The RM Education Lectures Podcast - About the speakers
At the time of this lecture Mike Gibbons was the Chief Executive of The Innovation Unit. He has occupied a number of senior roles in education and the civil service over the last 25 years. Before joining the Innovation Unit he was a Director in the Senior Civil Service and before that was head of four large schools, including three in England and an international school in Brussels. He left the Innovation Unit in December 2008.
Sir Michael Wilshaw is principal of the Mossbourne Community Academy, the first independent state-funded secondary school in East London. He was knighted for his services to education in January 2000. At his previous school, St Bonaventure's in Newham, he was praised for his 'remarkable leadership'. Sir Michael is also the Education Director of ARK, which is establishing a chain of academies in less advantaged parts of London.
Ty Goddard. As Director of the British Council for School Environments (BCSE), Ty is responsible for managing the BCSE team and for the development and implementation of strategy. Ty previously worked as Managing Director of School Works, an organisation aiming to build better schools through consultation and participation, bringing together the best in the building industry with the best in education. Formerly, Ty was Community Strategic Manager at Brighton and Hove City Council's Schools. He has also acted as an advisor to the DfES on Extended Schools and co-location of services. In 1998, Ty was elected to Lambeth Council and became Chair of Education, later combining this with a Social Services role. Ty has worked as the UK and European Political Advisor for the NSPCC, and was the National Campaigns Co-ordinator for SCOPE. He has spoken at national conferences for a range of bodies including the DfES, 4Children, Sure Start and BURA.
Dame Mary MacDonald has been head teacher at Riverside primary school in North Sheilds, Tyne & Wear for 13 years. Mary's main aim has been to put some fun back into the school day, she has done this by developing a more creative curriculum that sees greater focus on the arts such as drama, music and dance. This has culminated in her school being awarded the Artsmark Gold.
Sir Bob Geldof. Although best known for the 1985 Live Aid and 2005 Live 8 concerts, as a rock star with the Boomtown Rats and as a campaigner on a range of issues, Bob Geldof is also a proven businessman. He became a founding partner of Groupcall because he saw the value of the system in assuring him of the safety of his daughters, who were still crossing London by bus at the time to go to school. The system gave him the assurance he needed that his children were safely in school. In addition to Groupcall, he established the pioneering TV production company, Planet 24. In the late 1990s, he moved into new media, launching the online travel agency site deckchair.com and the mobile portal WapWorld. His current TV production company, Ten Alps, has made a series of high profile documentaries for BBC, Channel 4, Five, Sky One and Discovery, and of course operates Teachers TV. He was awarded a knighthood in June 1986, and in the last two years has received the Nobel Man Of Peace Award, the MTV Free Your Mind Award and a Brit Lifetime Achievement Award for outstanding contribution to music.
Dame Mary Marsh has been Director and Chief Executive of the NSPCC since September 2000. She has contributed actively to the leadership of the FULL STOP campaign and appeal and sought to strengthen partnerships with statutory services and other voluntary organisations. She is determined to ensure that policy makers, professionals, opinion formers and the wider public are challenged about what they can do towards ending the abuse and neglect of children. After an extensive teaching career including multiple headteacher roles Mary went on to hold a seat on the board of BECTa and helped set up the inter agency group that brings together senior representatives of the statutory and voluntary agencies working with children. This group contributed very actively to the development of the Every Child Matters agenda. Mary is a national member of the learning and skills council and the Joseph Rowntree Committee on Governance in Public Services. In the 2007 New Year's Honours List Mary was awarded the DBE for her services to families and children.
Mick Waters' role at the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority is 'to develop a modern, world-class curriculum that will inspire and challenge all learners and prepare them for the future'. Previously, Mick was Chief Education Officer for the City of Manchester and worked in Birmingham Local Education Authority. In both he drove forward school improvement agendas, which saw increasing achievements, and increasingly successful schools seeking new horizons in educational development. The role of Director of Curriculum at QCA enables Mick to work with all partners to develop a world class curriculum that offers all young people the chance to enjoy success at school and in later adult life. This involves exploring what really matters in learning and supporting new developments, linked to the five outcomes for children. Mick believes the curriculum should be treasured and valued and that it needs to be shaped to fit with children's lives. To make the curriculum work, people in schools need to set understandings of their children alongside the learning they should meet to create learning that is irresistible.
Steve Lancashire is head teacher of Hilly Field Primary School in the London Borough of Waltham Forest (LBWF), executive head teacher of the 4th largest primary school in the country (also in LBWF), with 4 form entry and 1,000 pupils on the roll. Additionally, Steve is acting head teacher of a smaller 250 pupil primary school in the borough and ICT Director of the local federation of schools. Capacity is an issue tackled by strict prioritisation however, ensuring accessibility by all staff as well as the parent community, is Steve' biggest priority. Technology sits at the heart of his strategy to ensure he keeps in direct contact with all of his school communities and as such, he leads the way in terms of new and innovative communication technologies by taking on the strategic leadership of ICT.
Tim Pearson was appointed CEO of RM, the leading supplier of software, services and computing systems to UK schools, in February 2002. He previously held the role of RM learning managing director and had responsibility for Internet and content strategy. Tim joined RM in 1981 after graduating with a degree in chemistry and microbiology. He has attended the Harvard University Business School advanced management program and is a past chairman of the Internet Service Provider Association.
Professor Stephen Heppell is the founder of Ultralab, Europe's leading research institute pioneering leading-edge applications in support of proven educational precepts. Over the years at Ultralab, Stephen built one of the most respected research centres in eLearning in the world. Stephen continues to be an influence in government ICT policy-making globally. He is on a number of committees including in DfES Schools Internet Safety Strategy Group, the Advisory Group on Design of School Buildings and the Welsh Assembly's Schools of the Future committee. You may remember Stephen appearing in a short video at our last Company Brief. He resides in Ireland and has a passion for sailing and life on the open ocean!
John Davitt has worked in education for over twenty years, as a teacher and adviser with the DfES. Now a well-regarded and respected educational consultant, author and journalist he writes for the The Guardian, The Times and TES.
Professor Tim Brighouse has spent his entire career working in education. Most recently he has served as London Schools Commissioner, working to improve education in the Capital. Before that his career started in the classroom and has taken in the role or Professor of Education at Keele University, as well as Chief Education Officer in both Oxfordshire and Birmingham Local Authorities. Tim is also a Non-Executive Director at RM, where his knowledge and experience are invaluable - he constantly reminds us of what's really important to our customers.
At the time of this lecture Mike Gibbons was the Chief Executive of The Innovation Unit. He has occupied a number of senior roles in education and the civil service over the last 25 years. Before joining the Innovation Unit he was a Director in the Senior Civil Service and before that was head of four large schools, including three in England and an international school in Brussels. He left the Innovation Unit in December 2008.
Sir Michael Wilshaw is principal of the Mossbourne Community Academy, the first independent state-funded secondary school in East London. He was knighted for his services to education in January 2000. At his previous school, St Bonaventure's in Newham, he was praised for his 'remarkable leadership'. Sir Michael is also the Education Director of ARK, which is establishing a chain of academies in less advantaged parts of London. 
Ty Goddard. As Director of the British Council for School Environments (BCSE), Ty is responsible for managing the BCSE team and for the development and implementation of strategy.
Dame Mary MacDonald has been head teacher at Riverside primary school in North Sheilds, Tyne & Wear for 13 years. Mary's main aim has been to put some fun back into the school day, she has done this by developing a more creative curriculum that sees greater focus on the arts such as drama, music and dance. This has culminated in her school being awarded the Artsmark Gold.
Sir Bob Geldof. Although best known for the 1985 Live Aid and 2005 Live 8 concerts, as a rock star with the Boomtown Rats and as a campaigner on a range of issues, Bob Geldof is also a proven businessman. He became a founding partner of Groupcall because he saw the value of the system in assuring him of the safety of his daughters, who were still crossing London by bus at the time to go to school. The system gave him the assurance he needed that his children were safely in school. In addition to Groupcall, he established the pioneering TV production company, Planet 24. In the late 1990s, he moved into new media, launching the online travel agency site deckchair.com and the mobile portal WapWorld. His current TV production company, Ten Alps, has made a series of high profile documentaries for BBC, Channel 4, Five, Sky One and Discovery, and of course operates Teachers TV. He was awarded a knighthood in June 1986, and in the last two years has received the Nobel Man Of Peace Award, the MTV Free Your Mind Award and a Brit Lifetime Achievement Award for outstanding contribution to music.
Dame Mary Marsh has been Director and Chief Executive of the NSPCC since September 2000. She has contributed actively to the leadership of the FULL STOP campaign and appeal and sought to strengthen partnerships with statutory services and other voluntary organisations. She is determined to ensure that policy makers, professionals, opinion formers and the wider public are challenged about what they can do towards ending the abuse and neglect of children. After an extensive teaching career including multiple headteacher roles Mary went on to hold a seat on the board of BECTa and helped set up the inter agency group that brings together senior representatives of the statutory and voluntary agencies working with children. This group contributed very actively to the development of the Every Child Matters agenda. Mary is a national member of the learning and skills council and the Joseph Rowntree Committee on Governance in Public Services. In the 2007 New Year's Honours List Mary was awarded the DBE for her services to families and children. 
Mick Waters' role at the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority is 'to develop a modern, world-class curriculum that will inspire and challenge all learners and prepare them for the future'. Previously, Mick was Chief Education Officer for the City of Manchester and worked in Birmingham Local Education Authority. In both he drove forward school improvement agendas, which saw increasing achievements, and increasingly successful schools seeking new horizons in educational development. The role of Director of Curriculum at QCA enables Mick to work with all partners to develop a world class curriculum that offers all young people the chance to enjoy success at school and in later adult life. This involves exploring what really matters in learning and supporting new developments, linked to the five outcomes for children. Mick believes the curriculum should be treasured and valued and that it needs to be shaped to fit with children's lives. To make the curriculum work, people in schools need to set understandings of their children alongside the learning they should meet to create learning that is irresistible. 
Steve Lancashire is head teacher of Hilly Field Primary School in the London Borough of Waltham Forest (LBWF), executive head teacher of the 4th largest primary school in the country (also in LBWF), with 4 form entry and 1,000 pupils on the roll. Additionally, Steve is acting head teacher of a smaller 250 pupil primary school in the borough and ICT Director of the local federation of schools. Capacity is an issue tackled by strict prioritisation however, ensuring accessibility by all staff as well as the parent community, is Steve' biggest priority. Technology sits at the heart of his strategy to ensure he keeps in direct contact with all of his school communities and as such, he leads the way in terms of new and innovative communication technologies by taking on the strategic leadership of ICT.
Tim Pearson was appointed CEO of RM, the leading supplier of software, services and computing systems to UK schools, in February 2002. He previously held the role of RM learning managing director and had responsibility for Internet and content strategy. Tim joined RM in 1981 after graduating with a degree in chemistry and microbiology. He has attended the Harvard University Business School advanced management program and is a past chairman of the Internet Service Provider Association. 
Professor Stephen Heppell is the founder of Ultralab, Europe's leading research institute pioneering leading-edge applications in support of proven educational precepts. Over the years at Ultralab, Stephen built one of the most respected research centres in eLearning in the world. Stephen continues to be an influence in government ICT policy-making globally. He is on a number of committees including in DfES Schools Internet Safety Strategy Group, the Advisory Group on Design of School Buildings and the Welsh Assembly's Schools of the Future committee. You may remember Stephen appearing in a short video at our last Company Brief. He resides in Ireland and has a passion for sailing and life on the open ocean! 
John Davitt has worked in education for over twenty years, as a teacher and adviser with the DfES. Now a well-regarded and respected educational consultant, author and journalist he writes for the The Guardian, The Times and TES.
Professor Tim Brighouse has spent his entire career working in education. Most recently he has served as London Schools Commissioner, working to improve education in the Capital. Before that his career started in the classroom and has taken in the role or Professor of Education at Keele University, as well as Chief Education Officer in both Oxfordshire and Birmingham Local Authorities. Tim is also a Non-Executive Director at RM, where his knowledge and experience are invaluable - he constantly reminds us of what's really important to our customers. 
