Catherine Lyon: Background, Experience and Expertise

Catherine Lyon is an early years expert with over 50 years of experience across the sector. Her professional foundation began with the NNEB and NNEB Advanced Certificate, and her career has gone on to include leading her own Outstanding and nationally award-winning nurseries, working as an Ofsted inspector, serving as an internal quality assurer for early years qualifications, and setting up a nationally award-winning CACHE Training Centre.

Throughout her work, Catherine has remained focused on strengthening early years practice while keeping the child at the centre of decision-making. Her experience spans hands-on practice, leadership, inspection, quality assurance, training, mentoring and consultancy.

Early years leadership and sector experience

Catherine began her nursery business in 1985 and went on to build highly regarded provision, including settings recognised as Outstanding and nationally award-winning. Alongside leading her own nurseries, she has supported other settings to strengthen leadership, safeguarding and the delivery of the EYFS.

Her background gives her a practical understanding of the pressures early years leaders face every day, including safeguarding responsibilities, staff support, accountability, quality improvement and working effectively with families. She has always believed that children should remain at the centre of practice and decision-making.

Inspection, training and quality assurance

Catherine’s experience extends beyond running settings. She has worked as an Ofsted inspector, carried out quality assurance work, and served as an internal quality assurer for early years qualifications. She also set up a nationally award-winning CACHE Training Centre, reflecting her long-standing commitment to workforce development and high standards in early years practice.

This combination of leadership, inspection and qualification work means she understands the sector from multiple perspectives and brings both practical and strategic insight to her writing and wider work.

Mentoring, consultancy and professional conversations

Catherine talks with nurseries and preschools every week, mentoring leaders and teams, and also offers more formal consultancy where needed. These ongoing conversations keep her closely connected to the real challenges settings face in practice.

She also delivers EYFS webinars and hosts professional conversations with other experts for early years practitioners and leaders. Through this work, she shares practical thinking on safeguarding, child development, leadership and everyday practice in a way that is grounded, thoughtful and relevant.

Current work

Catherine is the founder of On the Button and other early years software developed in response to the real challenges settings face in practice. This work grew from her own experience of the frustrations caused by systems that did not properly meet the needs of early years settings, and from her belief that systems should support clearer practice, better oversight and more confident decision-making.

She also continues her wider work across the sector, including writing, webinars, professional conversations and practical support for settings. Her focus is on helping settings strengthen practice, include parents effectively, and create safer, more thoughtful environments for children and the adults who support them.

Ongoing professional development

Catherine places high value on her own continuing professional development and keeps up to date with changes in early years practice, safeguarding, leadership and the wider sector. This ongoing learning supports her work with settings and helps ensure that her writing and guidance remain relevant and well informed.

What Catherine writes and talks about

Catherine writes and talks about safeguarding, well-being, child development, leadership and the realities of early years practice. Her work is shaped by long experience, current sector involvement and a clear commitment to keeping children at the centre.

Examples include Be Ready For Reform and Buildind a Culture of Safeguarding. You can also see more articles, features and updates on the News page.

Elsewhere online

You can also find Catherine’s background and current work here:

NMT Safeguarding Article

NMT safeguarding - Be Ready For Reform Published March 2026

in NMT Magazine

TEACH Early Years Safeguarding Artuicle

Building a Culture of Safeguarding Published March 2026

in TEACH Early Years Magazine

EYFS Webinars

Catherine delivers EYFS webinars for early years practitioners and leaders. A small selection is shared here to give a flavour of the topics, approach and activities.

Jan Dubiel and Academic Learning

What do we really mean when we use the word academic in relation to young children? Is it helpful language in the EYFS, or does it risk taking us away from what matters most in the early years?

EYFS Webinars by Catherine Lyon

Strong Roots, Strong Outcomes - An EYFS webinar led by Catherine Lyon, focusing on the early foundations that support strong learning, development and outcomes for children.

The Learning Environment as a Thinking Partner - An EYFS webinar led by Catherine Lyon, exploring how thoughtful environments can support children’s thinking, independence and development.

These examples reflect the range of EYFS webinar topics Catherine explores in her current work with early years practitioners and leaders.

YouTube and professional conversations

Catherine is also developing an On the Button YouTube channel that brings together services, products and professional conversations linked to safeguarding and, in particular, the well-being of children, parents and practitioners.

On the Button Conversations is one part of this wider work, creating space for thoughtful discussion around important issues in early years practice.

Catherine’s work continues to evolve through writing, webinars, professional conversations and practical support for settings. Across all of this, her focus remains the same: helping early years leaders and educators strengthen practice, think clearly, and keep children at the centre of what they do.