Seminar Programme

Childcare Expo 2011 hosted 10 informative seminars lead by early years experts. We will announce the seminar speakers for Childcare Expo 2012 in due course.

Friday 16th September

10.45 – 11.30: The challenges for the future delivery of the EYFS and the proposals for inspection and improvement.

Patrick Leeson, Director of Development, Education and Care for Ofsted

This presentation will

  • Give an overview of key findings from inspection and regulation of the EYFS 
  • Provide Ofsted’s response to the Tickell Review and the Government’s Policy Statement on Early Years 
  • Indicate future changes to inspection and developments in 2012 

 11.45 – 12.30: Nursery Market Update, Acquisitions, Sales and Valuation

Courteney Donaldson is Director of Child Centric Sectors at Christie + Co.

She has been involved in every major nursery transaction since 2006 and has provided formal valuation advice to many of the Top 10 UK Nursery Groups. Courteney has a wide client base, from national and regional chains to owners of single asset nurseries.

  • Provide an update on market activity
  • Highlight key considerations when preparing to set-up, buy or sell a day nursery.
  • Summarise how nurseries wishing to expand or purchase a development sites or an existing nursery can best position themselves for finance.
  • Outline the methodology of nursery valuations and the role of valuations when securing Bank finance to buy a nursery.
  • Provide an Outlook for 2011/2012
12.45 – 1.30: Inside Out; Outside In

Deslynne Roberts, Arête Consultancy

Learning within the outdoor environment has increasingly become a topical area in the development of good childcare provision. This seminar provides a deeper look at learning in the outdoor environment; its value on child learning and development and how practitioners can overcome the challenges of providing suitable play based opportunities outdoors.

1.45 – 2.30: 'A 5 point Safeguarding Healthcheck'

Barry Holland, SAFEchild

Child protection is a complex area for many Early Years Providers this short seminar with a Q&A session at the end seeks to help you:

  • Become familiar with the legislation, guidance & procedures relevant to Early Years provision, especially the requirements of Ofsted
  • Increase your understanding of child protection issues
  • Know how and when to respond to concerns, disclosures and/or allegations
  • Consider best practice with regards to staff recruitment, induction and supervision
  • Carry out safeguarding risk assessments and with the preparation of evidence for inspections

Steve Ruffle from the Charity SAFEchild is an experienced Child Protection practitioner with a policing background.  This seminar will give you a simple guide to help you protect your organisation and the children your care for.

2.45 – 3.30: Your recruitment maybe safe but is it legal?

Jacqui Mann, hr4nurseries

Having the correct recruitment practices in place are a vital part of running a nursery, and with the Equality Act coming into force last year many recruitment practices you use may now be breaking the law. This seminar & Q&A session with Jacqui Mann, MD of hr4nurseries will give you an insight to effective recruitment for your nursery.

  • An up to date view of legislation, what you can and can't do when recruiting new members of staff.
  • Key points of how to recruit legally and effectively.
  • What are references really worth?
  • How has the Equality Act changed recruitment practices?


Saturday 17th September

10.45 – 11.30: The Gender Agenda - Boys and Girls: Equal but Different

Wendy Gregory, The Childcare Company

Sugar and spice, slugs and snails……. everyone working with young children knows there are distinct differences in the behaviour of little girls and little boys, but why? Up-to-the-minute research shows how these differences start in the womb and continue throughout childhood and adolescence, affecting behaviour, learning, achievement and even career choice. This seminar will give an introduction to this fascinating subject and pose the question, “How can we make early years education more gender-friendly?” If this seminar leaves you feeling you want to know more, the presenter, Wendy Gregory has written an online short course called “The gender Agenda-boys and girls, equal but different,” which can be accessed through The Childcare Company’s Laser Learning Site

11.45 – 12.30: Growing Your Business

Sarah Steel, The Old Station Nursery Group

How do you move from being a single site operator to owning several nurseries?
What are the main considerations around growth and multi-site operations?
How do you structure a larger organisation?
How do you fund growth?

Sarah Steel, MD of The Old Station Nursery Group will share her experiences of growing her business from a single nursery site in 2002 to 15 sites in 2010. She will share her top tips, disasters to avoid and will reflect on the challenges and how she has learnt from them. This will be an informal session including Q&A.

12.45 – 1.30: What’s next for the EYFS

Jo Baranek, NDNA

An informative workshop providing an overview of the changes in the EYFS, how this affects the nursery and how to implement these changes with little interruption for staff and children. Tips and ideas about how to introduce these changes to the staff and parents in a supportive way.

1.45 – 2.30: Not Just Computers? ICT in the Early Years

Derek Hayes

Mention ICT and many practitioners think it’s all about computers! This dynamic seminar with one of the country’s most popular trainers, will break down barriers of understanding and identify a wide range of resources to excite and delight. Share top tips on supporting children’s learning, consider the appropriateness of ICT for younger children and come away with practical ideas you can implement.

2.45 – 3.30: Get Yourself Noticed: How to raise your profile using PR

Jez Ashberry, Shooting Star PR

Do you read about your competitors or hear them interviewed on radio and TV and wonder how they do it?

Do you wish you knew how to raise your profile and enhance your reputation without spending a fortune on expensive advertising?

PR consultant Jez Ashberry has extensive experience of the childcare sector and will be passing on some tricks of the trade to help you get you and your business noticed for all the right reasons.