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Early findings from PhD study of Early Years setting leadership

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Webinar
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Early findings from a PhD study exploring the lived experiences of leaders in private, voluntary, and independent (PVI) early years settings

Emma Davis, Senior Lecturer at University College Birmingham and doctoral researcher at the University of Worcester, shared emerging findings from her PhD study into the experiences of leaders in PVI early years settings in England. Using a narrative approach, the research foregrounds leaders’ voices and highlights the emotional, relational, and structural challenges of leadership in the sector.

Key themes include:

  • Emotional labour and blurred boundaries: Leaders described their roles as “all‑consuming,” with responsibilities spilling into home life and impacting wellbeing.
  • Isolation and lack of support: Many reported inadequate supervision, limited structural backing, and reliance on informal networks or self‑funded therapy.
  • Committee‑run settings: Leaders often felt undermined or unsupported by committees lacking early years expertise.
  • COVID‑19 pressures: Pre‑existing challenges were intensified, with leaders taking on additional roles and responsibilities while navigating shifting guidance.
  • Accountability and Ofsted: Inspections were experienced as stressful and inconsistent, compounding feelings of being judged without support.
  • Recruitment and qualifications: Leaders raised concerns about knowledge gaps in newly qualified staff, recruitment difficulties, and the undervaluing of early years work compared to other sectors.
  • Leadership identity: Many had assumed leadership “accidentally,” driven by values of care, fairness, and advocacy for children and families.
  • Sector sustainability: Leaders voiced frustration at funding rates, political misunderstanding of play and early years pedagogy, and fears for the future of the sector.

The presentation underscores the need to listen to and amplify leaders’ voices, recognising the emotional and professional demands of their roles, and the systemic reforms required to sustain the early years workforce.