Tom Richardson: Why promotion is just the start for early years leaders

Leadership transitions in early years settings require far more than a change of job title. As Tom Richardson observes, the common assumption that excellent practitioners will automatically become excellent leaders often leaves new managers struggling to navigate their expanded responsibilities. Without structured training and support, promoted staff may find themselves unprepared for the strategic, administrative, and pastoral demands of leadership, potentially impacting the quality of care and education provided to young children and families. Investment in leadership development represents a crucial step in strengthening the early years workforce across local authority areas. When organisations provide comprehensive training programmes for newly promoted staff, they not only support individual career progression but also improve retention and outcomes for children. For cabinet members with early years responsibilities, understanding these workforce development challenges is essential to ensuring sustainable, high-quality provision and supporting settings to build the skilled leadership teams that effective early education requires.