About Alex
Children have always been at the heart of everything I do.
I am passionate about creating environments where children feel safe, valued, heard and understood. Inclusive practice, connection, belonging and emotional regulation are at the heart of my work and I strongly believe that children learn best when they feel secure, connected and genuinely seen by the adults around them.
I am a qualified teacher and have spent my career working across both schools and private nursery settings in a variety of roles that I have truly loved. I have worked as a class teacher, SENDCo and senior leader in schools, as well as a teacher, senior leader and regional director within PVI early years settings.
Alongside this, I have worked as an Early Years Ofsted Inspector, an Associate Lecturer at Manchester Metropolitan University and for the past six years I have proudly run Marmalade Early Years Consultancy.
I feel incredibly fortunate that my work now allows me to support nurseries, schools and local authorities across the UK and internationally. I love working alongside passionate practitioners and leaders, helping to create thoughtful, inclusive and meaningful early years experiences for children.
My experiences across teaching, leadership, inspection and consultancy have given me a deep understanding of both high quality practice and the realities of everyday life in early years settings. My work is always grounded in real practice, realistic expectations and a genuine understanding of the challenges educators face every day.
I have worked as a consultant for BBC Bitesize and I have collaborated with an independent production company developing new television programmes for young children.
Public speaking is something I genuinely love and I regularly deliver large scale training sessions, keynote talks and workshops for nursery groups, school clusters, local authorities and international audiences. In recent years, my work has taken me to Romania with First7, as well as working with practitioners and educators internationally including in Italy, Madrid, China, Thailand and Singapore.
I have also spoken at major education events including the Childcare & Education Expo and the TES SEND Show, sharing practical and inspiring approaches to inclusive practice, behaviour, sensory processing, creativity and connection in the early years.
What matters most to me is helping practitioners feel confident, inspired and supported. My training is known for being warm, relatable, practical and full of ideas that can genuinely make a difference in everyday practice.
Whether I am delivering consultancy, speaking at an event or sitting on the floor playing alongside children, my focus is always the same — helping children feel connected, capable, valued and understood.
I hold QTS and EYTS, an enhanced DBS check and full public liability insurance.
I am based in Altrincham and work both across the UK and internationally.
