Awards
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2024 Global Women of Purpose Awards: Winner of the 'Inspiring Educator' Award
2024 Global Recognition Awards: Winner of the Educational Innovation and Impact Award 2025 Woman Who Solopreneur Awards: Finalist 2025 Small Business Awards: Winner: Business with Best Social Impact 2025 Small Business Awards: Finalist: Female Entrepreneur of the Year Award - TOP 50 LIST AWARD Achieved Placement - 16th in the UK 2025 Small Business Awards: Finalist: Small Business of the Year Award - TOP 10 LIST AWARD Achieved Placement - 6th in the UK 2025 Small Business Awards: Finalist: Best Community Contribution - TOP 50 LIST AWARD Achieved Placement - 35th in the UK 
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Work and Consultancy Background
Guest Speaking and Lecturing, Various Events - Focus: Equity for vocational learners in the Early Years Sector. Qualification updates. EYFS mandatory requirements. Play at home and in the setting. Coaching and nurturing your Early Years team members. Co- and self- regulation across childhood. Some recent examples:
- Nursery Management Show 2024, NEC, Birmingham: "The Early Years Qualification Reforms - Navigating the Requirements for Your Setting"
- Women of Purpose: Stories of Women Creating a Better World 2024, TV interview for associated book launch: "From Learning to Liberation: Empowering Lives Through Education"
- The Holistic Child Summit 3.0, Online and International 2024: "Let's Play, Let's Talk! Play to Develop Filial Attachments"
- The Early Years Leadership Conference, Manchester 2025, Opening Speaker: "Are you up to date? Reforms in qualifications and the EYFS"
- Nursery Management Show 2025, NEC, Birmingham: Expert Panelist "Managing and Sustaining Change in the Early Years"
- The Early Years Leadership Conference, London 2025, Lead Speaker: "Are you up to date? Reforms in qualifications and the EYFS"
Trainer and Coach Partner, The Early Years Company, Sheffield and Derbyshire - Focus: Professional development, training, and coaching for nursery and early years managers, leaders, and practitioners across the region. Hosting monthly network events
Director of Teaching & Learning, National College for Care and Education - Focus: Leading the teaching, delivery, quality, and course production of NCCE's suite of qualifications; supporting the tutorial and assessment team; student success management
Founder of Childology App - Focus: A gamified learning app to support adult vocational learners unpack concepts in development theory and pedagogy.
Director of Independent Education Group Ltd Publishers - Focus: Vocational Textbooks, including the new Early Years Educator (2024) textbook. Due for publication, Autumn 2025.
Founder of the Association of Child and Family Coaches - Focus: The development and implementation of a core training, assesssment, and accreditation for coaches who work with children and families, ensuring a consistency to approach, safe methodologies for the age groups, awareness of child development, safeguarding, and the welfare and wellbeing that all coaches should know before embarking on their journey with children and families
Qualification Development, Training Qualifications UK - Focus: Development of a range of Ofqual Regulated qualifications, including the lead developer for the reformed Early Years Educator qualifications for 2024
External Quality Assurance, Examiner, NCFE CACHE - Focus: EQA and Examiner Activities, supporting and monitoring the quality of centres across the UK offering CACHE qualifications in Child Care, Early Years, Counselling, Social Care and Health
Head of Assessment and Product, Occupational Awards Ltd. - Focus: Leading the design, implementation, quality, and training of new and revised qualifications and End Point Assessment products across a range of sectors
Consultancy, Various Organisations and Bodies - Focus: Since 2014: Assessment instrument development, Quality Assurance management, Remedial Action implementation for training providers, qualification, curriculum, and resource development for awarding bodies, End Point Assessment organisations
- Nursery Management Show 2024, NEC, Birmingham: "The Early Years Qualification Reforms - Navigating the Requirements for Your Setting"
- Women of Purpose: Stories of Women Creating a Better World 2024, TV interview for associated book launch: "From Learning to Liberation: Empowering Lives Through Education"
- The Holistic Child Summit 3.0, Online and International 2024: "Let's Play, Let's Talk! Play to Develop Filial Attachments"
- The Early Years Leadership Conference, Manchester 2025, Opening Speaker: "Are you up to date? Reforms in qualifications and the EYFS"
- Nursery Management Show 2025, NEC, Birmingham: Expert Panelist "Managing and Sustaining Change in the Early Years"
- The Early Years Leadership Conference, London 2025, Lead Speaker: "Are you up to date? Reforms in qualifications and the EYFS"
Trainer and Coach Partner, The Early Years Company, Sheffield and Derbyshire - Focus: Professional development, training, and coaching for nursery and early years managers, leaders, and practitioners across the region. Hosting monthly network events
Director of Teaching & Learning, National College for Care and Education - Focus: Leading the teaching, delivery, quality, and course production of NCCE's suite of qualifications; supporting the tutorial and assessment team; student success management
Founder of Childology App - Focus: A gamified learning app to support adult vocational learners unpack concepts in development theory and pedagogy.
Director of Independent Education Group Ltd Publishers - Focus: Vocational Textbooks, including the new Early Years Educator (2024) textbook. Due for publication, Autumn 2025.
Founder of the Association of Child and Family Coaches - Focus: The development and implementation of a core training, assesssment, and accreditation for coaches who work with children and families, ensuring a consistency to approach, safe methodologies for the age groups, awareness of child development, safeguarding, and the welfare and wellbeing that all coaches should know before embarking on their journey with children and families
Qualification Development, Training Qualifications UK - Focus: Development of a range of Ofqual Regulated qualifications, including the lead developer for the reformed Early Years Educator qualifications for 2024
External Quality Assurance, Examiner, NCFE CACHE - Focus: EQA and Examiner Activities, supporting and monitoring the quality of centres across the UK offering CACHE qualifications in Child Care, Early Years, Counselling, Social Care and Health
Head of Assessment and Product, Occupational Awards Ltd. - Focus: Leading the design, implementation, quality, and training of new and revised qualifications and End Point Assessment products across a range of sectors
Consultancy, Various Organisations and Bodies - Focus: Since 2014: Assessment instrument development, Quality Assurance management, Remedial Action implementation for training providers, qualification, curriculum, and resource development for awarding bodies, End Point Assessment organisations
Academic and Educational Achievements
Doctor of Education (Ed.D) in Early Childhood, Edgewood University - Focus: My second doctoral degree after my PhD, with multiple research articles: Bridging the gap in Progression Opportunities for Early Years Professionals; Aesthetic Play in the Early Years Setting; Extending the Playful and Creative Curriculum to Key Stage 1 and Beyond; A Qualitative Exploration of Educators’ Perceptions of The Colour Monster: Racial Sensitivity vs. Emotional Literacy in Early Childhood Education. My final thesis is a conceptual framework (a theory) - "The Post-Digital Child: Towards a New Theory of Play-Based Learning in the Early Years" (Research taking place during 2024-2025.
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D), University of Manchester - Focus: De-radicalising ‘Prevent’: Encouraging Discussion and Connected Participation through the Development of Anonymous Online Communities for Early Years Apprentices
MSc Counselling and Psychotherapy Studies with CMI Educational Couselling Professional Status, Abertay University - Focus: Safe Therapeutic Coaching for Children and Families: The Development of a Professional Framework
MSc Psychology of Mental Health and Wellbeing (BPS), University of Wolverhampton - Focus: The CalmPlay Approach - Play as a Tool for Healing. BPS units must apply for the Clinical Doctorate in Child and Educational Psychology at the University of Sheffield in 2028.
MA Infant and Family Mental Wellbeing, University of Northampton - Focus: Listening to Babies: How Early Years Practitioners Interpret Pre-Verbal Emotional Communication
Post Graduate Diploma in Educational Assessment, University of Cambridge - Focus: End Point Assessment in the Early Years: A Critical Comparison of Assessment Methods; AI in On-Going Assessment: Risks and Benefits; The Experience-Only Route: An Investigation into Teacher Education Experience Only Routes and their Impact on Knowledge and Skills. Learning Through Play. Play and the Adult Learner. Teaching Therapy Skills Online.
MA Digital Technology and Education, University of Manchester - Focus: Promoting Apprenticeship Communities of Practice in Online Settings
MA Early Childhood Education, North Wales University, Wrexham - Focus: Investigating the Barriers to Professional Development Opportunities in the Early Years Workforce
MA Montessori Education, Anglia Ruskin University - Focus: A Critical Analysis of the Alignment between Montessori Philosophy and the Early Years Foundation Stage in England
BA (Hons) Early Years Education (3-7) with Qualified Teacher Status, Sheffield Hallam University - Focus: Teacher Training in the Foundation Stage and Key Stage One
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D), University of Manchester - Focus: De-radicalising ‘Prevent’: Encouraging Discussion and Connected Participation through the Development of Anonymous Online Communities for Early Years Apprentices
MSc Counselling and Psychotherapy Studies with CMI Educational Couselling Professional Status, Abertay University - Focus: Safe Therapeutic Coaching for Children and Families: The Development of a Professional Framework
MSc Psychology of Mental Health and Wellbeing (BPS), University of Wolverhampton - Focus: The CalmPlay Approach - Play as a Tool for Healing. BPS units must apply for the Clinical Doctorate in Child and Educational Psychology at the University of Sheffield in 2028.
MA Infant and Family Mental Wellbeing, University of Northampton - Focus: Listening to Babies: How Early Years Practitioners Interpret Pre-Verbal Emotional Communication
Post Graduate Diploma in Educational Assessment, University of Cambridge - Focus: End Point Assessment in the Early Years: A Critical Comparison of Assessment Methods; AI in On-Going Assessment: Risks and Benefits; The Experience-Only Route: An Investigation into Teacher Education Experience Only Routes and their Impact on Knowledge and Skills. Learning Through Play. Play and the Adult Learner. Teaching Therapy Skills Online.
MA Digital Technology and Education, University of Manchester - Focus: Promoting Apprenticeship Communities of Practice in Online Settings
MA Early Childhood Education, North Wales University, Wrexham - Focus: Investigating the Barriers to Professional Development Opportunities in the Early Years Workforce
MA Montessori Education, Anglia Ruskin University - Focus: A Critical Analysis of the Alignment between Montessori Philosophy and the Early Years Foundation Stage in England
BA (Hons) Early Years Education (3-7) with Qualified Teacher Status, Sheffield Hallam University - Focus: Teacher Training in the Foundation Stage and Key Stage One
Professional Certificates and Accreditations
CMI and ICF Level 7 Diploma in Trauma-Informed Coaching and Leaderdship
Chartered Member of the ACCPH
CEO and Chartered Member of the ACFC
ATS and CTS Advanced Teacher Status and Chartered Teacher Status with the Society for Education and Training
ILM Fellowship & Level 7 Diploma in Leadership and Management
Level 5 Diploma in Education and Training, QTLS Status (Qualified Teacher of Learning and Skills)
Quality Assurance and Assessment Qualifications (EQA, LIQA, CAVA, EPA)
Digital Learning Institute: Professional Diploma in Digital Instructional Design; Continuing Professional Development Membership
Chartered Member of the ACCPH
CEO and Chartered Member of the ACFC
ATS and CTS Advanced Teacher Status and Chartered Teacher Status with the Society for Education and Training
ILM Fellowship & Level 7 Diploma in Leadership and Management
Level 5 Diploma in Education and Training, QTLS Status (Qualified Teacher of Learning and Skills)
Quality Assurance and Assessment Qualifications (EQA, LIQA, CAVA, EPA)
Digital Learning Institute: Professional Diploma in Digital Instructional Design; Continuing Professional Development Membership
