Support for whatever your setting is facing
From a quick question to ongoing consultancy — here's how Alongside works alongside you.
Ofsted support
You don't have to wait until everything is fixed before asking for help. We help leaders understand what's expected, identify weaknesses honestly, improve everyday practice, and build a realistic action plan — including support after a difficult inspection or disappointing outcome.
This can include:
- Pre-inspection readiness checks and mock inspection conversations
- Help understanding your inspection outcome and report
- Identifying priorities and what to tackle first
- Realistic, manageable improvement plans — not overwhelming paperwork
- Support for leaders and teams who are feeling disheartened
Behaviour support
When a child's behaviour is becoming difficult to manage, we help you look beyond the behaviour itself to understand what may be driving it — and put practical, achievable strategies in place for your team.
This can include:
- Observations and discussions to understand triggers and needs
- Practical, everyday strategies your team can actually use
- Support with individual behaviour or support plans
- Guidance on working with parents and carers
- Knowing when a wider referral or specialist input is needed
Staffing & leadership support
Leading a team is one of the hardest parts of running a setting. We provide practical, down-to-earth support with supervision, performance, staff expectations, difficult conversations and everyday team dynamics — referring to specialist HR or legal advice where appropriate.
This can include:
- Preparing for and holding difficult conversations
- Supervision structures and performance management
- Support with team dynamics and staff expectations
- Guidance on when to involve specialist HR or legal advice
- Building leadership confidence for new and existing managers
SEND support
You know the child. We help you put it into words. We help settings identify and evidence children's needs, develop appropriate provision, support SENCOs, and provide practical assistance with SENIF applications and requests for EHC needs assessments.
This can include:
- EHCP writing support
- SENIF applications
- Evidence reviews and provision reviews
- SENCO support and mentoring
- Parent conversations around needs and next steps
- Practical, in-setting strategies
Safeguarding support
Safeguarding worries need a calm, practical response. We offer knowledge checks, staff support, policy understanding and honest safeguarding discussion — so your team knows what to do and why.
This can include:
- Safeguarding knowledge checks for staff and leaders
- Reviewing and understanding your safeguarding policy in practice
- Talking through a specific safeguarding concern
- Support preparing for designated safeguarding lead responsibilities
Ask Alongside
You don't always need a full consultancy package. Sometimes you just need an experienced person to listen to what's happening and help you work out the next step. Ask Alongside is short, affordable support for exactly that.
Ask Alongside
Support at every level
From a quick resource to ongoing partnership — pick the level of help that matches what you're facing right now.
Quick resources
Ready-made guidance and templates you can use straight away.
Ask Alongside calls
A short, affordable conversation with an experienced pair of eyes.
Setting visits
On-site support to see what's happening and work through it together.
Ongoing support
Longer-term consultancy for bigger challenges and lasting change.