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…
Visiting Each Others Nurseries Brings Many Benefits – From Social Enterprises to Fairy Gardens
Recently, I was lucky enough to enjoy the company and conversation of a number of Early Years colleagues; I met colleagues from OMEP Ireland and…
Balancing Good Intentions with Reality? Another Challenge for Childcare.
The Government wants to upgrade the calibre of staff entering the Early Years profession. So indeed does the sector, so what’s the problem?…
Why we need to learn from the past and become Black Box Thinkers
It’s been a while since I went to a sector event so I decided to attend an event hosted by PACEY last week to hear if our Minster had anything…
Baby You’re Amazing
Action research is very important for quality improvement and at LEYF it’s the basis of self reflection. We believe that practitioner led research is an often underused method of ensuring quality…
Sisters Are Doin’ It For Themselves…
March is women’s month. Starting with Mother’s Day on the 6th and International Women’s Day on the 8th – it means that we can look forward to enjoying and participating…
Aspiring Leaders; Can you afford to ignore this opportunity?
‘If you want to be an emotionally intelligent leader you need to do the aspiring leaders course.’ Mursal Great leadership is an essential ingredient to making an organisation, whether it’s outstanding nurseries…
London Ofsted Big Conversation
London Ofsted Big Conversation – 19th January 2016 (Hosted by Ofsted at Aviation House & Chaired by June O’Sullivan) In attendance from Ofsted Mike Sheridan Regional Director…
Are you afraid of Policy Makers?
I began this year with an irrational fear of getting locked into loos. It was brought on by an incident on Christmas Eve when I got locked in the nursery…
Will 2016 be the year the Government will Properly Fund Childcare?
We return from the Christmas break to all the usual doom and gloom, including the usual diets and a ban on alcohol forever. Clearly, the person who suggested this has…
The Twelve Days of Christmas
On the first day of Christmas the Minister sent to me:‘A Partridge in a Pear Tree’ – actually no… ‘A promise to make childcare truly free?’…
The 30 Hours Costing Conundrum: Is it time for the Big Childcare Conversation? #BCC
For those of you who have just landed after living on Mars for the last few years here is a summary of the 30 hours promise by…
Never Underestimate the Power of Leadership
“If your actions create a legacy that inspires others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, then, you are an excellent leader.”Dolly Parton When I was appointed…