Talking Early Years: In conversation with Professor Sam Wass
We’ve Got It the Wrong Way Round I’ve just finished recording a podcast with Professor Sam Wass, and I’m still buzzing. He is Director of the Institute for the…
LEYF News and CEO Blog
Read the latest news and updates from our CEO and the wider LEYF team.
Why Social Enterprises Must Lead the Future of Childcare — And the Wider Social Care Economy
The Government’s Best Start strategy signals an intention to look again at Early Years business models and examine whether they can truly deliver for disadvantaged communities. It is a welcome…
Time Out to Reflect on Social Enterprise
I am not always great at taking my own advice, which in this case is to take a few days away from the office to “think”. I have just had…
The importance of partnership
“The most important single ingredient in the formula of success is knowing how to get along with people.” – Theodore Roosevelt Many organisations talk about working in partnership. It…
Quality childcare: it starts with meaningful investment
The Report by the Education Policy Institute (EPI), raises the self-same issues which have been of concern to the Early Years sector for the past five years. The Government’s…
Happy New Year: Let’s…
I gave up the idea of New Year Resolutions a long time ago and 40% of people give up their resolutions within a fortnight. Setting yourself a resolution is the…
Playing with Lego to Spark a Story
“The sound a box of Lego makes is the noise of a child’s mind working, looking for the right piece. Shake it, and it’s almost creativity in aural…
Getting Back to Basics: Learning from My UK Road Trip
I am always pleased to be invited to speak about things that matter to me such as social enterprise and the business of childcare, child poverty, pedagogy and wider early…
Any man can be a father, but let’s celebrate the importance of Dads!
“Any man can be a father but it takes someone special to be a Dad.” – Anne Geddes I recently wrote a book with the wonderful Alice Sharpe to celebrate…
“Do Men in Childcare Matter”? What Do the Children Say?
Every year we have the LEYF annual debate, named in honour of Margaret Horn, student of Octavia Hill and the first paid director of what was then a local…
Let’s Celebrate the role of a trustee
Yesterday was Kindness Day, and today we are halfway into Trustee Week, a good reason to thank all trustees and to attract new ones*. Being a trustee is…
In Eurovision style here are the results from the London Ofsted Big Conversation….
The meeting was hosted by Bain & Company: 40 Strand WC2N 5RW on Thursday 11 October 2018. The room can accommodate 50 so that’s is how many people were there…
Get your thinking caps on – it’s London OBC
It’s marvellous to see so many OBC events happening across the country. They are a chance for us to get updates straight from the source – so get your thinking…
What Parents Think of the Free Funding Offer for Two Year Olds
Everyone says, the free offer is great for parents, they love it. It’s just greedy providers who refuse to offer it. Well that is not true. According to the findings…