About

My career began as a nursery nurse in the school sector, where I gained over 30 years of experience.  During that time there were periods when I worked part-time and was able to take on short-term supply work and temporary support roles providing 1:1 support for children with special educational needs. 

Whist working as a nursery nurse role, I become an assessor of students undertaking a NVQ in Early Years, enabling me to work with adults.  In 2002 I moved into a new role to support a wide range of early years settings in the PVI sector as a quality improvement officer for a Local Authority and thereby experienced the diversity of early years services in my locality. 

I studied at Sheffield Hallam University to gain a Foundation Degree and then completed the BA top-up. I went on to achieve the graduate Early Years Professional Status in 2009 and worked as a peripatetic assessor for the following three years, maintaining a strong professional interest in EYPS. I hold a firm belief that all early years practitioners should have opportunities to develop their skills and knowledge with access to a just and appropriate qualifications framework. I achieved Qualified Teacher in Learning and Skills in 2011 and a Masters in Early Childhood Studies in 2012.

I began working at Sheffield Hallam University on a part-time basis in 2012, and currently teach on the Early Years Teacher Status course. As the academic placement co-ordinator, I bring my knowledge of local early years services to support my role in placing trainees in settings where they will be effectively supported and given prime opportunities for experiential learning. I have just completed my Doctorate in Education, having conducted research on placement experiences with EYT trainees.

Early Years Childcare and Education

Social and emotional well-being

Leadership and management

Outdoor Play

Safeguarding

Child Participation

Reflective practice

E-learning

Teaching

Department of Teacher Education

College of Social Sciences and Arts

Research

I completed my Doctorate in Education in September 2016.  I used a creative interpretative phenomenological analysis approach to explore how employed Early Years Teacher trainees experience placement in an alternate sector of early years services.

Publications

Other activities

Early Years Professional Status network member

Consultancy

Membership of professional bodies  SET, FHEA, BERA

Setting based tutor training