Come and be a part of the EYs revolution!

When I first set up the Facebook group "Keeping Early Years Unique" back in March 2015, that was exactly what it was.  A Facebook group for those working in Early Years who wanted a haven from the world of craziness of EYs social media.

Two years later, 30,000 members strong, and KEYU is far more than just another EYs facebook group. It's a global phenomenon. A movement. An agent for change. A community leading change around the world.  A community where like minded practitioners find they are not alone even when it feels as if they are.

KEYU group photo. London 2015

Through the group I have met so many people and have made some life long friends.  It is these friends who continue to inspire me each day and our friendship has led to even more exciting projects, such as the KEYU book...which I am currently editing and also our very own national KEYU EYs conference tour. The first leg was entitled "Less is More" and offers the chance to hear from 6 of KEYUs leading voices. The next set of events, beginning with Brighton will be entitled "Right from the start" and will include workshop options.

KEYU Speakers L-R: Ruth Moore, Kym Scott, Elaine Bennett, Anna Ephgrave, Kathryn Solly, Sue Allingham, Leah Morris

So far the tour has visited London, Leeds, Bristol an Belfast.  In July we will be visiting Manchester and Birmingham. In Autumn we will be in Brighton and Newcastle. And in Spring we are heading home to my town Southend, and also visiting Guildford and hopefully Nottingham too!

These events not only offer the chance to hear from some of KEYU's leading voices, but also the chance to network, put faces to those names with whom you often chat, or who have given you support and encouragement on your trickiest days through their posts and comments.

These events are really something very special and the feedback from our delegates tells stories of inspiring, buzzy, practice affirming celebrations of the very best Early Years thinking!

Enjoying a KEYU bag photo opportunity!

Having a good chat with a cuppa and piece of cake!

We promise you will have an inspirational day and will leave with your KEYU bag on your shoulder. Have a look at our carefully chosen stalls and maybe win a prize in the draw!

Early Education

Community Playthings

So come and join us!  We'd love to see you! Student discounts are available with valid ID.   Help us spread the word.  We are not a large company, just a group of passionate practitioners who have been brought together by KEYU.  We do not have marketing tools at our disposal.  Our events fill up through the power of the KEYU community...and we are always looking for ways to spread word to those who are not on Facebook. So can you help us?

Don't miss out! Come and see what all the fuss is about and book your places NOW. Just click on this link... 

We are ready and waiting, don't be late!

Have a look at our  fliers to find out details of the events!
All bookings made through Eventbrite. Payment by invoice is available.

Birmingham Event July 2017

Manchester Event July 2017

Brighton November 2017

October 2017

Buckle up...Time to board EYs Air for the long haul!

Well by this time next week, we will probably know the future of the Government here in the UK and our Prime Minister.  So many questions to be answered....

• Will we be led by a Government who recognises the importance of early years and education?  
• Will there be investment in our schools and settings?  
• Will the cuts keep coming? 
• Will our children be tucking into a 7p breakfast to set them up for the day? 
• How exactly will the "f*** funding 30hr  fiasco" move forwards?  
• Will we get a Government who listens to the 4000 voices of EYs and the plentiful evidence and research of Early Excellence's "The Hundred Review"

So many questions.  So many reasons we MUST vote. But when all is said and done, who ever the Government, whatever their agenda and values...one thing remains the same:

"Our children deserve the very best start, and whether we finally start to see the funding we so desperately need or not, we will all keep fighting to give our children the start we know they are entitled to"

Those of you who are already members of the Facebook Group "Keeping Early Years Unique" will know it is our mission to battle together to make sure that we fight on to protect the early years of a child's life.  We fight to protect our children from damaging top down pressures, too much too soon, do-it-sooner formal approaches, developmentally inappropriate practice and pedagogically irresponsible approaches. 



In the short term such approaches might give the narrow outcomes (numbers) so many leaders feel pressured to get. Sometimes leaders believe these outcomes really matter.  However usually they feel the pressure because their pay, reputation and schools standing (even perhaps its physical standing) rests on the  measures set by a Government who continues to compare schools based on flawed test results. 

If you have not already bought this amazing book...buy it now!

The thing is though...I did not become a teacher for the short journey and short term effects I may have upon a child's life.  I did not become a teacher to just get young children through tests.  I became a teacher for the long journey and the footprint I hope to leave on a child's life. I became a teacher to make a difference, to help set children on a path not just through reception or year one but through life.  Maybe that sounds fluffy and idealistic to some readers.  Of course it is my job to help them to achieve academically, to learn to read, write and learn maths...but if that is all I am doing, then I am failing them as a teacher and I am failing myself.  Life is not just about reading, writing and maths, please do not run away with this and believe that I am saying its acceptable for children to be illiterate and innumerate.  I am not. Children must learn the 3 R's. But life is also about being a member of society who plays their part, a member of society who in their own way makes a difference, who understands, respects and tolerates others, who creates and invents, who bounces back in the face of adversity, who knows right from wrong and ultimately who understands and respects the world they live in...and their place within it.

So now back to the classroom-in the run up to the phonics screening there will be schools whose children are doing endless phonics screening practice papers.  The chances are their children will in the short term outperform mine and score more highly in this test.  My children will do well, we have given them the grounding they need beyond the phonics test, we have played some silly games, I have tried to make reading nonsense words as interesting and engaging as possible...although fluently reading 5 and 6 year olds do not know why they are having to read "meep" and "jang"....surely if they are aliens names they should have a capital they tell me.  So in the short term maybe I have failed.   We will be compared to other schools and maybe I will be asked what I will be doing differently next year.   Well a change of Government could ironically put the phonic screening test in the metaphorical dustbin where it so clearly belongs- along with Obb's words (if you know what I am talking about, then you are clearly playing the same games literally and metaphorically).  But if things don't change in Government...what will I change? Absolutely nothing.  My children love books, they love to read, they happily write, no one says or thinks they can't.  As I said I am a teacher who plays the long game.  And I always will. 


I recently asked the members of Keeping Early Years Unique whether we should discuss politics on the page in the run up to the election. The answer was a resounding yes.  Politics affects us all...but it will never change the teacher that I am. Governments and their ideologies come and go. But right now no matter what pressures I am under, I am not going anywhere.

So next Thursday, use your vote. Make it count.  Maybe things will get better, maybe things will get worse. Who knows. Maybe you think your little vote can't make any difference.  It can!

All I know is that whatever happens, I will never jump on board that short haul flight.  I am long haul all the way..there will be turbulence and it will get very bumpy, but I am buckled up and ready! What about you?

Nursery World Election Special: How the Election might affect you

Can you relate to these messages?  Are you in your seat fastened and ready to go?  


Come and join 30,000 of us on Facebook in the Keeping Early Years Unique community

Come and join us at our national events visiting Birmingham, Manchester, Newcastle and Brighton this year! Seats on the KEYU jet are filling fast! See you there.