
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…
Read the latest news and updates from our CEO and the wider LEYF team.
“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…
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…
Last week I gave a speech to the Scottish Pre School Play Association in a hotel which was also full of Liberal Democrat delegates who had come…
Last week a colleague and I travelled to Greece to the annual EECERA Conference. I like to attend such conferences because I believe that if we do…
This week I attended the 5th Annual Baby Room Conference organised by Kathy Goouch and her team at Canterbury University. The keynote speaker Annette Karmilof- Smith reflected…
“If we do not keep on speaking terms with children, we become merely machines for eating and earning money” John Updike, Quoted in Arnold 2014 pg.
My family and I have been visiting Wales for many years including many of the countries beautiful gardens open to the public such as Bodnant. We had…
There is a cry from some parts of the sector, about a yet to be appointed Childcare Minister. Why? As a sector the meddling of politicians who are uninformed (except…
Last week I spoke at the UK National Literacy Conference. My role was to share how we support children to become literate in LEYF nurseries.
Earlier this year I joined the Social Integration Commission and today they published their report called ‘How integrated is modern Britain.’ I was very pleased to be…
Mr Gove seems unable to avoid controversy and so began another educational debate when he decided that schools would need to promote ‘British values.’ As ever, Early Years education was…
Returning from a week’s holiday on a crowded EasyJet flight from Milan, I glanced at my emails and despite the sterling work of my efficient EA, was…
Last week I visited Paddington Farm in Glastonbury Somerset of which I am Chair. It’s a lovely 43 acre organic farm which is run as a social…
Recently, the Chief Inspector for Schools, Sir Michael Wilshaw launched the Annual Report on Early Years 2012-13 with a fairly controversial speech. He threw down the gauntlet…