Janet Ackers' previous role was as centre leader for early years and childhood studies at the Institute of Education at Manchester Metropolitan University and she was part of the Birth to Three Matters team, developing the framework and 'Training the Trainers programme'. Previous jobs include a combined nursery centre and a primary home-school liaison teacher.
Research: early years assessment, working with parents and carers, working with children under three, and issues relating to multi-professional practice.
Michael Baxter
Michael Baxter started his career as an infant teacher and previously worked as school development adviser with Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council. Head of a primary school in Shropshire and an infant and nursery school in Telford. Worked with Shropshire Advisory Services on Key Stage 1 assessment. Lead officer for Telford & Wrekin EYDCP, working with the non-maintained sector on provision for three- and four-year-olds and on Trailblazer Sure Start bid. Department for Education and Skills adviser, working with West Midlands EYDCP and the National Childminding Association and Pre-School Learning Alliance.
Jane Cole
Jane Cole started work in Croydon nursery schools in the late 1980s. Her last post was as headteacher of Tunstall Nursery School and as support headteacher to the Forum for Maintained Nursery Schools at Early Education.
She has also worked as an early years consultant in Croydon's school improvement service. This post involved work with the partnership team and staff in the voluntary, independent and private sector.
Sue Ellis
Sue Ellis began her teaching career working with young children in special schools. She ran a nursery assessment unit for children with moderate and severe learning difficulties for several years. Appointed head of a speech and language unit in a mainstream school in the north of England before becoming a support teacher on a primary support team. Ms Ellis worked for five years as a deputy head and four years as an Ofsted inspector. She has been an early years adviser on SEN for Somerset LEA. and became a senior adviser leading a team of Foundation Stage advisers and area SENCOs.
Lynne Harvey
Lynne Harvey started her career as a nursery assistant and taught classes from nursery to Year 2 before joining what is now Portsmouth Ethnic Minority Achievement Service in 1990. Qualified (Dip TEAC) specialist teacher of English as an additional language (EAL). From 1998 ran the EMAS Early Years project, providing advice, training and bilingual support for children, parents and early years practitioners. Managed a 'Bilingual Support for Families' project for Portsmouth Sure Start. A trainer in Foundation Stage settings on EAL, intercultural education and race equality.
Pauline Hoare
Pauline Hoare has worked in the Foundation Stage and Key stages 1 and 2, as a teacher, a deputy, a head, a lecturer and as an LEA inspector. Before joining the Primary Strategy as a regional director, she worked for QCA on the Foundation Stage Profile Handboook and developing KS2 tests for English and mathematics. She is a Section 10 Ofsted inspector, an external adviser to governing bodies and an assessor.
Sally Jaeckle
Sally Jaeckle started her career with a brief stint in Theatre in Education before working as a nursery teacher. She has managed children's centres here and in the US. As a lecturer in early childhood studies in further and higher education, Sally piloted local progression routes for nursery nurses. For the past few years she has led the early years advisory team in Bristol.
Dr Andrew Lockett
Dr Andrew Lockett initially trained as a nursery/infant teacher. He has spent the majority of his career working with young children and their families in early years settings. In his career he has had experience of SEN support, training, advisory and inspection roles within the early years, most recently as the early years inspector in Kirklees.
Joyce Miller
Joyce Miller has been a teacher, advisor, head and education officer. Her previous job was as an early years inclusion officer in Cumbria. She has been involved in developing a curriculum called Playwise that supports emotional resilience and social competency within the Foundation Stage curriculum.
Helen Moylett
Helen Moylett was head of Tamworth Early Years Centre in Staffordshire. She was a junior, infant, nursery and home school liaison teacher, a senior advisory teacher in inner city Manchester, a senior lecturer in education studies and early years at Manchester Metropolitan University. Chair of Stockport EYDCP from 1998-2000. Ms Moylett has co-edited three books with Professor Lesley Abbott, was on the national steering group for Birth to Three Matters and is involved in the national training.
Chris Stevens
Chris Stevens has worked as a nursery teacher in mainstream and special schools and in 1998 became a nursery education inspector. Head of school for community care at Burton College. In 1999 Ms Stevens became early years manager with the Early Years and Childcare Service in Derbyshire where she managed the qualified teacher and disability inclusion teams. Worked with Sure Start local projects and extending sevices in schools. She has an MA in Early Childhood Studies and worked for the Open University as an associate lecturer on the Foundation Degree in Early Years.
Tim Vaughan
Tim Vaughan has an Early Years BEd degree and taught children from three to eight. He is also trained to work with under-threes. He has worked with children in early years settings as a practitioner, leader and researcher.
Until recently Mr Vaughan was acting head of an Early Excellence Centre. He was involved in development, training and evaluation work including a Local Sure Start Programme and as a tutor for the Early Years Regional Leadership Centre (North West). He holds the National Professional Qualification for Headship and studied for his MA Early Childhood Education with Care at the Pen Green Centre.
