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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
Having worked in nurseries and school settings prior to her Early Years Teacher Training, Sam has since worked in adult education and apprenticeships for more than ten years. Since 2017, Sam has worked in awarding and End Point Assessment as an External Quality Assurance (EQA), Independent Assessor (IEPA), Examiner, and qualification and product developer for some of the UK’s largest awarding organisations.
Sam have leveraged her experience in teaching, learning, assessment, and quality to demonstrate proven improvement to training providers, including removing risk-ratings to centres and ensuring quality journeys for learners. Additionally, she has developed full curriculum plans and associated resources for both standalone diploma and apprenticeship delivery for early years and teaching assistant qualifications. Sam is a digital instructional designer, having completed her Professional Diploma with the Digital Learning Institute and engaging in CPD with the DLI, covering areas including AI, inclusive learning design, and immersive learning. Sam also holds a Master's degree in Digital Learning, Technology, and Education, and has vast experiences in working with tools such as Articulate 360 and Animaker in addition to learning app development. Sam is currently working on Childology, a gamified learning application, designed for vocational learners, covering concepts in developmental theory and pedagogy.
While studying for one of her master’s degrees, Sam completed research with colleagues in the sector surrounding development opportunities for the Early Years Workforce. She found that barriers to professional development and progression opportunities (such as entry to EYITT programmes) included vocational qualifications ceasing at level 5. Furthermore, the vocational level 5 qualifications available are not always accepted by universities to enter top-up degrees, largely due to the number of credits the qualifications carry. The research findings led to the two-year development of the first Level 6 Ofqual regulated vocational programme in Early Childhood Pedagogy, approved by the Department for Education (DfE) as Full and Relevant in the Early Years in February 2024. Initially, the Diploma was placed within the Level 6 Degree group due to mapping to the graduate competencies, but after lengthy negotiations, supported by the awarding organisation, with the DfE Early Years Qualification Team, the Level 6 Diploma acquired its own 'row' and deserved visibility before the 2024 ended.
Sam is committed to seeking equity in opportunity for the workforce and for vocational learners in the Early Years sector, and continues her research with her second Doctorate degree. Additional empirical doctoral research interests include aesthetic play in Early Childhood and implementing playful and creative curricula to Key Stage 1 and beyond, alongside integration of digital play into, rather than alongside, the curriculum to ensure healthy digital habits.
Further areas of interest include play and pedagogy in the early years, and playful interventions within the education sector, working with parents and/or carers in a coaching capacity, and developing an understanding of children's regulation and responses. She has developed a range of certified programmes with both NCFE CACHE and TQUK in these areas. Sam is also Parent Coach and Therapeutic Play Practitioner, actively working in practice, and offers Coaching and Therapeutic training, accredited by the ACCPH (of which Sam is a Fellow member) and certified by TQUK, SEG or CACHE. Part of Sam's current work is the design of the CalmPlay Approach, a practical intervention methodology to implement in the home environment with children who have experienced trauma or otherwise struggle to self-regulate. CalmPlay is an approach to support regulation through playful techniques, which is accessible for all children and families and does not require specific referral.
In addition to independent development, research, and training work, Sam led the 2024 Early Years Educator reforms for one of the largest Awarding and End Point Assessment organisations in the UK, in readiness for ‘first teach’ in September 2024.
Her work has allowed her to gain a positive reputation as an expertise in the early years, childcare, and education sector- particularly in the remit of qualifications and apprenticeships- and have given talks at conferences and events and guest blogged and authored for publications including The Nursery Managers Show and Nursery Management Today.
In 2024, Sam was invited to write for the global anthology, 'Women of Purpose: Stories of Women Creating a Better World', where she wrote the chapter "From Learning to Liberation: Empowering Lives through Education". The chapter reflects upon how she overcame an abusive childhood and used her experiences to advocate for others, and how education has been her lifeline to escape abuse and empower herself and others to do the same. Sam's first textbook, 'A Complete Guide for the Early Years Educator Learner', will be available to buy from Amazon and other retailers by September 2025.
Sam is the 2024 winner of the Global Women of Purpose Award: Inspiring Educator, and the 2024 winner of the Global Recognision Awards: Educational Innovation and Impact. Sam won the UK Business of the Year: Business with Best Social Impact Award in 2025.
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.
Sam have leveraged her experience in teaching, learning, assessment, and quality to demonstrate proven improvement to training providers, including removing risk-ratings to centres and ensuring quality journeys for learners. Additionally, she has developed full curriculum plans and associated resources for both standalone diploma and apprenticeship delivery for early years and teaching assistant qualifications. Sam is a digital instructional designer, having completed her Professional Diploma with the Digital Learning Institute and engaging in CPD with the DLI, covering areas including AI, inclusive learning design, and immersive learning. Sam also holds a Master's degree in Digital Learning, Technology, and Education, and has vast experiences in working with tools such as Articulate 360 and Animaker in addition to learning app development. Sam is currently working on Childology, a gamified learning application, designed for vocational learners, covering concepts in developmental theory and pedagogy.
While studying for one of her master’s degrees, Sam completed research with colleagues in the sector surrounding development opportunities for the Early Years Workforce. She found that barriers to professional development and progression opportunities (such as entry to EYITT programmes) included vocational qualifications ceasing at level 5. Furthermore, the vocational level 5 qualifications available are not always accepted by universities to enter top-up degrees, largely due to the number of credits the qualifications carry. The research findings led to the two-year development of the first Level 6 Ofqual regulated vocational programme in Early Childhood Pedagogy, approved by the Department for Education (DfE) as Full and Relevant in the Early Years in February 2024. Initially, the Diploma was placed within the Level 6 Degree group due to mapping to the graduate competencies, but after lengthy negotiations, supported by the awarding organisation, with the DfE Early Years Qualification Team, the Level 6 Diploma acquired its own 'row' and deserved visibility before the 2024 ended.
Sam is committed to seeking equity in opportunity for the workforce and for vocational learners in the Early Years sector, and continues her research with her second Doctorate degree. Additional empirical doctoral research interests include aesthetic play in Early Childhood and implementing playful and creative curricula to Key Stage 1 and beyond, alongside integration of digital play into, rather than alongside, the curriculum to ensure healthy digital habits.
Further areas of interest include play and pedagogy in the early years, and playful interventions within the education sector, working with parents and/or carers in a coaching capacity, and developing an understanding of children's regulation and responses. She has developed a range of certified programmes with both NCFE CACHE and TQUK in these areas. Sam is also Parent Coach and Therapeutic Play Practitioner, actively working in practice, and offers Coaching and Therapeutic training, accredited by the ACCPH (of which Sam is a Fellow member) and certified by TQUK, SEG or CACHE. Part of Sam's current work is the design of the CalmPlay Approach, a practical intervention methodology to implement in the home environment with children who have experienced trauma or otherwise struggle to self-regulate. CalmPlay is an approach to support regulation through playful techniques, which is accessible for all children and families and does not require specific referral.
In addition to independent development, research, and training work, Sam led the 2024 Early Years Educator reforms for one of the largest Awarding and End Point Assessment organisations in the UK, in readiness for ‘first teach’ in September 2024.
Her work has allowed her to gain a positive reputation as an expertise in the early years, childcare, and education sector- particularly in the remit of qualifications and apprenticeships- and have given talks at conferences and events and guest blogged and authored for publications including The Nursery Managers Show and Nursery Management Today.
In 2024, Sam was invited to write for the global anthology, 'Women of Purpose: Stories of Women Creating a Better World', where she wrote the chapter "From Learning to Liberation: Empowering Lives through Education". The chapter reflects upon how she overcame an abusive childhood and used her experiences to advocate for others, and how education has been her lifeline to escape abuse and empower herself and others to do the same. Sam's first textbook, 'A Complete Guide for the Early Years Educator Learner', will be available to buy from Amazon and other retailers by September 2025.
Sam is the 2024 winner of the Global Women of Purpose Award: Inspiring Educator, and the 2024 winner of the Global Recognision Awards: Educational Innovation and Impact. Sam won the UK Business of the Year: Business with Best Social Impact Award in 2025.
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.
