Our Consultants

Chris Quigley

Chris is best known for his work in curriculum development. 

He is a writer and speaker with a vast range of experience.  He has been a head teacher, a lead inspector and trainer of inspectors. 

He now leads his own team of speakers who deliver his easily accessible materials to schools worldwide. He also runs a highly successful publishing company, providing resources for schools.

 

Andy Meller

Andy has over 20 years experience in primary education and is currently working full time as a primary school consultant. He was praised by OFSTED for the work he undertook leading his first school out of serious weaknesses and into category 1 'beacon' status within a 3 year time frame.

Andy is an LA appointed 'Local Leader in Education' and has worked as a National Literacy Strategy consultant and coach / mentor to newly appointed Head Teachers.

 

Paul Ashton

Paul has 22 years’ experience in primary education. He has been Head Teacher of three schools, all of which have been in challenging circumstances.

Paul is currently leading the development of a thematic skills based curriculum in his school. His consultancy work is extremely well received and covers all aspects of primary education. He also teaches at Northumbria University on the Teaching Learning and Creativity Course.

 

Claire Render

Claire is a headteacher of a very successful school in Cumbria, which she joined when the school was requiring significant improvements. She has a wide range of experience of working in schools in both cities and in rural areas.

Claire has developed a successful creative skills based curriculum in her school and has a particular interest in developing teaching and learning. She teaches students at the University of Cumbria and receives excellent feedback from her consultancy work.

 

Will Ryan

Will has spent 34 years as a teacher, Deputy Head Teacher and local authority adviser in South Yorkshire. As a Head Teacher he created a school curriculum built around pupil creativity, skills and attitudes which was judged by OFSTED to be outstanding.

Over the last two years he has also worked as an educational consultant working with Head Teachers and schools. Will is passionate about curriculum design and has a practical approach to helping schools design their own unique curriculum.

 

June Venus

June is the Head Teacher of a small, but expanding primary school on the outskirts of a market town in Cumbria and has a wide range of experience teaching and managing in large and small schools in both rural and urban settings, including central London.

June has led staff through the development of a new curriculum based on skills ladders and Key Competencies and is particularly interested in developing independent learners through challenges and enterprise initiatives.

 

Dave Smith

Dave is Head Teacher of an outstanding school in Knowsley. Schools praise his inspiring approach to training and his lively delivery style. Dave was praised for his outstanding leadership and for the substantial improvements since the previous inspection.

 

Stephen Webb

Stephen has over 30 years of Primary Education experience, 21 as Head Teacher of a successful large Primary School in Cheshire. He very recently left headship to expand the leadership development work he has been involved with in recent years.

He is an NCSL Consultant Leader and works as a facilitator for the Northern Partnership on most of their leadership programmes. He is heavily involved in organisational change management working both as an independent consultant and coach with individual schools but also with schools and Local Authorities through his work as a trainer for the TDA.

 

Karen Hosack Janes MA PGCE

Arts and Culture Educationalist; formally Head of Schools at the National Gallery, London, where she ran the highly successful nationwide Take One Picture scheme, as well as Continuing Professional Development courses and Initial Teacher Training placements.

She is a published author of children’s art books and is currently writing a book on 'Using the Visual Arts for Cross-Curricular Teaching and Learning' (Routledge), whilst undertaking doctoral research at Oxford University. Karen advises on a variety of cultural learning projects, including 'Your Paintings', a digital partnerships between the Public Catalogue Foundation and the BBC.

 

Rob Jones

Rob has held Advanced Skills Teacher positions in secondary and primary schools.  Additionally he has held advisory positions in a local authority.  He is well known nationally and internationally for his work in music education. 

Rob is a lead inspector in primary, secondary and early years settings and also works in employment based teacher training and as assessor for the Higher Level Teaching Assistant status and for Advanced Skills Teacher status.  Rob is trained in the 2009 OFSTED framework and is able to provide feedback on school SEF's.

His particular areas of interest are e-learning, especially use of Virtual Learning Environments.

 

Clive Dunn

Clive Dunn is an Additional Inspector. He is a serving Head Teacher of a primary school. He has experience of a wide range of schools and leadership roles. His particular areas of expertise are in primary education, assessment, tracking and curriculum.

Clive is trained in the 2009 OFSTED Framework and is able to provide feedback on school SEF's.

 

Andrew Lagden

Andrew Lagden currently works as an independent educational consultant, and as an inspector. Additionally he works as a consultant in a number of initiatives, including the academies, trust and specialist schools programmes and delivers high quality leadership training for national educational organisations.

Andrew is also a National College accredited school improvement partner (SIP). Previously, he spent 19 years in schools, successfully managing new education initiatives.

 

Karen Wilding

Karen has worked within Primary Education for over 20 years as a Teacher, Deputy Head Teacher and Local Authority Consultant. She now works as an Independent Education Consultant supporting schools with curriculum re-development whilst continuing to regularly teach in the classroom.

Karen is known for her passion and enthusiasm for effective learning and has led training at school and conference level, bringing about significant change in attitudes and creative approaches. Her sessions have been described as ‘inspirational and thought provoking’ and are particularly focused upon building teacher confidence and ownership within the curriculum.

 

Erica Mason

Erica has worked across EYFS and Key Stage One in various schools. She is currently the Head of a nursery unit and is the Foundation Stage Leader in an ‘outstanding’ (Ofsted, 2008) three-form entry infant school in Lancashire. She is an Advanced Skills Teacher and a Leading Early Years Teacher for the local authority. Erica has supported colleagues in a number of settings to implement the EYFS curriculum, assisted with planning and assessment, as well as setting up effective learning environments, both inside and outside.

Much of Erica’s work has been based around implementing effective, simple and manageable assessment practice that identifies the needs of all children and provides informative data. Erica wrote the ‘Key Skills in the Early Years’ publication with Chris Quigley, exemplifying the key skills across the developmental age bands to help practitioners observe and describe the progress children make though the EYFS, feeding into school improvement.