Author list

Wendy Sullivan is a specialist international trainer of Clean Language and Symbolic Modelling who has worked extensively with the founders of that field - Penny Tompkins, James Lawley and David Grove.

Click here to read Wendy Sullivan’s blog.

Tony Swainston is a UK born and based trainer and writer. Following on from a 20-year career in teaching, for the past 15 years he has delivered training, in both business and education, in over 15 countries around the world. Tony has a passion for developing individuals as leaders and coaches, working with people across a broad range of levels in organisations. He is a sought-after keynote speaker with clients that include Shell, the British Council and the Ministry of Education in Saudi Arabia. He has, so far, taken over 20 UK schools through his 12-month Mindset of Success' programme.

Moshe Talmon, PhD (University of Pennsylvania 1982), is a psychologist based in Israel, where he is a Senior Lecturer at Tel Aviv Academic College. He is the founder and director of the International Center for SST and teaches and supervises worldwide. He is the author of the best selling Single-Session Therapy: Maximizing the Effect of the First (and Often Only) Therapeutic Encounter, as well as the follow-up books Single-Session Solutions and (in Hebrew) Worthwhile for Every Soul: The Brief Way to an Effective Psychotherapy.

Carol Taylor is a programme leader for Bespoke Leadership Programmes at UCL IOE. A former school leader, she helps schools to embed practitioner research and inquiry into organisational and individual practice. Carol also designs and facilitates bespoke leadership programmes for national and international contexts.

Sparky Teaching was launched to help teachers create classrooms where ordinary things are thought about in less than ordinary ways. With a background in primary teaching and speech and language therapy, their goal is to ignite creative thought in teachers and pupils by providing unique teaching resources.

Roger Terry was an International NLP Master Trainer and expert on human value systems. Roger lead seminars and consulted with companies in the UK, USA, Europe and Middle East.

Andy Tharby is a practising English teacher with over a decade's classroom experience at a secondary school in West Sussex. He is co-author of the award winning Making Every Lesson Count and the author of Making Every English Lesson Count. Andy is also interested in helping fellow teachers enhance their practice through engagement with research evidence.

Click here to read Andy Tharby’s blog.

Nick Tiley-Nunn is a primary school head teacher, having previously been Assistant Head and SENCo at a school in London. He has been described as 'A nationally significant talent at maths teaching.-

James Lawley and Penny Tompkins are co-developers of Symbolic Modelling and leading authorities on the use of client-generated metaphor for personal and professional development. They are both practising psychotherapists registered with the United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP). Together they train and supervise therapists, counsellors, coaches, managers and teachers in the use of Symbolic Modelling. Penny was co-managing director of a manufacturing company in the oil industry, and James was a senior manager in the telecommunications business. They use this experience when they coach managers and executives to become more self-aware and to develop their ability to think systemically. They also facilitate teams in the use of Clean Language and metaphor so they can model and learn from themselves. They are married, and live in London. 

John Tomsett taught for 33 years in state schools and was a teaching secondary headteacher for 18 years, latterly at Huntington Research School, York. He writes a blog called “This much I know” and has written extensively about school leadership, and developing teaching & learning. He believes that developing truly great teaching is the main responsibility of all headteachers. He has published twelve books, including: Love Over Fear: Creating a Culture for Truly Great Teaching and Mind over Matter: Improving Mental Health in our Schools.  In the Huh: Curriculum series, he collaborated with the curriculum expert Mary Myatt. He co-founded The Headteachers' Roundtable think-tank and is a popular speaker on education. He is the educational consultant supporting the development of the AI teacher coach Aristotal.

Gary Toward is a trainer, keynote speaker and novelist who has previously taught in seven schools countrywide. He was head teacher of three schools in Leicestershire, during which time he co-led a pupil referral unit (PRU) out of special measures.

Jason Vale is a well-known health and addiction author who has sold over 5 million books, over 1 million apps and is the man behind the ground-breaking health documentary Super Juice Me! He is frequently featured on radio, television and in the press across the globe, and his unique approach focuses on the right psychology and nutritional tools to make weight loss and good health, easy and attainable for everyone. Jason used to be a heavy smoker, drinker and junk food addict who also suffered from obesity, asthma, eczema, hay-fever and severe psoriasis. Now a changed man he dedicates his life to helping others improve their health and reduce their waistline in a healthy and sustainable way.

Hear Jason Vale on Radio 2's Steve Wright in the Afternoon talking about juicing.

Dr Paul Schenk is a Clinical Psychologist in private practice in Atlanta, USA. For over 30 years he has explored numerous applications of hypnosis for treating a variety of presenting problems. An Approved Consultant with the American Society of Clinical Hypnosis, his articles have appeared in professional and lay journals. He is also the author of Great Ways to Sabotage a Good Conversation.

Jill Walker found her way into the workforce by accident and at the age of 16 followed her father into the world of ship broking, achieving the obscure record of being the youngest woman admitted to the floor of the Baltic Exchange. Now working for a software company, her career has allowed her to travel extensively and gain access to many executives of the US and UK's top 500 companies. This has given her an incisive view of the world of business and management.

Clare spent fifteen years as a personal development coach and trainer. Currently, she is focusing on creating meditations and products that enhance wellbeing, and on helping others to realise their own creative projects and potential.

Isabella Wallace is co-author of the bestselling teaching guides Pimp Your Lesson! and Talk-Less Teaching, and has worked for many years as an AST, curriculum coordinator and governor. She is a consultant for and contributor to the Oxford Dictionary of Education and presents nationally and internationally on outstanding learning and teaching.

Listen in on Isabella's podcasts with Pivotal Education - click here to listen to Isabella on NQT issues and here discussing the pedagogy of talk-less teaching'.

Click here to view Isabella's Pinterest.

Click here to read Isabella  Wallace’s blog.

Jackie Ward was a primary school teacher for over 25 years ' and a deputy head and special educational needs coordinator (SENCO) at a primary pupil referral unit (PRU) for eight years ' prior to taking early retirement and setting up her own business in 2016. She is now an independent behaviour and special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) consultant working in mainstream primary and secondary schools.

Sean Warren PhD began his career in education in 1988. He proceeded to work with young people in Papua New Guinea, Romania and the United States. Back in the UK, his diverse experience incorporated many roles in education. Seans current interest involves the use of technology to inform classroom observation and professional development.

A former head teacher, Mick Waters works closely with teachers and leaders in schools, MATs and local authorities to support the development of teaching approaches and curriculum to ensure the best learning outcomes for children. For some years he was Director of Curriculum for England, based at the Qualification and Curriculum Authority (QCA), and before that held the post of Chief Education Officer for the City of Manchester. He is also invited to work at a policy level with government in different parts of the world. 

Click here to listen in on Mick's podcast with Pivotal Education - 'Mick Waters on Centralisation, OFSTED and Brilliant Schools'.

Edward Watson founded InnerDrive, a mental skills company that initially worked in Premier League football and with Olympic athletes, in 2006. The majority of InnerDrives current work is now in education and business, coaching students and teachers to realise their potential and to cope effectively with pressure.

Click here to view a feature of Release Your Inner Drive in The Daily Mail.

Click here to read Edward Watson’s blog.

Chris Watson is an award-winning specialist in the promotion of adaptive skills who founded Endor Learn & Develop in 2002 following a successful career in publishing and higher education. Incurably curious about all aspects of organisational behaviour, his aim is to strengthen relationships in the workplace by sharing straightforward solutions which people can relate to on a personal level.

Take a look at an overview on the Endor Learn & Develop site here.

Listen to Chris' podcast with The Extraordinary Business Book Club here.

Click here to read Chris Watson’s blog.

Terence Watts is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Medicine, and the only psychology related therapist to have been awarded the MCGI (Member of the City & Guilds Institute). Founder of the Essex Institute of Clinical Hypnosis, The Terence Watts BWRT Institute and The British BrainWorking Research Society, he is an international lecturer and trainer and runs popular online training seminars.

Grandmaster Peter Wells has over 30 years’ professional experience in the chess world and has authored or co-authored nine well-received chess books. He has extensive coaching experience, having worked with the England Open and women’s teams at a total of 16 major events, and now works with the leading English juniors through the Chess Trust’s Accelerator Programme. As a player Peter has won three British Rapidplay titles and is part of a small group of English players to have progressed beyond the zonal stage of the World Championship cycle.

Jakob Werdelin is a Danish teacher trainer and consultant specialising in cooperative learning, an approach which structures learning environments to improve academic outcomes and inculcate readiness for work and life in the 21st century. He designs tailored interventions and training programmes for schools, colleges and universities, charitable bodies, teaching schools, multi-academy trusts and international training providers. Jakob is the founder and director of UK-based Werdelin Education.

John West-Burnham was an independent writer, teacher and consultant in education leadership. He is the author, co-author and editor of many books including Rethinking Educational Leadership and Understanding Leadership. He was a director of three academy trusts and a trustee of two educational charities, as well as an Honorary Professor of Educational Leadership at the University of Worcester.

Steve Wheeler is a Learning Innovations Consultant and former Associate Professor of Learning Technologies at the Plymouth Institute of Education where he chaired the Learning Futures group and led the Computing and science education teams. He continues to research into technology supported learning and distance education, with particular emphasis on the pedagogy underlying the use of social media and Web 2.0 technologies, and also has research interests in mobile learning and cybercultures. He has given keynotes to audiences in more than 35 countries and is author of more than 150 scholarly articles, with over 6000 academic citations. An active and prolific edublogger, his blog Learning with e's is a regular online commentary on the social and cultural impact of disruptive technologies, and the application of digital media in education, learning and development. In the last few years it has attracted in excess of seven million unique visitors.

Click here to read Steve Wheeler’s blog.

Dave Whitaker is an Independent Thinking Associate and the Director of Learning for the Wellspring Academy Trust. As a former executive principal of social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs special schools and alternative provision academies, he now has responsibility for several such academies across Lincolnshire and Yorkshire. He is also a founding member of the Headteachers' Roundtable think tank and is a regular speaker at conferences, as well as being an active campaigner for educational change.

Dr Ann Williamson has been a General Practitioner for thirty two years and has used hypnosis for more than fifteen years to help her patients deal with stress and anxiety and to help them facilitate change in how they live their lives. 

She is an accredited member of the British Society of Clinical & Academic Hypnosis, a certified NLP Master Practitioner and has had training in brief solution oriented therapy and other approaches.

She has been involved for many years with teaching Health Professionals how to use hypnotic techniques both for themselves and within their own field of clinical expertise.

She runs stress management, personal development and brief psychological interventions workshops on request, as well as seeing private clients for therapy. 

She has also lectured at Manchester, Chester and Salford Universities.

She has written three books: on stress management, smoking cessation and on brief psychological interventions in clinical practice. She is also co-editor of A Handbook of Contemporary Hypnosis.

She is also a Reiki Master Trainer and has an interest in creativity and exploring one's emotions through the arts.

After spending 10 years teaching in secondary schools in Lincolnshire, Phil Wood moved into higher education, first at the University of Leicester, and now as a Reader in Education at Bishop Grosseteste University, Lincoln. He is an active researcher focusing on educational change, currently exploring complexity informed approaches to education, and the nature of teacher workload.

Click here to listen in on Phil's podcast with Pivotal Education on How to Train, Retain and Research'.

Click here to read Phil Wood's blog.

Peter Worley BA MA FRSA is co-founder and CEO of The Philosophy Foundation, President of SOPHIA, and an award-winning author and editor of books about doing philosophy in schools.

Peter is resident philosopher at 4 state primary schools in Lewisham, visiting philosopher at Wellington College and Eagle House School, and a Visiting Research Associate at Kings College London's Philosophy Department. He has delivered training for philosophy departments across the UK, including Edinburgh, Warwick, Oxford Brookes and Birmingham Universities.

He talks, presents, writes and gives workshops about philosophy in schools and The Philosophy Foundation's work - but importantly continues to work in the classroom which is the inspiration for his pedagogy, philosophy in schools practice, theory and writing.

The Philosophy Foundation.

Thoughtings and The Philosophy Shop on The Guardian Teacher Network.

Peter Worley: It's About How You Think'

Ben Wright is head of the history department at a large secondary school in Cornwall and is passionate about developing thriving teachers, especially during those pivotal PGCE, NQT and RQT years. Ben has completed an MA in education and strives to embed a research culture in schools. He has delivered workshops, has presented widely and, together with his Thrive co-authors, regularly contributes to the popular blog Thrive in Teaching.

Paul Z Jackson is an independent training consultant with a wide spectrum of clients in both the private and public sectors. He has worked as a print journalist, senior producer for BBC Radio Four, lecturer at Bath Spa University College, and teacher at the London Actors Centre.

Click here to read Paul Z Jackson’s blog.

Genie Z Laborde PhD, is an internationally known communications consultant to major corporations and government agencies. She is a partner in the international communications firm Grinder Laborde Associates and has many years of experience leading seminars for executives in business and government.

Click here to read Genie Z Laborde’s blog.

Psychologist Bernie Zilbergeld was a leader in the field of human sexuality and a beloved sex therapist and educator for over 25 years. He wrote the bestselling book, Make Sexuality, and its successor, The New Male Sexuality, which still stands as the "bible" in this field. Through his lectures and presentations on various aspects of sexuality, as well as courses for professionals and lay people alike, Dr Zilbergeld made a huge difference in people's lives. Dr. Zilbergeld was a popular guest on hundreds of radio and television shows including Donahue, Oprah, Today, Charles Grodin, CBS Morning News, and Sonya Live.