Sian Cooke - Head of Digital Strategy and Research Unit, Dfe

Sian Cooke - Head of Digital Strategy and Research Unit, Dfe

Biography coming soon...

Bridie Tooher - Deputy Director of Digital Strategy, DfE

Bridie Tooher - Deputy Director of Digital Strategy, DfE

Biography coming soon...

Jonathan Bishop - CEO, Cornerstone

Jonathan Bishop - CEO, Cornerstone

Jonathan Bishop is CEO and Executive Headteacher of the Cornerstone Academy Trust. Its founding school, Broadclyst Primary School, is a Microsoft Showcase School and as a Microsoft Innovative Educator, Jonathan pioneered the use of digital technologies in the classroom for many years. His schools employ the use of one-to-one Microsoft Pro Surfaces to deliver a project-based curriculum that fully utilises the power of Office365 tools. He runs the Global Enterprise Challenge with thousands of children working together in teams to run a company, collaborating and competing to make their ideas the most successful globally. Digital technologies underpin the management of the Academy Trust, the collaboration between staff and the teaching and learning; at school and beyond the school day.

Jonathan is a National Leader of Education, leads the Cornerstone Teaching School, BCPS Edtech Demonstrator Programme, English Hub, Science Learning Partnership and is opening a new Free School that will be a Microsoft Flagship School.

Fiona Aubrey-Smith - Director of One Life Learning

Fiona Aubrey-Smith - Director of One Life Learning

Dr Fiona Aubrey-Smith is a former teacher, school leader and advisor and is now Director of One Life Learning specialising in strategic education consultancy. She is also an Associate Lecturer at The Open University, a Founding Fellow of the Chartered College of Teaching and sits on the board of a number of multi academy and charitable trusts

Craig Allen - Scomis Consultant

Craig Allen - Scomis Consultant

Having worked in secondary schools previously, Craig joined Scomis in 2003 and has provided schools with advice and support across a range of SCOMIS services, from technical networking to MIS systems.  In the latter years Craig has focussed on exploiting the MIS in schools to track attainment and progress, support behaviour policies and interventions, and has worked with large MATS on reporting systems. As a school governor, Craig continues to work on having fast, effective access to data.

Andrew Tidswell - Direcor of Professional Development and Partner Learning at Discovery Education

Andrew Tidswell - Direcor of Professional Development and Partner Learning at Discovery Education

Andrew is Director of Professional Development and Partner Learning at Discovery Education. He is responsible for managing the creation, implementation and delivery of all of educator Professional Development programmes provided by Discovery Education outside of the US. Alongside this he leads on the learning work undertaken by colleagues and stakeholders from our global Channel Partners, which often involves working with non-educator audiences including parents and students.

  This role includes building relationships with Partners, from whole Government contracts to individual school accounts, ensuring successful progression for teachers and improving outcomes for students. He is also responsible for leading teams of content writers and PD Specialists to ensure Discovery Education create and deliver the highest quality Professional Development.

  Prior to working for Discovery Education Andrew was a freelance consultant and trainer for 12 years, supporting teachers and schools around the UK and overseas, across a range of specialisms including: interactive technology, digital media, coding, STEM and Primary Maths. He built relationships with a range of schools, organisations and education companies.

  Between 1990 and 2004 he was a teacher and Senior Leader at three schools in Leeds UK, teaching in both the Primary and Middle school phases.

  He is also chair of Governors at an inner-city school in Leeds, serving over 1000 students from ages 5 to 18. The children come from very diverse backgrounds, with over 60 home languages being spoken by the families the school serves.

Mark Martin - Advanced Skills Teacher in Education and Computer Science

Mark Martin - Advanced Skills Teacher in Education and Computer Science

Mark Martin aka @Urban_Teacher is an Advanced Skills Teacher in Education and Computer Science. Mark is a thought leader in #EdTech and a hugely popular speaker, sharing his expertise and insights to educators around the world. He is a teacher/advisor for the major global tech brands and continues to advocate for home-grown talent, digital skills and education equity. In February 2019, he was awarded the London Business Award for Paying It Forward. A few months later, he was awarded an MBE for services to education, technology and diversity in UK technology.

Steve Taylor - CEO, Robin Hood MAT

Steve Taylor - CEO, Robin Hood MAT

Steve is the CEO of Robin Hood Multi Academy Trust in Birmingham and has been in post since January 2016. Steve has a strong leadership background in education and, as well as being an NLE, has worked at a national level on a number of initiatives as well as at an international level.

During the recent Coronavirus shutdown of schools, Robin Hood MAT created #TheLearningProjects - a national editable set of resources for any school in the country to build upon and improve. The team currently run #PodcastCPD, an innovative and free approach to CPD for anyone interested in education.

Steve and the Robin Hood MAT team are interested in open, transparent leadership and collaboration within the education sector and have committed to sharing EVERYTHING the MAT does for others to use as a base to build from.

Matt Koster-Macron - Co-Founder of the EdTech Evidence Group

Matt Koster-Macron - Co-Founder of the EdTech Evidence Group

Matt is the Co-Founder of the EdTech Evidence Group (EEG) as well as an EdTech Board Member. The EEG believes schools and trusts need to be able to easily assess the value and impact of EdTech products, services and platforms. They bring together leading UK EdTech companies who share a belief that there needs to be a step-change in the level of evidence available about EdTech.

In particular, for Koster-Marcon’s part he wants to see schools given better advice about the questions to ask, evidence and service levels to demand, when procuring EdTech. It does no-one any favours when precious school budgets are wasted on the wrong product.

Matt is also the founding CEO of Learning Ladders which has helped to revolutionise the way parents engage with their child’s learning, and how schools support and engage parents. It is a suite of tools, all on one system, to support teachers, parents and children with every aspect of learning - at school and at home.

Dr Alice Mills - Co-Founder and Co-Director of the Exeter Science Centre

Dr Alice Mills - Co-Founder and Co-Director of the Exeter Science Centre

Alice has a PhD in Astrophysics from Durham University and has been an active science communicator for more than 10 years. From 2015-2020 she worked as the Science Outreach Officer for the University of Exeter, running many outreach events and workshops for schools and the public.

Ben McGinnes - Teacher, Danesfield School

Ben McGinnes - Teacher, Danesfield School

Ben McGinnes has been a teacher at Danesfield School for the last 4 years and has taught in Year 1 and Year 3. He is currently leading the schools’ EdTech strategy and has been pivotal in embedding technology across the curriculum, leading training to bring the staff on the journey with him and feel confident to use a range of technological resources they would not have otherwise considered. He has played a key role in ensuring the transition to remote learning was successful and as a result, Danesfield has a very effective system for home learning in place using Microsoft Teams. As part of the EdTech program, he is supporting a number of schools to develop their remote learning strategy.

He has also been instrumental in setting up the schools’ YouTube channel, where teaching staff regularly post videos to assist teachers far and wide, sharing imaginative lesson ideas and how these can be easily planned and implemented. He is an incredibly creative teacher, especially when it comes to using technology to enhance learning, and has supported staff to use software such as FlipGrid and Minecraft to engage children in innovative and exciting ways to extend their learning.

Sarah Morgan - Headteacher at Danesfield School

Sarah Morgan - Headteacher at Danesfield School

Sarah Morgan has been the Headteacher of Danesfield School, in Marlow, for the past 6 years and has driven huge improvement in all areas of the school since gaining her Headship. Her passion for technology to be embedded in all areas of school life has enabled the school to go from strength to strength, becoming and Microsoft Showcase School and now an EdTech Demonstrator School as well. Sarah places great value on ensuring that children have the skills necessary to be successful in the next phase of their education, as well as beyond and, through learning with technology, emphasises the importance of teamwork, collaboration, communication, perseverance and resilience. She also works closely with the DfE to provide in-sight on how to continue to develop the use of technology to improve outcomes for children.

Sarah has worked within the education sector for 17 years, starting as a primary school teacher and has always had an eye for detail and a determination to be the best she can, and her school, can possibly be. As a PiXL school, she works closely with the PiXL team to plan future conferences and often presents as these too. Sarah supports a number of schools through the PiXL Partnership to enable them to continue to develop and improve in order to raise their attainment, improve the learning experience for children and ensure they are prepared for transition to secondary school.

Carl Sheen - Lead Trainer, InVentry Ltd

Carl Sheen - Lead Trainer, InVentry Ltd

Carl is the Lead Trainer at InVentry and has been with the business for over 2 years, training customers on all aspects of our software. Prior to joining InVentry, Carl worked as a secondary school Computer Science teacher for almost a decade and so has a strong understanding of education and its technology.

Frances Kingston - Renaissance Consultant

Frances Kingston - Renaissance Consultant

Frances Kingston has been a Renaissance Consultant at Renaissance since May 2018. She works across a variety of projects and is very involved in training teachers. Frances is particularly involved in delivering a bespoke consultancy service and loves to create resources to help teachers in the classroom. Before she joined Renaissance, Frances was a teacher for over 27 years and had taught in primary, middle and secondary schools across England. As part of her role as a middle leader, she led on literacy, using Renaissance Products to raise reading standards and transform the reading culture at her school. Frances has vast experience of teaching those students who have special educational needs, particularly in reading, writing and maths. In April 2018, she won the Golden Apple Education Award for ‘Most Outstanding Primary Teacher’ in North and North-East Lincolnshire, England – for being a teacher who brought learning to life and had gone the extra mile. Frances is passionate about supporting teachers and empowering them to use both reading and maths data in order to shape their lesson delivery in their mission to reach all students. More recently, she has been directly involved with the pilot and launch of the newest Renaissance product, ‘Freckle Maths’. Frances, aka ‘Freckle Fran’, has been instrumental in shaping it for the delivery in a UK classroom and is very excited about it being used for the first time in schools in this new academic year 2021/2022.

Margaret Allen - Curriculum and Education Specialist, Renaissance

Margaret Allen - Curriculum and Education Specialist, Renaissance

Passionate and enthusiastic, Margaret has a great depth of understanding in the field of education and is uniquely qualified to speak about a variety of topics on the subject with measured authority. With more than 25 years’ experience, Margaret’s roles have ranged from a Primary school teacher to Head of Training and Professional Development. As the Curriculum and Education Specialist within Renaissance she has supported several initiatives including working with the Seychelles Government to support English reading across all of their Primary schools. Her favourite subject is reading with picture books and as a grandmother of 6 children she is particularly enjoying revisiting books that she shared with her own children.

Michael Kimber - Teacher, Cornerstone

Michael Kimber - Teacher, Cornerstone

Michael leads on a range of teacher facing projects across and beyond the Cornerstone Academy Trust. He is the lead for the Devon & Cornwall Science Learning Partnership and plays an integral role in the local English Hub, Computing Hub, EdTech Demonstrator Programme and other teacher development opportunities across the South West. Within this role, Michael uses his experience of working with staff and students at all phases of education to demonstrate how digital innovation and rigour can drive meaningful change for learners, whatever their needs. Michael has a particular interest in the role of talk in the classroom, and how developing this can empower learning and pedagogy.

James Weatherill - CEO, Arbor

James Weatherill - CEO, Arbor

James is one of the co-founders of Arbor and has experience in managing and launching innovative products and services for large and small companies that are loved by millions of users. He is incredibly passionate about building tools that help to save teachers time, mainly as he’s so frustrated at the current status quo of admin, hassle and data that gets in the way of delivering great education.

Fiona Collier - Senior Governance Advisor, Babcock LDP

Fiona Collier - Senior Governance Advisor, Babcock LDP

Fiona is a Senior Governance Adviser within the Babcock LDP Governance Consultancy Team in Devon, which is a joint venture with Devon County Council. Fiona is the chair of the South West Co-ordinators Of Governor Services (SWCOGS) group and represents the SW region on the National COGS board, where she is vice-chair.

In addition to her advice and training role Fiona is the editor of Governance Today Magazine and has recently collaborated on the NCOGS Clerking Handbook, a national resource for clerks and governance professionals.

Zoe Briant-Evans - Governance Advisor, Babcock LDP

Zoe Briant-Evans - Governance Advisor, Babcock LDP

Bio coming soon...

Kevin Sait - Surface Evangelist, Microsoft

Kevin Sait - Surface Evangelist, Microsoft

Kevin has been working with Microsoft for the past 6 years, first with the UK Education team and more recently with Steve Beswick supporting education customers to get the best from the Surface family of devices.   

As the Head of IT Strategy for a big Norfolk secondary school, we first  deployed Office 365 to 1800 students back in 2013, utilising tools like OneNote, Office Online and Yammer to create and engaging learning enviroment. Since then I have worked and trained teachers and IT pros on the latest technologies and helped many schools to start their journey to the cloud. 

Andrew Hammond - Senior Director of Learning and Community at Discovery Education

Andrew Hammond - Senior Director of Learning and Community at Discovery Education

Andrew Hammond has worked in schools for over twenty years, as a Classteacher, Head of Department, Deputy Head and Headteacher in both independent and maintained sector schools. He is currently Senior Director of Learning & Community at Discovery Education.

A prolific author, Andrew and has written over thirty titles for a range of educational publishers, including Oxford University Press, Cambridge University Press, Hodder, Harcourt, Sage, Rising Stars, Galore Park and John Catt. He is the author of CRYPT, a five-book horror fiction series for young adults published by Hodder Headline. Andrew is a regular contributor to educational magazines, newspapers and blogs.

Andrew was Lead Author of the Independent Curriculum (Galore Park) and has served as a 13+ Common Entrance Setter for ISEB and as an English Subject Leader for IAPS. He is a regular keynote speaker and CPD provider in schools across the UK and abroad.

Andrew is Lead Author and Series Editor of Discovery Education Pathway, a new online CPD programme, developed in partnership with the NAHT.

He holds a BA (Hons) QTS from Bath Spa University and an MA from King’s College London. He is currently studying for an Ed.D at Buckingham University, specialising in the power of culture to develop positive attitudes, behaviours and capacities in students.

Matt Smith - Learning and Development Business Partner, Aspire2B

Matt Smith - Learning and Development Business Partner, Aspire2B

Matt is Learning and Development Business Partner at Aspire 2Be and joined the company after excelling as a senior teacher and Leader of Blended Learning. As an advocate of the power that technology can have on teaching, learning and professional development, Matt now works with organisations across Education and Business, helping them transform the way they work in order to facilitate increased outcomes.

Matt was recognised for his approach to technology in the classroom through his selection as a regional winner in the Pearson National Teacher Awards, in the category ‘Outstanding use of Technology in Education’. He has since gone on to gain accreditation with Google, Microsoft and Apple, in the planning and delivery of transformational professional learning programmes.

Dan Sandhu - CEO, Sparx

Dan Sandhu - CEO, Sparx

CEO of Sparx, Dan has an extensive career in the education and technology sectors, both in the UK and internationally. Leading and guiding education teams around the world, Dan has previously been voted as one of Education Technology’s top 100 most influential leaders globally.

As a member of BESA’s Executive Council (UK Education Industry Body) and having joined the Brooking Institution’s Center for Universal Education’s Leadership Council in the US, Dan is influencing the education and EdTech landscapes beyond his role at Sparx. He is a regular speaker at education and technology forums and has authored numerous articles.

Dan’s breadth of experience in education is demonstrated through his role as an investor in a number of education ventures such as Youth4work (a global vocational assessment platform), Edurio, Ecovation as well as his work with Emerge Education and Teachers’ Media International. Dan was also Chairman and CEO of Digital Assess and sat on their advisory board, supporting the international partnership strategy.

Dan is focused on ensuring that Sparx will achieve sustainable impact in the delivery of maths education in the UK and internationally, focusing on the use of education technology to improve numeracy and therefore life opportunities for millions of learners around the world.

Jess Boyce - Educator Innovation Lead, FlipGrid | Microsoft

Jess Boyce - Educator Innovation Lead, FlipGrid | Microsoft

Jess Boyce is a former secondary maths teacher, who now serves as an Educator Innovation Lead on Team Flipgrid. She is passionate about technology in education and trying new things. She works with teachers to make their classrooms as fun and innovative as possible! She lives in Florida, USA and loves reading and spending time at the beach!

Dale Lawson - Teacher, Cornerstone

Dale Lawson - Teacher, Cornerstone

Dale Lawson has been teaching within the Cornerstone Academy Trust for over 5 years, having also trained with the Trust on their School Direct program. As well as having predominantly taught within Year 4, Dale's enthusiasm for linking the natural world and digital resources helps him lead Humanities (History, Geography & Religion) and support on the growing Outdoor Learning program in the role of Forest School Leader.

From VR Tours and Virtual Field Trips to Minecraft for Education lessons and Digimap Fieldwork, Dale endeavours to utilise the breadth of digital resources available when educating the children of his class. He shares new technologies through CPD sessions with the Trust and is a keen advocate for using technology in the classroom, supporting in the continued development of the EdTech demonstrator school.

Steve Beswick - Education Business Development Director - Surface Education, Microsoft

Steve Beswick - Education Business Development Director - Surface Education, Microsoft

Steve Beswick is the Business Development Director - Microsoft Education (Corporate) at Microsoft based in United Kingdom. Driving Education transformation with Office 365 and Surface. He is responsible for developing solutions in the Education market for our Surface hardware products including all Surface devices (Surface Pro, Surface Studio, Surface Laptop and Surface Hub) and our mixed reality device, HoloLens. Directly working for the Education organisation based at our HQ Seattle but I am based in the UK. My work develops solutions in the UK market which I will then take to other countries across EMEA. Currently I am developing solutions for deep collaborative environments in universities and also looking at different business models for selling devices to students at university. More and more schools and universities are looking at the importance of digital inking with Microsoft OneNote in combination with Office 365 with Surface devices to drive change and enhance teaching and learning. outcomes. Clearly we are focused on teaching and learning solutions across all education organisations but we also do a lot of work on other areas which I believe are overlooked like teacher productivity and running a schools/College/University using integrated technology solutions.

Giles Hill - Digital Learning Lead, Aspire Academy Trust

Giles Hill - Digital Learning Lead, Aspire Academy Trust

Giles and the Aspire Academy Trust have been offering ICT-based CPD to primary education staff since 2012, most recently badged as Digital Learning Cornwall. He combines an interesting mix of skills: tech journalism; multimedia / interface design background; experienced and practising classroom teacher. Giles loves to see schools become empowered to make well-informed, practical choices - to implement technologies that genuinely enhance teaching and learning processes, while assisting staff who are not tech-specialists. Giles led Mount Hawke Academy’s successful application as part of the first wave of DfE EdTech Demonstrator Schools.

Michael Cronk - Head of Computer Science, Colyton Grammar School

Michael Cronk - Head of Computer Science, Colyton Grammar School

Originally trained as a product designer, I worked as a Design and Technology teacher for seven years. I have been Head of Computer Science at Colyton for almost seven years and I have moved the department from ICT to CS, introduced an A Level course and expanded the GCSE programme. These experiences have naturally led me towards robotics, and I have a great passion for using robotics in the as a way of introducing engineering and computer science to students. I have also been a Teacher Coordinator for the Royal Academy of Engineering Connecting STEM Teachers Programme for six years

Henry Penfold - Digital Lead at Cornerstone CE Primary

Henry Penfold - Digital Lead at Cornerstone CE Primary

Henry is a Year 3 teacher as well as the digital lead at Cornerstone C of E Primary. He is a MIEFellow for the South and loves to engage children using technology. On top of that Henry is a MIEExpert and MCE. He enjoys learning from fellow educators innovative ways that digital tools are used to enhance the teaching and learning in the classroom.

Tim Clarke - Headteacher of Cornerstone CE Primary

Tim Clarke - Headteacher of Cornerstone CE Primary

Tim Clarke is Headteacher of Cornerstone CE Primary in Hampshire (UK).

Cornerstone is a Microsoft Showcase School: and focuses on 'learning always and all ways'. Tim is an MIE Expert, an MIE Master Trainer, and a Microsoft Certified Educator. He blogs about educational leadership and learning at timjumpclarke.wordpress.com

Cornerstone is focused on 'Growing an Inspirational Learning Community.' We define this as: Together, inspiring a love of learning; Encouraging and empowering partnerships; Nurturing a Growth Mindset

Sam Parsons - South West Regional Cyber Crime Unit (SWRCCU)

Sam Parsons - South West Regional Cyber Crime Unit (SWRCCU)

Sam is a Cyber Protect and Prepare Officer with the SWRCCU. The SWRCCU are a specialist capability of the Police who investigate cyber crimes impacting organisations across the South West. Sam supports victims and helps them to build their cyber resilience after an incident. Sam also has a proactive role, delivering nationally recognised guidance to organisations across the South West on how to protect themselves from cyber crime, and how to prepare themselves to ensure that they can recover should an incident occur.

Stephen Reid - Senior Customer Engagement Project Manager at Microsoft

Stephen Reid - Senior Customer Engagement Project Manager at Microsoft

Bio coming soon...

Paul Beavis - Education and Product Specialist at Scomis

Paul Beavis - Education and Product Specialist at Scomis

Paul has over 25 years of EdTech experience from working within the Youth, Community and Mainstream Education sectors; including 9 years working as an ICT Systems Manager for a Learning Trust in the South West of England.  He is familiar with many of the unique challenges that schools face with the use of educational technology. Paul has a wealth of knowledge in leveraging the power of Digital Education Platforms as a teaching tool - and cloud solutions in general.

Tony Phillips - SharePoint and Teams Consultant

Tony Phillips - SharePoint and Teams Consultant

Tony founded Cloud Design Box in 2015 with the aim of transforming Microsoft 365 in education and business. Tony takes an active role in the SharePoint and Teams community sharing and promoting M365 on his blog.

Donna Shah - MIEE / Assistant Digital Learning Advisor, Cognita

Donna Shah - MIEE / Assistant Digital Learning Advisor, Cognita

I am an educator based in London who is passionate about EdTech. Since the beginning of 2020 she works with Cognita schools supporting with digital learning for staff and pupils. Previously I taught computing in 2 London primary schools whilst promoting the positive use of EdTech across the curriculum.  

I am currently an MIE Fellow, developing and growing the Microsoft community across London through events, meets etc. I was selected to represent the UK for Microsoft at their E2 education meet in Paris, 2019 as well as presenting on their tools at events such as BETT.  

Trevor Finlay - Managing Director, Vision Asset Finance

Trevor Finlay - Managing Director, Vision Asset Finance

Trevor Finlay is the Managing Director at Vision Asset Finance. Trevor has over 20 years of experience in setting up ICT Leasing arrangements for schools throughout the UK and Ireland.

Jennifer King - UK Schools Engagement Lead at Microsoft

Jennifer King - UK Schools Engagement Lead at Microsoft

Jennifer King is an award-winning, international thought leader in Education with 20 years of experience in the education sector from classroom to corporations. She is passionate about the success of students and their teachers and how the power of technology can transform the way they work and learn. Jennifer was previously the Head of Film and Media at Strode’s College in Surrey before starting her own education consultancy. JKES was a Microsoft Education Partner with a focus on digital transformation, project based learning, and teacher professional development. Jennifer is also the creator of the Student Teacher Education Program. She has been the Schools Engagement lead for the UK since October 2019 after returning from Microsoft Corp in Seattle, where she was the Director of Education in the 21st Century Jobs, Skills, and Employability.

Anthony Lees - EdTech Strategic Lead, Cornerstone

Anthony Lees - EdTech Strategic Lead, Cornerstone

Anthony is Deputy Head of School for recently opened Westclyst Community Primary School, Devon, within the Cornerstone Academy Trust, where he also leads on EdTech strategy for the Trust. As a Specialist Leader of Education (SLE) for The Cornerstone Teaching School he supports schools across the region in the areas of computing, online safety and as well as his other passion; music.

Anthony continues to support teachers' wider professional development as an SSAT Lead Practitioner and ETP Facilitator, and specifically in the areas of computing, EdTech and online safety as a Computing Associate for Babcock International and CEOP Ambassador. He trains and leads on the NCCE Computing Hub, for Broadclyst School as the Primary Phase Lead within the Westcountry Computing Hub.

He is also a Microsoft Certified Educator and Master Trainer, MIEExpert, Skype Master Teacher and Surface Expert; which he utilises to deliver staff development and training through both the Microsoft Showcase School Programme and the DfE EdTech Demonstrator School programme.

Claire Lowe - CEO and Executive Principal, Inspire Learning Partnership

Claire Lowe - CEO and Executive Principal, Inspire Learning Partnership

Claire has been the Chief Executive Officer and Executive Principal of Inspire Learning Partnership (formerly The Inspire Learning Federation) since October 2014. Her deeply rooted values of innovation, nurture, passion, integrity, responsibility and excellence to make  Learning Irresistible  for all learners young and old are borne out in the work that she carries out with schools and the teams that make them magical places to learn and work. Finding that  Ordinary Magic  so that every child and adult can enjoy success.

Prior to this she was the Executive Headteacher of Blackfield Primary and Fawley Infant Federation. She moved to the Federation in September 2008 after holding the Headteacher role at a small village primary school in the New Forest. She is an LLE and supports the leadership teams of several schools across the primary phase and also has been seconded to schools to act as an Interim Executive Headteacher and Headteacher roles. She is also a  mentor to new CEOs  of Multi Academy Trusts.  

She holds an MA(Ed) in  Education Leadership and more recently was appointed as a founding fellow of the Chartered College of Teaching, recognition of her total commitment to the profession over the past 25+ years.    

Claire adores being a mum to two teenagers and has a sense of adventure and  a passion for fitness, food and nutrition. She loves travelling in the UK and beyond, her favourite places being the Lake District and the Middle East after time spent living and teaching in Riyadh in the late 90s.

Tariq Sasso - School Principal, Inspire Learning Partnership

Tariq Sasso - School Principal, Inspire Learning Partnership

Bio coming soon...

Becky Keene - Director of Operations for insight2execution

Becky Keene - Director of Operations for insight2execution

Becky Keene’s current role is Director of Operations for insight2execution, an education consultancy company based in Redmond, Washington. She oversees the team of managers and professional learning specialists developing content for worldwide edtech companies as well delivering training engagements and implementation planning for systemic change with major school systems around the United States.

She focuses her own professional growth on learning new things and expanding her practices by holding a position as board member of a games-based learning non-profit, Phygital Labs, and by actively engaging with the educator community for tools she loves, as a Microsoft Innovative Educator Expert, Microsoft Fellow, Minecraft Global Mentor, Flipgrid Student Voice Global Ambassador, and champion for OneNote, Wakelet, Peardeck, Genially, Buncee, ScreenBeam, and Novel Effect.

Mark Rowland - Education Product Manager - Surface

Mark Rowland - Education Product Manager - Surface

Mark Rowland is Microsoft UK’s Senior Product Marketing Manager for SMB and Education. Having worked for Microsoft for nearly 8 years, he is a strategic product leader and creative marketer with strong analytical skills and deep commercial awareness.

Clare Barclay - CEO, Microsoft UK

Clare Barclay - CEO, Microsoft UK

On October 1, 2020, Clare was appointed Chief Executive Officer of Microsoft UK where she is responsible for all of Microsoft's product and service offerings in the UK for our commercial customers and partners.

Previously, Clare was Microsoft UK's Chief Operating Officer for four years where she orchestrated the direction and success of the sales, marketing and services resources in each of Microsoft UK's business groups. In this role she also led strategy and planning for the UK subsidiary, while overseeing the central marketing function for the subsidiary.

With nearly three decades in the IT industry, most of them in diverse roles across Microsoft, Clare was previously General Manager of the Small, Medium Enterprise & Partner Group at Microsoft UK. In this role she led a team driving sales and marketing efforts, and providing comprehensive solutions for small to medium-sized businesses and Microsoft's partner community.

Before joining Microsoft, Clare held many business development and marketing related roles within the IT and distribution channel.

In 2019, Clare was appointed to the Advisory Council of the British Heart Foundation. She is also a member of the CBI's Economic Growth board. Clare lives in London with her husband and two young sons.

Sir Jon Coles - Chief Executive, United Learning

Sir Jon Coles - Chief Executive, United Learning

Sir Jon Coles is Chief Executive of United Learning, a group of over 80 academies and independent schools established 130 years ago. Jon spent 15 years at the Department for Education and its predecessors, the last four on its Board as Director General for Schools and for Education Standards. He was previously Director of 14-19, leading work to increase participation and attainment in education and training post-16; and Director of London Challenge, developing and implementing the much-copied strategy to improve schools in London. Jon is Honorary President of Challenge Partners, a charity he co-founded and whose Board he chaired for 10 years, and is a Council Member of King’s College, London. He was knighted in 2019 for services to education.

Rob Taylor - Black Lives Matter Advisor

Rob Taylor - Black Lives Matter Advisor

Rob Taylor, is a graduate of Modern History and Political Science at the University of Birmingham with 20 years experience in financial services and public advice work. Currently a full time father working part time with Black Lives Matter Exeter, the University of Exeter and Cornerstone Academy Trust on projects to diversify the curriculum and decolonise the classroom.

Nik Rorke - Head of Chemistry, Colyton Grammar School

Nik Rorke - Head of Chemistry, Colyton Grammar School

Nik is Head of Chemistry at Colyton Grammar School where she has worked for the last 10 years and she has recently taken on an additional role as one of the Science Learning Partnership leads for Devon and Cornwall.

In 2020 Colyton rolled out a one to one device scheme using the Office 365 suite of software as part of a blended learning approach to enhance pre-existing pedagogical practices. Nik has been part of the working group who have delivered staff training in the use of the new systems to improve assessment, retention and application of knowledge, enrichment and challenge in the classroom and beyond.

Nik’s particular area of interest is the use of One Note and Class Notebook and she actively seeks out new ways to use digital technology to improve consistency across the department, assess learning and encourage independence in Chemistry students across all key stages.

Mark Nicholls - Literacy Development Manager, Literacy Planet

Mark Nicholls - Literacy Development Manager, Literacy Planet

Mark is the Literacy Development Manager for LiteracyPlanet. Mark has worked in the education sector for the past 12 years, with roles both in and out of schools. He now helps schools with their digital literacy development strategies, discussing with them their current digital resources for English and literacy and how LiteracyPlanet might be able to help meet their objectives. 

Lucy Runham - Regional CPD Manager, 2Simple

Lucy Runham - Regional CPD Manager, 2Simple

Lucy Runham is the Regional CPD Manager for 2Simple covering the South West and Wales. Lucy has extensive experience working in educational technology - teaching primary, developing resources and delivering high quality CPD in her area. She works hard supporting schools with their use of Purple Mash to ensure they get the best value out of their investment.

Liam Rowe - Teacher, Colyton Grammar School

Liam Rowe - Teacher, Colyton Grammar School

I have been a teacher of physics for 5 years, with 2 years experience as Head of Physics. I currently teach at Colyton Grammar School, helping to deliver our ‘Blended Learning’ approach to teaching within the physics department.

Phil Birchinall - Senior Director of Immersive Content, Discovery Education UK

Phil Birchinall - Senior Director of Immersive Content, Discovery Education UK

Phil has been an educator and award winning EdTech innovation leader for almost 30 years, developing and bringing high impact content into the classroom, most recently at the forefront of immersive technologies such as augmented and virtual reality.

Prior to joining Discovery Education, Phil was managing director of Inspyro Limited. Inspyro was a specialist immersive technology company, developing Bett Award winning content and apps for education. As Education Director of Computeam limited, Phil ensured the design and delivery of technology services to schools were properly aligned to defined education outcomes. He has managed innovation initiatives for local, national and international government and corporate institutions such as the European Community, BT Global, Fujitsu, The Commonwealth Games and Capita. He has classroom, senior school management and local authority management experience. Prior to his education career, he served in the Army Air Corps.

Phil studied industrial design, film and TV at the college of Ripon and York St John and lives in Manchester. His favourite subject at school was science and his favourite teacher was Mr. Cooper who in the 1970’s was light years ahead in his understanding of how children learn and bringing innovation to his science teaching.

Ross Spearing - Science Curriculum Design Specialist, CENTURY Tech

Ross Spearing - Science Curriculum Design Specialist, CENTURY Tech

Ross Spearing is a Science curriculum design specialist from CENTURY Tech. A former Leading Practitioner of Science, he has over 20 years experience of teaching Physics and Science. He has supported many secondary, primary and international schools to develop teaching and learning and worked with the Prince's Teaching Institute and the National STEM Centre.

Andrew R. Mackereth - Senior Partnership Manager, Arbor Education

Andrew R. Mackereth - Senior Partnership Manager, Arbor Education

Andrew is an experienced and dedicated Executive Leader, in both the Multi-Academy Trust and Local Authority sectors. In a Headship career spanning Early Years to Post-16, Andrew has developed a reputation for building authentic communities and through meaningful engagement with parents, carers and local politicians has enhanced the life chances of young people.  

Kate Griggs - CEO, Made by Dyslexia

Kate Griggs - CEO, Made by Dyslexia

Kate Griggs is a British social entrepreneur, TEDx Speaker, founder and CEO of the transformative global charity, Made By Dyslexia. She is one of the world’s leading voices in Dyslexia advocacy who is successfully redefining dyslexia. Kate was the first person to define the 6 Dyslexic Thinking skills in adults and the 7 Dyslexic Thinking skills in kids. Her first book for children, Xtraordinary People, was a #1 Amazon bestseller. Together with Microsoft, she has created free dyslexia training – available to every parent and teacher online. Made By Dyslexia’s ground-breaking reports, produced with partners including EY and Manpower, have transformed the way workplaces, schools, and society sees dyslexia, for good.   

Sarah Clark - Science Teacher, Queen Anne High School

Sarah Clark - Science Teacher, Queen Anne High School

Sarah Clark is a Biology and Science Teacher at Queen Anne High School in Dunfermline Scotland which is a Microsoft Showcase School. With 20 years experience in the classroom she is always looking for innovative ways to engage her students and add value to her lessons using technology. For this, she was a finalist for the Education Scotland Digital Innovator of the Year 2020 and also recognised in the EdTech 50 yearbook. Sarah has been on the MIE Expert programme for 7 years and is one of the MIE Fellows for Scotland. Sarah is also a Merge Ambassador and a Wakelet Ambassador.

Sara Rosengreen - STEM Hub Coordinator, CSW Group

Sara Rosengreen - STEM Hub Coordinator, CSW Group

Sara joined the CSW Group as the STEM Hub Coordinator for the South West (Devon and Cornwall) in Dec 2020. She has a portfolio career which includes 10 years within design development and marketing as well as project management, office administration, science communication and scuba diving. Her goal is to help young people make well informed choices about their future career, and help them understand the unlimited possibilities within STEM.

Geoff Broadbent - 2Build a profile, Evidence Me and Inspection Coach Coach

Geoff Broadbent - 2Build a profile, Evidence Me and Inspection Coach Coach

Geoff Broadbent is a Foundation Stage teacher and author of several multi-award winning software tools for teachers including 2Build a profile, Evidence Me and Inspection Coach Coach. His passion is to make teachers' lives easier by reducing paperwork and administration.

Michael Wilkinson - Managing Director (UK) at ClickView

Michael Wilkinson - Managing Director (UK) at ClickView

Hannah Lyons - Teacher, Cornerstone

Hannah Lyons - Teacher, Cornerstone

Hannah is an experienced KS1 teacher who now leads the phase across the Trust. She has a passion for teaching early reading and inspiring children to love books. As a Literacy Specialist she works with reading leaders from across the southwest to support the successful implementation of phonics programmes and ensure high-quality teaching of reading. Hannah is also part of the EdTech Demonstrator Programme where she brings her experience of KS1 to share best practise of utilising Microsoft 365 tools in education.

James Garnett - Director of IT at United Learning

James Garnett - Director of IT at United Learning

James Garnett is Director of IT at United Learning, a Multi-Academy Trust of over eighty academies and independent schools; currently he is the programme lead for the EdTech Demonstrator Delivery Partner managing the EdTech Demonstrator programme on behalf of the DfE. He began his career in education as a teacher of maths 25 years ago before moving on to lead on IT, EdTech and systems in schools and then for United Learning. He has led their Cloud First strategy and developed the Group Digital Strategy prior to his secondment. James has recently been appointed a Trustee of Sheffield Theatres Trust and the City of Sheffield Theatres Trust. He also volunteers as a school governor and Explorer Scout leader, underlying his belief in the importance of education and wider experience for young people.

Bernadetta Brzyska - Head of Research, GL Assessment

Bernadetta Brzyska - Head of Research, GL Assessment

Bernadetta Brzyska has worked in education for over 13 years. Her main experience in education research stems from six years at the National Foundation for Educational Research, working on developing assessments, national evaluations, and international surveys. She has a BSc degree in Psychology and a Masters in Special and Inclusive Education. She has since worked internationally for Nord Anglia Education. Her current role sees her heading up research at GL Assessment looking at new and exciting ways to use data from a host of assessment tools supporting primary and secondary schools in the UK and internationally.

Sarah Murillo - Education Consultant for GL Assessment

Sarah Murillo - Education Consultant for GL Assessment

Sarah Murillo is an Education Consultant for GL Assessment and a former Primary Assistant Head with more than 10 years’ experience teaching within primary schools. Sarah has worked in a diverse range of schools, implementing successful strategies to improve mindset and wellbeing, attendance, and smoother transition for pupils from EY to Year 1.  Sarah works to support Trusts, but also leads on Primary Strategy for GL Assessment to help Trusts and schools identify best practise with regard to assessment.

Paul Edge - Deputy Headteacher, Ribblesdale High

Paul Edge - Deputy Headteacher, Ribblesdale High

Paul has been a member of the Senior Leadership Team at Ribblesdale High School since 2011 and has fulfilled a range of different jobs, whilst continually leading the use of technology across the organisation. However, he is a ‘technology pragmatist’, try it, measure the impact, evaluate it, adopt or drop!

Paul continues to hold the position as leader of Curriculum and EdTech at Ribblesdale, which has encompassed the successful rollout of Office 365 and a parental supported Windows 10 one-to-one device scheme, for over 1300 students. He also now fulfils a dual role, working closely with Microsoft, and also holds the position as Project Lead, within Ribblesdale, for the DfE EdTech Demonstrator Schools Programme.

Jane McFall - Scomis Consultant

Jane McFall - Scomis Consultant

Scomis Consultant, Jane McFall has many years of experience leading and managing administration teams in schools, and at Local Authority and regional level, introducing systems and processes to enable business efficiencies. 

Jane has delivered workshops and CPD to Senior Leaders, Governors, Administration and Teaching staff on Managing Support Staff Performance and Effective Administration in schools, locally and nationally.

Gary Henderson - Scomis Consultant

Gary Henderson - Scomis Consultant

Gary joined Scomis in 2018 after 34 years of working in and with schools. Gary Henderson has over 14 years’ experience at a senior level in three Cornish Secondary schools where he has led Curriculum, Assessment, Strategic Data and Timetabling. These schools have ranged in size from around 640 to over 1400.  He is familiar with many of the day to day challenges that schools face. Gary has also worked as a Local Authority Adviser working alongside a variety of  Primary, Secondary and Special Schools.

David Wright - SWGfL / UK Safer Internet Centre

David Wright - SWGfL / UK Safer Internet Centre

David is Director UK Safer Internet Centre at SWGfL; the national awareness centre and part of the European Insafe network.  David has worked extensively in online safety for many years with children, schools and wider agencies. David advises a number of Governments and school inspectorates on online safety strategy and policy, particularly with regards schools and curriculum.  He has recently been appointed as an expert adviser to the UN ITU.  David has presented at conferences nationally and internationally.  He is a member of UKCIS as well as the Twitter Trust and Safety Council and member of IEEE standard for Child Data Governance.

Matthew Davies - Deputy Head, Treorchy Secondary School

Matthew Davies - Deputy Head, Treorchy Secondary School

Matthew is currently Deputy Headteacher at Treorchy Comprehensive School.  The School is situated at the top of the Rhondda Fawr in Wales and serves an area of considerable social deprivation.  Currently there are approximately 1600 pupils and 200 staff at the school.

Matthew believes that technology, along with excellent pedagogy, has the potential to transform education. He is currently overseeing the development of 21st century learning in his school and sees technology as a tool to support the improved achievement of pupils as well as the wellbeing of staff.

Ken Corish - Online Safety Director and SMT Member, SWGfL

Ken Corish - Online Safety Director and SMT Member, SWGfL

Ken is Online Safety Director and SMT member with South West Grid for Learning Trust drawing on twenty years as a teacher and school leader and ten years as a BECTA award-winning Education Adviser with Plymouth's ICT Team.

Ken's broad canvas of experience and engaging presentation style has seen him work with a wide range of educators and agencies. He has trained all Education, Social Care and Early Years HMIs in aspects of online safeguarding ands contributed in shaping inspector guidance and training in online safety. He also regularly contributes to online safety guidance and policy for UK Government.The Online Safety standards he wrote with AQDAR for schools in UAE  won a prestigious United Nation WSIS Award. He developed and wrote the multi award-winning 360 degree safe online safety self-review suite of tools including the BETT award-winning BOOST toolset for children's settings and was responsible for spearheading the UKCCIS framework "Education for a Connected World”. He is ProjectEVOLVE creator and lead.

Nicole Ponsford - Co-Founder of the Global Equality Collective and Director (Innovation) at EdtechUK

Nicole Ponsford - Co-Founder of the Global Equality Collective and Director (Innovation) at EdtechUK

Nic Ponsford FRSA is the Co-Founder and CEO, Education of the GEC (Global Equality Collective). 

Previously an AST and award-winning teacher and Harvard author (‘TechnoTeaching’), she is now an educational and technology thought leader. Whilst studying her Doctorate, she has recently been an EdTech50 Judge, headhunted for a central role with the Dfe Edtech Demonstrator Programme offering peer-to-peer support via 48 nationwide Demonstrator schools and colleges., as well as a whitepaper research analyst for HE and a freelance Online Learning Designer. Nic is also Director of Edtech UK, the national independent organisation, advisory forum and strategic body and is Editor of the digital publication, Edtech UK Magazine. She is also a lecturer at Leeds Beckett university, MSc in Digital Pedagogy and now part of the new Dfe Accessible Technology pilot with nasen and Microlink. 

Nic is a frequent keynote speaker and panelist on closing gaps for the most vulnerable, #techforgood & #futureofwork, and all things diversity and inclusion in education. 

Nic believes that technology is the great equaliser for our time.

Chris Spink - Senso.cloud

Chris Spink - Senso.cloud

Chris has been in the EdTech industry for 8 years and has a vast experience when it comes to educational software for Classroom Management and Safeguarding! Senso.cloud is an All-In-One Software for Network, Classroom, Safeguarding and Asset Management. Perfect for managing and monitoring any Windows, Chrome and IOS devices from a centralised web portal.

Maia Thomas - Equality Activist, Inclusion and Diversity Committee ITV

Maia Thomas - Equality Activist, Inclusion and Diversity Committee ITV

Bio coming soon...

Mark Sparvell - Education Leader, Microsoft

Mark Sparvell - Education Leader, Microsoft

Jacqueline Russell - Program Manager Microsoft

Jacqueline Russell - Program Manager Microsoft

Jacqueline Russell is a Program Manager for Microsoft MakeCode. Jacqueline has worked at Microsoft since 2005 in various groups focused on technology in education. She is passionate about using technology to enable innovative learning experiences and bring increased creativity to teaching and learning.

Beverley McCormick

Beverley McCormick

Beverley is an experienced educator with over 16 years teaching experience serving as a senior leader for school improvement, the development of literacy and STEM learning. She is passionate about the use of digital technologies to motivate and inspire learners. While teaching, she was recognised as STEM Educator of the Year and holds a Masters in Education. Beverley is also STEM Ambassador, MIEExpert and a Digital Schools Awards validator.

Olivia Sumpter - Director of Education at Bedrock Learning

Olivia Sumpter - Director of Education at Bedrock Learning

Olivia Sumpter is Director of Education at Bedrock Learning. Olivia combines the practical experience of teaching and learning as an ex-head of English and examiner for Cambridge IGCSE and AQA with a focus on research into vocabulary development and oracy gained during her MA at the Institute of Education. At Bedrock, Olivia oversees the curriculum, designing resources that improve literacy and learning through the power of technology.