Early Education Partnerships Grant

The Best Start in Life strategy emphasises the importance of improving quality in early years settings and enhancing alignment between early education provision and schools to drive better developmental outcomes and support social and emotional development and school readiness. In this strategy, we committed to: “…funding new partnerships between schools and local nurseries to strengthen transitions into school – so children feel confident, prepared and supported when they start school, and schools are ready to meet each child's needs. We know that in many places nurseries and schools already work well together but we want to go further to strengthen relationships and encourage a more joined-up approach. These partnerships will allow staff in schools and nurseries to spend time learning from each other and sharing knowledge, expertise and best practice, strengthening local early years systems. They will also help parents and children build relationships with schools and other local services, help teachers spot issues early, and ensure parents know how to effectively support their child’s development at home, so that they feel at home in the classroom when they start school.” Partnerships will bring early years providers, including private, voluntary and independent (PVI) nurseries, childminders, maintained nursery schools and schoolbased nurseries, together with state-funded primary schools to share their knowledge and expertise, improve transitions, and support reception readiness until 2029. Partnerships will focus on inclusion and support for children with SEND, additional needs, and those from disadvantaged backgrounds.  The initiative will run for 3 years, with the aim of building a strong evidence base for effective early years transitions and reception readiness practice. To support this, we are keen to see partnerships test innovative approaches to improving outcomes for children.  The first year of funding will provide an opportunity for partnerships to form, identify their local need, and begin to plan the activities they will carry out. In subsequent years, partnerships would be expected to move into delivery of tailored activities, responding to identified local need. Over time, partnerships should focus on strengthening impact and embedding effective practice so it can be sustained and continue to benefit children beyond the lifetime of the initiative. Partnerships are encouraged to take a multiagency approach to delivering activities, including with education and early years services run by councils, local health and social care services such as health visitors, speech and language therapists and children’s social care agencies. Best Start Family Hubs should also have a central role in these partnerships. This will allow everyone involved in a child’s early years to share insights on their development, strategies that work, identify emerging needs earlier and ensuring timely intervention. Collaboration with wider initiatives, early years stronger practice hubs and reception networks also helps create a seamless support pathway for families, reducing duplication and strengthening continuity across services. This integrated approach ensures that partnerships not only support early education, but contribute to a broader, joined up system focused on children's development, wellbeing and readiness for reception.

To apply for year 1 funding, the proposed partnership must meet the following eligibility criteria:  • all partner organisations must either be (a) a registered early years provider or (b) a school-based early years provider1 in England  • all partnerships must contain a minimum of one primary school with a reception cohort and a minimum of one other type of early years provider (for example, a group-based provider, a school-based nursery, a maintained nursery school, a childminder). A partnership cannot solely be between a primary school and their own school-based nursery or any other which is managed by the school due to conflict of interest requirements  • the partnership grant administrator must be a state-funded primary school. There is no limit to the number of partnerships a state-funded primary school may belong to but they can only be the partnership grant administrator for one partnership  • if the partnership grant administrator has an overall Ofsted effectiveness rating below ‘good’, one or more key judgements rated below ‘good’ or any evaluation areas below ‘expected standard’, they will need to confirm that they can deliver partnership activities alongside activities to support their improvement journey    • if the partnership grant administrator is under consideration for or already undertaking any other Department for Education funded or non-funded BSiL activity (for example, a stronger practice hub or reception network), they will need to confirm in their application that they have capacity to deliver partnership activity alongside this existing commitment   Further information and evidence may be requested prior to award of funding subject to the department’s discretion.

This funding supports the development of Early Years Education Partnerships that: Support childrens smooth transition from early years to reception, including engaging with families to help prepare children for school.

Strengthening relationships between early years providers and feeder schools to improve childrens learning journeys, especially those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Strengthen continuity and collaboration between settings and support early years educators and teachers to share best practice encouraging joint proffessional development, observation and sharing of curriculum and pedagogy across the early years system.

The partnership grant administrator must complete the application form in the link provided on behalf of the purposed partnership.In the application form, the partnership grant administrator must: Confirm the partnership meets the eligibility criteria and agrees to the minimum requirements

Provide relevant details of all purposed partner organisations (including the number of children that will be reached by partnership)

Answer 3 substantive questions

Submit the application by 17th July 2026

Further application guidance is available in the year 1 guidance linkhttps://www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-education-partnerships-funding

All applications must be in by 17th July All other information is in the year 1 guidance link

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-education-partnerships-funding