The Story Frog Phonics, Hartlepool, has recently been brought to the town by teacher, Kay Brown. The business, running from a number of different towns around the country, supports learning for Early Years children through story-telling and play. Kay knew she wanted to be a teacher from her early childhood, having been greatly inspired by two of her own teachers; Mr Wise, who cared deeply for his students, and Mr Bell, who Kay describes as a “captivating storyteller”. These two teachers helped Kay to develop her passion for stories and her desire to share it with others.

Despite her desire to teach, it was not until the age of thirty-one that Kay was able to follow her dreams of qualifying as a teacher. As a newly-single mother, Kay took on the challenge of enrolling in the primary teaching degree at Durham University. After an intense three years, she graduated in 2018 with a 2:1 honours and Qualified Teacher status. Kay then worked as a teacher in schools but, in 2021, she stepped away from full-time teaching, striving for a healthier work-life balance; though Kay continued to work in local schools as a supply teacher, this transition became a catalyst to starting her own business.

The Story Frog Phonics which began trading from Hartlepool in September 2021, delivers classes for Early Years children. Classes are each based on a story or rhyme, with a range of tailored activities including messy play, art and craft, designed to help children to develop communication, language, reading, and writing, and motor skills.