Preparing to Deliver Maths and English GCSEs

	Mike Cox Operations Manager, Association of Employment and Learning Providers After 13 years in retail purchasing and supply, Mike became an assessor for apprenticeships with TBG Learning in 1999. He soon moved onto various development roles with learndirect, RNID and then LSN where he headed up the bidding and development team, helping design support programmes and research in areas including Train to Gain, Citizenship, Diplomas, Key Skills, Functional Skills and Foundation Learning. He joined AELP in February 2013. Mike is married with 2 children and lives in rural Kent.
	Catherine Paulson-Ellis Head of Adult Literacy and Numeracy, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills Catherine is a professional civil servant who has been working in Government for nearly twenty years. Her role is to understand an area of policy and practice and to advise ministers and help them to fulfil their democratic responsibilities. Catherine has specialised in post-16 education and training, most recently in adult literacy and numeracy but prior to that in vocational education for young people and training for unemployed people. She has also worked across wider social policy agendas including welfare reform, child poverty and social mobility.
	Julie Douglas Curriculum and Quality Manager, Nuneaton Training Centre Limited Having worked in FE Colleges for twenty four years, Julie moved into the Work-Based Learning Provider sector in November 2009, joining Nuneaton Training Centre initially as a consultant and then taking up a full time role to support preparation for Inspection and to lead on curriculum quality and development across the organisation. During her time at Nuneaton Training Centre, Julie has delivered a number of regional workshops as a Lead Provider on the LSIS QCF support programme for Independent Training Providers. As an experienced trainer specialising in Business and Management, Julie has successfully supported her organisation to enhance the quality of delivery and the learner experience.
	Mike Cooper Freelance Trainer and Consultant Mike Cooper has worked in the post-16 sector for 30+ years, including 17 in successful providers across England, finishing as Curriculum Manager for English. He also taught Numeracy, Business Studies, Public Services, Catering, and Performing Arts. Earlier, he worked in a secondary school and the voluntary sector. Mike was LSDA’s Regional Director for the South East, 1999-2006. This post spanned work with the full range of the FE sector – locally, regionally and nationally. Freelance since 2006, Mike works for and with a wide range of sector bodies, providers, networks and other organisations. Topics cover teaching and learning, supporting English and Maths development, observation and quality improvement. He has experience in open and distance learning, and a significant track record in designing and facilitating events and training. He has led webinars for networks since mid-2012. American-born, Mike graduated in 1972 from Stuyvesant High School in New York City, and then came to the UK for his higher education. He has lived and worked here ever since.
	Andrea Machell HMI Her Majesty’s Inspector- Further Education and Skills, Ofsted Andrea Machell joined Ofsted in 2014 and is one of Her Majesty’s Inspectors. She is a qualified teacher and has an HND in Hotel Management and a Postgraduate Diploma in Educational Management. Andrea also has completed a CEL leadership course. She has taught in a range of further education settings and has held curriculum management and senior management positions in general further education colleges, which included work-based learning and adult and community provision for over thirty years. Before joining Ofsted Andrea was the deputy principal of a large general further education college delivering a wide range of provision to 20,000 learners over multi-sites. She has extensive experience in leading and managing quality improvement strategies, including the performance management of teaching, learning and assessment, curriculum design and delivery with a proven track record of transforming performance for the benefit of learners. Andrea has been subject to enhanced DBS disclosure.
	June Cramman HMI Her Majesty’s Inspector- Further Education and Skills, Ofsted June Cramman has been a full time inspector in the FE and skills sector since 2002, when she joined the Adult Learning inspectorate. She has been an HMI with Ofsted since 2007. June specialises in foundation learning, working across all aspects of this sector subject area, from employability and access provision to community learning, literacy, numeracy and ESOL to working with learners with learning difficulties and disabilities. She is a qualified tutor and manager of literacy, numeracy and ESOL programmes. She has nine years’ of leadership experience as a manager of adult and community provision, programmes for the unemployed and as head of department in a college of further education. She worked for six years as National Advisor on adult literacy and numeracy. She also led a highly successful and nationally recognised project that delivered literacy and numeracy provision in the workplace. Before becoming a manager, she taught from foundation levels to degree level in a range of institutions, including on GCSE intermediate and advanced courses as well as on work-based learning qualifications. She also spent some time working with a range of small to medium enterprises across the North East, conducting training needs analysis for each and devising bespoke training packages for them. She inspects work-based learning, colleges, adult and community provision and children’s centres.
	Alan Benvie Director of Study Programmes, Skills Solutions Alan is Director of Study Programmes within Skill Solutions, one of the largest providers of Apprenticeships in the North West. Skills Solutions is part of the Economic Solutions Group of not-for-profit economic development service delivery companies. Alan is responsible for Study Programmes (and Traineeships) delivered through 11 training centres and has previously managed 16-18 provision within the Learning Gateway, e2e and Foundation Learning. With a background in applied psychology, over the last twenty years he has worked in the field of training with roles including: management development, trainer training, special needs provision and managing the delivery of programmes for unemployed young people and adults. Prior to this he worked in counselling, commercial training, two government departments and collecting trolleys for ASDA.
	Ruth Bruckshaw Centre Manager and Lead on GCSE/FS English, Skills Solutions Ruth is Centre Manager of the Skills Solutions Training Centre in Salford. Skills Solutions is part of the Economic Solutions Group of not-for-profit economic development service delivery companies. Ruth joined SS 10 years ago as an e2e tutor focusing on Adult Literacy and Numeracy. Since then she has become a fully qualified teacher with an English specialism and now leads on English delivery across the Skills Solutions Training Centres. Ruth was promoted three years ago to Centre Manager. Prior to joining Skills Solutions Ruth worked for the Inland Revenue but, fortunately, found her true vocation in post 16 education. Ruth has always believed that young people should be encouraged to achieve all they can and has, for the last 20 years, been actively involved in Guiding UK and is currently Division Commissioner for Stretford & Old Trafford.
	Shirley Woodcock General Manager, Capital Training Group Shirley has a successful background in Education and Training for over 20 years and has held a variety of Senior Roles within FE Colleges, Tribal, Work Based Learning and Welfare to Work. Joining Capital Training Group in September 2011 as Senior Business Development & Growth Manager, it was within the first two weeks of joining Capital that they underwent a disastrous Ofsted inspection and were graded ‘Inadequate’. With a background in quality improvement, Shirley was asked by the Chairman to take over the management of the SFA provision and to implement an organisational change to improve all aspects of the quality of Teaching, Learning and Assessment, Performance Management including Sub-Contractor Management. English & maths including Functional Skills was deemed an area of weakness particularly in Construction and Shirley worked closely with an LSIS support advisor to significantly improve this area of learning. Having just undergone their third Ofsted inspection in less than three years, Shirley and the Capital team are eagerly awaiting the publication of the report due to be released on the 2nd July 2014.