Savitribai Phule (1831–1897) was an Indian educator, poet and social reformer from Maharashtra. Born into a Mali (farming) caste family, she became India’s first female teacher and co-founded the country’s first school for girls in 1848. Her work challenged caste, gender and the assumption that education belonged to some children and not others.
Drawing on personal experience, research and the Greater Than 3 mentor programme, Robert Harris explores why men remain underrepresented in early childhood. He considers the impact of gender diversity on children, the stigma and gatekeeping men can face, and how mentorship, representation and more inclusive pathways could help create lasting change across the profession.
What if children’s distress is not just a problem to solve, but a signal of their need to be seen? This article and podcast episode explore how children’s expectations about availability and effectiveness of support from close others develop through repeated interactions with multiple caregivers. Using a psychological lens – in particular looking at attachment theory – we explore how educators and parents/carers can shape these expectations of care through their everyday responses to children’s distress.
The first five years are a once-in-a-lifetime window of opportunity for brain development. During this period, food does far more than fill tummies, it helps support learning, behaviour, emotional wellbeing and lifelong health. This article and podcast episode explore the emerging evidence around ultra-processed foods and why food quality matters during the early years.
On a warm day, it’s easy to spot children running across a playground or playing games with friends. While they’re focused on having fun, they may not notice when their bodies are becoming thirsty. Because they can lose fluids quickly during outdoor play, keeping children hydrated is an important way to help them stay comfortable and ready to enjoy the day.
Professional development is something every early childhood setting invests in, yet it does not always lead to meaningful or lasting change. Training sessions may be delivered, feedback forms may be completed, and educators may leave feeling inspired. But the more important question is what happens afterwards: does practice change in ways that benefit children?
In this live podcast conversation and article, Dr Julian Grenier CBE reflects on what effective continuing professional development, or CPD, can look like in early childhood contexts. A central message is that high-quality professional development is not defined by a single event, but by how learning is sustained, supported and embedded over time
Today’s parents and carers are shifting their hopes for children from outward success to inner security. This article and podcast episode explore how relationship-based parenting from birth, rooted in trust, respect, honesty, and communication, creates the emotional safety that allows children to thrive. When children feel seen, heard, and secure, happiness and success follow naturally.
The stories we carry shape how we lead, often without us realising. In early years, these narratives influence who we see as a leader and how we show up. This article and podcast episode explore how leadership stories are formed, the impact they have, and how shifting them can open up more intentional and inclusive ways of leading.
Carl Rogers (1902–1987) was an American psychologist and one of the founders of humanistic psychology. Born in Illinois in 1902, Rogers championed the belief that every individual has the capacity for growth, healing, and self-direction. His person-centred approach revolutionised therapy, education, and care practices by placing empathy, authenticity, and unconditional positive regard at the heart of human relationships. Rogers’ work continues to shape early years pedagogy, wider education, reflective practice, and child-centred approaches (Rogers, 1951; Rogers, 1961).
