Post by Confederation of School Trusts

We have welcomed delegates to Birmingham today for CST’s Early Years Summit 2026, where today’s conversations are focused on this year’s theme, Building strong foundations. The day began with opening reflections from Leora Cruddas CBE (Chief Executive, Confederation of School Trusts) and Sherise Daly (EYFS Leader, Unity Schools Partnership), grounding the summit in the critical role of early years education in shaping long-term outcomes. In the opening keynote, Camilla Reid brought the focus back to the everyday moments that matter, exploring how reading for pleasure can remain rooted in joy, imagination and shared experience. Her reflections were a powerful reminder of the role of simple, human interaction in children’s earliest encounters with learning. This was followed by a panel led by Felicity Gillespie (Director, Kindred Squared) alongside Clio Brown (National Director of Early Years and Early Reading, E-ACT) and Grace Glanvill (Assistant Headteacher & EYFS Lead, Orwell Multi Academy Trust), who explored what neurodevelopment and school readiness look like in practice. The discussion brought into sharp focus the growing gap between expectations and capacity, and the importance of supporting staff and families to respond with clarity and confidence. We then heard from Professor Sam Wass, Institute for the Science of Early Years, University of East London, whose keynote offered a compelling insight into how early brain development is shaped by children’s interactions with their environment. His message was clear: creating calm, predictable environments and reducing unnecessary cognitive load is essential to building secure foundations for learning, particularly for those children who need it most. A thought-provoking start this year's summit, with much more still to come. 📸 Sarah Elliott