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…
Come and Join the Ofsted Conversation And Put Your Mind At Ease
I am looking forward to the London OBC on the 19th of September at 2pm hosted by Bain London, 40 The Strand,…
Welcome Tracy Brabin, to the wonderful world of early years education!
On Friday 4th August at LEYF, we had our first conference in three years. We were joined by 450 staff who all came to catch up and reconnect whilst enjoying…
With a dash of imagination and a sprinkling of leadership…the recipe for Early Years success!
What do you do when you want to have the best cakes to eat at the annual LEYF Conference? You ask the chefs to bake them!…
Six Steps to Influencing and Creating a Strong Voice for Children
While dusting the other day, in true Mrs Beeton fashion, I came across my recent trophy for the NMT Award, “Most Influential Person in Early Years 2017”.
What’s in a Name?
Last week I chaired a Roundtable with policy advisers, local authorities, council organisations and child poverty campaigners about the implementation of the 30 Hours and the challenge of getting the…
Choosing a Prime Minister
It was an interesting start to a short week. A Tuesday morning visit from Jeremy Corbyn. It may sound a bit grandiose when I say that I have met two…
When is an entitlement not an entitlement? When it’s 30 Hours Childcare!
A previous election manifesto addition was to promise parents 30 hours of free childcare. This is an annual increase from 570 to 1140 hours, whether 30 hours term time or…
Six Steps For A World Leading Early Interventionist Childcare Strategy
The election fever has begun. Well, less of a fever and more of a virus at the moment. The manifesto writers are busy locked in a darkened room trying to…
Locating the child in the 30 hours offer
Like many of you, we spent a fair few hours on the motorway en route to the country for the Easter Weekend. It’s a time to catch up on playing forgotten,…
Keep Calm, Be Kind and Build Bridges of Friendship for the Sake of the Children
In 2007 three of the LEYF nurseries were involved in the Edgeware Road bombings. I still remember it but the strongest memories that stay with me were of the kindness…
Happy International Women’s Day
And so here we are at another International Women’s Day. I awoke to a card from South Bermondsey nursery wishing me a happy International Women’s Day. Well, didn’t this wake…
Be Kind, Be Courteous and Remember Your Manners
Last week, I spent a morning with staff from two nurseries talking about pedagogy. Kindness and what it means was central to the discussion on social and emotional well-being. It’s…