If Children Really Are Our Future, Why Are We Stalling?
The 16th November marked Social Enterprise Day, so Happy Social Enterprise to you all. My dream is for every business to operate like a social enterprise and never have to…
LEYF News and CEO Blog
Read the latest news and updates from our CEO and the wider LEYF team.
London OBC Blog October 2023
The London OBC October 2023 Thank you those who attended the London OBC meeting on the 25th October. It was interesting to receive comments…
Refugee Day – Giving Everyone the Right to Safety and an Education
When the war in Ukraine started, many LEYF staff were really upset about the children. In fact, one conversation which stuck in my mind was: “June, they could be at…
It’s time for a post-pandemic OBC
In preparation for this meeting and because time is simply speeding past, I looked over all the minutes of the previous Ofsted Big Conversation (OBC) blogs. The OBC kicked…
Talking Early Years with June O’Sullivan: in Conversation with Karen Lynch
Do you enjoy listening to an honest, funny, down to earth conversation? That sums up my chat with serial social entrepreneur Karen Lynch. I met Karen many…
Save Our Staff: Child Ratios
In 2013, then Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education) Elizabeth Truss decided to pursue a plan to reduce staff:child ratios. It was very unpopular and was roundly rejected by the sector…
Talking Early Years with June O’Sullivan: in Conversation with Katherine Hill
Child Poverty Affects Us All Why is child poverty not on the agenda? It’s a horrible situation that doesn’t just affect the child but the wider…
Tackling the Early Years Recruitment Crisis Head On
A sober outlook The mood across the Early Years sector seems to be suggesting that recruiting and retaining staff is one of our biggest challenges. It was certainly the biggest…
Talking Early Years with June O’Sullivan: in Conversation with Charlotte Riley
Time to Put Childcare in the Spotlight When do you hear the words ‘actor’ and ‘childcare’ in the same sentence? Rarely, according to actor Charlotte Riley, Founder of The…
Why the Early Years MUST be ‘Levelled Up’ Without Delay
With all the fuss about ‘Partygate’ and too many unpleasant images of our Prime Minster being shared by angry, vindictive ex-colleagues – you may have been forgiven for missing the…
Talking Early Years with June O’Sullivan: In Conversation with Helen Garnett
Time to Put Empathy at the Heart of Pedagogy I first got to know Helen Garnett when I met her at an Empathy Lab event and was…
Blue Monday is not very blue in Early Years
In a world, which is very focused on wellbeing and how we consider people sense of wellbeing, it seemed a bit strange to me that 17th January was renamed Blue…
A Wish for Wellness in 2022
2022 has finally arrived and it is also Day 5 of my COVID isolation. I know I am nearly better because the world doesn’t feel like a permanent menopausal hot…
Talking Early Years with June O’Sullivan: in Conversation with Norma Raynes
From Generation to Generation: In Conversation with Professor Norma Raynes About ten years ago I discovered the work of Robert Putnam and the idea of social capital. In…