On your marks \u2013 get set \u2013 go! 2026 got off to a racing start for all things early years in Scottish Education and the EIS has made sure it is in pole position to drive things forward for our members.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
First off the starting line is a heads up about a key recent development in early years education in Scotland – the launch of the new Shared Quality Framework for inspection. The EIS has been advocating for members around the framework through its responses to consultations, and in advancing EIS policy in meetings with the Scottish Government. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Although partially launched in September 2025, it was January 2026 which saw the official rollout of the shared inspection model for ELC nursery classes and standalone settings; this means nursery settings and classes can now receive either single inspections from Care Inspectorate, single inspections from HMIE or joint inspections from both CI and HMIE. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The quality indicators from the new \u2018Quality Framework for the Early Learning and Childcare Sectors\u2019 replace all previous self-evaluation and inspection guidance, including How Good is Our Early Learning and Childcare.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We will continue to press for meaningful change in terms of the improvement agenda, with greater reliance placed on self-reflection, peer review and collegiate dialogue.<\/p><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n The EIS has raised its concerns about the impact of the dual inspection processes on the workload of members and highlighted that this framework does not address the issues raised in terms of over-inspection in Professor Muir\u2019s report, \u2018Learners at the Centre\u2019. <\/p>\n\n\n\n We will continue to press for meaningful change in terms of the improvement agenda, with greater reliance placed on self-reflection, peer review and collegiate dialogue. If any members would like to share their experiences of inspections under the new framework, please contact National Officer David Dick at ddick@eis.org.uk<\/p>\n\n\n\n Moving things up a gear in February, as part of our Stand Up For Quality Education campaign, the EIS ran their first early years professional learning event of the year. This online session brought together early years teachers, graduate practitioners and primary teachers in a session entitled \u201cRe-affirming the role of the early years teacher\u201d. <\/p>\n\n\n\n EIS National Officer David Dick highlighted key data and findings from EIS research, revealing a further decline in the number of early years teachers across Scotland over the last academic year, drawing attention to a key ask in the 2026 EIS Scottish Election manifesto – the restoration of the number of GTCS registered teachers in early years to at least 2012 levels, ideally to 2007 levels. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The webinar also explored the unique skills and positive impacts which nursery teachers bring to settings and a chance to consider the opportunities and challenges of working peripatetically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The second part of this session was delivered by Carolyn Cooke, Senior Lecturer at the Open University who focussed on \u201cAppreciative and Playful Enquiry\u201d which encouraged teachers and practitioners to explore positive approaches to small changes in practice which have the potential to transform aspects of play-based education in their own schools and settings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Continuing to move at pace in March, the EIS ran a second professional learning event entitled \u2018Exploring the roots of distressed behaviour and providing strategies of support\u2019. Again, this well-attended online event drew a range of education professionals from early years, including EY and primary teachers and feedback was universally positive. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The session included input from: Donna Carrigan, Senior Educational Psychologist, South Lanarkshire who provided an overview of attachment theory as it relates to very young children and provided an engaging introduction to human centred understanding of behaviour as communication of unmet needs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n rest assured that the EIS has its sights firmly on the road ahead in terms of promoting the essential role of nursery teachers in Early Childhood Education<\/p><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n Gillian Earle, National Language and Communication Lead (NHS, Speech and Language Therapy) who shared with participants some of the latest data in Scotland around communication delays in very young children, the long-term consequences, the impact upon behaviour and provided supportive strategies for creating a communication-rich environment in ELC settings and infant classrooms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Nicky Shaw, Early Years Learning and Care Consultant who provided a taster introduction session to emotion coaching, exploring with participants the importance of teaching young children skills in emotional literacy, highlighting the important role of the adult in this endeavour via high quality, attuned interactions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n With January and February already in the rearview mirror, and March not far behind, rest assured that the EIS has its sights firmly on the road ahead in terms of promoting the essential role of nursery teachers in Early Childhood Education \u2013 we\u2019ve got plenty more early years related events upcoming and we\u2019ll be sharing them with you soon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n