Personal Information
Type of work offered:
Consultancy, Initial Teacher Education, Keynotes, Research, Training and Writing
Specialism:
Assessment, Cross-phase English, Initial Teacher Education, Oracy, Primary and Reading
Region available:
International, London, Midlands, National, North and UK
Profile
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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Personal Information
Type of work offered:
Training
Specialism:
Assessment, Curriculum Design and Primary
Region available:
London and South
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Personal Information
Type of work offered:
Consultancy, Training and Writing
Specialism:
Cross-phase English and Oracy
Region available:
International and UK
Social media:
Blue Sky @think_talk_leah.bsky.social
Website:
www.leahcrawford.com
Testimonials
"'I am more confident now to ‘facilitate’ when questioning and I feel more able to reinforce the ‘ease’ in which grammatical knowledge can be applied to complex tasks through talk.' Primary English Subject Leader"
Profile
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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Personal Information
Specialism:
Assessment, Cross-phase English, Oracy, Primary, Reading, Research and Secondary
Social media:
Linkedin: Wendy Delf
Profile
Wendy has a wealth of experience in education having worked as a Secondary school leader, Senior LA Adviser and 6 years as an Ofsted Inspector. She is the Lead UK trainer for Professor John Hattie's Visible Learning programme with Osiris Educational and Corwin, working with schools nationally and internationally. She also provides bespoke training and SIP consultancy working extensively with Head teachers as a School Improvement Partner, training teachers, leaders and ECTs in all phases across the UK and in Europe. Wendy is passionate about supporting all teachers to make a difference in their classrooms and for their learners.
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Personal Information
Type of work offered:
Advisory work for government bodies/organisations and Training
Website:
I am a lead school improvement adviser for English and moderation manager. Having taught across key stages 1 and 2, relatively recently, I am able to draw on my expertise to support schools with their English curriculum and teaching. I am passionate about empowering subject leaders and teachers to enact change in their setting. 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.
Profile
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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Personal Information
Type of work offered:
Assessment, Consultancy, Keynotes, Teaching/working with pupils and Training
Specialism:
Cross-phase English, Curriculum Design, Early Years, Handwriting, Oracy, Phonics, Primary, Reading, Secondary Literacy and Transition
Region available:
Midlands, National, North, South and UK
Social media:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/philip-mccahill-178699149/
Profile
A senior leader at Ark Victoria Academy in Birmingham with responsibility for English, all-through literacy, reading, and curriculum development. I have extensive experience in improving reading and writing outcomes, leading whole-school literacy strategies, and supporting teachers to deliver high-quality English provision. In addition to my school-based leadership role, I currently serve as Network Lead for Primary English across Ark Schools, where I work with English leads and senior trust leaders to strengthen curriculum design, reading development, assessment, and professional learning. For the past 18 months, I have led RISE support linked to English priorities in Primary and All-Through settings across England. I am passionate about evidence-informed practice, educational equity, and ensuring that every child develops a lifelong love of reading.
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Personal Information
Type of work offered:
Advisory work for government bodies/organisations, Consultancy, Teaching/working with pupils and Training
Specialism:
Early Years, Phonics, Primary, Reading and Writing
Region available:
Midlands and South
Social media:
@Julie_Sargent1
Website:
www.innovateducation.co.uk
Testimonials
"Thank you once again for yesterday’s training session. It was just what the team needed: non-threatening, encouraging and full of practical suggestions."
"We have had some real success so far with the text-based planning and some lovely feedback from the children about it. It is having an impact!"
"Just a note of thanks for yesterday's training. It was incredibly helpful and very clear to follow. I appreciated every minute. It was engaging and interactive as well as relaxed and conversational. And who knew that you could do so many amazing collaborative things (break out groups and visualisers) on Zoom!"
Profile
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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Personal Information
Type of work offered:
Writing
Profile
Supporting reading, writing, oracy and School Improvement, across the English curriculum.
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Personal Information
Type of work offered:
Advisory work for government bodies/organisations, Consultancy, Initial Teacher Education, Keynotes and Research
Specialism:
Reading
Region available:
International, National and Online
Profile
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 the NPQLL programme 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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Personal Information
Type of work offered:
Advisory work for government bodies/organisations, Assessment, Consultancy, Initial Teacher Education, Research, Training and Writing
Specialism:
Initial Teacher Education, Primary, Secondary and Secondary Literacy
Region available:
London, Online and South
Social media:
Twitter @MuchAdoALJ
Profile
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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