Experience
Over the last twenty five years, I have undertaken diverse roles including a range of leadership and local authority advisory roles. Each job has deepened and broadened my knowledge of education and school improvement. For several years I have worked as an independent consultant and trainer; a job I love. One of my strengths is the breadth of understanding I bring to the role. This enables me to support colleagues in different roles, from emerging leaders to established headteachers, and to provide advice relevant to colleagues from EYFS to Year 6 and beyond. The headteachers I work with appreciate being able to tap into this broad and rich experience in the conversations we have and in the work I undertake for their school.
As a consultant, I spend a great deal of my time studying and researching key educational issues to a level and depth that enables me to support schools effectively on the issues they face. The schools I work with trust my advice because they know it is based on a solid foundation. Helping schools leverage research and turn theory into practice enables them to create lasting improvements. The courses I design are built on a firm and board base of research and good practice.
I have also had the privilege of observing hundreds of lessons and have worked alongside some excellent senior and middle leaders in assessing practice. Every classroom I visit deepens my appreciation for the complexities of learning and helps me to join the dots between educational research, strategic leadership and classroom practice. The leaders I work with appreciate being able to engage in professional dialogue with someone who has seen practice across a wide range of schools. They know I can help them not only assess where they are now, but importantly that I am a partner who can help them turn theory into reality in their classrooms and bring about tangible improvements.
I've been conducting in-depth book reviews over the summer holidays for the past few years as a part of my research into the effects of teaching and curriculum changes on learning. This has required gathering every book from every subject from multiple schools and reviewing the entire academic year of the pupils from September to July. A school has kindly loaned me space - the number of books frequently fills a hall! Being able to commit time to really exploring the work produced, taking time to unpick the journey pupils are making and being able to make comparisons across schools provides invaluable insights - standards across schools, typical issues and difficulties, the types of activities pupils are asked to complete, different ways pupils document their learning, understanding how the changes schools have made is altering pupils' learning. The schools I work with know that I really seek to understand the issues and know the work I undertake with them is well informed.
I have experienced education from the view point of different stakeholders including being a Chair of Governors for a large primary school in Leeds. It was a challenging and rewarding role which provided me with a different perspective on school improvement and a deeper appreciation for the day-to-day and strategic challenges headteachers and schools as a whole face. It also enabled me to experience Ofsted inspection from a different position. As the school moved from requires improvement to good and the capacity of the governing body increased, a new parent governor was able to take over the role.
Areas of expertise
- Working with leadership teams to strengthen and maximise impact
- Leadership development for senior and middle leaders.
- Effective leadership of teaching assistants
- Data analysis - support for interpretation of data and school development planning
- Maximising the impact of the pupil premium and closing the gap for disadvantaged pupils
- Supporting teachers and leaders on developing the quality of teaching
- Raising pupil aspiration through utilising research, such as 'growth and fixed mindsets', positive psychology and metacognition
- Development of effective marking and feedback
- Reading comprehension
- The development of writing
- A mastery approach to delivering primary mathematics
"Vicky is a fantastic trainer - very inspirational and knowledgeable."
"Fabulous resources good themes for group discussion, lots of opportunities to share ideas and a variety of learning tools."
"I just wanted to say a huge than you for Friday - I am excited about getting my teeth into the curriculum and changing it for the better."
"Wow! Superb - brilliant ideas that I can use straight away in the classroom."
"You have inspired the whole staff and this is just what we needed to kick start the year."
"The journey I have been on is amazing. Thanks for everything. I would highly recommend this course (DHTs - key issues programme) to others."
"Research, quality of activities, engagement, reflection. This has been a confidence-building superb course."
"Excellent ideas and suggestions, especially when dealing with tricky issues."
"I feel I have a clear vision and know the steps I need to take next as a leader. Thank you for all your support."
"This (curriculum course) has been so useful! The day was so well structured and led us through the thought process clearly. We now have an action plan and know what we want to achieve and how to do it."
"I feel totally inspired and determined to improve reading."
"Fantastic resources. Very well explained. Lots of examples of good practice. Great ideas to use in the classroom."
"Useful resources and excellent activities that I have been able to use in twilight sessions in school. Really enjoyed the training. Vicky is a generous and engaging course leader."
Training / qualifications
Qualifications
Qualification / training |
Provider |
Train the trainer : Facilitation training for SLEs, accredited to provide SLE induction training |
National College for School Leadership |
Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Educational Assessors |
CIEA |
NCSL Leading Pathways |
National College for School Leadership |
NCSL Leading from the Middle |
National College for School Leadership |
D32 & D33 Assessor Awards |
Bradford College |
BA (Hons) Degree in Education and Technology with Qualified Teacher Status (Class I) |
Leeds University |
Keeping up to date is important. I undertake a great deal of research and development work. In addition, here are examples of training courses I have attended recently:
Qualification / training |
Provider |
Curriculum workshops |
Ofsted |
Knowledge and the curriculum |
Various speakers |
Ofsted Inspection training (2 days),
Ofsted quality of teaching training (1 day),
SEF training (1 day)
Update on Ofsted inspections (various) |
Leeds LA and external providers |
Moving from 'requires improvement' to 'good' |
Ofsted |
Various governor training sessions (as C of G) |
Various speakers |
Developing coaching skills |
Sue Cross |
Early Years update training, assessments in Early Years |
Early Years team |
Holding courageous conversations, moving teaching from good to outstanding, changes to teachers pay and conditions, restorative practice, coaching and mentoring, subject leadership. |
Leeds LA and external providers |
Independent thinking |
Roy Leighton |
Educating ruby |
Guy Claxton |
SATs update training |
Standards and Testing Agency |
Research evidence in education |
John Tomsett |
Life beyond levels |
DfE |
Other nations' systems |
Tim Oates |
How does the brain solve reading |
Dr Kathy Rastle |
Research evidence for busy teachers |
Alex Quigley |
Creative writing |
Glynis Charlton |
Creative writing |
Claire Fisher |
ResearchED |
Various sessions and days |