Margy Whalley is currently Director of the Research, Development and Training Base at the Pen Green Centre and is involved in research, training and consultancy work in this country and Europe, New Zealand and Australia.  The primary function of the research programme over the last 5 years has been involving parents in their children’s learning programme and developing a leadership learning route for those leading integrated centres. She has managed multi-disciplinary early years services in Brazil, Papua New Guinea and England.  She was the founding Head of the Pen Green Centre for Under 5’s and their families and has worked there since 1983.  She has an MA in Community Education and a PhD on Leadership in Integrated Centres.  She undertook a secondment to the Open University where she wrote course materials for parents wanting to increase their knowledge and understanding of child development.  She was invited to be part of the Labour Party enquiry team into Under 5’s education and care and was the Association of County Council’s representative on the National Audit commission concerned with children under 5. 
Margy was heavily involved in the development of the Early Excellence Centre programme.

She was on the advisory board of the National Early Excellence Evaluation programme and the Early Years Advisory Group for the DfES.   Most recently she has been responsible for developing the National Professional Qualification in Integrated Centre Leadership programme and the Pen Green Team has supplied the first two years of the roll-out of this programme to 19 learning communities across England. Margy has also worked as an advisor to the Minister and the Children and Families directorate.