Leadership and management
Early Years Stronger Practice Hubs
Early Years Stronger Practice Hubs provide expert guidance, share effective practice, and offer evidence-informed professional development to support early years practitioners. Funded by the Department for Education and delivered in partnership with the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) and the National Children’s Bureau, the programme launched in November 2022 and currently comprises 18 regional Hubs.
These Hubs work collaboratively with local early years providers to improve outcomes for children under the age of five.
They focus on key priority areas including:
- Personal, social and emotional development
- Communication and language
- Early literacy and mathematics
From summer 2025, the programme will expand to 36 Hubs and continue until March 2029.
For further information visit: GOV.UK - Early years stronger practice hubs.
HEART Midlands Stronger Practice Hub
Helping Early Years Practitioners Apply Research to Teaching and Learning
The HEART Midlands Hub supports early years professionals by:
- Strengthening local networks of educators to share knowledge and effective practice
- Proactively disseminating information and advice on evidence-based approaches via newsletters, blogs, and social media
- Acting as a point of contact for tailored advice and signposting to other funded support
- Collaborating with the EEF to identify and fund evidence-based programmes for nurseries and childminders
Local Authorities Covered:
- Birmingham
- Coventry
- Herefordshire
- Solihull
- Warwickshire
- Worcestershire
For more information on the local resources, blogs, webinars, meetings and training available visit: HEART – Midlands early years stronger practice hub.
HEART Hub Activities Calendar 2025/26
The HEART SPH Events Calendar explores CPD, networks, and sector-wide events across Birmingham, Coventry, Herefordshire, Solihull, Warwickshire, and Worcestershire. Packed with opportunities to grow, share, and collaborate, this calendar maps out everything you need to stay energised and informed with key dates, themes, and booking links for early years professionals across our hub areas.
