A dedicated Early Years professional with a successful background in headship, Local Authority Advisory & Inspection Services and International School administration. Chris currently works as an Additional Inspector with SERCO and undertakes Associate work with Cambridge Education as well as doing freelance consultancy and training. Chris has extensive experience in the implementation of a wide range of international practice and has particular interests in inquiry, assessment and documentation, and the development of multimodal communication skills in the Early Years. She has been a speaker and workshop leader in the UK and at International conferences and seminars. She is a member of the ECIS Early Childhood Committee and the on the Advisory Board of Sightlines Initiative, the UK organization working in dialogue with Reggio Children in Italy.

 

Professional Qualifications:

 

Certificate in Education (Distinction), Cardiff College of Education.

B.Ed (Hons), University of Wales,

Advanced Diploma in Math Teaching, Open University.

Masters in Educational Management, Open University

Currently studying for an EdD in Early Years Education at the University of Sheffield

 

Professional History

 

2006-present

 

Freelance consultant and trainer; School Improvement Consultant and Additional Inspector working with SERCO to conduct OFSTED inspections;

2002 – 2006

Zurich International School, Switzerland, Assistant Principal (EC);

1999 – 2001

General Inspector with responsibility for Early Years, Nottinghamshire AIS;

1996 – 1998

Ambergate Primary School, Derbyshire LA, Head Teacher;

1995 – 1996

Long Row Nursery and Primary School, Derbyshire LA, Deputy Head Teacher;

1990 – 1995

Larklands Nursery and Infant School, Derbyshire LA, class teacher, Assessment Co-ordinator;

1975 -  1990

Infant school teacher with Warwickshire, SCEA (Cyprus), Supply teacher in Oxfordshire; PPA Tutor, Reception teacher in Humberside

 

Professional strengths:

 

·                Extensive knowledge and understanding of Early Years practice;

·                Providing leadership at all levels;

·                Promoting innovation and creativity, supporting the process of change and improvement;

·                Staff development, appraisal and performance management;

·                Curriculum development:

·                Monitoring student achievement and target setting through data analysis;

·                Experience of both the OFSTED inspection process in the UK and ECIS self evaluation and accreditation;

·                Developing understanding in assessment and documentation processes including approaches from the UK and around the world.

 

 International work:

 

Cambridge Education associate work in US

Workshop leader at ECIS Early Years Conferences in Amsterdam and Brussels and the ECIS Annual conference in Nice;

Consultancy to International Schools in Paris, Bucharest, Accra and Beijing

ECIS Accreditation team member

Currently ECIS Early Childhood Committee member (Chair 2006-9)

 

Professional Training

 

Related to Reggio Emilia:

 

2010Materials and Imagination Conference UK

2007Study week focusing on Pedagogicical documentation   Reggio

2007Remida 10th Anniversary conferenceReggio

2006-7Sightlines Skylight SeminarsUK

2006Sightlines workshop “In Dialogue with Reggio”,UK

2005Architecture and Pedagogy Study week       Reggio / Milan

2004 and 2003Reggio Emilia Advanced Study Week/initial study weekReggio

 

Relating to Inquiry and project approaches:

 

2009The construction of projects, Roehampton1 day

2004/2006 PYP Early Years workshops

2005ICS Zurich with Kathy Short 1 day workshop

 

General:

 

2011Lead Inspector training

2010                    Training the trainer – accredited trainer with Cambridge Education

2010The School as a Place of Research – Sightlines conference with in put from Reggio and the Swedish Reggio Institute.

2009Early Years Inspection training with Cambridge Education: OFSTED conversion training with SERCO for new inspections beginning Sept.2009.

2009The Construction of Projects – a Sightlines conference.

2008OFSTED Section 5 training with Cambridge Education

2008Sightlines workshops “Working with children’s big questions” with Mary Jane Drummond and “Assessment, Documentation and Reflective Practice”

2006Workshops with Dr. Michael Thompson, author of “Raising Cain” focusing on the education of boys, Zurich;

2006“Contesting Early Childhood”, Institute of Education, London;

2006 “Understanding by design”, Jay McTighe on authentic assessment, Zurich.

2005 ECIS accreditation team training, The Hague;

2005Early Years Conference, Harrogate;

2005“Real Spelling” with Melvin Ramsden, Zurich;

 

ECIS annual conferences each year 2002- 2008, ECIS EC conferences 2003, 2006, 2009,