PGCE - School Direct Primary

Catherine Clutterbuck

Catherine is the Primary PGCE Course Leader. She lectures in inclusive practice, Primary Computing and is the module leader for the school experience modules across the programmes. She also works as a school experience tutor and personal academic tutor as part of Primary ITTE.

Catherine’s background is in the development of teachers. She was the Head of Pupil and Staff Welfare and Development and mentor for trainee teachers and NQTs. She is passionate about the holistic development of teachers and the impact educationalists have on pupils. 

When in school, Catherine primarily taught across Key Stages 2 and 3 and she was also Head of Computing. She was Head of Years 3 & 4 and has particular experience teaching through these years groups as well as dealing with pastoral concerns. In addition to this, Catherine was a Housemistress and Head of Boarding. 

Julie Sutton

Julie is the Primary Lead for School Based Provision and the PGCE Primary School Direct Strategic Lead. She works in close partnership with schools across the West Midlands and in the South West, supporting course development.

Julie lectures in music education across the postgraduate and undergraduate programmes and teaches pedagogy and professional practice within the PGCE ‘Developing Teacher’ module. She is a School Experience tutor and moderator for the PGCE Primary School Direct programme.

Prior to joining the University, Julie taught in Primary schools across Worcestershire and has experience of Early Years, Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2. Alongside leading music, she was a Senior teacher and Deputy Head teacher. Throughout her career, Julie has always followed her passion for developing high-quality music education for all, working as a Vocal Force facilitator for schools across the county and delivering music CPD to class teachers. She is currently the Chair of the Worcestershire Music Hub Steering committee.

Julie is a Senior Fellow of the HEA.

Dr Rhys Pritchard

Rhys works in the School of Education and is the Subject lead for Primary Physical Education. He joined the University of Worcester in June 2018 from Cardiff Metropolitan University where he worked as a lecturer of Physical Education and Sport Pedagogy. Previously, he taught in a variety of schools in Worcestershire and abroad in Dubai and Australia, experiencing both Primary and Secondary PE, but also in the classroom.

Rhys is a First Team Coach at Stourbridge Rugby Club who play in National 2 North and is currently undertaking his Welsh Rugby Union High Performing Coach qualification, the highest coaching qualification in the sport.

Lorna Williams

Lorna is the PGCE Early Years (3-7) cohort lead and the Early Years subject lead, supporting the development of Early Years in Primary initial teacher education at the University of Worcester.

Lorna teaches Primary Design and Technology across undergraduate and postgraduate pathways. Lorna also teaches on the PGCE ‘Developing Teacher’ module, as well as the Undergraduate ‘Teachers as Researcher independent study’ module specialising in Early Years and the ‘Foundation subjects: Diversity and Inclusion’ module.

Lorna has worked in primary schools in Solihull and Worcestershire coordinating the Creative Arts including Design and Technology. She is passionate about developing a creative curriculum that inspires and supports all learners to achieve. Lorna has 17 years’ experience as an Early Years Foundation Stage teacher, alongside her role as Early Years coordinator and Phase Leader in a Pre-school and Reception setting. During her time as a practitioner, Lorna supported and mentored students from University of Worcester on ITE Graduate and Undergraduate pathways and Early Childhood Degrees. Her role within the School of Education, as a school experience tutor, enables Lorna to support trainees to develop as professionals throughout their placements and into their early career.

Kim Harris

Kim has worked as a Senior Lecturer at the University of Worcester since 2010 following eight years teaching at the University of Cumbria and several years as a primary school teacher in two different counties of the UK.

During her time as a Primary teacher, she taught KS1 and KS2 classes at a range of rural and urban schools in Berkshire and Cumbria. Her school responsibilities included mathematics co-ordinator, history co-ordinator and music specialist.

Since joining the University of Worcester Kim has held the role of Graduate Teacher Programme (GTP) Course Leader, managing a cohort of GTP trainee for 2 years. Her current teaching responsibilities include teaching music pedagogy on the PGCE Primary degree and teaching undergraduate professional studies, research methods and music modules. She is also a School Experience Tutor and supports PGCE and undergraduate trainees on placement in partnership schools.

Kim began teaching on Higher Education courses in 2002 following her appointment as a Senior Lecturer in Teacher Education at the University of Cumbria where she contributed to the Primary undergraduate and postgraduate degrees as a music specialist. In addition, she developed the 3 Year BA QTS Music Specialism which prepared students to become music subject leaders. Kim also taught, and was a mentor, on the Master’s in Teaching and Learning (MTL) programme and held the post of Y3 cohort leader for 4 years supporting final placement student teachers up to their first appointment. While working at the University of Cumbria she was awarded a BERA Research Award for her work on the ‘Becoming at Teacher Educator: guidelines for induction’, a research project funded and published by the Higher Education Academy (Subject Centre for Education, ESCalate).

Sharon Lannie

Sharon is module leader for PGCE English at the University of Worcester and teaches on all the post-graduate, undergraduate and School Direct English modules. She also supports the development of English in primary schools across the Midlands through leading English CPD, including a termly network meeting for primary and middle school English Subject Leaders in the area. Sharon is also the PGCE Later Years Cohort Leader.

Genea Alexander

Genea Alexander has worked in education for many years. Currently, Genea teaches on the Primary Initial Teacher Education (with QTS) BA (Hons) and PGCE - Primary (QTS) courses within the Department for Primary Education. Genea’s roles include ‘The Learning Child: Pedagogy and Practice - Teaching and Learning for All’ Module Leader on the PGCE - Primary (QTS) course and Primary Languages Subject Lead.

Genea is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, a committee member of the National Primary Teacher Education Council (NaPTEC) and co-author of several publications. 

Andrew Taylor

Andy is a senior lecturer in primary education, teaching on both the PGCE and BA Primary Initial Teacher Education courses and he is currently the Operational Lead for the PGCE School Direct programme. Mainly teaching on Professional Practice modules he also leads the Developing Teacher module on the PGCE course which supports trainees in developing their knowledge and understanding of the skills needed to develop into an effective teacher. Alongside this Andy teaches PE to both Undergraduate and Postgraduate students as part of their teacher training. He also leads the behaviour management provision in the primary department and has enjoyed developing the provision for this since taking on the role.

Previous to starting at the University of Worcester Andrew had taught in schools in Gloucestershire for the past 16 years as a class teacher, assistant head and Deputy head teacher. Over his time in schools Andrew has honed his coaching and mentoring skills to support NQTs, ECTs and trainee teachers in building their strengths to be the best teachers they can be.

He joined the university in 2018 to pursue his passion for supporting trainee teachers, ECTs and NQTs and works as part of the staff team developing the support and provision for the Early Career Teacher Community.

Kate Morley

Kate is a senior lecturer, teaching across the postgraduate and undergraduate modules for English at the University of Worcester. She jointly leads English and safeguarding within the Primary Department. Kate also works as a School Experience and Dissertation tutor as part of Primary ITT and is a Personal Academic Tutor for postgraduates.

Suzanne Allies

Suzanne has worked at the University of Worcester since 2011 (part-time) and became a full-time lecturer in January 2016. Her passion is to support the mental health and wellbeing of students, teachers and children. She is trained to qualify people to become Youth Mental Health First Aiders.

Juliet Ness

Juliet is a lecturer, teaching across the undergraduate and postgraduate pathways for initial teaching training. Her primary role is teaching geography, she is also a School Experience and Dissertation tutor and a personal and academic tutor for the P.G.C.E school-based trainees. Juliet enjoys developing relationships with schools in the partnership and has responsibility as placement coordinator.

Prior to joining the university, Juliet had worked in primary schools across Birmingham and Worcestershire for more than 25 years. She was a senior leader with responsibility for, amongst other things, CPD, computing, geography, music, MFL, KS1 SATs and she was a moderator for KS1 Worcestershire team.

Daniel Whittaker

Before becoming a lecturer at the School of Education, Dan taught for 14 years in primary schools across Birmingham. In each of these schools, Dan led computing the schools’ computing provision, including responsibilities for online engagement and safeguarding. He is passionate about supporting trainee teachers in becoming confident teachers of computing. Dan is a registered CEOP Ambassador.

Dan is passionate about creating positive classroom climates and growing productive, respectful pupil-teacher relationships. His knowledge and enthusiasm for these underpin the ready to use, research-informed perspectives he offers to his students and in his professional writing. Dan combines these interests and his commitment for social justice in his doctoral research examining the discursive roots and effects of ‘no excuses’ schooling in the UK. Dan is passionate about securing excellent educational outcomes and experiences for children with SEND, especially for those children with Tourette’s Syndrome and ADHD.

Dan has delivered CPD and developed curriculum and pedagogy projects in schools across Europe. He has written and secured many Comenius/Erasmus+ grants and led his school to win the ‘HSBC International School of the Year Award’ while he was the international curriculum leader.