In-Person Training — woodland animals gathered around a flipchart.

Practical, engaging training for your team, delivered in your setting or at a venue.

Sometimes there’s nothing quite like getting everyone in the same room, having proper conversations and exploring ideas together.

I deliver in-person training for nurseries, schools, nursery groups, local authorities and early years teams across the UK and internationally. Sessions can be delivered as part of a training day, twilight, staff meeting or larger whole-team event, and can be adapted around the needs of your setting and the children you work with.

My training is active, practical and rooted in real early years practice. There’ll be plenty to think about, but also things to try, conversations to have and ideas you can take straight back into your setting. I use real examples, photographs, demonstrations, games and hands-on activities, so nobody is expected to sit through hours of slides while I talk at them.

Alexandra Chiorando leading practitioners in an active movement exercise during an early years training workshop.
Early years practitioners holding puppets during an interactive in-person training workshop.

Topics include behaviour and emotional regulation, sensory processing, SEND and inclusive practice, communication and language, quality interactions, play, creativity, curriculum, early maths, physical development and much more.

I can deliver an existing Marmalade training session, combine different areas to create a day for your team, or develop something around a particular priority you’re working on.

Warm, practical training that gets people talking, thinking and excited to get back into the room with their children.

Contact me about training

Marmalade Training is...


  • Ideas, activities and strategies you can actually take back and use with children.


  • Expect discussion, games, demonstrations and hands-on activities — not hours of sitting and listening.


  • We’ll look at what things actually look like with real children, real teams and busy settings.

  • Opportunities to talk, reflect, share experiences and explore ideas with your team.


  • You’ll leave with things to think about, things to try and ideas you’ll still be talking about afterwards.

Practitioners wearing newspaper creations during a playful early years training activity.
Alexandra Chiorando leading an interactive early years training session.
Practitioners joining in a puppet activity at an early years training event.
Two practitioners showing a newspaper creation during a training workshop.
Four participants together at an early years training event.
Alexandra Chiorando presenting an early years training session.

Marmalade Gets About…

From nursery staff rooms to conference stages, I’ve delivered training across the UK and internationally

  • I work directly with nursery and school teams, delivering practical training shaped around the children they work with, the challenges they’re facing and the things they want to develop together.

  • I deliver commissioned training for local authorities, early years hubs, organisations and larger groups, from one-off sessions to wider programmes of professional development.

  • You’ll also find me speaking at conferences and events including the Childcare & Education Expo and TES SEND Show, delivering lively, interactive sessions to audiences of hundreds.

  • From Manchester to London, Coventry to Nottingham and plenty of places in between, I travel across the UK to deliver training in settings, schools, venues and at events.

  • Marmalade has travelled beyond the UK too. I’ve worked with educators internationally, including in Romania, Italy, Spain, China, Thailand and Singapore, sharing ideas and early years practice across different cultures and contexts.

Participants gathered after a two-day early years training session in Bangkok, Thailand.

2 Day Training Bangkok, Thailand

Teachers discussing play materials around a table at Getting Ready to Write training in Madrid.

Getting Ready to Write - Madrid

A 2 day training session in Madrid for international school teachers based in Spain and Switzerland. A small and intimate course with lots of opportunities to discuss and compare practice.

Teachers exploring small resources during Getting Ready to Write training in Madrid.

Getting Ready to Write - Madrid

A 2 day training session in Madrid for international school teachers based in Spain and Switzerland. A small and intimate course with lots of opportunities to discuss and compare practice.

Practitioners joining a movement activity at the Fizzy to Calm conference in Coventry.

Fizzy to Calm Conference - Coventry

A full day of training for teachers on behalf of Coventry Early Years SEND Team. We looked at sensory processing, environments, connection, belonging and movement.

Audience taking part in an early years workshop at the Childcare and Education Expo in London.

The Childcare and Education Expo - London

I absolutely love speaking at the Childcare and Education Expo, they are full of energy and really interesting!

Teachers using ribbons and balloons during Getting Ready to Write training in Beijing.

Getting Ready to Write - Beijing

A 2 day training session in Beijing for international school teachers based in China and Singapore. We had a lot of fun exploring my huge suitcase of resources.

The Gwendolen House nursery team playing with a colourful parachute during behaviour training in London.

Understanding Children’s Behaviour - Gwendolen House Day Nursery, London

I loved working with the team at Gwendolen House, London as we focused on Understanding Children’s Behaviour.

Practitioners exploring materials at Practical Early Maths Through Play training in Shanghai.

Practical Early Maths Through Play - Shanghai

Part of a 2 day training session for teachers and early years practitioners at Wellington College, Shanghai, China.

Participants wearing newspaper creations at Growing up Digital training in Bucharest.

Growing up Digital-Bucharest

A day of training in Bucharest, Romania with a focus on play and creativity. Ending with a catwalk to show off our newspaper creations!

The Kiddiwinks Nursery team taking part in Getting Ready to Write training in Stockport.

Getting Ready to Write - Kiddiwinks Day Nursery, Stockport

I have really got to know the team at Kiddiwinks Nursery in Stockport as we have worked together for a series of training sessions. They always get stuck in and ask lots of questions.

  • “Alexandra’s passion for high quality Early Years provision is threaded throughout everything she says and does in her training, but the most important and inspiring aspect for me is that everything is all built on a foundation of positive, communicative connections with children, supporting them to feel safe and valued at all times. This so often gets lost amongst the day-to-day demands of Early Years settings (and in modern life!) but it really is the only way to ensure children grow and develop to their full potential. Alex is warm, lively and exciting to listen to. She has a way of teaching that keeps people engaged and she clearly demonstrates the importance of putting the joy back into learning. It should be a mandatory requirement that everyone working with children attend at least one of her sessions! 😊”

    Nicky Smith Local Authority Early Years SEND Advisor

  • “We thoroughly enjoyed Alex’s training and found it so engaging. We came away with so many practical ideas to think about and implement, and the whole team left feeling really inspired. Alex’s enthusiasm and knowledge are excellent, with a great balance of theory, practical activities and opportunities for the team to reflect on their own practice. We’ve already bought some of the suggested resources and have since booked onto two Marmalade Academy courses. We’ve recommended Alex’s training to many other people and would definitely have her back to train our team again.”

    Laura & Shelley
    The Learning Tree Kindergarten, Peterborough

  • Really enjoyed your course! Love how you shared your own experiences as a mum as well as a teacher. I could listen to you talk forever! I have learnt so many techniques and love the ideas which I will be using within my setting. I would be interested in any courses you deliver regarding Autism and Sensory Needs and anything along those lines. Thank you!

    Chay Ballard Little Learners Day Nursery Camphill

Thinking about training for your team?

Every team is different, so we can have a chat about what you need, what you’d like the training to focus on and what will work best for your setting.

Enquire About Training

  • I’m based in the North West but travel across the UK and internationally. Training can take place in your setting, school or at a venue you’ve organised.

  • Absolutely. You can choose one of my existing training sessions, combine different topics or we can shape the day around something your team is currently exploring or needs support with.

  • I deliver everything from shorter sessions and twilights to half-day and full-day training. We can work out what gives us enough time to properly explore the subject without trying to cram too much in.

  • Costs depend on the length of the session, location and what you need. Get in touch and tell me a little about your team and what you have in mind, and I’ll send you a clear quote including any travel costs.

  • I’ve spent over 30 years working in early years and education, so I understand the reality of working in a busy setting. I’ve been a teacher, SENDCo, senior leader, regional director and Early Years Ofsted Inspector, and I’ve worked directly with children, practitioners and leaders throughout my career.

    That means my training comes from lived experience, not just theory. I understand the pressures settings are facing, the competing demands on practitioners and what it’s actually like trying to put ideas into practice with a room full of children.

    I want you to leave training with ideas that feel useful, realistic and possible, not another list of things you feel you should be doing.