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…
LEYF News and CEO Blog
Read the latest news and updates from our CEO and the wider LEYF team.
Is the Quality of New Staff Flashing Red?
The drive for the childcare expansion pushes on despite the worries about sufficient staff. However, while our concern about staff sufficiency remains flashing amber, our new flashing red is…
Talking Early Years with June O’Sullivan: In Conversation with Laura Henry
Remembering the Power of Grandmothers. I remember many years ago talking to Laura about how she felt when her grandmother sadly passed away. I think it was at…
Talking Early Years with June O’Sullivan: In Conversation with Giles Andreae
Who Says Giraffes Can’t Dance? Well Giles Andreae did! He also reminded us that there is a Rumble in the Jungle and a Commotion in the Ocean and if…
No shoes to buckle
On Saturday morning (19/09/2020) I chaired a discussion with Neil Leitch from Early Years Alliance and Liz Bayram from Pacey for the Childcare Expo. We talked about…
Double Standards or Just Don’t Care?
The world is full of contradictions and here is a BIG one. I recently read in the Financial Times that the global management consultants, McKinsey & Company earned a…
Pat a Cake, Pat a Cake Bake Me a Low Fat, Sugarless Cake
Being overweight or obese is one of the biggest health crises the country faces. It has a devastating impact on our physical and mental health. Almost two thirds (63%) of…
Zooming to a National OBC Conversation
It was an OBC with a difference. We didn’t have to find a room and a suitable time and lots of refreshments, we zoomed straight into everyone’s homes in nearly…
Chancellor Sunak: Be Brave and Invest in the Future By Starting with the Early Years
The other night I was watching my new late-night Netflix addiction, How to Get Away With Murder. I have reached Series 5 where the main protagonist, Annaliese Keating is…
Walk into the Wild Side
I am constantly being asked about how we have responded to COVID-19. What are the problems, levels of anxieties, health and safety issues, business risks and leadership approach? Throughout, I…
Standing Tall for Early Years
To mark Empathy Day (9 June), we are proud to be launching our Standing Tall for Early Years campaign – with a call for ALL Early Years settings across…
Returning to Nursery on 1st June
When we were told by the Prime Minster on the 10th May that we would be able to open on the 1st of June we began to plan how we…
Another Step for Mankind into the COVID-19 Unknown
On the 23rd March, Boris Johnson put us in to lockdown to help address the unknown outcomes from the coronavirus (COVID-19). It was a sombre day and most of us…
Pause to Learn
Since I have been operating the LEYF business from home, I’ve increased my video conferencing to check-in everyday with the 15 nursery hubs that still remain open. We talk about…