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I have over 25 years of experience as a teacher, including 18 years of leadership and advisory work in schools. I have led on Literacy and English at school and trust leadership level across primary, secondary, alternative provision and special education, delivering whole school and trust INSET including keynotes and conferences; supporting middle leaders with curriculum design and in integrating subject-specific literacy development; and training subject teachers in implementing literacy strategies in the classroom. I have a particular interest and expertise in English curriculum design and developing English teachers' pedagogic content knowledge. I am also an expert in teenage reading support and have worked on reading projects for GL Assessment, FFT and the DfE.

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Jo Beer is a Senior Lecturer in Primary English and Religious Education with over thirty years’ experience across primary education, teacher education, curriculum development, mentoring, consultancy, governance and professional learning.Her work is rooted in a passion for language, literacy and communication, supporting teachers to develop confident, reflective and research-informed practice. She teaches Primary English across undergraduate and postgraduate teacher education programmes, with particular interests in early reading, phonics, writing, storytelling and children’s literature. Alongside this, she teaches Religious Education, Professional Studies and Arts in Education, bringing an interdisciplinary perspective to learning, creativity and meaning-making in the primary classroom.Before joining higher education, Jo spent nearly twenty years teaching in primary schools, holding leadership responsibilities across Early Years and Key Stage 1, as well as English-related areas including assessment, curriculum development and subject leadership. This extensive classroom experience continues to inform her university teaching, partnership work and professional development programmes.Jo’s research and professional interests focus on primary English, literacy development, teacher presence and professional identity. She is particularly interested in how stories, language and literature support children’s learning, and how teachers develop the confidence, authenticity and subject knowledge needed to create engaging and inclusive classroom environments.Alongside her academic role, Jo contributes to governance, quality assurance and educational leadership through external examining, trusteeship and school governance. She is an active member of professional organisations including UKLA, the English Association, NATRE and AREIAC, and is committed to connecting subject expertise with thoughtful, evidence-informed classroom practice.

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Nicola has worked in Lancashire since 1997 as a primary teacher, Senior Manager and Consultant. She joined the Literacy team in May 2004 after several years as a Leading Literacy teacher and Subject Leader, and has been involved in co-developing and presenting the very popular boys' writing projects in KS2 within Lancashire and beyond.Nicola has a particular interest in the use of film to develop literacy and has gained Lead Practitioner status with the British Film Institute. In addition, she regularly consults on projects with the BBC.In 2009, Nicola was awarded NPQH and in 2010 became an accredited Local Consultant for Improvement in Stronger Management Systems and Support for Writing. In 2012, Nicola was appointed by DFE for leading phonics in Lancashire with an outstanding accreditation. She also specialises in reading development, improving writing, boys' writing and is the Lancashire Lead Moderator for KS1 and KS2.She currently leads a team of eleven Primary English and Literacy Consultants, as part of Lancashire Professional Development Service, with expertise from Nursery to Y6 in all aspects of English. Nicola has a valued reputation for working wtih an extensive range of schools across Lancashire, and beyond, in raising standards via in-school support and high-quality CPD training courses.Nicola was appointed to the Senior Consultant role in October 2017.

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I'm passionate about all things English; oracy, reading and writing. I've been working as an independent consultant since September 2018, having previously been an English Subject Leader, local authority adviser (in two different LAs) and a primary Head. I provide support and training for senior leaders, subject leaders and class teachers in individual schools, clusters of schools and multi-academy trusts. I am also a KS2 Moderation Manager for two London LAs and have worked with the Standards and Testing Agency as an Operation External Moderator and Deputy Standardisation Team Leader.

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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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Having led Primary English across the UK, Spain and Dubai, and with a career in education spanning over 16 years, Laura is an experienced practitioner and subject specialist. Passionate about inspiring and supporting educators in cultivating reading and writing experiences which are inclusive and ambitious, Laura has presented at a number of conferences and works with a range of educational organisations. She is a member of the Opening Doors team, supporting schools in creating a quality English curriculum, rooted in providing inclusive learning experiences and promoting equity and excellence for all. She is a also a Just Imagine trainer and content contributor, providing bespoke training and consultancy opportunities for schools, academy trusts and wider organisations on all aspects of teaching English, literacy and dialogic pedagogy. Laura is a proud member of the English Association's Primary and Early Years Education Committee.

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I am an English Advisor and educational consultant with extensive expertise across Primary, Secondary, Alternative Provision and Further Education. Over more than twentythree years, I have developed specialist knowledge in English curriculum design, literacy strategy, reading development, SEND, and teacher training. My work centres on strengthening English provision through evidencebased practice, highquality professional development, and inclusive pedagogical approaches.My expertise in reading spans early acquisition through to advanced comprehension. I have led largescale reading improvement work across diverse educational settings, supporting multiacademy trusts and local authorities to embed coherent, researchinformed literacy strategies. I have delivered national training on inference instruction and contributed to governmentfunded literacy initiatives, applying research to practical classroom approaches that improve outcomes for all learners.In Further Education, I contribute to the DfEfunded GCSE English Resit Training Programme, supporting colleges to improve teaching, curriculum sequencing and learner engagement for students retaking English GCSE. This work draws on deep knowledge of literacy barriers, responsive pedagogy, and approaches that rebuild confidence and competence for learners who have previously struggled with English.I also have significant expertise in Alternative Provision, where I have led literacy strategy for vulnerable and marginalised learners. My work prioritises relational practice, accessible curriculum design, and the central role of reading and writing in enabling academic progress, personal development and future opportunity.My research interests focus on children’s literature, particularly radical and socially responsible texts that support critical engagement, identity formation and social awareness. I contribute to sector publications, editorial work and professional discourse through articles, commentary and conference presentations on literacy, inclusion and English pedagogy.I work closely with multiacademy trusts and local authorities, and I am a Trustee for Human Scale Education, a member of the English Association and the Chartered College of Teaching, and an active participant in regional SEND networks. Across all areas of my work, my expertise supports educators to deliver English teaching that enables every learner to read confidently, write purposefully and engage critically with the world.

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I have been teaching for 20 years in KS2- predominantly Y6 and have been English subject lead for this time also. I am Director of Lancashire Research school as part of the Research School Network working for EEF to support schools in evidence informed practice.

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