About Katie
I am an independent Early Years consultant with over 19 years’ experience in international education, including more than 15 years in leadership across Early Years and Primary.
My work is shaped by substantial experience of leading, establishing and improving Early Years provision. I now use that experience to support schools, nurseries and education organisations as they develop new provision, strengthen existing practice and build the leadership, systems and cultures needed to sustain quality over time.
To find out more about my work, get in touch.
Experience built in practice
My career began in teaching and developed through coordination, nursery management and senior leadership roles across the UK, Egypt and the Middle East. Throughout that journey, Early Years has remained at the centre of my work.
I have led Early Years provision and held senior leadership roles within British international schools, including playing an active role in establishing and developing a new through-school. I have also worked directly with school owners to establish new provision, shape strategic priorities and translate those priorities into consistent everyday practice.
These roles have given me direct experience of the opportunities and challenges involved in leading provision: setting a clear direction, developing teams and managing change across a growing organisation.
A significant part of my experience has involved establishing new provision. I have supported the opening and development of nurseries and school-based Early Years settings in different countries, working across curriculum, environments, staffing, policies, systems and family engagement. This has shown me how strongly the decisions made at the beginning can shape an organisation’s quality, culture and long-term sustainability.
My consultancy is grounded in substantial practical leadership experience. I understand the realities organisations face when translating vision into practice while considering operational capacity, accountability and the needs of children, families and staff. I also understand how strongly these decisions are shaped by cultural and organisational context.
What informs my work
My perspective has been shaped by experience of:
Establishing and developing nurseries and school-based Early Years provision
Leading curriculum, assessment and learning-environment development
Leading quality assurance, improvement planning and inspection readiness
Designing professional learning and building team and leadership capacity
Leading and strengthening safeguarding culture and practice
Developing relationships and engagement with families and communities
These areas are closely connected. Curriculum cannot be separated from the knowledge and confidence of the team delivering it. Safeguarding depends on culture as well as documentation. Sustainable improvement requires leadership, systems and shared understanding—not simply a list of actions.
International experience, understood in context
I am based in Cairo and work with schools, nurseries and education organisations internationally.
With British and Egyptian heritage, I grew up and was educated in the UK before moving to Egypt at the beginning of my career. I have since lived in Egypt on and off for around 20 years, developing a strong understanding of its cultural and educational context. My career has also included roles in Dubai, Doha and Beirut, giving me first-hand experience of working across the Middle East. I work professionally in English and also speak Arabic, supporting communication and relationship-building across different settings and communities.
My experience has taught me that educational approaches cannot simply be transferred from one country or organisation to another. British frameworks and recognised standards can provide a valuable foundation, but their implementation must take account of local expectations, organisational culture, staff experience, and the children and families being served.
I therefore place considerable importance on understanding context before making recommendations.
My approach
I believe that lasting quality begins with strong foundations: clear values, capable leadership, coherent systems, professional trust and a shared understanding of what good practice looks like.
My role is not to arrive with a predetermined solution. I work collaboratively to understand what is already in place, identify strengths and priorities, and help organisations develop practical approaches that they can sustain.
This means valuing quality over speed, honest reflection over surface-level change and long-term capacity over dependence on external support.
How can I support your organisation?
If you feel my experience and approach may be relevant to your organisation, you are welcome to explore my services or get in touch to discuss your priorities.