Dympna Fox Reed trained as a teacher in Belfast N. Ireland and taught in a variety of schools in the South East of England since 1969. Many years were spent as an innovative Reception Class teacher in the school where she was a Deputy Head.  She was seconded to become a part-time Early Years Teacher Advisor in East Sussex and did a Post Graduate Certificate in Early Years Education at the University of Brighton, focusing on Effective Leadership in the Foundation Stage. She helped to write and deliver a variety of training courses for East Sussex School Improvement Service. A year was spent working for a different Local Authority as an Advisory Teacher and she returned to East Sussex as the full-time Lead Teaching and Learning Consultant for Early Years. This involved working with pre-schools, nurseries, childminders and schools to mentor and support and to offer training in the many new initiatives for the EYFS. Dympna worked as a visiting assessor and mentor Canterbury Christchurch University for the Early Years Teacher, and Early Years Professional Status programme.

Since retirement she has been involved as a governor of two schools and takes an active interest in Early Years provision.  She has 5 grandchildren ranging in age from new-born to 14 years.