Nursery by Design – A Book Born from Small Steps
The idea for this book began many years ago with my own daughter. Like many young children, she found saying goodbye in the morning difficult. She wanted one last wave…
LEYF Early Years News & CEO Blog by June O’Sullivan OBE
Read the latest news and updates from our CEO and the wider LEYF team.
From Reggio to Tipperary: Why Good Educational Ideas Need Thoughtful Translation
I have always had enormous respect for the work of Loris Malaguzzi and Carlina Rinaldi. Reggio Emilia emerged from a unique historical, political and cultural context and, for that reason,…
From the Margins to the Mainstream: Unlocking a £400 Billion Social Value Opportunity for Britain’s Future
This week, I had the privilege of attending the House of Lords for the launch of two significant reports examining Social Enterprise, procurement and the future of our economy.
Why We Need to Back the Next Generation of Early Years Educators
Last week, I had the privilege of celebrating the graduation of another cohort of LEYF degree students, apprentices and staff achieving professional diplomas. Watching them walk across the stage…
Nursery by Design: Why Early Years Spaces Matter More Than We Think
How Nursery Design Shapes Child Development, Wellbeing and Social Justice We spend a great deal of time talking about pedagogy, curriculum, leadership and workforce in the Early Years. Yet…
SEND, Social Justice and the Question We Keep Avoiding
Everyone is talking about SEND. Inclusion. Rising need. Pressures on schools and nurseries. But I’m not convinced we all mean the same thing when we…
The Ofsted Big Conversation London 2026
The OBC Was Hard Won. We Must Keep Showing Up The Ofsted Big Conversation (OBC) did not appear overnight. It was built slowly, patiently and sometimes painfully by…
Kindness Is the Work: A Conversation with Salas Balde for the Next Generation of Early Years Educators
Why you should listen Discover how kindness can grow from a simple idea into a global movement, and why Salas Balde sees it as a lifeline, not a luxury.
AI for the Public Good: building bridges, not becoming complicit
AI is divisive. It promises speed, efficiency and easier communication. At the same time, it risks deepening inequality, concentrating power and reinforcing bias. Both realities exist. Pretending otherwise…
The Marmalade Festival 2026 – The Right Ingredients for Social Justice in Early Years
Arriving in Oxford on an early train from Paddington to be a panellist at the Marmalade Fringe, I couldn’t help wondering whether Paddington Bear had played some small…
Is it Safe for Children to Use the Internet?
Is giving a young child unrestricted access to digital technology like handing them a vape? In our latest podcast, I sat down with digital safety expert Katy…
Book Review: Observation Assessment Made Simple by Clare Devlin
Early Years Observation and Assessment: Why It Still Matters It was timely when Clare Devlin asked whether I would review her new book, Observation Assessment Made Simple. I…
The Great Easter Egg Sugar Rush
Easter is approaching and soon the whole country will be joining in a massive Easter Egg hunt. Not the spiritual kind, nor the nostalgic kind, but a fully…
AI, Care and the Curriculum: Where Should We Draw the Line?
I was delighted to sit on a panel at the Childcare Expo to discuss artificial intelligence (AI), a subject that has been gathering momentum across the media, not least…