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Hi! I'm Sam, and I am so excited to meet you! Please explore my page. I am an Early Years Qualification specialist and Child & Family Wellbeing Researcher available to speak, write, or train for you.
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Introducing Sam
Dr Sam Ballington is an award-winning education leader, researcher, author and entrepreneur whose work is centred on raising standards, widening opportunity, and championing safe, ethical practice across education, early years, and child and family wellbeing.
Her professional journey reflects a commitment to supporting others and to her own ongoing development through study, research, and innovation. Sam’s academic and professional pathway has been driven by a belief that meaningful leadership in education must be grounded in evidence, reflection, and lived understanding. This commitment has shaped her work as a practitioner, course developer, business founder, and advocate for high-quality learning experiences.
Sam was awarded an Honorary Professorship for services to Education and Early Years, recognising her contribution to vocational learning, professional development, and educational leadership. She is also the recipient of several prestigious honours, including UK Business with Best Social Impact, Global Woman of Purpose for Inspiring Education, and the Global Recognition Award for Innovation in Education. She has also been named a finalist for Education 2.0 in the fields of educational leadership, impact, and innovation, with the awards to be announced in Dubai in December 2026.
Across her work, Sam leads and contributes to a wide range of forward-thinking projects. She is the author of the Textbook for the Early Years Educator, designed to support learners and practitioners in building strong foundations for professional practice. Sam also developed the first vocational route towards achieving a Full and Relevant Level 6 in Early Years She is also the creator of Childology, a learning app developed to make child development theory and pedagogy more engaging, accessible, and interactive for learners.
Sam is the Director of NCCE – the National College for Care and Education, which is committed to excellence in vocational learning opportunities across Early Years, Education, and Child & Family Wellbeing. Through NCCE, she has worked to expand access to high-quality qualifications and professional development for those working in sectors that shape children’s lives.
She is also the founder of The Association of Child and Family Coaches, an organisation established to raise standards in the field and to promote safe, ethical training for those working therapeutically with children, young people, parents, and families. This work reflects Sam’s wider mission to ensure that those supporting others are themselves trained to a high standard, with integrity, accountability, and care.
Her wider projects also include NCCE Explore, designed to extend innovative learning opportunities, and The CALM Approach to Leadership, alongside an executive leadership programme that supports values-led, reflective, and impactful leadership practice.
Sam’s work is united by a clear purpose: to create meaningful educational opportunities, professional pathways, and ethical frameworks that improve outcomes for learners, practitioners, children, and families. Whether through research, writing, leadership, or innovation, she continues to build work that is both visionary and grounded in real-world impact.
Sam lives in Derbyshire with her husband and two daughters. Away from work, studies, writing, and research, Sam can be found in theme parks, skating (ice and roller), or at music venues.
Her professional journey reflects a commitment to supporting others and to her own ongoing development through study, research, and innovation. Sam’s academic and professional pathway has been driven by a belief that meaningful leadership in education must be grounded in evidence, reflection, and lived understanding. This commitment has shaped her work as a practitioner, course developer, business founder, and advocate for high-quality learning experiences.
Sam was awarded an Honorary Professorship for services to Education and Early Years, recognising her contribution to vocational learning, professional development, and educational leadership. She is also the recipient of several prestigious honours, including UK Business with Best Social Impact, Global Woman of Purpose for Inspiring Education, and the Global Recognition Award for Innovation in Education. She has also been named a finalist for Education 2.0 in the fields of educational leadership, impact, and innovation, with the awards to be announced in Dubai in December 2026.
Across her work, Sam leads and contributes to a wide range of forward-thinking projects. She is the author of the Textbook for the Early Years Educator, designed to support learners and practitioners in building strong foundations for professional practice. Sam also developed the first vocational route towards achieving a Full and Relevant Level 6 in Early Years She is also the creator of Childology, a learning app developed to make child development theory and pedagogy more engaging, accessible, and interactive for learners.
Sam is the Director of NCCE – the National College for Care and Education, which is committed to excellence in vocational learning opportunities across Early Years, Education, and Child & Family Wellbeing. Through NCCE, she has worked to expand access to high-quality qualifications and professional development for those working in sectors that shape children’s lives.
She is also the founder of The Association of Child and Family Coaches, an organisation established to raise standards in the field and to promote safe, ethical training for those working therapeutically with children, young people, parents, and families. This work reflects Sam’s wider mission to ensure that those supporting others are themselves trained to a high standard, with integrity, accountability, and care.
Her wider projects also include NCCE Explore, designed to extend innovative learning opportunities, and The CALM Approach to Leadership, alongside an executive leadership programme that supports values-led, reflective, and impactful leadership practice.
Sam’s work is united by a clear purpose: to create meaningful educational opportunities, professional pathways, and ethical frameworks that improve outcomes for learners, practitioners, children, and families. Whether through research, writing, leadership, or innovation, she continues to build work that is both visionary and grounded in real-world impact.
Sam lives in Derbyshire with her husband and two daughters. Away from work, studies, writing, and research, Sam can be found in theme parks, skating (ice and roller), or at music venues.
