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…
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.
All Change at Ofsted: Come and Hear from the London Team
Ofsted has responded to the Big Listen with changes to how future inspections are conducted. The report findings state that there was: A clear desire for more granular assessments of…
Childcare Expansion: Promise or Mirage?
Yesterday, amid much fanfare, the government announced the start of the expansion of funded childcare hours. It may sound like a win for parents but the reality is far less…
Another Consultation… This time, it’s Space
Just as the ink dries on the Ofsted consultation, up pops another. This time it’s about space, equally important and not to be overlooked. The Department for Education (DfE) has…
Lessons We Must Learn to Better Protect Our Children
In Memory of Genevieve Meehan Tonight, BBC One North West and Yorkshire will air an investigative programme titled How Safe Are Our Nurseries? It follows the heartbreaking story of Genevieve…
Change is in the Ofsted air
The London OBC is coming on the 8th April 2025 We will be hosting it at Bain where we can take up to 100 people in person. This time…
The UK Budget: It’s all about the Working People!
When the Labour Party won the election Bridget Phillipson MP the Secretary of State for Education told us that: Early years is about more than just childcare –…
The Big Listen Reports!
The Ofsted Big Listen has reported. I have summarised the main thrust of the report. They will act using 7Cs but we need to engage and make sure we…
Time to Manifest on the Future of the Early Years
Having waited patiently for the manifestos from the main political parties which arrived last week, predictably they were light on detail. To be honest, we were most…
Talking Early Years – In Conversation with Professor Al Aynsley-Green
A Shout Out for Children It’s fitting that this podcast is being aired on International Children’s Day because Sir Al is a huge advocate for children over his…
What has Prison got to do with Early Years?
Many of you will have heard me say that the Early Years is a highly political space. We find ourselves addressing poverty, social services, education and housing and now I…
If Children Really Are Our Future, Why Are We Stalling?
The 16th November marked Social Enterprise Day, so Happy Social Enterprise to you all. My dream is for every business to operate like a social enterprise and never have to…