About

I joined the University of Derby in January 2017 as a Senior Lecturer on the teacher training programmes with an emphasis on Computing, Mathematics, Science and SEND. Before entering the teaching profession, I had a 15-year career as a programmer, designer, project manager and technical director, employed by the Civil Service, the AA and Sony. In 2005, I retrained as a teacher at Reading University and, after teaching in various primary schools, I taught in a special school for students with behavioural and emotional difficulties. I was one of the first Computer At School (CAS) Master Teachers in the country and am a Raspberry Pi Certified educator and a Barefoot ambassador delivering Computer Science CPD sessions to primary schools. I am also a National Computer Centre for Education (NCCE) facilitator delivering CPD courses for primary and secondary teachers across the country.

Teaching responsibilities

I am the Programme Leader for the Primary with Qualified Teacher Status PGCE course. Other roles, include being the academic lead for Computing across all of the initial teacher training (ITE) courses at the University. In particular, I lead and teach the Computing and Science modules on the BEd and MEdu courses. I also teach Computing on the PGCE, iPGCE and School Direct teacher training courses. I am a personal tutor and a University link partner to students and mentors on both the undergraduate and postgraduate ITE courses.

Qualifications

• BSc Food Manufacture – Manchester Polytechnic
• Graduate Teaching Programme (GTP) with QTS - Reading University
• Masters in Education – University of Derby
• Certificate in Computer Science Teaching - British Computing Society

Experience in industry

• Head of Computing - Swanwick School and Sports College. Form Tutor, IT support in SEND school
• Class Teacher - Shirland Primary School. ICT Co-ordinator
• Class Teacher - Anton Junior School, Andover. Teacher Training placement
• Nuture Group Teaching Assistant - Park View Junior School, Basingstoke. To provide social support to the children in one to one situations
• Technical Director - Zip Television, London. To launch an interactive advertising channel on the Sky Digital TV platform. To handle all technical issues for the company
• Technical Project Manager - Sony GOiNTERACTtv, Basingstoke. Technical lead in provisioning an interactive games service.
• Systems Specialist - AA, Basingstoke. To develop and support applications dealing with AA breakdowns
• Programmer and Designer - DSS, Blackpool. To develop the Disability Living Allowance (DLA) computing system