PAM LOWRIE

Pam Lowrie has a wide experience in primary education including headship of both mainstream and special primary schools, Ofsted inspections, local authority and consultancy work, and as a classroom practitioner. She has a particular interest in developing children’s thinking skills and emotional literacy, through a culture of personal autonomy within a creative, nurturing learning environment.

Although initially specialising in Early Years Education (with a commitment to the High/Scope philosophy), in recent years her passion has been to include children with special educational needs in mainstream classes. She achieved much success in leading her team to carefully identify primary-aged children’s individual needs, including those children who have SEN statements for SEBD (social, emotional and behavioural difficulties), in order to ensure success and increased self-esteem. She has led and managed a schools federation involving partnering a mainstream primary school with a special school for primary pupils with SEBD. This provided the opportunity to work with pupils placed in a special school setting, helping them make the transition to mainstream school if and when appropriate. Pam worked with HMI supporting published research into the effectiveness of target setting with pupils who have special educational needs.

Pam believes that community and parental involvement, along with sports and performing arts, play a significant role in raising achievement for all pupils. She is passionate about giving every child a chance, by helping to build learning power and meeting individual needs through a personalised curriculum approach. Pam’s school gained numerous national awards including recognition for working with the community, sports, performing and creative arts and was recognised in HMCI’s Annual Report at their last inspection.

Pam now works as a process consultant supporting leadership and management and delivers training in a variety of settings. She is currently working to promote the FROG philosophy, which promotes the connection between academic and emotional learning.

SUE DAWSON

Sue is a very experienced classroom practitioner and assistant head teacher who has taught all ages in primary schools. She has a wealth of experience in youth and community work and firmly believes that working with parents is fundamental to raising achievement. She believes that every child deserves to achieve success and has managed many successful projects to engage with disadvantaged young people.

She has written many successful funding bids to enhance learning opportunities for children and the local community and has written and directed a number of innovative musical shows.

Sue’s expertise is in RE, sports and all aspects of the arts and she is currently involved with Initial Teacher Training at a local university where she is delivering the PE aspect of the programme.

Sue has worked in a number of schools for children with a wide range of social and emotional difficulties, and she regularly liaises with senior managers and head teachers promoting the FROG philosophy which makes the connection between academic and emotional learning.

KEITH FAIRLEY

After spending a number of years in the classroom working with pupils from both mainstream and special primary schools, and developing a variety of strategies to encourage positive learning, Keith realised the potential of using media technology in primary education.

He developed its use for working with pupils and staff to broaden their understanding of media systems and communication industries, encouraging them to "step out of the mould" and be creative in school, producing music videos, documentaries and training materials. He now works with primary schools to develop children’s personal creativity through the use of media technology.

Keith is also very passionate about using media technology to gather evidence of learning and development, and this forms another aspect of the work he does with organisations.

He also runs his own media and web hosting company, which produces a number of programmes aimed at primary and secondary practitioners, as well as other work commissioned for the business and broadcast sectors.