OUR MISSION
GEM Training and Advisory Service is about Building Your Foundation for a Solid Future.
GEM Training and Advisory Service is to give H.O.P.E, 'Helping Our Providers Excel' through affordable and accessible advice, guidance and bespoke training to maintain high-quality practice in order to achieve the best outcomes for children.
HIGH-QUALITY
QUALITY SERVICE
EXTENSIVE KNOWLEDGE
ABOUT US
GEM Training and Advisory Service is an educational provider that offers a digital self-reflective auditing toolkit for nursery providers to monitor and evaluate their practice. The Digital Auditing toolkit will help settings to maintain a high-quality provision that complies with the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Statutory framework and non-statutory guidance.
​
GEM Training and Advisory Service is a One-Stop Early Years Solution, not only a digital platform to monitor and evaluate practice, but also providing bespoke and tailor-made support, advice, and training for Nursery providers in the Private, Voluntary, and Independent (PVIs) sector.
​
GEM Training and Advisory Service is a member of the British Standards Institute (BSI) and is working towards a trusted Quality Management System (QMS) standard. The QMS will enable us to monitor and continually improve the quality of our products and services, maintaining high standards that will have a positive impact on nursery practice.
​
GEM Training partners with an established Digital Auditing company to maintain the quality required when using the Digital Audit Tool. It is also affiliated with Early Years Think Tanks that provide updates and changes to inform the nursery provision, which GEM Training and Advisory Service will share through regular Newsletters and Bulletins.
​
Contact us today to get started.
OUR FOUNDER'S BACKGROUND
MARCIA TATHAM
Founded by Marcia Tatham, Principal Consultant of GEM Training and Advisory Service, the organisation benefits from over 30 years of experience within the Early Years sector. Marcia has worked across a wide range of settings, including schools, universities, local authorities, charities, the private sector, and Ofsted.
​
As an Associate Independent Consultant for several Ofsted-registered settings, Marcia conducts joint observations of practice with managers and staff to evaluate and enhance their provision. Her goal is to help nurseries maintain consistently high-quality standards and achieve the best outcomes for children through a range of professional approaches, including audits, training, quality reviews, monitoring visits, coaching and mentoring, and joint observations with managers.
​
Marcia also designs and delivers bespoke training programmes to upskill staff and support ongoing Continuous Professional Development (CPD). She has previously provided expert advice to the Technical Education Advisory Board (TEAB) on the Early Years Childcare and Education T Level programme, been a member of the London Early Years Forum (LEAF), contributed to the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Childcare and Early Education, and worked as an associate adviser, trainer, and assessor for a number of established educational institutions.
TAMARA HOWARD-WALKER
Tamara Howard-Walker has worked for GEM Training and Advisory Service for many years and plays a pivotal role within the organisation as an Operational Manager. Her key responsibilities include overseeing daily operations to manage client training programmes, ensuring the smooth running and ongoing effectiveness of the Early Years auditing software, and monitoring its performance.
​
Tamara is responsible for managing and overseeing financial payment systems received from clients, as well as ensuring the organisation’s quality assurance systems are maintained to the highest standards at all times. She also develops and implements strategies that align with the company’s overall goals.
​
As part of her continuous professional development, Tamara undertook an Inclusive Management and Leadership Skills course. Backed by her MA in Law, she brings a dynamic and informed approach to her role, ensuring that GEM’s performance remains strong. Her commitment to GEM’s vision is central to driving quality improvement within Early Years education.
