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…
An Invitation to the London #OfstedBigConversation
The London conversation will take place at 9.30 on Friday the 11th April at LEYF Head Office (121 Marsham St, SW1P 4LX). The aim of the ‘Conversation’ is to identify…
What would St Patrick say if he was a Social Entrepreneur?
This week, I had the opportunity to be featured on the BBC Sunday Politics Show as an example of a social enterprise. https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b03xjvvm/Sunday_Politics_London_16_03_2014/ (51.20 mins) Like anyone who ever…
An Oscar Speech for Early Years Practitioners
Last week I went to friend’s wedding and when it came to the speeches, she stood up and explained that as it was the day of the…
The London Men in Childcare Network Celebrates its Second Birthday and Launches its Video
‘Men in Childcare is women’s business’ said a colleague at the first official meeting of the London Men in Childcare Network for 2014 which was held last…
We need one early years voice to sing in harmony for good quality childcare.
On Saturday, I read a letter in the Guardian coordinated by Early Education calling on local politicians to protect quality provision for children in…
Early Years where ‘Mary Mary quite Contrary’ is also an Environmentalist and Climatologist
Yesterday, I enjoyed watching a tranquil almost bucolic scene with rowers rowing up the Thames, families walking with their children and dogs and runners and cyclists cruising along the towpath.
The Tale of Two Michaels; ‘Le Ofsted Split’
The breakup of relationship always fascinates us. We are drawn to the details like a moth to light. The intricate relationship between the Secretary of State for Education and Ofsted…
Early Childhood Care and Education must become a Global Issue
This week had an international flavour not because I was travelling to faraway places (my next trip is Walsall) but because I spent quite a bit of time considering how…
Leading a change; a challenge or a headache?
The role of the CEO is a varied one and this week I found myself commenting on assignments LEYF staff had done on change. I was really rather chuffed by…
If you are happy and you know it come to work
Given that January is the month when we have a collective “Blue Monday” and the highest number of disgruntled workers reach for the job vacancies, we need…
My 2014 New Year blog
Many New Year blogs begin with a set of resolutions. I avoid this because I never make resolutions. I have learned to make promises to myself to do some nice…
What happened when Santa got stuck up the Chimney?
When Santa got stuck up the chimney He began to shout, ‘I’ll tell Mr Gove and he will explode if you don’t let me out.