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After graduating from the University of Nottingham with a degree in Psychology and Cognitive Neuroscience, I spent time working as a teaching assistant in a busy secondary school. Upon realising I wanted to undertake further study and expand on my use of psychology in education, I returned to the University of Nottingham to study the Doctorate in Applied Educational Psychology. Since qualifying in 2018, I have worked at Nottinghamshire Educational Psychology Service as a main-grade educational psychologist and, more recently, as the senior educational psychologist for training and projects. I am also the Nottinghamshire County Council lead for the NottAlone project which aims to bring together support and signposting to local mental health support services in the area.

I am passionate about organisational psychology and I enjoy working with schools to make changes which support the school community as a whole. I am also interested in Narrative psychology, supporting children in care/ previously in care and equity & inclusion.

Fiona Broadley is a Registered Qualified Habilitation Specialist and manages a Specialist Outreach team delivering Habilitation, Reprographics and  Specialist ICT support to children and young people with vision impairment (CYPVI) across Birmingham. She has worked in the VI field for more than 40 years, and for the last 34 has worked in education, teaching in specialist, mainstream and special settings.  She also lectures to student Habilitation Specialists at Birmingham City University, and with her team, delivers the Habilitation elements of the training for Specialist Teachers of the Vision Impaired (QTVI) and for MSI teachers at the University of Birmingham. Fiona is the Chair of Habilitation VIUK and strives to raise profile of habilitation at all levels. Habilitation encompasses the range of orientation and mobility skills, environmental and access recommendations, and independent living skills for CYPVI. Fiona is the author of 2 books on habilitation, that are written in an easy access style, suitable for parents as well as professionals:

• Supporting Life Skills for Young Children with Vision Impairment and other Disabilities: An Early Years Habilitation Handbook (Routledge 2021)
• Supporting Life Skills for Children and Young People with Vision Impairment and Other Disabilities: A Middle Childhood Habilitation Handbook (Routledge 2023)

Sharon Smith is mother to a 19-year-old daughter who has Down syndrome. As a result, she has volunteered and worked for several disability related organisations over the past 18 years, including being co-founder of a Down syndrome support group and being the Chair of her local parent carer forum. Sharon is also in the final stages of undertaking PhD research in which she explores the experiences of mothers of disabled children in relation to their education. Sharon's daughter has benefited from using person-centred ways of working with her education settings at key transition points, and she is happy to share this personal experience.

Until July 2023, Tina was the Head of an Outstanding all age special school for children and young people with severe and profound learning difficulties including those with an additional diagnosis of autism. Tina held this post for over 30 years, during which time the school expanded its roll by 90%.

Tina trained at Birmingham University and holds a Master’s Degree in Childhood Autism, and has spent all of her career working within the special education field. Tina was a National Leader of Education until her retirement from Headship. Tina continues to work as a member of the South East South London Regional SEND team for Whole School SEND (nasen).  Aside from Special Educational Needs, Tina's particular interests are school improvement including ethical leadership and leadership development at all levels including governance. Tina firmly believes in the power of coaching as a supportive professional development tool for colleagues.

Tina is the Deputy Regional SEND Lead for South East England and South London (SESLON) region.

Magdalene was a primary class teacher and a SENDCo for many years. She then worked for the Local Authority as a Learning Support teacher and, as a keen mathematician, joined the Maths Hub LLME Team with a focus on SEND. She now works as an SEND and Maths Consultant Teacher, both independently and with the Maths Hubs, working with pupils and school staff in primary, secondary and special schools across South Yorkshire and beyond. 

Victoria Osborne is a secondary mastery specialist with the NCETM and was in the first cohort of specialists trained in the five big ideas. She has worked in primary, secondary and special schools as a maths teacher and leader. She now works in the Meridian Trust and the Cambridge Maths hub, splitting her time between curriculum development and teacher professional development. 

Jamie, a founding member of Special Networks and a chartered Developmental Psychologist, has dedicated more than 20 years to the fields of inclusion, psychology, innovation, participation, and learning, with a focus on empowering children and young people. His work explores the intersection of psychology and social justice, aiming to foster genuine social change. Jamie strongly believes in the power of inclusion by design. His expertise extends far beyond the theoretical aspects, guiding the education sector and wider industries, products, and services in adopting and implementing this groundbreaking approach. His diverse professional background spans roles in play work, family support, lecturing, teaching, training, strategy, policy work, and international consultancy. Jamie's career has seen him partner with a wide array of institutions, from charities and government bodies to global corporations.

Literacy and Numeracy Inclusion Advisor

Janet Goring has taught for over twenty years as a class teacher, maths subject leader, Advanced Skills teacher and most recently as a specialist teacher for pupils with specific learning difficulties. She has a Masters in Specific Learning Difficulties, specialising in Dyslexia and Maths difficulties. Her dissertation researched how playing a board game can increase number sense, following a career-long interest in using games to develop understanding and increase enjoyment in maths.

Janet is an accredited Professional Development lead for the NCETM and has led SEND work groups for the last six years in her local Maths Hub. The two current projects are looking at an approach to Maths Anxiety using Zones of regulation for mainstream schools and a smaller steps curriculum for special schools. She is also on the Dyscalculia committee of the British Dyslexia Association.

Assistant Maths Hub Lead – Primary

Kate is the Primary Mastery Lead for the Hub and is also the Strategic Maths Lead for GLF Schools Multi Academy Trust. She is passionate about teacher professional development in mathematics, believing that this is the key to improving teaching and learning. Having led work groups for the Maths Hub, she continues to be inspired by the teachers and leaders who are transforming mathematics practice and policy in their schools for the benefit of all of their pupils. She is a co-author of the NCETM Curriculum Prioritisation Materials and is a Professional Development Lead. 

Maths Hub Lead – Primary

Nicki is one of our Maths Hubs Leads, having been involved in the leadership team since the very beginning and as Primary Mastery Lead and Work Group Lead. She is based at one of the hub’s lead schools, Chesterton School, where she also oversees CPD Partnerships for the Wandle Teaching School Hub.

Nicki has 20 years’ experience as a consultant in supporting, developing and training teachers in their maths classroom practice. She loves working with fantastic and inspiring colleagues in the Maths Hub!

Assistant Director for School and Professional Development

Matt has worked at secondary school and cross-phase at local authority level, and now works as an assistant director in the school and professional development strand, with a focus on local leaders of mathematics education (LLME).

School Improvement Lead (Greenshaw Learning Trust)

Rhiannon Rainbow is a maths teacher with 20 years’ experience teaching secondary. Rhiannon completed a 3 year BSc Hons QTS Primary Maths EY before moving to secondary. She is an NCETM accredited SMS, C5, and PD Lead and part of the NCETM MAT Maths Leads delivery team. She also is an LLME in her local Maths Hub and runs the secondary SKTM. 

Anne-Marie Cray has more than 30 years' experience as a Speech and Language Therapist working with children, young people and families in early years, primary, secondary settings. She specialised in working with young people who have social, emotional and mental health needs in specialist settings and alternative providers. Anne-Marie joined Speech and Language UK in 2019 and has been involved in the delivery of several projects as well as developing and delivering training and workshops. She is also part of Speech and Language UK's Family Support team delivering parent webinars and providing support for families and practitioners on the advice line.

Dr Susan Richards is a speech and language therapist with over 20 years’ experience working with children and families in early years, primary and secondary settings. During that time, she has combined her clinical role with a research career, most recently as a postdoctoral researcher at Cambridge University. She has been part of Speech and Language UK’s advisory team over the last five years and currently leads on projects focusing on supporting the Home Learning Environment in areas of disadvantage as well as contributing to strategic support for local authorities nationally in developing their speech, language and communication pathways.