Experience

Council for Learning Outside the Classroom

• United Kingdom
• Primary and Secondary Education
• 1 - 100 Employee

• CLOtC Quality Badge Committee Member

  • Dec 2020 - Present



RSPB

• United Kingdom
• Non-profit Organizations
• 700 & Above Employee

• UKHQ Education & Families Manager

  • Apr 2019 - Present

• RSPB Projects Executive for the Partnership Programme with Aldi ‘Connecting Children with Nature’

  • Mar 2015 - Jul 2019

  Almost £3 million funding from Aldi allowed the RSPB to deliver an extensive programme of work.Working in schools and local green spaces the programme put children in touch with the nature on their doorstep. The aim of the project was to spark an interest in the benefits of Learning Outside the Classroom and for families to simply engage with local nature around them.As projects executive I was accountable for the Schools engagement through outreach and reserve visits, and the Monitoring and Evaluation to assess the impact of the schools outreach programme. The programme delivered connection to nature experiences to over half a million children across England, Scotland and Wales with the Education elements developed to include:1. Schools outreach - staff and volunteers across 17 British cities visiting primary schools to deliver exciting nature experiences that reflected the needs of the curriculum.2. The development and delivery of an Early Years outreach programme to children in the Early Years Foundation Stage (0-5yrs).3. Development of an online awards scheme ‘Wild Challenge’ which provides interactive digital resources available for schools and families across the UK. Schools and families can get involved anywhere, anytime, any place –experiencing nature and providing homes for nature themselves, and receive-an award in recognition. We have also developed an online bank of educational resources available to all schools.

• UKHQ Education Manager

  • Dec 2007 - Mar 2019

  Leading a national education team that delivers the society’s targets with its work with young people. Aiming to deepen children's connection to nature and supporting action to save it. With individual responsibility for key areas of communications, development and strategy.Leading a national team and their projects such as The Big School Birdwatch rspb.org.uk/schoolswatch engaging over 100,000 pupils each year; Wild Challenge Schools Award Scheme rspb.org.uk/schoolswildchallenge, Schools visits to RSPB reserves rspb.org.uk/schoolvisits; Schools Outreach rspb.org.uk/schoolsoutreach, supported by national communications including @RSPB_Learning Keeping accurate and up to date information about the RSPB’s engagement with educators and pupils in order to ensure effective communication and engagement with thousands of UK schools is maintained. Imputing into the planning, implementation and evaluation of RSPB International Projects and Programmes to support capacity building.

• RSPB Green Talent Creative Manager

  • Apr 2010 - Dec 2010



ESD Working group of the Our Shared World Consortium

• Co-chair

  • Sep 2019 - Present



Natural Environment Sector Partnership

• Chairperson

  • Jun 2018 - Present

  Natural Environment Sector of Providers to the Council for Learning Outside the Classroom (CLOtC) is a group of around 50 organisations serving three high-level functions Sharing and networking (‘amongst’), information, ideas and best practice A representation of the voice of the sector (‘outward’)Receiving and disseminating (‘inward’)



SaddleAid

• Trustee

  • Apr 2014 - Present

  SaddleAid design, make and promote special saddles to help carry the disabled, sick, injured, elderly or pregnant women. Working in the UK and worldwide.



Council for Learning Outside the Classroom

• United Kingdom
• Primary and Secondary Education
• 1 - 100 Employee

• LOtC Quality Badge Assessor

  • Jan 2009 - May 2014

  Assuring quality standards of teaching, learning and safety through assessment and verification of organisations providing Learning Ouside the Classroom.



www.globe.gov

• Programme Manager

  • Mar 2002 - Dec 2006

  https://www.globe.gov/ Planning and co-ordinating all national and international projects related to the GLOBE programme in the UK, including the training of teachers for GLOBE teacher qualification. Development and production new educational materials and resources for teachers and students, including activities relating to Climate Change, biodiversity, sustainability and other environmental issues.An active participant in GLOBE international conferences and Train the Trainer delivery



Warwickshire Wildlife Trust

• United Kingdom
• Non-profit Organization Management
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Education Manager

  • Mar 2002 - Dec 2006

  Supervision, training and development of Education staff and volunteers, including on site supervision of Warwickshire County Council Forest School Co-ordinator. To ensure the development and production of educational offers, materials and resources relevant to student and school needs including the provision of high quality Planning, Preparation and Assessment time (PPA) cover. Additionally, to liaise with, and develop programmes in line with LEA Out Of School Hours requirements eg. After school clubs, gifted & talented summer school, SAT’s boosters, Children’s University modules (CU) and University of the First Age (UFA) training and activities



Bangor University

• United Kingdom
• Higher Education
• 700 & Above Employee

• Research Officer

  • May 2000 - Mar 2002

  DEFRA funded:To review survey procedures within the OSPAR region, develop and implement a port sampling programme. Provide a baseline record of the occurrence, distribution and abundance of alien species in major UK ports and harbours and evaluate their present status. Develop recommendations for the structure of future monitoring programmes with regard to OSPAR and IMO requirements and suggest areas for future monitoring.



THE THAMES EXPLORER TRUST

• United Kingdom
• Education Administration Programs
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Environmental Education Officer

  • Nov 1998 - May 2000

  Developing and running programmes which promote a deeper understanding of the river and link directly to the National Curriculum programmes of study Key stages 1 – 4, including GCSE investigations and A level including; Fieldwork, education packs and resources for teachers, teacher training and new site development. Subject areas included Science, geography, archaeology and history, with cross-curricular themes such as water and the environment. In addition to this I also developed the Special Needs Project which was designed to provide better access to field studies for children who had hearing and visual, physical and learning difficulties. I also set up and ran a sampling programme to monitor river invertebrates.



Kingswood Learning and Leisure Group Ltd

• United Kingdom
• Education Administration Programs
• 100 - 200 Employee

• Deputy Head of Centre

  • Jan 1998 - Nov 1998

• Head of Environmental Education department

  • Sep 1997 - Jan 1998

• Instructor

  • Jan 1997 - Sep 1997



Teesmouth Field Centre

• Volunteer Instructor

  • Sep 1996 - Jan 1997

  Voluntary work with groups of students of various ages, including University students in a National Nature Reserve surrounded by one of the largest concentrations of heavy industry in Britain. Habitats courses taught included sand dunes, sandy and rocky shores, intertidal mudflats, freshwater and saltmarsh.



Durham County Council

• United Kingdom
• Government Administration
• 700 & Above Employee

• Deputy Manager

  • Jun 1983 - Oct 1992

  From a Residential Child Care Officer to Deputy Manager in one of the largest residential centres in the county for young people in the care of the local authority.This involved all aspects of child care, team management, petty cash returns, maintenance of buildings and supplies and liaison with other professionals and families. During this time I went to college part time and gained my qualifications as a Social Worker.