Biography

I am an early years specialist educator, currently working as a senior lecturer at the University of Cumbria on ITT programmes. After classroom teaching I held many early years leadership roles in education, including: head teacher of an infant school; head of an under-fives centre (B-5); early years advisory teacher for three local authorities; tutor on the Early Childhood Studies degree at London Metropolitan University, governor of a nursery school and on the management committee of a children’s centre.I also worked nationally for QCA as a moderator on the EYFS Profile and after this, as an independent early years consultant, before taking up my current role.

Qualifications and memberships

PGD Early Childhood (Froebel, Roehampton, Surrey), FHEA

HEA

Academic and research interests

The role of Play in early years education

Assessment in Early Years education

Bilingualism and ethnic minority achievement in early years

Listening to children

Agency, identity and childrens' rights

Publications

The Early Years Foundation stage in the Primary Schcool in Cooper and Elton-Chalcraft (2021) Professional Studies in Primary Education, 2021

Recent external roles

Preston cluster 'The Wonder of Boys' project with Ros Bailey

Early Education Steering Group

Early Education Consultant