Birth to Five Matters, Still Matters
I recently received the second edition of Birth to Five Matters: Guidance for the Sector, by the Sector. I read the whole book, but inevitably found myself particularly interested…
LEYF CEO Blog and Podcast by Dr June O’Sullivan OBE
Read the latest news and updates from our CEO and the wider LEYF team.
Digital Literacy in Early Years: It’s About Pedagogy, Not Screens
Even in a digital age, nobody goes to a good conference without a notebook. I spent three days at the 34th EECERA Conference at the University of Madeira…
In Support of Childminders: You are not a Lone Voice Calling from the Wilderness.
On last week’s blog a LINK childminder made an impassioned appeal to the sector to support childminders. She was feeling that we were less engaged with the argument against childminding agencies.
More Great Childcare? Don’t think so…
The delayed response to More Great Childcare (or ‘More Great Childcages’ as coined by Penny Tassoni) filled me with dread. I looked and saw it was…
The role of the modern politician
It’s 100 weeks to the next election… Remember at your peril, politicians can determine our destiny. The call to roundtables is loud and the manifesto push is in…
It was raining on men and about men all week
Last week men featured quite highly on the agenda. Along with Jai Patel and Paul Spinks, co-chairs of the London Network of Men in Childcare, I attended the APPG on…
Will I be on the same list as Sir Bob ?
Last week I was awarded an MBE for services to children and young people in London. As an Irish person, I am technically a non-National so I…
A Thank You Letter to Mr Clegg
Dear Mr Clegg, Thank you for listening to us about the potential changes to the ratios. I can honestly say we were genuinely delighted that you understood our perspective and…
Picnics, Parents and Paris
There is no doubt that the God of Weather likes children. On Saturday the 1st June, International Children’s Day, the sun shone and a light breeze made it a comfortable…
Countdown to our 1st June picnic – a plea to the weather God!
It has been described as a work of fiction by the Pre-School Learning Alliance (PSLA) but is this the best description of the Department for Education report published last week? …
Sing-along to Bob Marley as you prepare for International Children’s Day on 1st June
Thank you all who responded to my blog ‘Colleagues, it’s time we finally took control’ calling us to stand up together and Reclaim Early Years from the toxic grip…
Dear Colleagues, it’s time we finally took control.
Our Minister has done us a favour, although she may not have realised it. She has thrown down the gauntlet by challenging the sector, so now we need to take…
An inspector calls… and the sector arrives to listen and ponder.
On Friday morning I traipsed up to Camden to hear Sir Michael Wilshaw, Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills announce his…
Get on the train to Brussels and make new friends.
Reading documents from the European Commission require some preparation: firstly a cup of tea and a packet of Fig Rolls; secondly some good music…