And just like that, phonics became fabulous!

In one of my favourite TV series Sex and the City, Carrie Bradshaw could take a glance across a bar or a pair of Manolos in a shop window and turn it into an entire story. One minute it was just another Monday in Manhattan, and just like that, she’d spotted something extraordinary in the ordinary.

I see the same thing in my lessons. Only instead of cocktails and stilettos, it’s flashcards and phonics. One week, a child might be stumbling over their sounds, frowning at the page. And then - just like that - they’re blending with confidence, reading words that once felt impossible.

Parents sometimes look at me like it’s magic. But here’s the secret: the sparkle doesn’t come from a sudden transformation. It comes from small, consistent steps. A sound practised over and over, encouragement layered in every session, trust built gently until it all clicks.

And just like that, what once felt frustrating becomes fabulous!

Because learning, a bit like fashion, is all about the details. The tiny stitches, the finishing touches, the things you don’t notice until you step back and realise the whole picture has changed. And when a child reads their first book aloud with pride? Forget New York fashion week - that’s the kind of runway moment I live for.