ICT Register Showcase - Engaging the Community
Tuesday 27 January 2009, Holywell Park, Loughborough


Speaker Biographies

John Davitt, Freelance Thinker, Practical Visionary and Journalist

John Davitt is a writer, broadcaster and a digital toolmaker. He has worked in the education sector for the last twenty-five years as an English teacher, senior manager and regional adviser with the EU Flexible Learning Project. As a journalist he wrote for the UK Guardian, The Times and The Observer, with a regular feature in the Education Guardian.

John has worked extensively with teachers in schools in UK, USA, China and Africa and he is committed to leveling the playing field regarding access to new learning opportunities. He is the author of the book "New Tools for Learning" (2006) a practical guide as to how to make the technology fit the learning need, and the WordRoot CD an interactive guides to words and their etymology.

He has recently developed The Learning Score, a visual tool that lets teachers map out and share learning intentions as a graphical event - rather like a music score. His latest project is the open source Learning Event Generator (http://legwork.pbwiki.com) and the Rag - an interactive learning tool for the iPhone where you can literally shake up a learning challenge. His new book 'Setting Learning Free - The Difference Engine runs again' will be published in spring 2009.

Andy Tyerman, Head of Personalising Learning, Becta

Andy Tyerman has used technology as a constant feature in the classroom as a teacher then Deputy Head helping to support colleagues and improve learning opportunities for pupils. Andy was influential in the deployment of the early NGFL models in his local education authority which resulted in a move to the role of adviser.

Over the next six years he worked with schools advising on the best use of technology in improving teaching and learning that formed the basis of a Learning Platform solution. A key player in identifying and supporting schools adopting technology solutions to improve organisations, Andy has a good understanding of technology and believes it is simply a means and not an end in itself. As Head of Personalising Learning at Becta Andy has key responsibilities to help institutions realise the benefits of technology for all. He is closely involved with the Learning Platforms agenda and developing vision and strategy for personalising learning supporting the delivery of the Government’s e-Strategy.

Current key responsibilities involve examining how learners make safe and effective use of technology to support their learning.

Stephen Cooke, Hodgson School (Technology and RATL College)

Stephen is currently Lead teacher of Elearning at Hodgson School (Technology and RATL College) in Poulton-le-Fylde, Lancashire and a Lead Practitioner in Applied ICT for the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust. Hodgson School is an 11-16 mixed school with 1200 students. The school is a high performing specialist school and is committed to raising achievement through the use of ICT and elearning. Stephen’s role involves working in the local community with partner primary, secondary and special schools as well as other sectors to enhance their use of elearning. This can include setting up and helping to incorporate the use of VLEs into the learning culture of a school, developing and trialling creative technologies and improving student learning and engagement through effective use of ICT.

Jackie Ralphson, Horndean Infant School

Jackie is assistant headteacher with responsibility for the school’s Focus School status. Her background is varied with experience in both KS1 and KS2 in rural and inner city schools. Although her specialism is Literacy she has led the implementation of the Learning Platform including parent workshops, teacher, governor and support staff training and designed the finished product.

Hannah Knight, Horndean Infant School

Hannah is ICT Leader and has been paramount in the implementation of the Learning Platform. Although she has only ICT leader for 18 months, Hannah has successfully led the school to gain its second ICT Mark and has been involved with all aspects of the LP implementation.

Greg Hughes, Consultant - Deep Experience

Greg Hughes has been a Physics teacher since 1990. Originally from Liverpool, Greg studied at University College London (UCL) for a degree in Astronomy & Physics, then took a PGCE in Physics/Science teaching at Liverpool University. He has since taught at a variety of schools, both comprehensive and selective.

He is currently Consultant for Deep Experience at de Ferrers Specialist Technology College – a leadership role focusing on student engagement and the use of New Technologies across the college, particularly the learning platform.

Greg has previously been Head of Physics and Assistant Science College Director (community) at Sutton Coldfield Grammar School for Girls. In 2005 he was awarded the Salters-Horners A level Physics teacher of the year prize, and has continued to work with the Salters-Horners group at the University of York, on the development of new AS and A2 textbooks.

Since 1996 Greg has been using ICT enthusiastically in a variety of ways in Science lessons, and in 2006 he worked with SSAT as co-Lead ICT in Science practitioner for the West Midlands region. Greg has also been involved in a number of other projects, including teacher training with Birmingham Advisory Schools Service, a Best Practice Research Scholarship study on using ICT to help students’ understanding of gravity at key stage 3, outreach work for partner schools (including projects in science datalogging, ICT and Art and creative ICT with small groups, and liaison with the Birmingham Grid For Learning (BGFL) on using video conferencing and virtual classrooms.

Asif Anwar, Birkdale High School

Asif Anwar has been teaching for over 8 years with a background in Inclusive Education and is currently an ICT Specialist Teacher at Birkdale High School in Dewsbury and an ICT Specialist Learning Resource Consultant for Primary, Secondary, Independent educational establishments and private sectors with his Company ‘New G3neration Resources. Asif is responsible for ‘Cross Curricular’ ICT, continued professional development and collaborative teaching projects with other schools in the area. Asif is also affiliated with SSAT and a Mentor for teaching online collaborative with INTEL.

Asif specialises in delivering quality multimedia enhanced lessons and digital resources and promoting the use of multimedia software applications and using ‘Everyday’ handheld devices like Mobiles and PDA’s by use of Blue tooth. He has created and developed quality ‘Bespoke’ WIPS (Web Integrated Programs) for use in all sectors. He is also currently involved with various external agencies and being sponsored through Radio Waves and the Ministry of Justice for his Anti Knife crime collaborative Secondary Learning resource and is waiting for an article to be published in The Guardian Newspaper.

He has received numerous awards for his development of quality resources from Teachnet UK and BECTA NEN to name a few and been asked to speak at conferences including the SSAT Breakout conference on handheld learning in London last October.

Peter Banks, Broadgreen International School

Peter Banks is Assistant Headteacher, Director of Specialism and New Technologies Manager at Broadgreen International School in Liverpool. He started teaching mathematics in 1994 after 20 years in industry and held various posts until 2003 when the school attained Technology College status and Peter was appointed Head of the new ICT faculty. He was instrumental in the school attaining the Naace Mark, ICT Mark, redesignation as a specialist school and being awarded runner up in the Becta ICT Excellence awards whole school category in 2006 and 2008. Peter has presented at Liverpool’s annual international ICT conference and, as part of the Becta Leading Leaders network, he actively promotes the self-review framework and helped to develop the toolkit for the online reporting/parental engagement initiative. Peter is passionate about bridging the digital divide and believes that providing real time information to parents and pupils is essential for future progress.

Una VandenBerg, The Bridge School

Una is the Head Teacher of The Bridge School and retires at the end of December 2008. Una has been teaching for 37 years in both mainstream and special education. She became the Head Teacher of The Bridge eight years ago and has led the school from having ICT as a key issue to receiving a BECTA ICT Excellence Award in 2007. She has a firm belief that you should "Ask not what you can do for technology but what technology can do for you".

Heather Davies, The Bridge School

Heather is the Deputy Head and becomes the HeadTeacher of The Bridge from January 2009. Heather worked alongside Una VandenBerg the Head Teacher to ensure that the new build for The Bridge was a technology-rich environment and that it provided for the needs of all pupils. Heather has led the implementation of a robust outreach service to support Inclusion in conjunction with the local authority. Heather in her role as CPD co-ordinator has ensured that staff, parents and multi-agency professionals have access to a wide range of training.

Diane Hasell, The Bridge School

Diane is the Assistant Head Teacher and ICT Co-ordinator. Her background is special needs with experience in both mainstream and special schools. Diane has led the development of ICT within the school including the use of the Learning Platform, training for staff and parents and the implementation of new ICT resources. She is responsible for a small team which undertakes ICT assessments to support Inclusion within mainstream schools.

Craig Morrison, The Parkside Federation

Craig Morrison is Assistant Principal within The Parkside Federation, an innovative hard federation of two schools in central Cambridge: Parkside, an outstanding school with a superb track record, and Coleridge, fast improving to meet these standards after several years of closure threats and falling rolls. Ridgefield Primary also joined the federation in September 2008. Craig’s responsibilities include the specialist statuses and activities of the two schools and innovations across the federation. Craig is also leading a consortium of schools and colleges as they prepare to be one of the first groups to deliver the new Diploma in Creative & Media from September 2008. Craig has been Vice-Chair of the National Association for the Teaching of English. He is a member of the SSAT’s Futures Vision think-tank and was one of the co-authors of Essential Questions for the Future School (2006). He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.

Annette Murphy, Gosbecks Primary School

I am the full time Network Manager/LSA Line Manager at the school and a qualified technician. I have worked at the school for 17 years of which the last five have been ICT focused. I also work on a release time basis for the County ICT Support Team visiting other schools to assist with their LP’s. The ICT Co-ordinator and I work closely in all aspects of ICT providing coverage for curriculum/admin use of the network and technical support. Together we have guided the school in gaining the ICT Mark and the RM Excellence Award for ICT in Schools and are part of the RM Compass group.

Joanne Wells, Gosbecks Primary School

I am currently a year 6 class teacher and year 5/6 phase leader at Gosbecks Primary School. This is my sixth year at the school and alongside my teaching roles I am also the ICT co-ordinator.

Alongside the ICT technician we have successfully led the school to gain the ICT mark and I have been involved in the implementation of the learning platform. Within the school my role has consisted of ensuring ICT is being used enthusiastically in order to enhance children’s learning, provide training and support for staff and raise achievement through the use of ICT.

Sharon Cufflin, Prince Albert School

Sharon has been teaching at Prince Albert School for 11 years. She has led the ICT developments at the school for the past 7 years. The school has strengthened home school links over the past 7 years. The school acquired the ICT mark in May 2007 and was Joint winner of the BECTA Whole School Practice Excellence Award in Nov 2007. The school also received a special award for its contribution to Community Links through ICT.


Sally Wilford, Prince Albert School

Sally has been teaching at Prince Albert school for the past 5 years, prior to this she worked at the school as a Nursery Nurse for 18 years. Sally has been an active member of the ICT team for over 10 years. Sally has led the Computers in the home project for the last 3 years.





Paul Haigh, Notre Dame High School

Paul Haigh is Assistant Headteacher at Notre Dame High School, Sheffield. Notre Dame is a High Performing triple Specialist School rated outstanding by Ofsted in every single judgement, twice winner of the SSAT ICT Award (2005 & 2007) Yorkshire & Humberside ICT register focus school, holder of the ICT Mark, a Becta SRF consultant School and host of the Hallam City Learning Centre.

Paul’s portfolio at Notre Dame includes the strategic leadership of ICT including all the beyong school roles listed above. He is passionate about creative innovation and in particular how new technology can revolutionise education Paul is a speaker in demand having been invited to speak at BETT, SSAT National conference and Westminster recently, he presents with enthusiasm, humour and a direct honesty you’d expect from a Yorkshire man.

Janine Walker, Stocksbridge High School

Janine Walker is a Student Support Manager, Child Protection Liaison Officer and responsible for Every Child Matters e-safety at Stocksbridge High School. Stocksbridge High school is an 11 to 16 school in Sheffield with specialism in Maths and Computing. Janine has always been interested in student wellbeing and safety. She is a trained school ambassador for E-safety and has worked with students, teachers and parents on E-safety issues and awareness.

Barbara Heath, Gorsemoor Primary school.

  • 34 years teaching experience
  • Originally secondary trained as an Environmental Scientist. Has taught in Middle and other Primary schools.
  • A year 5 practising teacher, with over 30 years experience of cross curricular ICT, in a large Primary school ( 500 pupils)
  • Has been an AST in ICT for 5 years now Assistant Head and E-Learning Manager.
  • Lead Teacher in ICT for Staffs LA.
  • Piloted many initiatives for Staffs LA including laptops for pupils with data logging equipment, the Espresso service with an ISDN line,(now broadband) and have Ambassador status for our work and most recently Kaleidos Learning Portal and Staffordshire’s Learning Platform. Currently working with Softease Web 2.0 Honeycomb
  • Chair of Governors at Kingsmead Technology College

Trevor Davis, Churchfields School.

12 years in the RAF specialising in aircraft systems engineering followed by study period reading Industrial Engineering.

Following on; Rolls Royce, Bristol, then employed as Engineering Contracts Manager in a company that supplied curtain walling to large developers and finally Head of Manufacturing with a GEC company before entering teaching in 1987.

This career move into education has allowed me to bring many commercial management systems into education to improve planning and propagate good practice through school management.. Initially specialising in ICT and DT coupled with IT networking management and development in schools in Avon, South Gloucestershire and now Swindon.

The use of IT within network based projects to aid learning has been a passion for some time, developing and meshing them into a community that will allow other schools and students to enjoy campus and community wide access to learning via mobile equipment. Overlapping ‘hot spots’ across the local community incorporating line of sight links between hot spots and radial access around them creates a community wide mesh that can be enjoyed by all.

Couple this wireless access with secure and safe access to the Internet and students can enjoy casual learning 24/7.

Adam Hodgess, Montpelier Primary School

Adam is the Network Manager and Head of E-learning at Plymouth’s Montpelier Primary School. This is a large inner city primary with 650 children on roll. Since arriving at Montpelier Adam has been able to work with many staff and children to encourage change and development in improving the use of e-learning technologies. Adam worked to completely rebuild the view of ICT at the school so that it would no longer been seen as something extra, but more of a tool to aid in everything else.

With the increase in both the development of such technologies and the need to increase the learner’s decision making for personal progression, it was imperative that solutions be found. Adam had worked with Digital Edge’s Dr John Ingram and Kay Hanson to implement an electronic self assessment system for children to use within ICT. This system is not designed simply to mark progress, but rather encourage and stimulate further developments and area of investigation. Adam is currently working with Digital Edge to develop the system further so that it incorporates other areas of the curriculum, starting with Literacy.

Adam is a strong believer that technology can aid in the development of people of any age. With a system such as Digital Excellence Awards this can be made a reality. Adam continues to explore areas for development and is presently working with a number of people of implementing a Managed Learning Environment. This service should enable communication between all stakeholders to increase improving the services that the school can deliver.

Richard Healey, Birmingham East City Learning Centre

Richard started his teaching career 33 years ago as a P.E. and Science teacher and then becoming a computer studies teacher with the introduction of BBC computers into school.

Richard is the manager of Birmingham East City learning Centre where he has worked for the last 5 years undertaking research and development into how new IT based technologies can impact learning. Richard is a committed advocate of the use of IT to make teaching more effective and to engage and empower students with learning. Having the opportunity to work with many teachers and students has resulted in the development of new pedagogy and classroom management approaches when using digital technologies and the PSP in particular. This work has featured in a number of publications and articles.

Mark Gibbons, Windmill Primary School & Children's Centre

Mark Gibbons is the Associate Headteacher at Windmill Primary School and Children’s Centre, a large primary school serving the Brookside estate in Telford & Wrekin. He was previously Deputy Head at High Ercall Primary School, and has been teaching for 8½ years. His keen appreciation of the impact that ICT can have on learners’ attainment, attendance and attitude has developed over that time to the point where he can see teachers becoming more like ‘learning facilitators’ in the not-too-distant future!

Julie Nickless, Windmill Primary School & Children's Centre

Julie Nickless is a member of the Leadership and Management Team at Windmill Primary School and Children’s Centre. She has been teaching in Brookside, Telford for 5 years and previous to that worked in schools across Telford & Wrekin, Shropshire and the West Midlands for 5 years. She has been the driver behind the school’s Nintendo DS research project, producing a comprehensive evaluation report that is available for delegates to take away. Julie sees the instant motivation that ICT brings as something to harness, so that high quality teaching and learning may take place.

Steve Quayle, Foulstone City Learning Centre

Stephen Quayle worked in secondary schools as a teacher of science for 15 years. He gained an MSc in ICT in 2000. He went on to become a senior technical instructor at a software company for 2 years and then taught ICT in secondary schools for a further 2 years.

For the last 4 years Stephen has a been Teacher Advisor at Foulstone City Learning Centre in Barnsley, where he is responsible for developing the innovative use of ICT across all primary and secondary phase schools as well as promoting learning using ICT within the local community. The position requires an understanding of how the use of ICT can raise achievement, standards and motivate both learners and teachers.

Adrian Willson, St Bernard’s Catholic Primary School

Adrian has taught in the boroughs of Redbridge (London), Essex and Avon and Bristol. He has been the Headteacher of St. Bernard’s since 1995. The school was the first in Bristol to be awarded the Naace mark in December 2005 (later to become the ICT mark). St. Bernard’s fostered close links with one of the CLCs in the authority and established other links with businesses. The Handheld Project began in May 2006 with devices for all in Yr 6, 5 and 4.

Andrew Davis, Clunbury Primary School

Andrew Davis has been the Headteacher of Clunbury CE Primary School in Shropshire for the past five years. Over this period of time the way in which ICT has been used in the school has been transformed. Clunbury School was the first school in Shropshire to be awarded the ICT Mark. The school then went on to win Becta’s ICT in Excellence Award for the Best Whole School (Primary). The school’s innovative use of technology has been filmed by the BBC, Becta, and Teachers TV.

Laura Feeney, Thomlinson Junior School

Laura has taught at Thomlinson Junior School for close to four years now, starting as an NQT. She teaches one of two year 6 classes and has been ICT coordinator for 2 years. In that time she has overseen and administrated the implementation of a new school website, and the early development stages of the schools new VLE, as well as introducing handheld learning to both staff and children through the Nokia Internet Tablets and Sanako.

Jill Chadwick, Haywood Engineering College

Jill Chadwick has worked at Haywood Engineering College for the past 12 years and now occupies a number of roles, including Lead Mentor, Parental Coordinator, Community Coordinator, Primary Transition Coordinator and Extended Services Manager. Prior to this Jill worked in Industry and Retail, the skills built there helped to put together a flagship mentoring and family liaison team, running a variety of schemes to improve young peoples attainment along with many other community based events.

Jill enjoys meeting staff from other agencies, organising events, signposting parents and community involvement is a very rewarding aspect of her job. Jill line manages a diverse, dynamic, flexible and very supportive team who strive to seek innovative ways of improving communication with students, parents and the wider community. Jill can’t remember the last time she found her job mundane!

Ian Hopwood, Haywood Engineering College

Ian Hopwood has worked at Haywood Engineering College since August 2007 and has different roles throughout the school. Ian was mainly employed as a family liaison officer, alongside Gill Caton and Nasik Haroon. The roles of his job would be to speak with families and arrange installation times and then install thin client machines in the family’s home. He is also the main contact for the CITRIX blades housed with in the school, installing software and dealing with problems that may arise. Since then he has integrated himself into other roles which include being a Year 11 intervention mentor, and primary school support technician.

Ian finds that having the ability to be part of different departments in the school builds on his skills and helps him develop professionally.

Mike Watts, New Line Learning Cornwallis

Mike Watts began teaching ICT in 2005 having spent the previous 5 years working in industry. Taking full advantage of Cornwallis’ focus on ICT and technology, he began working to develop their custom VLE further. Having risen to Head of Department, Mike has completed the first phase of development of an exciting new ‘social learning environment’. Mike has worked with a small team to support departments across the curriculum to develop their own online materials, resulting in learning materials for over 20 subjects being managed online by departments.

Gideon Williams, Perins School

Gideon Williams is the Director of e-learning at Perins School; a post he has occupied for 4 years. His role is to co-ordinate the development of e-learning across all aspects of school with a particular focus on the school’s award winning VLE, moodle.perins.net and the students notebook scheme; now in its second year. Gideon still maintains a fairly full timetable teaching amongst other things AS Level, OCRNationals, iMedia and ICT innovations. In his role as a Lead Professional ICT teacher, he also co-ordinates a small group of Moodle schools within Hampshire. Gideon is particularly interested in developing gaming technology in schools; partly in an attempt to compete (so far unsuccessfully) with his 8yr old son.

Anne Savage, Batmanshill Unit, Sandwell

Anne has been Head of Batmanshill Unit, a Young Parents Education Centre for 7 years taking it from “very good” to “outstanding” (Ofsted 2007). She sits on the Sandwell Teenage Pregnancy Board which determines Strategic decisions for Young Parents in Sandwell. She has a passion for the holistic, social, economic emotional and educational development of all young parents and has ensured that the unit has moved towards a multi-agency, vibrant provision. Anne is convinced that the advantages technology offer an individual and personalised offer far exceeds any initial misgivings a teacher may have. The young people at the unit show greater enthusiasm and perform better in subjects where technology is integral to learning.

Heather Rackham, Batmanshill Unit, Sandwell

Heather is Deputy Head at Batmanshill Unit with responsibility for teaching literacy. She has worked across the age and ability range in a mainstream setting for 19 years and 8 years in a Pupil Referral Unit for pregnant teenagers, young mums and fathers/ providers. Heather has been part of a team that has, seen the unit move to an “outstanding” provision. She has been a keen motivator for the advancement of the use of technology, to deliver the curriculum to the young parents, working closely with the local City Learning Centre.

Gillian Hollamby, Hamstreet Primary School

Gill Hollamby is a primary school teacher at Hamstreet Primary School in Kent. She is the ICT co-ordinator and has been responsible for taking Hamstreet from the pre-computer age into the 21st Century, achieving the ICT mark in 2006. She is passionate about the ability of ICT to engage and enthuse children of all ages and abilities. She is a Leading ICT teacher and works both within her own school and with other schools as Hands on Support provider for the cluster to develop ICT as a powerful Learning and Teaching tool and has shared her experiences both here and abroad.

Lindsay Roberts, Pluckley CE Primary School

Lindsay Roberts is Acting Head Teacher at Pluckley CE Primary School in Kent. She has developed the use of ICT within her school and has been instrumental in achieving the ICT Mark for the 2nd time. She is a leading ICT Teacher and believes strongly in the impact that on-line learning and embedding ICT within the curriculum can have on children’s learning at all levels. She works within the cluster to support schools through Hands on Support and willingly shares her expertise with others.

Graham Frost, Old Hutton CE School

During his seven years as headteacher of a rural Cumbrian primary school, Graham has created web-based applications which engage and motivate pupils and improve work-flow for staff. A growing number of schools are subscribing to his unique, practitioner-led Learning Platform. Graham advocates giving children the keys to their own learning and letting them drive!

Julia Codman, Sheffield West City Learning Centre

For the past 6 years Julia has been Assistant Manager at Sheffield West City Learning Centre. One of her responsibilities is to lead projects with their partnership secondary and primary schools to develop innovative use of ICT and digital technologies in teaching and learning. This has recently included web 2.0 technologies and learning platforms.

For the past 6 years Julia has been delivering E-Safety training in both primary and secondary schools. She has developed an E-Safety Programme and delivered training to over 120 Sheffield schools. Julia is a member of the Education Advisory Board for the Child Exploitation and On-line Protection Centre (CEOP) and holds the Certificate in Child Safety on the Internet.