D is for Disadvantaged: What Does that Mean?
“Disadvantage” is one of those terms we bandy about in policy papers and conference keynotes, but what do we mean by it? Do we understand the lived reality behind the…
LEYF News and CEO Blog
Read the latest news and updates from our CEO and the wider LEYF team.
The Power of Intergenerational Nurseries
Talking Early Years: June O’Sullivan and Sue Egersdorff The world is changing fast. Technology is accelerating how we live, work and even care, but in that rush, you…
Raise the Alarm and Stop Changes to Children to Staff Ratios
In 2013, I wrote a blog to raise the alarm on an ill-considered plan to reduce staff to child ratios and reduce the cost of childcare. I was not…
Ofsted has a Big Conversation with the London OBC
One of the few benefits of COVID-19 was that we learned that we could manage big meetings using technology and there was less reason for people to complain about not…
Talking Early Years with June O’Sullivan: in Conversation with Gill Jones
Listen and Listen Well is Gill Jones’ Mantra Gill and I became friends under the most usual circumstances. I was very fed up with Ofsted and the attitude…
London OBC is next week
It was about five years ago, when things with Ofsted were not positive, I started the Ofsted Big Conversation (OBC). Supported by many in the Early Years sector…
Inspector Ofsted – Get Ready, Be Ready and Join the OBC
Last week, when the weather was still warm and summer made a brief appearance, we piled onto Zoom to engage with Ofsted as part of their termly Consultative Forum. While…
Leading by Social Purpose
What does it mean to be awarded Social Enterprise Leader of The Year? A prize, a party, a badge, a sense of confidence about what you do, a picture…
Talking Early Years with June O’Sullivan: In conversation with Kate Silverton
Mum to two young children, journalist and children’s mental health advocate, Kate Silverton shares her ground-breaking new approach to parenting under-fives that helps to make family life so much…
Raise the status of the Early Years
Will The Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood raise the status of the Early Years? On Friday 18th June, The Duchess of Cambridge launched the Royal Foundation Centre for…
Talking Early Years with June O’Sullivan: In conversation with Trisha Lee
The Importance of Storytelling : In Conversation with Trisha Lee from Make Believe Arts I met Trisha many years ago when we were both involved in some…
Why Nature Must Matter for Children AND the Early Years Sector
We simply don’t listen enough to children! They have long realised the benefits of being in touch with nature, but we have done our best to reject this innate need…
Talking Early Years with June O’Sullivan: In conversation with Linda Greenwall
I recently recorded a podcast with Dr Linda Greenwall – founder of the Dental Wellness Trust which supports schools and nurseries to get children brushing their teeth.
Talking Early Years with June O’Sullivan: In Conversation with Julian Grenier
I was very pleased to talk to Julian Grenier, Headteacher of Sheringham Nursery School in Newham in this month’s episode of Talking Early Years. He and I have…