Author list

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 taught RE for 20 years and was head of department in Essex. She held many other roles in and out of RE, including advanced skills teaching and senior leadership roles, and also ran a local RE network. Dawn regularly presented 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.

Patrick Cozier is an experienced secondary school head teacher. He leads Highgate Wood School in Haringey. In addition to his day job, he is a member of the Headteacher's Roundtable, who consult and advise senior officials on national education policy. He serves as a trustee of the national charity Show Racism the Red Card (on which he is co-vice chair). More locally, he takes a leading role in the work of the Haringey Racial Equity Group (part of the Haringey Education Partnership) on its focus to reduce racial inequality and improve the outcomes and experiences for children of colour. As a member of the black community, he is passionate about seeking equality, justice and fair outcomes for people of colour.

Articles and interviews available

Patrick is available for interview, expert comment or bylined articles on a range of topics, such as:

• Why composure is a leader’s superpower in a crisis
• Five practical strategies to stay grounded when leading under pressure
• Why the best leaders don’t always shout the loudest
• Navigating leadership as a Black professional in majority-white spaces
• Why representation at the top matters more than ever
• My journey to calm leadership: lessons from 20 years in the hot seat
• Why leadership is more about who you are than what you do

View the press release for Calm Leadership here.

Read articles by Patrick here and listen to podcasts with Patrick 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.

Articles and interviews available

James is available for interview, expert comment or bylined articles on a range of topics, such as:

• How to make every PE lesson count
• The importance and benefits of PE for children and young people
• The challenges of teaching PE
• 10 myths about teaching PE
• An evidence-informed approach to teaching PE

View the press release for Making Every PE Lesson Count here.

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.