Baby Talk
While I was at the Labour Party conference last week, I listened to Maya Ellis MP talk about why it was important to establish an APPG for Babies (Pregnancy to…
LEYF News and CEO Blog
Read the latest news and updates from our CEO and the wider LEYF team.
Talking Early Years: In conversation with Peter Moss
The Early Years as a Political Space Early childhood education is not a neutral or technical service—it is a deeply political space and this is the focus of…
Dear Mrs May
I would like to thank Mrs May for hosting and chairing our meeting on Monday. It was a pleasure to be sitting in the Cabinet Room rather than down the…
Happy Fathers Day to all the Dads!
“Any man can be a father but it takes someone special to be a Dad.” — Anne Geddes Dads matter and so says the research and me because I have…
Minds Really Do Matter
I was very pleased to be invited as a guest to the annual 2018 Pre-School Learning Alliance conference. The subject was one that currently keeps me up at night;…
The Consultation Dilemma: How to Get it Right
There is a lively debate afoot about consultation. It broke at the Firm Foundations and has now hit twitter so risks turning into 140 character soundbites. It has…
I’ll Drink to That!
If anyone ever asked me what my favourite Champagne was, I would have struggled to answer and probably remark on the benefits of the affordable Prosecco. However, since my recent…
Murder in the Playground
Waiting for the bus the other day I stood and read a shocking poster. It reminded me of a conversation I had with a colleague earlier this week. It occurred…
Goodbye to a Very Dear Friend and Great Supporter of Early Years
I have been asked many times about who has influenced my life and I am usually publicly quite non-committal and say “friends”. However, my dearest friend who shared my passion…
The Easter Egg Sugar Rush
Soon the whole country will be taking part in a giant Easter Egg hunt. A collective response to a marketing campaign that has replaced the reason for Easter…
More men in early years education. That’s the plan.
It might be understandable if we were frustrated by slow progress given our first report on the state of men in childcare. However, it’s not in my nature to give up…
Now that Mr Hinds has discovered the error of the ways in education when will he have the same epiphany about Early Years?
The new Secretary of State for Education Damian Hinds MP has admitted that school funding is “tight” and an issue for headteachers. He agreed that it is “vital” for…
Gender inclusivity? Don’t forget the men!
“What nobler employment, or more valuable to the state, than that of the man who instructs the rising generation.” – Cicero I wrote my first blog about men in childcare in…
Language is the golden route to educational success
We all assume that everyone will learn to talk. It’s part of being human but actually there are levels of success when it comes to language. We can all learn…