At the end of January, I had the pleasure of attending the Reading Rights Summit, hosted by The Book Trust and Waterstones. It was an inspiring day filled with discussion, reflection, and a collective call to action. I wanted to share some key takeaways with you—especially those that resonated deeply with our work as childminders and early years practitioners.
The Joy of Reading Before the Mechanics
One of the most thought-provoking moments of the day came during a discussion about the formal teaching of reading and the heavy emphasis on phonics. While phonics is, of course, an essential tool in literacy, we must not let it overshadow the simple joy of reading.
Anyone that knows me, knows that I love a quote, and this one really stuck with me:
“We need to show children that reading is a box of delights before we give them the key.”
It was likened to playing sport—do we force children to memorise all the rules of football before we let them play? Of course not! We let them run, kick, and experience the joy of the game, and in being with each other, helping them to figure it all out, before teaching them the intricacies. Yet, we heard a story from the room, of reports from student teachers that in some schools, there is a push to remove books that do not explicitly teach phonics. This is a worrying trend. If children don’t develop a love of books first, why would they persist when reading becomes more challenging? As early years educators, we have a powerful role to play in protecting and nurturing a love for stories, storytelling, and the magic of books.
Reading isn’t just about words on a page. It’s about connection, closeness, rhythm, and comfort. It’s about that moment when a child curls up next to you, utterly absorbed in a story. The pedagogy of the sofa. It’s the laugh when you do the silly voices together. The quiet awe when the page is turned. The back-and-forth chatter about what might happen next. This is the real magic.
The Power of Partnerships
For the first time, I saw real enthusiasm and interest in Childminding Agencies (CMAs) at an event like this. People were genuinely curious about how CMAs work, how we deliver CPD, and how we support childminders in creating high-quality early years environments. It was wonderful to have childminders represented in this space!
I had some fantastic conversations with representatives from Book Trust about potential collaborations. It got me thinking - how can we make more use of our data to ensure access to books and stories is consistently happening in the areas that need it most? We already serve a higher percentage of families in the most underserved communities across the country - above the national average for early years settings. These families have access to the tiney book club, but this also highlights the need to work more closely with local libraries and community services.
How can we use this data more effectively to support children’s early development, particularly in language, communication, literacy, and maths? With the government placing more focus on early years outcomes, this is a great opportunity to make an even bigger impact for young children.
Beyond distributing books, we also have an opportunity to improve how we signpost support for families. I’m always pleased to see how much access families using the tiney app have to our literacy collections, tips, and book club materials. With childminders often being the first point of contact for parents, I know that expanding our knowledge of available resources could make a real difference.
The summit was also a great opportunity to reflect on the success of our own book club. Seeing the impact of simply making books accessible, exciting, and part of a shared experience for childminders and the children they care for has been incredible.
Hearing from other professionals reinforced the power of such initiatives—not just in getting books into homes but in sparking conversations and creating meaningful connections.
A personal highlight was catching up with some friends in the sector, June O’Sullivan and Laura Henry-Allain. June, as always, brought invaluable insights on the importance of high-quality early years practice and leadership, reinforcing the need for us to champion the sector. Laura, as ever, held us all to account—rightly pointing out the lack of diversity in the room. It was a vital reminder that while we are making strides in supporting all children, we must continually reflect on representation in our spaces and the voices shaping these important discussions. It was a vital reminder that while we are making strides in supporting all children, we must continually reflect on representation in our spaces and the voices shaping these important discussions.
Strengthening Our CPD Offer
There was a wealth of inspiration for continuing professional development (CPD) at the summit. While we have a webinar planned to explore these themes further, I think we could develop a more permanent CPD module to deepen understanding and impact.
Some key areas to explore:
- Reading and Wellbeing: The experience of shared reading—its rhythm, breathing, and physical closeness—can be incredibly grounding and soothing for children.
- Brain Development and Reading: How early exposure to books supports cognitive and emotional growth.
- The Pedagogy of the Sofa: Creating warm, nurturing environments where reading is a shared, comforting experience.
- Dialogic Reading: Research shows that reading with children (rather than just to them) is far more impactful. How can we embed this more deeply into our practice?
- Meeting Parents Where They Are: Just because we, as educators, understand the importance of reading, doesn’t mean all parents do. Do they know how to read a story effectively? This is an area where we can offer guidance and support.
A Thought for Our SEND Work
A phrase that stood out to me was: “Connection before correction.” This is so relevant for childminders supporting children with additional needs. Often, we see challenging behaviours during the settling-in period, but before focusing on correction, we must prioritise connection. Shared reading can be an incredible tool for this—providing a safe, familiar experience that helps build trust and security.
This ties into the importance of a strong settling-in process. Ensuring that children feel safe, understood, and supported in their new environment is key to fostering positive behaviours. By prioritising relationships first, we create the foundation for a secure attachment, which ultimately supports emotional regulation and learning.
I will also be sharing these insights with our SEND panel to explore how we can integrate these principles more effectively within our frameworks and support structures.
Final Reflections
There were many powerful moments throughout the day, including hearing from Michael Rosen—an advocate who has shaped children's reading experiences for decades. The conversations were rich, varied, and energising. Everyone in the room shared a common goal: to ensure children have access to stories and develop a lifelong love of reading.
One broader discussion really stood out: the language we use around deprivation. Instead of speaking about ‘deprived areas,’ should we shift to ‘areas of challenge’ or ‘areas that are underserved’? The words we choose can shape perceptions, and ultimately, how we approach support and intervention.
This summit was a reminder that we all have a role to play in shaping the future of reading. So here’s my challenge to all of us in early years:
📚 Make reading part of every single day.
🏡 Help parents feel confident reading at home.
🤝 Push for stronger partnerships that bring more reading opportunities into our settings.
Let’s make sure every child gets their “box of delights”—because reading isn’t just about learning. It’s about imagination, connection, and joy. And that’s something worth fighting for.
If you're already a tiney childminder, I’d love to hear your thoughts—how do you nurture a love of reading in your setting? And what support do you think would help you do this even better? Head over to our Community Hub and join in this month's chat forums.
