News

London chain opens its own centre for CPD

The London Early Years Foundation (LEYF) has opened a new research centre to deliver continuing professional development to early years practitioners.

The Centre for Research, Learning and Development (CRLD) will offer courses for all LEYF staff and external practitioners from Friday. All 20 CPD courses are based on research carried out by the centre at the chain's nurseries.

The courses include:

  • the Schema Spotter's guide
  • strategies for working more effectively with parents who have high emotional needs
  • action research - improving quality in the nursery, which is accredited by Birmingham University
  • one-year Institute of Leadership and Management-accredited leadership and management programme for deputy managers.

The LEYF intends for all the courses to be accredited in the future.

Bespoke training, apprenticeships and youth mentoring will also be run from the centre.

Acting head of centre Mine Conkbayir said, 'It's such an exciting opportunity, after so many years of developing our own staff, that we are now able to extend and share our learning and resources with the whole sector.

'Most importantly, the programme has been specifically designed based on feedback from our staff, so each course really does offer something different.'

Courses are being run temporarily from LEYF's head office in Westminster, but will move to bigger premises in London Bridge in January, when LEYF will recruit a research manager to join the existing CRLD team of four.

Ms Conkbayir also said LEYF plans to open a college delivering its own early years degree.