EXECUTIVE ASSOCIATE
Executive Associate
rex@rexhallassociates.com
Rex Hall MBE has been the lead consultant for PfS since 1998. He has worked in education for over thirty years in different posts, a number of which have been at senior and project management level. He has been involved in the preparation, discussions and writing of many of the reports and policy documents relating to Study Support, OOSHL and related areas. He is a National Critical Friend for QiSS and is a consultant for the Study Support Quality Development Programme run by QiSS/CELSI. Rex founded the Tower Hamlets Summer University and piloted many new initiatives in this area of education.
LEAD ASSOCIATES
Lead Associate for local authority and
club support and embedding PfS
sue@rexhallassociates.com
Sue Collins worked for the Department for Education and Skills and its predecessors for fifteen years before setting up her own consultancy company. She undertook a range of posts which culminated in managing and leading the DfES’ study support policy. She is currently a National Critical Friend for both QiSS and Quality in Extended Services (QES) and is involved in the DCSF SSQDP consultancy. Sue also develops and delivers training and support to a number of LAs, including multi-agency working, programme set-up, strategic development and quality assurance.
Lead Associate for communication
(including publications and yearbook)
halina@rexhallassociates.com
Halina Gammie has been working with PfS as a Critical Friend since 1999. Her experience of work at management/consultancy level in education includes Curriculum Counsellor (secondary), support to LAs’ achievement programmes and strategy/policy direction including attracting over £1 million through NOF and SRB. Halina has contributed to national research relating to Study Support, writing reports and documents and editing the PfS yearbook on behalf of the Critical Friend team. She co-wrote The Study Support Code of Practice (DfES 2004) and has been responsible for its integration into PfS work; this included setting up a national system for the recognition of quality through QiSS for PfS. She is a National Critical Friend for QiSS/CELSI and is also a consultant for the DCSF Study Support Quality Development Programme.
Lead Associate for critical friendship
alwyn@rexhallassociates.com
Alwyn Morgan has been an independent consultant for the past eleven years, specialising in those areas of work that impact on the education of children outside of the school day, i.e. study support, homework and the involvement of parents/carers in their children's education. He has been a Critical Friend for Playing for Success for the past eight years and the QiSS Study Support Quality Development programme for the past three years. He was commissioned to produce the contents for the DfES’ homework and home-school contract websites and family learning tasks for the BBC’s website. Alwyn co-authored with Rex Hall the DfES' Primary Code of Practice for Study Support. He also wrote the Out-of-School-Hours Code of Practice for the Welsh Assembly Government and edited a series of homework publications for a national publishing company.
Lead Associate for innovation and development
steve@rexhallassociates.com
Steve Smith has 35 years’ experience in education and is currently the PfS and QA Study Support Manager for Education Leeds. He has nine years’ experience as a PfS centre manager, leading his centre through QiSS Emerged, Established, Advanced and revalidation of Advanced status. He is a National Critical Friend for QiSS/CELSI and has represented the DCSF, the British Council and the British Embassy in promoting PfS at national and international conferences. Steve has led on the writing of curriculum materials including Tackle Learning and Learning through Football. He was formerly a primary headteacher and advisory teacher.
Lead Associate for quality assurance
diane@rexhallassociates.com
Diane Wilson is joint Director of Quality in Study Support and a PfS Critical Friend. Formerly a deputy headteacher, curriculum manager for English and drama and teacher in London schools, she was instrumental in setting up one of the first Prince’s Trust study support centres which attracted national and international interest and substantial funding. Diane has contributed to national research and the writing of a range of publications including The Study Support Code of Practice (DfES, 2004). She has led the development of the QiSS recognition scheme and has written masters’ degree level courses on Critical Friendship for Canterbury Christ Church University. She provides strategic support for local authorities as part of the DCSF Study Support Quality Development Programme.
Lead Associate for professional
development and training
marian@rexhallassociates.com
Marian Wood has worked in education for over 30 years as a teacher, adviser and consultant and has been involved in PfS since 1999. She was one of the initial team of three Critical Friends in the early stages of the initiative, contributing to a number of PfS publications and professional development - in particular key skills and mentor training. A former secondary school teacher she has extensive experience in study support both as a project manager and a Critical Friend on a number of DfES programmes. She has been successful in securing substantial funding for study support initiatives through NOF and SRB. Her recent experience has been as head of education in a private sector company where she has held a key role within the leadership team, developing the strategic orientation for the company, its ambitions and vision and advising senior officers within LAs on professional development strategy.
ASSOCIATES
nancy@rexhallassociates.com
Innovation and development
Nancy Cleary has worked in education including programme management and project management for over twelve years for two lottery distributors. She has been involved in the preparation, discussions and writing of many of the reports and policy documents relating to study support, school sports co-ordinators and extended schools on behalf of the New Opportunities Fund. She has facilitated the assessment and monitoring of education programmes for the Arts Council of England and the New Opportunities Fund. She is a PfS Critical Friend and a trustee of Tower Hamlets Summer University.
deb@rexhallassociates.com
Rural issues, leadership and the
national conference
Deborah Duncan has a background in primary and middle school education and is a qualified educational guidance worker who has also worked in adult education. Following work on guidance and educational programmes in South Norfolk and a secondment to Norfolk and Waveney TEC, in 1999 Deborah became study support development officer with responsibility for Norwich City FC’s PfS centre and the development of study support across Norfolk. From 2003-2006 Deborah was responsible for the development of extended schools and was a member of the PfS National Advisory Group representing rural LAs. She is a National Critical Friend and Eastern region co-ordinator for the QiSS SSQDP programme. In addition Deborah runs a supply teacher agency.
lois@rexhallassociates.com
Lois Gyves is a qualified teacher who worked in primary schools in Manchester prior to joining PfS in 1998 as the manager of Manchester City FC’s PfS centre. Lois is currently the Playing for Success Manchester manager, with responsibility for three centres and promotes study support activities as part of Excellence in Cities Manchester and the LA extended services provision. Lois is a National Critical Friend and as a PfS Critical Friend has supported PfS centres and LAs to establish new centres and gain Quality in Study Support (QiSS) recognition.
sean@rexhallassociates.com
Innovation and development
Sean Kane is currently the centre manager at Nottingham Forest FC’s study support centre and is the study support development manager for the city of Nottingham. He has taken his centre through the QiSS process to Advanced level and has been the driving force behind the development of four other study support centres within Nottingham, two of which also have full PfS status and funding. He is a qualified teacher and a National Critical Friend and has worked on a wide variety of educational projects during the last twenty years.
mandy@rexhallassociates.com
Mentoring and critical friendship
Mandy Kelly is an experienced and qualified teacher who worked as a curriculum and pastoral leader in mainstream secondary schools until 1999. Following a secondment working with local communities on out-of-hours learning initiatives, she set up and managed Birmingham City FC’s Playing for Success centre; in this role she developed three further PfS centres in the city, with a shared vision and purpose, over three years. She is a National Critical Friend and has been involved in QiSS recognition meetings at all levels. She currently works part time as a CF to PfS centres and as a teacher and adviser on a number of alternative learning projects in the Midlands.
kevin@rexhallassociates.com
Critical friendship
Kevin McCooke is an independent education consultant with 16 years experience of mainstream education in primary and secondary schools and further education colleges. He was the manager of one of the first Playing for Success centres at Queens Park Rangers FC. Kevin is currently an Associate / Critical Friend to the Playing for Success initiative with responsibilities for critical friendship and sponsorship. He has developed the link between RHA and the Arsenal Double Club and is working in a number of other roles including the Specialist Schools & Academies Trust, LSN & Tribal. Alongside these roles Kevin works for the Premier League, the Standards Unit in the DCSF, the Centre for British Teachers, Cambridge Education and local authorities. He is a National Critical Friend for QiSS.
joanne@rexhallassociates.com
Quality assurance
Joanne Moore worked for Sandwell MBC from 1999 – 2007 where she was responsible for an extensive study support programme and the development of quality standards for study support and extended schools based on The Study Support Code of Practice. She contributed to the development of both of these key documents. Joanne is currently a full time member of the core team at Canterbury Christ Church University and is a national Critical Friend. She has contributed to the PfS yearbook on quality assurance and is a member of the DCSF Study Support Quality Development Programme (QDP) team with regional responsibility for the West Midlands and the North West. Joanne is leading on aspects of QiSS work with the Children’s University and the Summer University.
chris@rexhallassociates.com
Centre manager’s handbook,
induction and quality assurance
Chris Myant has been involved in Playing for Success since 1998. Following twenty years of primary teaching in inner London schools she became the centre manager at Crystal Palace FC. She has worked in a strategic role with Croydon LA on study support and is a National Critical Friend working for both Playing for Success and QiSS/CELSI. She has been involved in the organisation of conferences and CPD events, including the induction programme for PfS managers and the writing of The Centre Managers’ Handbook.
john@rexhallassociates.com
John O’Boyle is currently employed as Adviser for Behaviour and Attendance as part of the School Improvement Service in Middlesbrough. Having taught previously as a head of department, he was seconded as advisory teacher of history to Cheshire in 2002. John joined Middlesbrough Council as a teaching and learning consultant in 2004 before moving to his current post in January 2007. During his time as an adviser, John has worked with teachers across all subject specialisms in introducing innovative ways of developing teaching and supporting learning. He has specific expertise in supporting PfS from a local authority perspective and liaising with PfS staff to ensure that programmes are closely integrated with the delivery of the mainstream curriculum. In addition John has experience of working with QCA to write schemes of work, producing materials for the national strategy on the teaching of ‘Thinking Skills’ and to support work on GCSE booster programmes.
jeanette@rexhallassociates.com
Professional training
Jeanette Palmer is a former head of English and head of year at secondary level. She became a PfS centre manager at Batley Bulldogs in 2001 and in 2005 became a strategic manager for PfS Kirklees, leading on QiSS and SSQDP for the LA, managing four centres. Batley Bulldogs PfS Centre achieved Advanced QiSS in 2007. Jeanette is a National Critical Friend and a PfS Critical Friend.
janet@rexhallassociates.com
Janet Rhodes has been a PfS centre manager since 2001, joining the National Critical Friend team in 2005. She is currently managing two PfS centres in Bolton, one of which has recently achieved Advanced QiSS status. Janet supports the QiSS process through chairing and peer reading at recognition meetings and has been involved in the development of publications including Tackle Learning as well as hosting the centre managers’ national conference for professional development. She was formerly a history teacher with a range of middle and senior management responsibilities.
jo@rexhallassociates.com
Marketing, website and PR
Jo Robson is a National PfS Critical Friend and manages PfS and Out of School Learning for Brighton & Hove LA. Previous roles include work for QiSS at Canterbury Christ Church University as a senior lecturer, and centre manager/co-ordinator for Newham’s PfS centres at West Ham United and East London Gymnastics Club. Jo has contributed to key PfS documents including the yearbook, has chaired recognition meetings and previously assisted in the organisation of the national conference. With a background in primary and special education in East London, Jo’s strengths include the development of the curriculum and evaluation methods linked to personalised learning and meeting the outcomes of ECM.
allison@rexhallassociates.com
Administration, communication
and the national conference
Allison Tripney is a National Critical Friend for PfS. She has worked in education for over ten years and is currently Education Development Manager at West Bromwich Albion Football Club. A qualified English and psychology teacher, Allison has been head of English at a secondary school, PfS centre manager at WBA FC and a strategy manager for the extended schools team in Sandwell. She has contributed to the organisation of the PfS national conference over the last two years.