17/10/2026
Consultancy works! 🌈🌟
Another day in West Sussex, such a beautiful place to have the pleasure of working!
The same area as yesterday, but two very different settings. Today, another ‘pack-away’ setting. Gosh, that is hard work in itself! Setting up every morning and packing everything away every evening, working within a shared community space. That takes hard work, true passion and dedication before the children’s learning day has even begun!
And this team works with a very mixed cohort of children, some who face barriers to learning and many with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Others very affluent families.
The first thing that resonated with me was the genuine passion and commitment of a well-established team of practitioners whose focus was firmly on the children and families first.
A very diverse cohort of children, yet the true spirit of inclusion was evident in the hearts and minds of the practitioners. Their commitment to ensuring that every child and family has the very best start on their learning journey shone through.
We all know that learning is a journey. We all want children and families to achieve the best possible start and outcomes in life. This team demonstrated experience, dedication and a real commitment to inclusion and achievement — the ‘golden thread’ running through their practice.
Teamwork makes the dream work, undoubtedly! And that certainly shone through today.
This team has so much to celebrate, highlight and validate about what they work tirelessly to achieve every single day. Sometimes, when we are caught up in the business of everyday practice, it can be difficult to stop, reflect and truly recognise the difference we are making.
Today was a reminder of just how important that is.
Lots of ‘wow moments’!
True reflection can be hard. Recognising our strengths, acknowledging the challenges and understanding the impact of our practice are not always easy. But today, I felt that passion, and I saw the progress children were making, including children who had started their learning journeys from lower starting points.
And that matters!
It is not simply about what we provide, the activities we plan or the environment we create. It is about understanding the individual child, recognising their starting points and adapting our practice so that every child has the opportunity to participate, learn, progress and flourish.
It was clear that some children’s needs can present challenges for settings, and that not every setting may feel able to accommodate those needs. Yet this team embraced the individual needs of children and their families, making reasonable adjustments and adaptations to support their inclusion and learning.
That is not always easy in reality, particularly when working within the practical constraints of a pack-away environment. But inclusion is not about expecting every child to fit into the provision we already have. It is about understanding what each child needs and considering what we can do differently to remove barriers to their learning and participation.
This is fundamental to our responsibilities under the Early Years Foundation Stage statutory framework.
The true passion for getting it right for each and every child and family shone through today.
As a consultant, one of the greatest privileges is being able to stand back from the business of the day, observe practice and help teams recognise what they sometimes become too busy to see for themselves.
There is always something to reflect upon, something to celebrate and something to build on. But recognising the strengths within a team is just as important as identifying where further development may be needed. It gives practitioners the confidence to reflect honestly, celebrate their impact and continue striving for the very best outcomes for children.
And today, there was so much to celebrate.
Although the sun did not shine in West Sussex, the practice certainly did! The teaching and learning, inclusion, high-quality interactions and thoughtful support for children’s behaviour all shone through.
What a great day to celebrate teamwork, commitment and achievement in a ‘pack-away’ setting.
On my very long drive home, heading back up North, I reflected on everything I had observed and heard throughout the day. It guided me back to a quote I have always loved, one that seemed to capture the team spirit I had experienced:
“It’s easier to go down a hill than up it, but the view is much better at the top.”
Sometimes the journey is challenging. Sometimes we have to work harder, adapt what we do, reflect on our practice and find different ways forward. But when a team shares a common purpose and remains committed to doing the very best for children and families, those efforts can make a real difference.
And perhaps, sometimes, we simply need to pause, look back at how far we have travelled and recognise the view from where we stand.
Today reminded me that great practice is not defined by the building, the resources or the environment alone. It is reflected in the relationships we build, the barriers we work to remove, the progress children make and the difference we make to their lives.
The sun shone for me today. ☀️
I left feeling inspired by the genuine passion, commitment and determination I experienced. A team working tirelessly, supporting one another and striving to make a difference to each and every child and family.
A day full of passion, progress, teamwork and purpose.
