Develop and Demonstrate Outstanding SMSC 2014 - London - Speakers

Robin Banerjee
Professor of Developmental Psychology, University of Sussex

Robin directs the CRESS (Children's Relationships, Emotions, and Social Skills) research lab, which investigates children's social and emotional development, and involves close working partnerships with practitioners and policymakers in the areas of education and mental health.  Recent studies have examined the factors involved in peer acceptance and rejection, the social and cognitive processes involved in childhood social anxiety, and the connections between materialism, peer pressure, and well-being in school children.  A core applied focus of the CRESS lab is the development and evaluation of school-based strategies to support pupils' social and emotional functioning.

Steve Wetherill
Headteacher, West End Primary School

Adrian Gray HMI
Divisional Manager, Ofsted

Adrian studied history at university before beginning a career in teaching in Essex, Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire.  His initial experience in Ofsted was in the School Improvement Division, working mainly with schools in Special Measures, following on from his own experience working in a category school. He is currently a Divisional Manager for Challenge & Investigation, a role which involves looking across all the areas that Ofsted inspects to ensure consistency and reference and to evaluate performance, and also leading research and analysis work on key national issues. He is also a member of the Executive Committee of the Standing International Conference of Inspectorates.

Michelle Springer
Head of Wellbeing, Thomas Tallis School

Dr Michelle Springer is a highly experienced and recognised teacher and consultant and published writer/researcher in the areas of Wellbeing, Citizenship and PSHEE. She has worked across nations and has implemented PSHEE programmes in different contexts, including developing the innovative Wellbeing Faculty. Michelle is passionately committed to improving the lives of young people.

Ross Martin
Head of RE, Nicholas Chamberlaine Technology College

Ross is currently Head of R.E. at a large Secondary School in Warwickshire.  Prior to this he gained experience as a classroom teacher of Geography and Student Support Centre Manager.  Outside of school Ross has 7 years of experience in youth work, running summer camps, weekly youthclubs and weekend enrichment activities.
Ross holds an M.Ed from the University of Birmingham.  For his dissertation he researched the impacts of developing the social skills of students with Emotional, Social and Behavioural Disorders.  This work and his role as Student Support Centre Manager, running a unit for disaffected and at-risk students, has led Ross to work with a number of schools from around the country as well as supporting colleagues in Warwickshire in setting up their own unit.

Bill Bolloten
Independent Education Consultant

Ammit Jassi
SMSC School Leader, Vyners School

Ammit is in his sixth year of teaching and specialises primarily in teaching History and Government and Politics. He has spent three years of his career as a PSHE and Citizenship School Co-Ordinator and was in charge of the process of moving the school from fixed PSHE/Citizenship lessons to integrating the programme of study into other subject areas and the curriculum. This year he has taken on the role of SMSC school leader and has looked at ways to generate a better understanding of the concept throughout the school. This has been by taking existing structures in place, such as assemblies, and using them as a forum to help enhance SMSC.

Amjad Ali
Assistant Headteacher,Cheney School