Back to school and a fresh start!

This morning, my eldest started secondary school and my son went into year 3. The eldest hasn’t managed to get out of bed before 9am for most of the summer holidays but today she set an alarm for 6.30, was showered, dressed in her brand new uniform (complete with blazer and tie!) and breakfasted by 7.30 which is unheard of. Meanwhile, the 7 year old had his shoes on and his bag packed a good 45 minutes before he needed to be ready. I was blown away. Is this the dawn of a new era, of stress-free, Mary Poppins-esque mornings? I live in hope!

***

I like nothing better than a new start. A fresh notebook…a new pen… a tidy, organised to-do list. The start of the new school year doesn’t only seem to reinvigorate my children, but it gives me the perfect opportunity to draw a line under the last few months and to hold myself accountable to my business again too.

I’ve been lucky enough to have taken most of the summer holidays off this year, so coming back to my desk this morning felt quite a shock, but it’s also good to get back to a routine. After a break like that, it often takes me a while to get my head back into things, so it strikes me that it’s probably a good time for me to remind myself (and the rest of the world!) what it is that I love about my business and the work that makes my heart sing.

So, here goes!

***

I’m Rachel, and I run my own education consultancy. A large portion of my work is within the STEM and science landscape, but it always focuses on children and young people. I make sure that every project I run prioritises the creation of positive change and impact.

I have a passion for work that improves inclusivity and overcomes disadvantage, and I help my clients to focus their efforts on making a positive difference to the lives of young people.

I run all sorts of projects: from impact measurement (such as of the RAF’s STEM education outreach programme), evaluation (for organisations such as STEM Learning or LifeLine Projects), literature and landscape reviews (for clients such as the Royal Society or The Five Percent Club) through to exploratory research (for the Wellcome Trust and The Royal Society of Biology).

 My work results in reports and products that my clients use for a variety of important purposes, such as to promote and showcase their work, to raise additional funds or to inform strategy and policy.

Over the coming weeks, I will be telling you more about the various aspects of my business and the ways that I can help you to make a positive impact on the lives of young people too.

Can’t wait till then? Drop me a line to rachel@racheldunfordconsulting.co.uk and let’s start a conversation!