I have taught and subsequently advised on English for over 32 years. I began my teaching career as an English teacher in a challenging a school in Tipton. I learned a great deal about motivating and engaging pupils here and then moved on to another school, this time in West Bromwich, in order to gain experience in teaching A level and to teach in a more ethnically diverse community. Another school in Great Barr gave me experience at management of assessment systems for English before I became Head of an English department in Dudley. Another move to a Wolverhampton school involved my co-ordination of Literacy across the Curriculum when the national strategies were initiated. This led me to apply for a role as a National Strategy Consultant for Wolverhampton Local Authority, where I advised and supported teachers in Wolverhampton for 10 years before taking up my current position at Wolverhampton University.

I have recently completed my Master’s degree in Education. My particular interests continue to be around assessment in English and the use of moving image to enhance critical reading skills as well as teacher professional identity and mentoring of student teachers.

• Teacher education and professional identity
• Secondary English Teaching
• Assessment in English
• Mentoring student teachers

NATE

NAAE

HEA

MA in Education December 2019

PGCE Secondary English and History Birmingham Polytechnic, December 1982.

BA (Joint Hons) Medieval English and History, June 1981.

PGCEHE, July 2017

PGCHE

Fellow of the HEA

Willingsworth High School, Sandwell, January 1983 to December 1985. Teacher of English.

Churchfields High School Sandwell, January 1986 to December 1989. Teacher of English.

Dartmouth High School Great Barr, January 1990 – July 1991. KS3 Co-ordinator of English.

The Thorns Community College Dudley, September 1991 to December 1995. Head of English Department.

Highfields School Wolverhampton, January 1997 to August 2003. KS3 English Co-ordinator and Co-ordinator of Literacy across the Curriculum.

Wolverhampton Local Authority, September 2003 to December 2013. Secondary English Consultant.

Coppice Performing Arts School, January 2014 to October 2014. Head of English and Media Department.