning disengagement and #climate finds being seen to act environmentally is a challenge for teenagers. We must build this love from the #earlyyears
My piece for #CYPNow www.cypnow.co.uk/content/best...
My piece for #CYPNow www.cypnow.co.uk/content/best...
Outdoor learning scheme helps disadvantaged pupils experience nature - CYP Now
Thanks to funding from the Ernest Cook Trust, disadvantaged groups of students are able to undertake a residential visit that helps them become more connected with the natural world.
www.cypnow.co.uk
August 9, 2025 at 8:44 AM
When did #nature become uncool? Scheme aiming to tackle #adolescent #mentalhealth, learning disengagement and #climate finds being seen to act environmentally is a challenge for teenagers. We must build this love from the #earlyyears
My piece for #CYPNow www.cypnow.co.uk/content/best...
My piece for #CYPNow www.cypnow.co.uk/content/best...
An eye opening project using #theatre to drive home messages on #CCE. from @peelxo.bsky.social and Challenge Academy for #CYPNow magazine. www.cypnow.co.uk/content/best...
Child criminal exploitation project makes an impact - CYP Now
Programme combines drama, workshops and team-building to help children identify the warning signs of grooming, knife crime and criminal exploitation.
www.cypnow.co.uk
July 15, 2025 at 10:07 AM
An eye opening project using #theatre to drive home messages on #CCE. from @peelxo.bsky.social and Challenge Academy for #CYPNow magazine. www.cypnow.co.uk/content/best...
Govt's new and significant £500m investment in 'family hubs' means the remaining 65 or so councils which don't have them now will 'by April 2026', and 1000 total by 2028. (At its peak in 2010, Sure Start received £1.8 billion a year funding 3,600 centres.) www.nurseryworld.co.uk/content/feat...
All about… family hubs - Nursery World
With Children’s Centres having declined by a third since their peak of 3,600,Hannah Crown asks to what extent the new family hubs build on the legacy of Sure Start
www.nurseryworld.co.uk
July 7, 2025 at 6:58 PM
Govt's new and significant £500m investment in 'family hubs' means the remaining 65 or so councils which don't have them now will 'by April 2026', and 1000 total by 2028. (At its peak in 2010, Sure Start received £1.8 billion a year funding 3,600 centres.) www.nurseryworld.co.uk/content/feat...
How to apply the findings of #research #toolkits such as those from the @theeef.bsky.social to #EY practice? @juliangrenier.bsky.social has written a short series for @nurseryworld.bsky.social based on experiences in Building Blocks nursery, Tottenham: lnkd.in/ebF8rzHV lnkd.in/ePPiNZyN
Face-to-face professional development Part 1: Starting a new 'Early Years Conversation' - Nursery World
How one nursery used a research trial to help children's communication. By Julian Grenier, senior content and engagement manager, EEF
www.nurseryworld.co.uk
July 1, 2025 at 3:00 PM
How to apply the findings of #research #toolkits such as those from the @theeef.bsky.social to #EY practice? @juliangrenier.bsky.social has written a short series for @nurseryworld.bsky.social based on experiences in Building Blocks nursery, Tottenham: lnkd.in/ebF8rzHV lnkd.in/ePPiNZyN
My son and I had fab day of #storytelling @ Barneskidslitfest
using nursery rhyme rap from @MrMCGrammar
#clay from @aardman and sensory storytelling from Vanessa Woolf @ londondreamtime nurseryworld.co.uk/content/feat... @nurseryworld.bsky.social
using nursery rhyme rap from @MrMCGrammar
#clay from @aardman and sensory storytelling from Vanessa Woolf @ londondreamtime nurseryworld.co.uk/content/feat... @nurseryworld.bsky.social
A fantastic event for young book fans and their families - Nursery World
Hannah Crown reports back from a day spent at the 2025 Barnes Children’s Literature Festival with her four-year-old son and explains why she is now inspired to ‘tear up the story time rule book at hom...
nurseryworld.co.uk
June 25, 2025 at 9:12 AM
My son and I had fab day of #storytelling @ Barneskidslitfest
using nursery rhyme rap from @MrMCGrammar
#clay from @aardman and sensory storytelling from Vanessa Woolf @ londondreamtime nurseryworld.co.uk/content/feat... @nurseryworld.bsky.social
using nursery rhyme rap from @MrMCGrammar
#clay from @aardman and sensory storytelling from Vanessa Woolf @ londondreamtime nurseryworld.co.uk/content/feat... @nurseryworld.bsky.social
More #earlyyears settings are investing in personalised training - #learningjournals for staff - to overcome the difficulties of getting staff out of ratio for CPD. #fennies and #littlebarnowls tell @nurseryworld.bsky.social in detail how it works www.nurseryworld.co.uk/content/feat...
Training Today: How to create and keep your leaders - Nursery World
Find out how two nursery groups are using mentors and innovative learning approaches to help develop individuals in their teams. By Hannah Crown
www.nurseryworld.co.uk
June 16, 2025 at 10:51 AM
More #earlyyears settings are investing in personalised training - #learningjournals for staff - to overcome the difficulties of getting staff out of ratio for CPD. #fennies and #littlebarnowls tell @nurseryworld.bsky.social in detail how it works www.nurseryworld.co.uk/content/feat...
#babies #schoolreadiness - As @danwuori.bsky.social said at @literacy-trust.bsky.social conf: "We want children to come to kindergarten age five ready to learn, as if learning doesn't take place before. But learning begins in the womb." My piece for @nurseryworld.bsky.social shorturl.at/io9y2
Training Today: Working with babies to provide close, secure relationships - Nursery World
How can settings equip staff with the skills they need to fulfil the essential and highly skilled role of being a baby room practitioner? By Hannah Crown
www.nurseryworld.co.uk
June 12, 2025 at 8:32 AM
#babies #schoolreadiness - As @danwuori.bsky.social said at @literacy-trust.bsky.social conf: "We want children to come to kindergarten age five ready to learn, as if learning doesn't take place before. But learning begins in the womb." My piece for @nurseryworld.bsky.social shorturl.at/io9y2
Reposted by Hannah Crown
Good grief.
Adult Social Care in Leicestershire now being run by a 22-year-old who doesn't believe depression is real...
And a 19-year-old student is in charge of the £200M children's services budget.
new.basw.co.uk/about-social...
Adult Social Care in Leicestershire now being run by a 22-year-old who doesn't believe depression is real...
And a 19-year-old student is in charge of the £200M children's services budget.
new.basw.co.uk/about-social...
Reform councillors aged 19 and 22 in charge of children’s and adult services at local authority
Social workers raise questions over clash of values and lack of experience of new lead members at Leicestershire County Council
new.basw.co.uk
June 10, 2025 at 2:55 PM
Good grief.
Adult Social Care in Leicestershire now being run by a 22-year-old who doesn't believe depression is real...
And a 19-year-old student is in charge of the £200M children's services budget.
new.basw.co.uk/about-social...
Adult Social Care in Leicestershire now being run by a 22-year-old who doesn't believe depression is real...
And a 19-year-old student is in charge of the £200M children's services budget.
new.basw.co.uk/about-social...
Delighted to win a @basw-uk.bsky.social award last night for my piece for #CYPNow on the barriers to diversity in #socialwork - why are there only 11 directors of children's services from #BAME backgrounds despite 26% of social workers being from these backgrounds? www.cypnow.co.uk/content/feat...
June 11, 2025 at 9:48 AM
Delighted to win a @basw-uk.bsky.social award last night for my piece for #CYPNow on the barriers to diversity in #socialwork - why are there only 11 directors of children's services from #BAME backgrounds despite 26% of social workers being from these backgrounds? www.cypnow.co.uk/content/feat...
#Earlyyears research doesn't have to be complicated - one #EY practitioner used a simple research #toolkit to develop a project to ask children how they played in their garden, and used their responses to redesign the space to make it more meaningful for them www.nurseryworld.co.uk/content/prac...
Research: How a new toolkit can help practitioners develop their own small-scale projects - Nursery World
How can early years educators use their own research in their practice? Frances Giampapa has developed a ‘Researchful Practice Toolkit’
www.nurseryworld.co.uk
June 10, 2025 at 10:53 AM
#Earlyyears research doesn't have to be complicated - one #EY practitioner used a simple research #toolkit to develop a project to ask children how they played in their garden, and used their responses to redesign the space to make it more meaningful for them www.nurseryworld.co.uk/content/prac...
Confused about how T levels, apprenticeships and college courses intersect? Myself and #NCFE #Cache have devised a Level 2 to 6 guide in the annual Training Today supplement with ratio and english/maths changes explained @nurseryworld.bsky.social shorturl.at/wTfFh
Training Today: Finding direction through new qualifications pathways - Nursery World
Hannah Crown and NCFE CACHE provide a guide to early years qualifications, outlining current qualifications levels and key recent changes
www.nurseryworld.co.uk
June 10, 2025 at 8:49 AM
Confused about how T levels, apprenticeships and college courses intersect? Myself and #NCFE #Cache have devised a Level 2 to 6 guide in the annual Training Today supplement with ratio and english/maths changes explained @nurseryworld.bsky.social shorturl.at/wTfFh
Reposted by Hannah Crown
Why babies like playing peek-a-boo?
'This is where predictability comes into play; psychologists often refer to children's brains as ‘prediction machines’, which are constantly making predictions and testing whether they are correct.' Read more here...
www.nurseryworld.co.uk/content/feat...
'This is where predictability comes into play; psychologists often refer to children's brains as ‘prediction machines’, which are constantly making predictions and testing whether they are correct.' Read more here...
www.nurseryworld.co.uk/content/feat...
How predictability helps children make sense of the world - Nursery World
Latest research confirms that a secure and consistent foundation for healthy development sets the stage for growth and learning. By Lisa Ann Peters, Anna Gawthorpe, Dr Gemma Goldenberg and Professor ...
www.nurseryworld.co.uk
May 30, 2025 at 10:25 AM
Why babies like playing peek-a-boo?
'This is where predictability comes into play; psychologists often refer to children's brains as ‘prediction machines’, which are constantly making predictions and testing whether they are correct.' Read more here...
www.nurseryworld.co.uk/content/feat...
'This is where predictability comes into play; psychologists often refer to children's brains as ‘prediction machines’, which are constantly making predictions and testing whether they are correct.' Read more here...
www.nurseryworld.co.uk/content/feat...
100 years of #NurseryWorld was depicted at the #nwbigdayout2025 last Friday through an exhibition of more than 80 covers - a fascinating glimpse into social change, the evolution of childcare and depictions of child and parenthood. Was a pleasure to curate this #NWarchivewoman
May 19, 2025 at 10:46 AM
100 years of #NurseryWorld was depicted at the #nwbigdayout2025 last Friday through an exhibition of more than 80 covers - a fascinating glimpse into social change, the evolution of childcare and depictions of child and parenthood. Was a pleasure to curate this #NWarchivewoman
My piece on a simple yet effective #Babybox project from the children's foundation up in the north east - shouldn't this be rolled out nationwide? @childrenscomm.bsky.social www.cypnow.co.uk/content/prac...
First-time mothers find support in baby boxes - CYP Now
Essential resources help vulnerable first-time mothers give children the best start in life, while building parents’ confidence and saving them money
www.cypnow.co.uk
May 19, 2025 at 9:27 AM
My piece on a simple yet effective #Babybox project from the children's foundation up in the north east - shouldn't this be rolled out nationwide? @childrenscomm.bsky.social www.cypnow.co.uk/content/prac...
Labour's nurseries in schools policy "does not appreciate that schools are not experts in early years education and care; it could be argued that they do not prioritise it highly enough" www.nurseryworld.co.uk/content/news...
Michael Pettavel: Finding common ground - Nursery World
The maintained and PVI sectors need to come together to fight the negative policies being imposed on the whole of the early years
www.nurseryworld.co.uk
May 7, 2025 at 8:42 AM
Labour's nurseries in schools policy "does not appreciate that schools are not experts in early years education and care; it could be argued that they do not prioritise it highly enough" www.nurseryworld.co.uk/content/news...
Reposted by Hannah Crown
This is truly terrible.
If Trump’s destruction of the environment were given even a fraction of the media airtime that his destruction of the global economy is, the world might be a safer place for all of us
If Trump’s destruction of the environment were given even a fraction of the media airtime that his destruction of the global economy is, the world might be a safer place for all of us
Trump takes aim at city and state climate laws in executive order
President orders justice department to stop enforcement of critical policies holding fossil fuel companies accountable
www.theguardian.com
April 10, 2025 at 6:30 PM
This is truly terrible.
If Trump’s destruction of the environment were given even a fraction of the media airtime that his destruction of the global economy is, the world might be a safer place for all of us
If Trump’s destruction of the environment were given even a fraction of the media airtime that his destruction of the global economy is, the world might be a safer place for all of us
What will be the impact of the impact of the school-based nursery policy on PVI providers, including those with settings on school grounds? An understandably upset @eyalliance.bsky.social is FOIing the #DfE to find out www.nurseryworld.co.uk/content/news...
Investigation launched amid concerns PVI providers are being pushed out by school-based nurseries - Nursery World
The Early Years Alliance has filed a Freedom of Information (FOI) request to the Department for Education (DfE) to uncover the impact of the Government’s school-based nursery policy on PVI providers.
www.nurseryworld.co.uk
April 11, 2025 at 1:26 PM
What will be the impact of the impact of the school-based nursery policy on PVI providers, including those with settings on school grounds? An understandably upset @eyalliance.bsky.social is FOIing the #DfE to find out www.nurseryworld.co.uk/content/news...
We now spend less than a quarter of the £2.5bn that was spent annually on children’s centres in 2010, despite benefits for children's health, wellbeing and attainment. My piece for #CYPNow #SureStart www.cypnow.co.uk/content/news...
Government's school readiness pledge 'at risk' as half of councils cut family services - CYP Now
Half of councils have cut spending on family hubs in the last year, decimating services and risking the government’s ability to meet its pledges on school readiness and opportunity, a thinktank is war...
www.cypnow.co.uk
April 9, 2025 at 11:46 AM
We now spend less than a quarter of the £2.5bn that was spent annually on children’s centres in 2010, despite benefits for children's health, wellbeing and attainment. My piece for #CYPNow #SureStart www.cypnow.co.uk/content/news...
Part 4 draws our superb series on #spatialreasoning to a close. Find age and stage ideas on composition and decomposition - fitting shapes together and taking them apart www.nurseryworld.co.uk/content/feat... #Nurseryworld thanks to @ekfarran.bsky.social and the team
Spatial reasoning, part 4: Working out how things fit together - Nursery World
Construction and jigsaw puzzles involve children in fitting shapes together, or into gaps. As they do this, they learn about shape properties, estimate size and develop rotation skills, say Dr. Cather...
www.nurseryworld.co.uk
April 3, 2025 at 9:53 AM
Part 4 draws our superb series on #spatialreasoning to a close. Find age and stage ideas on composition and decomposition - fitting shapes together and taking them apart www.nurseryworld.co.uk/content/feat... #Nurseryworld thanks to @ekfarran.bsky.social and the team
You aren't going to get more men in #childcare until you raise the pay, which means more Government funding. Early education is low paid and undervalued because has traditionally been women's work. www.nurseryworld.co.uk/content/news...
Education secretary calls for more male teaching staff to promote positive role models - Nursery World
The education secretary, Bridget Phillipson, will today call for more men to teach in early years settings and schools.
www.nurseryworld.co.uk
April 3, 2025 at 9:40 AM
You aren't going to get more men in #childcare until you raise the pay, which means more Government funding. Early education is low paid and undervalued because has traditionally been women's work. www.nurseryworld.co.uk/content/news...