Thanks to all of your incredible support, the #PlayIsLearning Campaign was debated in Parliament on Monday 26th January.
This was a huge milestone for the #PlayIsLearning Campaign, but it is not the finish line.
For this campaign to lead a real, lasting change, we now need MPs to turn parliamentary support into policy action. One of the most effective ways to do this is by emailing your MP asking them to write directly to the Department for Education in support of play-based learning and continuous provision in Key Stage 1.
To make things as easy as possible, we’ve included a ready-to-use letter template below. You are welcome to use it exactly as it is or adapt it to reflect your own experiences.
Please forward any responses you receive from your MP to: playislearningcampaign@mymummyteacher.com
Thank you so much for everything you’ve done to get us to this point. Watching this petition debated in Parliament was incredibly powerful, and together, we can keep pushing forward to create meaningful change for our children.
Let’s do this, for our children
Ruth x
Follow the steps below:
Step 1 - Type your postcode into ‘writetothem’
Step 2 - Scroll down and find your Member of Parliament.
Step 3 - Write to your MP. You can use our template letter below as a template or for some inspiration.
Step 4 - Fill out your details in the boxes and press send.
Dear [MP Name],
I am writing to you following the parliamentary debate held on Monday 26 January 2026 on the petition “Make Play and Continuous Provision statutory in England’s Key Stage 1 Curriculum.” I watched the debate and was encouraged by the number of MPs who spoke in support of play-based learning and highlighted the importance of developmentally appropriate practice for children aged 5–7.
The level of support shown during the debate demonstrated that this issue matters to MPs across Parliament and reflects the concerns of parents, educators, and professionals working with young
children. With this in mind, I am writing to ask you to actively support the Play is Learning Campaign by writing to the Department for Education to advocate for change.
The campaign calls on the government to revise statutory guidance for Key Stage 1 so that play-based pedagogy becomes a core component of the curriculum. Its aim is to extend the highly effective practices seen in Early Years into Key Stage 1, ensuring that children continue to benefit from a developmentally appropriate, play-based learning approach. This should be done through statutory provision, or at the very least, recommended in an advisory government guidance and Ofsted document as a crucial pedagogical approach for learning and positive mental health. Without this in place, despite the evidence, many schools will continue to use a formal and traditional way of teaching, which, as research shows, is not the best way for children to learn.
This matters because:
· UNICEF and UNESCO affirm that play-based learning remains critical up to at least age 8, the Key Stage 1 years. The UN recognises play as a legal right under Article 31 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
· England is the only UK nation where play-based learning is not protected in Key Stage 1, creating a policy cliff edge as children move from EYFS to Year 1.
· Nearly 40% of pupils do not meet expected standards by the end of primary school, a gap that play-based pedagogy has been shown to reduce.
· 1 in 6 children aged 7–10 has a probable mental health condition. Play-based learning strengthens resilience, reduces stress and supports emotional wellbeing.
Together, these indicators highlight an urgent need for developmentally appropriate learning environments in Key Stage 1 (aged 5 - 7 years).
Given the strong support demonstrated during the parliamentary debate, please will you write to the Department for Education to express your support for strengthening play-based learning and continuous provision within the Key Stage 1 curriculum.
Thank you very much for taking the time to consider my request and for representing the views of families and professionals in your constituency. I would really appreciate hearing your thoughts.
Yours sincerely,
[Your Name]