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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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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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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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With over 25 years in education, Susie is an experienced teacher, leader and English consultant, working with schools and organisations both nationally and internationally. Drawing on her comprehensive understanding of curriculum, assessment, and effective teaching methodologies, she guides school leaders, teachers support staff and governors in developing their strategy and practice to improve pupil outcomes. Having served in a variety of educational roles, including as a Local Authority School Improvement Consultant for both Oxfordshire and West Berkshire, Susie specialises in designing and delivering tailored training programmes and projects to address educational priorities, working with individual schools, academies, trusts and partnerships, as well as collaborating with institutions such as Oxford University Press, Hachette Education, BlueSky Learning and Edge Hill University. Susie is passionate about inspiring teachers and engaging learners. Her face-to-face and online training is of high quality: rooted in the curriculum and providing evidence-based practice coupled with creative teaching and learning approaches. She believes in a bespoke approach to school support, working alongside school leaders, class teachers and support staff to develop practice through a range of leadership and classroom-based strategies, always precisely tailored to the identified needs of the school.

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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 work with SLT, English subject leaders and staff in developing all aspects of primary English. Bespoke support could include: developing the reading and writing curriculum, progression and development of literacy skills; planning units of work with teachers; or specific subject leader support. I also offer a variety of training around aspects of literacy such as phonics and spelling; teaching grammar in context; reading for meaning; and developing writers.

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23 years in comprehensive schools, 15 in university and 40 years in GCSE Assessment

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I work extensively with teachers and schools across the UK. Currently this focuses on reading comprehension across the curriculum, creative approaches to grammar teaching and effective classroom talk. I have written extensively about pedagogy and practice in primary literacy teaching. My most recent publications are Teaching Primary English: Subject Knowledge and Classroom Practice (2nd ed.2024 Routledge) with Eve Bearne, Teaching Grammar Effectively in the Primary Classroom ( 2nd Edition, 2020 UKLA) and Talk For Teaching and Learning: the dialogic classroom (2021 UKLA) with Eve Bearne, Guiding Readers: A handbook for teaching reading comprehension to 7-11 year olds (2016 UCL IoE Press) with Wayne Tennent, Nikki Gamble and Angela Hobsbaum and contributions to Teaching English Creatively (2nd Edition, 2015, ed Teresa Cremin). Other publications include, Teaching Grammar Effectively in Key Stage 1 ( 2016 UKLA), with Eve Bearne and Rebecca Kennedy, Guiding Reading - A Handbook for Teaching Guided Reading in KS2 (Institute of Education, with Angela Hobsbaum and Nikki Gamble) and Developing Writing For Different Purposes-Teaching About Genre In The Early Years (Paul Chapman, with Jeni Riley).I am former General Secretary and Past President of the United Kingdom Literacy Association (UKLA) and was a Co-Director of the Cambridge Primary Review Trust (CPRT) from 2013 – 17. Until 2014 I was Principal Adviser for primary schools in the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham.

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