Are Babies Too Young for Policy-Driven Childcare?
The Margaret Horn Debate is our annual opportunity to stop, think, and ask what, in the name of children’s education and care, are we really doing? I love this event…
LEYF News and CEO Blog
Read the latest news and updates from our CEO and the wider LEYF team.
Why Nature Must Matter for Children and Early Years Education
Take a look around– concrete high-rises dominate our skylines, and even the courtyards of upscale developments are often little more than hard brick and stone. Where, then, are children expected…
An Open Letter to the Minister, Sam Gyimah MP
Dear Minister I was sorry to miss your Policy Exchange lecture last week but maybe that was a good thing as it’s often better to read the script in…
Welcome To A Pioneering Qualification for Early Years Chefs
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…
A Trip to the Home of Democracy to Discuss the Democratisation of Childcare
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…
Baby Look into My Eyes…
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…
The Shared Language of Childhood.
“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.
A Trip to Wales, where Plant has more than one meaning.
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…
Worry less about what a Minister can do for us; it’s what we can do for the Minister that should matter
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…
Reading and Writing Float on a Sea of Talk: So Lets Ensure More Conversations
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.
Why Community Nurseries Play their Part in Social Integration
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…
Where does Early Years fit in the ‘British Values’ in Education Debate?
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…
The International Periscope : Learning About, Around and Seeing Obstacles
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…
Visiting the Farmer in his Den
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…