Testimonials

Hopscotch started working with our school Farnham Green Primary School (East London) in June 2014. Background: The nursery and reception classes (3) were borderline inadequate to requires improvement. They had received conflicting advice from the Borough. They now lacked confidence in their own skills. Brief: For the consultancy to give a baseline of where the teachers were at in planning, teaching and assessing. To look at ways of working smarter not harder. To make help in turning around the setting into at least good. Laura has worked with the school over a 9 month period. During this time we have been graded Good by the Borough, had excellent moderation feedback from the Borough and increased our Good level of development by 19.6% on 2014. Our teachers are now consistently Good in their practice. Reading, writing and maths was up by 18% on 2014. I have always found Laura to be happy and cheerful whilst being professional and focussed on the schools issues. I would not hesitate in recommending her to other schools and settings to help raise standards in EYFS.

Dawn came to our school and made a difference straight away! Our EYFS team felt that her comments were insightful and hugely instructive. Her ideas and advice have gone a long way to changing the lives of 'our' little people!

We have been working with Hopscotch Consultancy since April 2012. We have found their services to be exceptional and the focus and attention to detail second to none. During this period we have had 15 Ofsted inspections - the first being in September 2012 - and all our gradings have been Outstanding. Laura has a clear focus on identifying areas that need to be improved and enables each nursery to be clear on the actions that are needed to be implemented. Laura has also supported with staff development and training and the reviewing of processes within our organisation. We have found her services to really help us to identify how we can move forward and ensure we are always up-to-date with any changes within inspections.

Dawn at Hopscotch helped us develop our CIL provision in EYFS and KS1, putting it back at the heart of learning at King’s Infant School. She observed our current practise and worked with the team to develop a tailor made programme for our school. The training she provided was practical and impacted positively on pupil learning throughout the school. Her passion for learning and improving pupil chances was evident throughout and it was a pleasure to work with the Hopscotch team.

I just wanted to take the time to say a huge thank you for all the support you have given both Lara and myself and of course all the staff at Crystal Early Years over the past year. What a year it has been! i know you have seen us through some of our darkest days so its very important for me to recognise how much you have contributed to our ‘finest day’! At some points the thought of being able to achieve and outstanding seemed impossible. I can’t thank you enough for your patience, your inspiration and your sense of humour through all our trials and tribulations over the past year it has been such a pleasure to get to know you and to work with you. I look forward to more adventures in the future!!!!

We were delighted with the service we received from Hopscotch. Dawn Larkin worked very closely with our EYFS and KS1 leaders as well as with the teachers and assistants in the departments. Dawn made everyone feel at ease and from the outset was highly professional in giving constructive feedback to the team, but always with a clear understanding of the setting together with a strong personal touch. She established strong relationships with the Leadership team who quickly grew to trust her. Thus she worked alongside them to introduce changes to the departments with a clear, confident but sensitive way, and always keeping the children’s needs at the forefront of her work. Personally as the Head of the Primary School the work with Hopscotch was very successful and we would definitely welcome them into our school again when planning future strategic developments.