Author list

Emily Clementsis a subject leader for Key Stage 3 science and is also the science subject tutor for the South Downs SCITT. Emily has an MA in education and is interested in supporting teachers in using evidence to inform their practice. She shares her insights and experience regularly in the Thrive in Teaching blog.

Peter Clutterbuck was a prolific author of educational texts for many years. As a practising and wholly committed classroom teacher, he was able to collect tried and tested activities and create and trial interesting new exercises that have proved to be not only educationally successful but also eagerly anticipated and enjoyed by both students and teachers. Peter's books are practical and user-friendly. The activities challenge students and generate an enthusiastic desire for learning.

Tait Coles is a teacher, Vice Principal in a Bradford Academy and an educational speaker. He is a classroom maverick and a respected radical of modern teaching.

Previously, Tait has been Assistant Head Teacher at a comprehensive school in Leeds and was Head of Science in one of the many challenging schools in Bradford.

Tait is the creator of Punk Learning; a manifesto that challenges the orthodoxy and complacency of teaching and allows students to be central to a critical educational culture where they learn how to become individuals and social agents rather than merely disengaged spectators who have their part to play' in the Neoliberal ideology of modern schooling.

Click here to listen in on Tait's podcast with Pivotal Education - Punk Learning'.

Click here to read Tait Coles’ blog.

Peter Cook leads Human Dynamics and The Academy of Rock, a creativity and innovation consultancy with an enviable network of associates around the world. We facilitate strategy, creativity, innovation and change through bespoke consultancy, masterclasses, keynotes, training, coaching and mentoring. Author and contributor to 11 books, acclaimed by Professors Charles Handy, Adrian Furnham, Harvey Goldsmith CBE and Tom Peters. Peter appears on BBC TV, Radio, Bloomberg TV, The FT, Independent et al. with his ideas. He won a prize for his work on leadership from Sir Richard Branson, is a writer for Virgin.com and works with Ted Coine's Open For Business speaker network. Peter has followed three concurrent passions over 30 years: science; business and music:

· Leading innovative Pharmaceutical Product Research and Development teams to bring multi-million dollar life saving drugs safely to the market, including the first treatments for AIDS, Herpes and the development of Human Insulin.

· Trouble-shooting businesses and starting up factories around the world in critical conditions where failure could hurt the enterprise considerably.

Click here to read Peter Cooks blog.

· Internal business, organisation development and change consultancy to introduce long-term change to business units and increase their innovation and creativity levels.

· Writing and tutoring for Business Schools at MBA level for blue chip companies around the world.

· Writing and performing music and speaking around the world on the parallels between business and the arts. Peter interviews a wide range of world-class musicians in this role including people connected with Prince, Eric Clapton, Ozzy Osbourne, Deep Purple, Bob Marley, Yes, AC / DC, Meatloaf and The Who.

Peter has an MBA, is a Chartered Chemist, FCIPD and an NLP Old Master. He is also an accomplished rock, pop and jazz musician, having performed alongside Bernie Tormé, John Otway, Wilko Johnson, Patti Russo, Meatloaf's long-term singing partner and songstress with Queen and Cher. Peter's keynotes and masterclasses can be accompanied by a roster of class A rock stars and session musicians.

Peter Cook Extras

FREE BOOK ' Punk Rock People Management - A no-nonsense guide to hiring, inspiring and firing staff.

Available free with copies of Sex, Leadership and Rock'n'Roll by contacting the author In Punk Rock People Management. I have stripped down HR to the bare essentials for busy people and those who are sick of HR jargon getting in the way of running a business. In the punk spirit, each chapter is very short, so you can read one in less time than it takes to pogo to a Sex Pistols or Linkin Park song! Punk Rock PM is organised using the classic Life, Sex and Death HR cycle', in other words Hiring, Inspiring and Firing. To whet your appetite, chapter titles include:

- Selection - Shall I stay or shall I go?

- Engagement - Pretty vacant

- Conflict - Who killed Bambi?

If you have to get things done with people and can't get no satisfaction from an HR textbook, try Punk Rock PM for a refreshing difference.

Andy Cope is the author of the famous Spy Dog books, a trainer and keynote speaker. He is an expert in positive psychology and happiness, which led him to develop The Art of Being Brilliant. This is delivered in various forms as workshops for businesses, conferences, teachers and teenagers. It has also informed the thinking behind his brilliant books.

Click here to listen in on Andy's podcast with Pivotal Education - 'Being Brilliant!'.

Ellie Costello joined Square Peg as Director in 2020, having experienced life as the parent of children with underlying needs which impacted their ability to access and ‘fit’ the education system. She now runs the organisation, as well as working as an Expert By Experience with local authority and health teams in her home county of Warwickshire.

James Cowart is a psychologist with a special interest in providing cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) to people suffering with anxiety disorders. He has a PhD in Applied Behaviour Analysis and is a member of the American Psychological Association. He specialises in problem-solving formats in family and couples therapy, as well as cognitive behavioural and interpersonal approaches to treat depression and anxiety.

Click here to read James Cowart's article - Why is anxiety increasing among our young people?'

Four big skills for coping with stress and anxiety in business and in life'.

Click here to listen to James' podcast with LCCH International.

Sue Cowley is a writer, presenter and teacher trainer, and the author of more than 25 books on education, including How to Survive your First Year in Teaching. Her international bestseller, Getting the Buggers to Behave, is a fixture on university lists, and has been translated into ten different languages. After training as an early years teacher, Sue taught English and drama in secondary schools in the UK and overseas, and she also worked as a supply teacher. She now spends her time writing educational books and articles and is a columnist for Teach Nursery, Teach Primary and Nursery World magazines. Sue works internationally as a teacher trainer, as well as volunteering in primary classrooms and helping to run her local preschool.

Click here to listen in on Sue's podcast with Pivotal Education 'How to fix education'.

Click here to read Sue's article in TeachTalks magazine 'Learning: Beyond the Walls' (p.20).

Click here to read Sue's article in TES 'What evidence does Amanda Speilman have to suggest nurseries don't teach nursery rhymes'.

Click here to read Sue Cowley’s blog.

Dawn Cox has been teaching RE for 20 years and is currently a head of department in Essex. She has held many other roles in and out of RE, including advanced skills teaching and senior leadership roles, and also runs a local RE network. Dawn regularly presents at national and international conferences, including researchED and specialist events such as Strictly RE.

Click here to read Dawn Cox’s blog.

Having taught English for 23 years, Bob Cox is now an independent education consultant, writer and teacher coach who works nationally and internationally to support outstanding learning. Bob also delivers keynotes for national associations, multi-academy trusts and local authorities, as more schools integrate Opening Doors' strategies into their curriculum design.

Listen to Bob Cox talk about his Opening Doors series of books with Toria Bono from Tiny Voice Talks here.

James Crane went to school in Cyprus before moving back to the UK to study Sports Coaching and Physical Education at University. He is now Assistant Headteacher at Durrington High School and Deputy Director at Durrington Research School. James is a keen sportsman having competed in tennis, swimming and athletics at regional levels, and has also represented England Colleges at an international level in football.

Leah Crawford has 15 years’ experience as a local authority English inspector and adviser, working across both the primary and secondary phases, and now leads Thinktalk education consultancy. She is a tutor for King’s College London’s Let’s Think in English cognitive acceleration programme, is on the Wildern Partnership SCITT leadership team and is delivering the new NPQ in Leading Literacy.  She has spent her career in education championing equitable and inclusive dialogic teaching and learning.

Click here to read Leah Crawford’s blog.

Mark Creasy is an Independent Thinking Associate and experienced primary school teacher. His contemporary and down-to-earth style of teaching has allowed him to view learning as a tool, not a rule, to ensure that his pupils are given the right to an education that suits their needs and maximises their potential for future success. Mark is also the author of Unhomework, which challenges the orthodoxies about work outside the classroom.

Read Mark's article featured in The Guardian on Tuesday April 1st 2014.

Click here to listen to Mark discussing The Great Homework Debate' on the Pivotal Podcast (from 4.30mins).

Cathy Cross trained in theatre design and has spent over 20 years working in community theatre and education. Over the last few years Cathy has combined the breadth of her experience to inform her role as a change maker, creativity consultant and professional den maker!

Dr Andrew Curran is a practising paediatric neurologist and neurobiologist who is also committed to using his extraordinary knowledge of the workings of the human brain to make a difference in the educational experience of all young people. He has been involved with Manchester University's Department of Education, developing research ideas looking at the use of emotional literacy in our classrooms. More recently he has conducted work exploring the processing of reward in the human brain. He believes passionately in the importance of understanding the individual, connecting with them emotionally and leading them into self directed learning. His book, the Little Book of Big Stuff about the Brain (published by Crown House Publishing) is recognised as one of the leading books about understanding brain based learning and the importance of emotional literacy in our classrooms and in our lives. His latest book, Get Off the Sofa is a general health book aimed at anyone from 5 ' 85 who wants to understand their health more. He is a talented and internationally recognised presenter both to live audiences and on television where he was a main presenter on BBC3's Make My Body Younger. He is an associate of Independent Thinking Ltd.

Chris Curtis is an English teacher and head of department with over a decade's experience in education. Chris is forever reflecting on which aspects of his teaching work best for his students and, as an avid reader and blogger, is a big believer in sharing practical ways to tackle difficult problems in the classroom.

Click here to read Chris Curtis' blog.

Dr David George was formerly Associate Director of Nene College (now the University of Northampton) and before that Dean of The Faculty of Science. He was Founder President of the National Association For Able Children and was a member of the Executive Committee of The World Council of Gifted and Talented Children. He is a consultant to the British Council and UNESCO. He has lectured both nationally and internationally on the education of the gifted and talented. He is the author of Young, Gifted and Bored; The Challenge of The Able Child; Gifted Education; Enrichment Activities for Able Children; and Making The Most of Your Abilities.

He claims to be a teacher first and foremost having taught in three schools and has a wide experience of teacher education in Liverpool and Northampton. His enthusiasm and devotion to teaching is reflected in all his courses.

David is also a keen sportsman and ran for his county and the RAF. He was Chairman of Managers at St Andrews Hospital for five years and continues as a manager. He was President of His Rotary Club and was made an Honorary Commander at RAF Croughton (USAF) in recognition of his service to the community.

Stephanie Davies is recognised as one of the UK's leading voices in the psychology of laughter and humour. She has over ten years' experience of developing interventions that have been applied in a wide variety of settings dealing with complex public and mental health issues and building teams in high profile organisations. She is an award-winning stand up comedian who has worked with world-renowned Dr Patch Adams exploring the relationship between health, humour, community and the arts.

Read The Independent's article featuring Stephanie's Laughology.

Laugh your way to the top - an article by The Positive.

Have you heard the one about the laughter workout? - an article from the Daily Express.

Laughology: A little funny business - an article from The Independent.

Click here to read Stephanie's blog post on the World of Learning 2020 website.

Andrew has a background in language teaching and a degree in Philosophy and Social Anthropology, the combination of which have sparked his passionate curiosity into the part that language plays in the development of thinking. Having joined The Philosophy Foundation in 2009, Andrew quickly invested in their ethos, striving to encourage young people to think philosophically.

Read this article featuring Thoughtings on The Guardian Teacher Network.

Debra Kiddtaught for 23 years in primary, secondary and higher education settings. She is the author of three previous books - Teaching: Notes from the Front Line, Becoming Mobius and Uncharted Territories - and believes more than anything else that 'the secret to great teaching is to make it matter'. Debra has a doctorate in education and co-founded and organised Northern Rocks, one of the largest annual teaching and learning conferences in the UK.

View Debra's profile in Schools Week, October 2014.

Click here to listen in on Debra's podcast with Pivotal Education on 'teaching, learning and politics'.

Click here to watch a video interview with Debra as part of The Education Foundation's series of Education Britain Conversations.

A highly experienced communication expert, Karen Dempster is co-founder of Fit2Communicate, a Fellow of the Institute of Internal Communications and a certified DISC personality profile practitioner. She is passionate about raising the standard of communication in all schools in order to support better student outcomes. Prior to 2015, Karen spent 20 years in marketing and communication roles. She is also a professional photographer and lives in Surrey with her husband, son and collection of pets.

Click here to read Karen Dempster’s blog.