Impact report 2016

Changing the world one child at a time

Impact Report 2016

WELCOME

Quick facts

for year ending September 2016

38 nurseries in 11 London boroughs 14 new nurseries in 2014 -2016

Over the last year we continued to use our social investment to grow the number of LEYF nurseries to 38 across 11 London boroughs, increasing the number of children who attend by 19% in the financial year 2015-16, and supporting 43% of children by subsidising the full cost of their places. In growing the business we have provided employment to more than 500 staff members, an increase of 18% over the same period. We are delighted that 95% of parents told us they were happy with the service we provide.

Largest social enterprise nursery group in the UK

113 years of operation 4,139 children given a

At LEYF we have built our social enterprise approach into every aspect of our practice. The LEYF pedagogy is designed to ensure nurseries deliver the best quality care and education to children. Our action research on home learning and our continued efforts to develop nurseries as multigenerational hubs has impressed visitors from home and abroad, and helped deliver 9 Outstanding and 2 Good Ofsted inspection outcomes this year, placing us in the top tier of Ofsted rated nursery groups in the UK.

LEYF nursery experience

11 Ofsted inspections (2015 -16)

9 ‘Outstanding’ and 2 ‘Good’

95% customer

satisfaction

£16.9m turnover of nursery places 43%free for parents 543 staff 50 apprentices

LEYF has an ambition to change the world one child at a time through delivering our social enterprise community nursery model, where social and commercial goals are blended together in the pursuit of a fairer and more equal society. We want to transform the way the public view early childhood education and the importance of the first years of life.

“Staff are experienced, caring and really understand early education.

The lessons are creative and interesting but also structured.

The nursery provides a friendly and comfortable environment.”

Sahidun, parent at Abbots Manor Community Nursery

The year ahead will be another exciting one for LEYF as we move steadily towards reaching 5000 children. We will spend next year consolidating our learning from the growth and integration of our newer nurseries. These plans include improving business processes as well as investing in systems. The retention of staff will also be a focus with enhanced support through the LEYF Academy that provides practitioner learning, development and research programmes.

Nothing can be achieved without the hard work, commitment and enthusiasm of our dedicated people. We would like to thank them for their passion and determination to nurture and inspire every child they care for.

We will continue to campaign to raise the awareness of Government and the public about the importance of childcare.

Printed November 2016. All information was correct at the time of printing.

(Chair) 2

Impact Report 2016

(Chief Executive)

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Our story

Ambition, purpose & values Our ambition

LEYF began life as the Westminster Health Society in 1903, a time of poverty and shockingly high mortality. Our three founders embarked on an ambitious plan to change their world for the better by introducing maternal and child welfare in Westminster, 100 years before the first official children’s centre and 45 years before the NHS.

Changing the world one child at a time.

Our purpose In partnership with families and communities we enable each child to be the best they can be through wonderful experiences that enrich and extend their learning.

During the Second World War, we opened our first nursery to support mothers working in the war effort. During the Blitz, the nursery was temporarily housed in the air raid shelter of the Tate Gallery. Interestingly, in 2005 we were back there in portacabins while we refurbished the Marsham Street site.

As the needs of the community changed over the 20th century and health conditions improved, we focused our services on providing early years education and care through our nurseries, continuing to enable parents to work and children to get the best start in life.

In 2006, we began the journey to becoming a social enterprise to make us financially self-sustaining and allowing us to offer the same high quality nursery experience to families across the city, regardless of their background. In 2009 the organisation was re-named the London Early Years Foundation as we moved beyond Westminster, recognising the importance of scaling and replicating our model.

Today we are the UK’s largest and most successful social enterprise childcare provider, inspired by the same passion and bravery of our pioneering founders, working to change the world one child at a time.

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Our values

INSPIRING

We encourage continuous development for children and staff.

We challenge each other to question and explore so we learn together.

BRAVE

We are curious, bold and adventurous. We push boundaries and test new ideas, always standing up for the rights of children.

NURTURING Fun

We are warm, caring, loving and welcoming. We create safe and homely environments for each child.

We are imaginative and creative and learn through play.

“All staff are very friendly and attentive to the children. I am very thankful to them for what they do as all children are different and require a different approach. The nursery is always clean and the standard of food that they get is excellent.”

Emily, parent at Bessborough Community Nursery

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Our social impact

Quality

•

50% of our inspected settings are rated ‘Outstanding’ by Ofsted in September 2016, compared to the national average of 17%.

Our ambition is to change the world one child at a time.

The experiences children have before the age of five sets them up for the rest of their lives. Research shows that quality nursery education best supports children’s early development. By giving children a quality nursery education and supporting their parents, we are helping whole communities to thrive now and in the future.

Childcare provision

•

The mix of childcare places offered to parents ensures that we have a socially focused and sustainable business model.

LEYF social impact 43% of nursery places offered for free in some of the most disadvantaged areas of London

High quality evidence-based nursery education and care, in partnership with communities

•

Supporting parents through close communication to extend their children’s learning at home

Apprenticeships and tailored training and development at our LEYF Academy

Campaigning for early years policies that are in the best interests of children and families

838 children were funded by the two year-old offer, and 879 were accessing the grant funded hours for three & four year olds only, out of 3992 children in total during the financial year 2015 - 16.

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2275 children were fee-paying. Of these, 758 were children whose parents were purchasing additional childcare hours in combination with their funded hours. This indicates that LEYF is helping parents into work by providing a flexible and additional provision of childcare for working families or parents seeking employment.

Apprenticeships

Giving children from all backgrounds the best chance of being happy, healthy and successful

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LEYF recruits, trains and employs apprentices each year. We offer a 12-14 month training programme as well as an annual salary, 30 % Oyster discount for the first year and a guaranteed interview for an early years educator role upon successful completion of the course.

Supporting parents

Community Partnerships

Whole communities thrive

Community is central to LEYF’s values and we are partnering with social enterprises and other organisations where we can grow our social impact:

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How do we measure our social impact?

LEYF has collaborated with Julian Knight from Creative Futures to explore the benefits of music on childhood speech and vocabulary development.

We measure our impact for children using a model based on the factors that have the biggest effect on children’s development – the amount of time children spend at nursery, the quality of teaching and care at nursery, and the reinforcement of learning at home. We call this the LEYF SUM.

The Early Years Nutrition Partnership will improve the future health outcomes of young children by setting a standard for nutrition practice in early years settings.

Changing the world one child at a time

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Impact Report 2016

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“[Music is] more embedded across the nursery. Staff have embraced it, and taken on board how music supports children’s learning. Children look forward to the sessions and carry on when the musicians are not there.”

Yvonne, Manager at Katharine Bruce Community Nursery

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Our approach to learning As a social enterprise, we’re not only interested in running a successful business, we’re focussed on developing children’s natural curiosity and confidence so they leave nursery as inquisitive explorers who love learning. To this end, we’ve created our own pedagogical approach.

Over the last three years we have grown by

our STRATEGY

60%

14 new nurseries, and reaching an additional If you are in London and the children each year.1500 South East, and are start-ups and existing nurseries 5 joined the 9 LEYF family.

• an existing nursery wanting to join LEYF

Taking on

owner with a building that •canabeproperty converted into a nursery or a new

In the period 2017 - 2020, we will H E RT FO R D S H I R E

Strengthen our social impact Expand our reach towards 5000 children financial and Ensure operational sustainability

selected expansion Explore

opportunities.

development

an education provider interested •exploring nursery opportunities, let’s talk about how we can partner.

Contact Louise Cooper on louise@leyf.org.uk

Waltham Forest

Haringey

G R E AT E R

Redbridge

L O N D O N Stoke Newington

Camden

Chadwell Heath

Hackney

Islington

ESSE

Barking & Dagenham

City of London

City of Westminster Hammersmith & Fulham

Tower Hamlets

Newham Poplar

Soho

River Thames

Earls Court

Kensington & Chelsea

Fulham

Greenwich

Camberwell

Stockwell

Southwark

Blackheath

Brixton

Wandsworth

Lambeth

Bexley East Dulwich

Lewisham

Merton

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Impact Report 2016

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Testimonials Richard, parent at Henry Fawcett Community Nursery “My son absolutely loves the time he spends at nursery and this is in no small measure thanks to the care and attention shown to him by the staff.

He has a smile on his face when we drop him off in the morning and it is still there when we pick him up at the end of the day.

The activities keep him engaged, his learning is moving ahead nicely and the ‘work’ he brings home always brings a smile to our faces.”

Helina, parent at Lisson Green Community Nursery “As a first time parent I was uncertain about every nursery I saw until I found Lisson Green. It’s the one place I felt my child would be safe and well looked after, the main worry for all parents. It really takes a lot of devotion and patience to shape a young mind and the staff have delivered that. They were excellent throughout her whole stay and she loved every single minute of it.”

Rania, parent at Marsham Street Community Nursery “We have been thrilled with the care our son has received. He is treated as an individual and the time and effort that the staff have put into getting to know him has amazed us, making it not only easier for my son but for us too!”

Maria, parent at Leys Children’s Centre Nursery “The staff are amazing. They care for each child as if they were their own. My son developed as I would only dream of. LEYF in one word: OUTSTANDING!”

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Impact Report 2016

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Changing the world one child at a time

To learn more about LEYF, including partnering with us, investing in us or working with us, please get in touch.

020 7592 3603 info@leyf.org.uk www.leyf.org.uk

Nursery Group

of the Year

121 Marsham Street, London SW1P 4LX

Thanks to our partners Social Business Trust, Bridges Ventures, Clearly So and Big Issue Invest.

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