Why does my child eat so well at nursery?
Many families are surprised to find their child eats more adventurously at nursery than at home. Here's how we approach mealtimes at Partou, and what might help at home too.
Partou announces appointment of former Ofsted leader to senior position
April 2nd, 2026
We are delighted to announce that former Ofsted leader, Sam Sleeman-Boss, joins us as Head of Early Years, bringing extensive sector expertise and a strong focus on quality, inclusion and practice.
We are delighted to announce that Sam Sleeman-Boss has joined Partou as Head of Early Years.
Sam joins from Ofsted, where she spent the past ten years working closely with the early education sector in inspection, quality and national policy roles.
Most recently, she served as Early Education Quality and Practice Lead where she was instrumental in delivering the new early years inspection toolkit and supporting inspectors and providers to better understand what high-quality practice looks like in everyday settings.
Kirsty Jackson, Partou Childcare and Operations Director, said:
“It is a major coup for us to recruit someone with Sam’s reputation and standing in the sector to such a pivotal position.
“With more than 30 years of experience across early years and children’s services, she has a deep understanding of practice on the ground, alongside a strong commitment to supporting leaders, teams and inclusive, nurturing environments for children.
“Sam will bring a thoughtful, collaborative approach to quality and improvement, grounded in real experience and a genuine passion for early years education.
“We are thrilled to welcome her to the team.”
Sam Sleeman-Boss said:
“I’m incredibly excited to be joining Partou as Head of Early Years.
“Its approach to early learning, which empowers each child to reach their full potential, is significantly influencing the sector.
“I’m passionate about creating high-quality, nurturing environments where all children belong and thrive.
“I look forward to working with teams across the organisation to build on Partou’s commitment to delivering inspiring and inclusive early years education, particularly for those children who need it most.”
Related news
Early years nutrition: What children need at every stage
The early years are a crucial window for building a healthy relationship with food, and what children eat between birth and five shapes habits that last a lifetime. At Partou, expertise and evidence sit behind every meal, so here's what good early years nutrition looks like in practice.
Partou to employ 50 new apprentices thanks to Aldi UK
Partou will recruit 50 new apprentices following a major apprenticeship levy gifting agreement with Aldi UK, helping to create new pathways into early years careers across our nurseries.