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Leah had 15 years experience as a Local Authority English Inspector/Adviser, working across the primary and secondary phases before becoming an independent consultant. In her school career, she held pastoral and subject leader roles. She now leads Thinktalk consultancy, is a Tutor for the King’s College Let’s Think in English Cognitive Acceleration programme and is a consultant and writer for Bob Cox’s Opening Doors publications and consultancy. She has completed a Masters in Education Degree on teacher learning and development and has supported a European Erasmus project on the Assessment of Thinking Skills. Leah has led extended professional learning courses through Teaching Schools and MATS on Mastery of Reading at primary, Writing Design and Process, Grammar for Purpose and Viewpoint, and Word Study – combining the teaching of spelling and vocabulary. She is delivering the new NPQ in Leading Literacy through the University of Winchester.

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Janet was a highly effective teacher in primary schools in Birmingham for 15 years. She had successful experience of subject leadership and middle management. She also worked for the local authority as an INSPIRE tutor, developing workshops to help parents to support their children’s learning.In 2007, Janet joined the Staffordshire Local Authority as a Primary English Advisor. She provided support and professional development to improve teaching and learning in English. In a wider role for the LA, Janet had extensive experience of leading whole school review and improvement as a School Improvement Professional. She worked with a range of schools including those in challenging circumstances or an Ofsted category; clusters of small schools and good/outstanding schools.Since 2017, Janet was the strategic lead for Primary Statutory Assessment, moderation manager for KS1 and lead moderator for KS1 and KS2.Now working as an independent consultant, Janet continues to support schools in English, Assessment and Whole School Improvement. She specialises in: devising and delivering training; supporting the role of subject leaders; leading whole school initiatives; working alongside teachers and consultancy in all aspects of English. Her assessment work now spans across the Midlands, as Janet continues to be a LA moderator and also supports Statutory Assessment in several Local Authorities to train moderators, lead training and provide CPD through Assessment networks and moderation courses. With strong links to STA, she co-ordinates the Midlands Moderation Managers Support group.

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Debbie has over 20 years’ experience as a teacher, school leader and consultant, specialising in English. This includes extensive experience of supporting a wide range of schools and settings with all aspects of teaching, leading and inspecting English and assessment. Her areas of expertise span strategic leadership of English, reading for pleasure pedagogy and practice, the design and delivery of CPD, leading strategic reviews of practice and the implementation of assessment and effective practice. Part of her week is spent as a Lecturer in Reading for Pleasure with the Open University RfP team, working to promote research informed practice across schools, through their flagship Reading Schools Programme and a national network of Teachers’ Reading Groups. Debbie also facilitates on the NPQ programmes and delivers phonics and early reading audits for English Hubs and is the proud co-founder of the Spark! School Book Awards.

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Early Years, Early Literacy, Phonics, Primary, Reading, Curriculum Design and School Improvement. Raj Mehta is a highly respected and experienced education consultant. She has specific expertise in phonics, early literacy, school improvement and curriculum development. Raj has over 30 years of experience in primary phase education, particularly in early years.In 2008, Raj worked as a Communication, Language and Literacy Development Consultant in the London Borough of Wandsworth. In this role she worked closely with all stakeholders to improve and further raise pupils’ attainment in phonics and early reading, using the 2007 Letters and Sounds: Principles and Practice of High Quality Phonics programme. Global Education Services Limited, a company founded by Raj, was an approved supplier for phonics training and consultancy under the DfE Matched Funding Scheme and featured in The Importance of Phonics Catalogues between 2011 and 2013. They delivered high quality training and offered support to schools nationally that resulted in improved quality of teaching in phonics and outcomes for pupils in the phonics screening check. Most recently, GES Ltd has published GES Simply Letters and Sounds which is a DfE validated systematic synthetic phonics programme.To date, Raj continues to coach, collaborate, and engage with CEO’s of Multi - Academy Trusts, Executive Headteachers, Headteachers, senior leaders, Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) and staff across schools, both nationally and internationally, to raise standards in phonics and early reading. Similarly, she continues to work with senior leaders at all levels to bring about further improvements in the Early Years Foundation Stage.Raj firmly believes that education transforms lives. Everyone has the right to a high-quality education that makes a difference. Raj keeps the needs of children and young people, especially those who are disadvantaged, at the centre of all her work.

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Catherine works across the country to support maintained schools and Academy Trusts to enhance the teaching, learning and assessment understanding of staff, and develop the English curriculum and whole school offer. She is a Moderation Manger and end of Key Stage 2 external moderator, as well as supporting the moderation process for all year groups. Catherine works with the National Literacy Trust as an associate consultant, and is involved in the construction and delivery of research informed projects.

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I have over 25 years’ experience of teaching in secondary and primary schools, with a particular focus on English and assessment. I have helped to raise standards in schools by providing specialist English training, targeted support and coaching for teachers and senior leaders. I am currently the Moderation Manager for Brent, overseeing moderation processes for KS2 writing and providing statutory assessment/moderation training. I have delivered highly-evaluated training courses for a number of London local authorities and bespoke in-service training for schools. My training offers practical and effective ideas for immediate use and impact in the classroom.

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I have been a subject leader for Secondary English and Drama ITE, an English consultant and an English and Media teacher. I am now NAAE Secretary and Publicity Officer, a foster parent and a visiting university lecturer in ITE.

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I have been working as an English adviser for Achieving for Children for the past three years. I have recently taken on the role of moderation manager. My experience is within primary education. I have taught in the majority of year groups (years 1-6) for the past 17 years and have recent classroom experience. In my current role, I provide training for teachers and English subject leaders around all areas of English, including a grammar course, reading course, phonics networks, subject leader networks. I also run projects with groups of schools. Recently I have been part of a successful writing project which addresses all aspects of the writing curriculum. I have also led on a secondary early reading project, empowering literacy leads withing secondaries to implement reading interventions and to develop disciplinary literacy skills across the school. My next project coming up will be implementing an effective oracy strategy in our primary and secondary schools. I also deliver assessment leader networks and provide training for teachers around various aspects of assessment, including an in-depth look at reading and writing assessments.

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I deliver consultancy, advice and training for primary and secondary schools. Drawing on over 30 years' experience as teacher, leader, consultant and school governor, I have a warm, practical approach which develops colleagues in creative and grounded ways. As a specialist in reading, grammar, writing and oracy, I have worked in over a hundred schools to support teachers and students aged 4-18 years. I have also written numerous student and teacher textbooks, and I have experience of working with a range of organisations include the National Association for Able Children in Education, the UK Literacy Association and the DfE.

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