Dragonfly Training Ltd

Alan Jervis has over 27 years’ teaching experience, including 7 years as Assistant Head Teacher of a comprehensive school, with direct responsibility for teaching, learning and assessment. Alan has extensive experience of deploying new teaching and learning strategies, along with techniques to reduce student under-achievement. He has facilitated significant improvements in both GCSE and A level examination results (GCSE results have improved by 36%). The incredibly positive feedback we receive from delegates about Alan's courses are due to his enjoyable hands-on approach, backed up with clear classroom strategies. Alan is widely regarded as one of the UK's leading INSET providers and is Dragonfly Training's Senior Trainer.

I make my courses as practical and 'real world' as possible. I've attended so many courses in my teaching career and left thinking 'but what can I do with my classes tomorrow?' The courses I deliver are different. With all of my courses, I pack the day with strategies you really can use in the classroom. I don't expect you to stop up all night making resources either (we've all done too much of that!) Instead I offer quick and easy ideas that really push kids much further. I’m not a fan of 'games for games sake' either. I offer activities that make kids think, boost their concentration skills, get them producing high quality extended language and really motivate them. I’ve taught the 'willing & able' and the 'switched off & stroppy' - the strategies I offer teachers work across the age and ability range, save you time, push kids further and are all backed with DIES references so we can 'cover our backs' and do our learners justice. My best recommendations come from the teachers comments on my flyers and the fact that so many teacher come back on my various courses year after year. So, take a look at what they have to say and hopefully, I'll see you soon.

Clive has worked successfully as a producer and director in theatre, film and television for over 30 years, before founding Other Roads Training. He employs the same skills as a director when working with students and young people, coaching extensively in motivation, natural confidence, presentation and communication together with specialist workshops in Interview technique. His workshops have been enjoyed across the entire spectrum in education and training, from universities, independent schools and sixth-form colleges to some of the most challenging environments in the state sector.

Colin Troy is an experienced educationalist with over twenty five years teaching experience in a variety of settings including eight years as Head of Special Schools. He has been head of two residential special schools working with complex autism and challenging behaviour. He has also been head of a Specialist Further Education college working with 16-25 year olds with challenging needs. He is now a consultant, trainer and lecturer specialising in pupils and students of all ages with Special Educational Needs, including Autism, Emotional and Behavioural Needs and Specific Learning Difficulties. Colin also runs mentoring courses for students and teachers, management seminars and advises on inspections. He has also been a foster carer for children. Colin has worked extensively in the UK and has trained for Schools, Colleges, Parent Partnerships and Local Authorities. He has recently led training and conferences on Promoting Inclusion in Kuwait, Lahore, Milan, Berlin, Bucharest and Dublin. He has worked with the UN Development Fund promoting awareness on Special Needs issues and inclusion along with government departments in Kuwait and independent schools groups in Pakistan. Colin is a speaker at the International Schools Conferences in Prague and Madrid. He is an assessor for the Inclusion Quality Mark, Associate Lecturer with the British Dyslexic Association. Colin has been involved in developing DVD training material with leading practitioners such as Sue Cowley on behaviour management and in his own production in developing training techniques. Colin currently acts as an advisor and trainer to Local Authorities and schools on inclusion issues. He is a trustee of the Novalis Educational trust in Gloucestershire UK and Ruskin Mill Education Trust. He runs his own training company CT Educational Training Ltd.

Emma-Jayne Lloyd has been teaching jewellery, art and textiles techniques to both secondary school pupils and adults for several years. Having emerged from a textiles background, Emma-Jayne has since become a specialist in both glass and jewellery. Following experience in the fashion industry, Emma-Jayne set up her own glass jewellery business 'Designs by EJ' in 2004, which retails throughout South Wales and on the internet. Her real passion however is teaching. Emma-Jayne currently teaches art & design in South Wales, but is also trained in D&T and textiles. The experience of teaching art and design inspired Emma-Jayne to devise interesting schemes of work, for design led subjects. The aim was to excite pupils and challenge their perception of the arts and crafts, particularly disruptive pupils and those who struggle with drawing and painting

Francis Jones is a teacher who also writes, produces and directs for television and radio. Having taught English & Drama and EFL for years in the UK and abroad, and at both junior and secondary level, Francis branched out into television and radio in the mid-1990s. Five years ago he decided to combine the best of both worlds; a move that finds him teaching and training for Dragonfly as well as writing and producing for BBC Radio and television. For the past five years Francis has run highly successful video production workshops for pupils at secondary schools across the UK. His broadcasting experience includes working for the BBC and ITV across a broad range of genres. During this time he has worked with some of the UK's top names in broadcasting. With huge enthusiasm for video and film production, Francis, an advocate of plain English, has the rare ability to place himself in the position of the learner, identifying their requirements and responding to each individuals needs as they arise.

Jonathan Bockelmann-Evans BSc (Hons), MISMA, SCSP, SRP is a stress management consultant and a member of the International Stress Management Association. With an impressive record of treating stress-related illnesses in the NHS, Jonathan now divides his time between running Stress Management training courses in Schools, businesses and hospitals and helping patients at his busy private clinic in South Wales. Jonathan's courses are constantly in demand from schools throughout the UK. His reputation as an outstandingly competent INSET provider has been confirmed time and again by hundreds of glowing references, endorsements and letters of recommendation received from teachers around the country. His training days are a must for any school.

Karl has taught for 28 years as classroom science teacher, Science Faculty Coordinator, Deputy Headteacher and Headteacher. He continues to teach. He is now primarily an experienced Independent Education Consultant delivering high quality courses, conferences and school-based INSET focusing primarily on supporting colleagues to develop effective teaching strategies for adults and successful learning opportunities for children. He is a confident and accomplished public speaker with extensive experience of organising, leading and presenting professional training on a wide range of educational issues at both national and international level. To date he has delivered more than 1,200 training days. Evaluations of Karl’s training events are invariably outstanding. He has a proven track record of providing effective developmental leadership in support of sustained pupil, subject and school improvement. He has written for the TES and other professional journals and has written, directed and performed in commercially produced teacher training videos and DVDs. His personal strengths include a genuine enjoyment of, and competence in, the art of performing in front of large numbers of professional colleagues, and highly developed social and interpersonal skills which underpin a proven ability to lead, persuade, inspire and motivate all who are stake-holders in our collective educational endeavours.

Neil Atkin has taught for 20 years in the full range of educational establishments. The last nine of these he specialised as an AST in Science and IT, responsible for improving teaching and learning in schools coming out of 'failing' status, and was described by OFSTED as "inspirational" and his work as "outstanding". He is therefore highly experienced in the use of innovative strategies that he knows work in challenging situations. Neil is also at the forefront of developments in the use of ICT to transform the learning experience. He encourages students to 'perform their understanding' by creating a movie, song, picture, podcast, animation or presentation using an iPod Touch. In science Neil pushes the boundaries with a radical approach and has created a company 'exScites' which explores ways of using exciting activities such as surfing, skiing and climbing to teach the science curriculum. Neil is currently working for the Institute of Physics as the SW region Teaching and Learning Coach, supporting top grammar schools and National Challenge comprehensives and for The National Science Learning Centre as a Triple Science Consultant for physics and e-learning. Neil is a published author working as a science adviser and digital learning consultant for Hodder Murray and is about to release a revision resource supporting the new curriculum through Phillip Allan. His courses have outstanding feedback as they focus on your needs and give strategies, not just materials. One of the key objectives is to make your students work harder than you!

Pamela John has over 17 years’ teaching experience, most recently as Head of English in a comprehensive school. Pamela is an enthusiastic practitioner who is keen to share ideas and strategies with colleagues in order to maximise pupils’ learning experiences. Pamela, who holds a Master’s degree in Education, still teaches Key Stages 3, 4 and 5 as well as being an Examiner for GCSE English Literature, and a Consultative Moderator for GCSE Speaking and Listening.

Peter Talman has enjoyed a long career teaching drama and is an examiner and team leader for GCSE and A level Drama. He was formerly Head of Drama at Corfe Hills School in Dorset. He has directed every kind of drama with students including major musicals which have been performed on the professional stage at Poole Centre for the Arts for the past 20 years. Pete has run a Youth Theatre and has been a representative for Cultural Hub, a government scheme for the Arts in schools. He has written a number of shows and has a musical - "Arf-n-Arf" - published and available for School Productions. He recently directed two hundred children in the opera Noyes Fludde with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra and he is currently directing with Ringwood Musical and Dramatic Society.

Peter Dawes has 17 years’ experience of teaching MFL in a variety of schools, including A-level. During this time he has acquired a large repertoire of ideas and practical materials. Although he ceased full-time MFL teaching in 2001, his expertise is constantly applied and updated: not only through regular supply work, but also at the highly successful residential courses he has run at Kilve, Somerset, since 1998, and more recently at Devizes, Wiltshire. Peter has also become increasingly involved with languages and the internet. He is the author of the KS4 German Section of the Digital brain website and also wrote the GCSE revision materials for French and German, on the Schoolsnet site. Now based near Bristol, Peter has been working since 2000 as an independent consultant in MFL/ICT, visiting language faculties around the South-West and speaking at conferences, most recently for ALL. He is an engaging and enthusiastic trainer with a penchant for practical ideas and activities that require minimal preparation time.

Sarah Cole is a qualified teacher of Art and PSHE with thirteen years experience. She has experience of running in-house training courses since 2998 and strongly believes in developing teachers personal skills in order to build their own confidence when working with children. She believes that the best teacher is the one who is enthusiastic and passionate about their subject; this will naturally inspire children. Sarah has been involved in pastoral care working as a House leader for 6 years, and gained a Certificate of Achievement in the teaching of PSHE in 2004. She is highly experienced at training teachers to deliver aspects of Sex and Drugs education, and regularly runs sessions on Active Citizenship, which gives teachers the skills in how to manage difficult issues within the classroom. Sarah’s extensive classroom experience means that she is able to provide practical training that takes into account the constraints that many teachers work under.

Simon is Head of Mathematics at a large North Wales comprehensive school. The school has a normal intake, yet examination results in mathematics have been steadily improving for many years. The GCSE grade C pass rate now regularly exceeds 80%.

Stephen Badger is currently Deputy Head at an 11-18 mixed Independent school in Hampshire. He runs the whole-school INSET programme, organises and takes the Work Experience trips to France, coaches sport, prepares the school for inspections, organises cover and runs appraisal, but he says that his primary role is still the one he came into the job for - teaching children! Over the 20 years he has been teaching, Stephen has variously been responsible for re-introducing German into the curriculum, running German, French and MFL departments, and challenging staff and children with innovative approaches to teaching and learning. Steve also has 20 years of boarding experience, and have been a resident and non-resident tutor, as well as working with Houseparents in preparation for the recent ISI inspection. As a current teacher, all of the ideas he presents are being used with his classes (some of them probably the day before!), and are accessible to teachers of all vintages!

Stephen Chapman is the Managing Director of Dragonfly Training and has delivered training courses at over four hundred schools in the UK with great feedback from them all. He has also delivered training at schools in Monaco, Cyprus, Kuwait, Qatar and Dubai to the same very positive reaction. He has studied at the Universities of Liverpool and Cambridge and taught at schools in Kenya, the Caribbean, the USA and as Head of Department at a London comprehensive for several years. He was specially selected as a member of the Richmond Borough School Improvement Task Force due to the success his department had with exam results and numbers of those opting for the subject. His long awaited book on education "Improving Classroom Performance" has received superb reviews and his totally practical approach to teaching and learning is based upon what he believes works, not ticking boxes and putting buzz words together. Steve is well known to many teachers as being one of the best trainers in the world and is well known for his highly practical and realistic views. He remains jargon and buzz word free as well extremely enthusiastic. He remains in touch with classroom practice by teaching in various local schools both on a primary and secondary level. He also plays in a band, but his children don't want him to talk about that!

Steve Garnett has been a senior teacher in a large Nottinghamshire comprehensive where his role involved specific responsibility for developing learning and teaching. He is also a very experienced trainer having supported colleagues in the Primary, Secondary and Independent sectors. He is author of ‘Using Brain Power in the Classroom – Five Steps to Accelerate Learning’, which demonstrates his detailed knowledge of current thinking about learning. Steve has also been asked to write about his highly innovative ideas in various journals. Steve aims to deliver a value for money course that is highly practical and focussed on saving the teacher hours of time. Delegate feedback from courses run by Steve rates them highly for their wide range of excellent ideas delivered in a humorous and dynamic style.

Stuart Gibson is a former Director of ICT at a leading school in the north east of the United Kingdom. He has worked in a number of schools teaching ICT and Design and Technology for 15 years. As a curriculum manager he managed ICT, Computing at GCSE and A level, and also successfully introduced ECDL as an alternative course at KS4. With an excellent track record. Stuart moved into consultancy and training as a path for personal development and career progression. 'I always enjoyed the INSET we provided in school and I didn't want to move away from working in IT, so the logical progression was to move into providing stimulating INSET opportunities for colleagues in emerging technologies.' Stuarts review on 'rate my teacher.co.uk' says 'pure legend, always helpful and doesn’t give students a hard time!' He certainly brings this skill set to his INSET sessions. Stuart is a senior moderator with Edexcel and an experienced examiner with AQA. He trains on a variety of leading edge software applications as well as working with teachers and departments to develop coursework outcomes as KS4 and A level.

Tina Reibl has been an enthusiastic vocal teacher and workshop leader for 25 years. After training at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama she briefly worked as a professional singer before pursuing her real passion for education. Tina’s teaching career took her from working as a peripatetic singing teacher at Berkshire Maestros to lecturing Performing Arts at college followed by a role as teacher of Musical Theatre at a well known stage school. After working as an educational consultant for Slough Music Service, delivering workshops and CPD courses Tina has been appointed as one of the first 'Sing Up' leaders, responsible for the revival of a singing tradition in England. Tina is being regularly booked on choir weekends by choirs wanting a "choral health check" and fresh ideas. Generating a love for music in her students lies at the core of Tina's teaching; she describes herself as an"edutainer". Tina's music sessions are invariably cheerful, energetic, inspirational and enjoyable.

Tony Dickens has been a head of department at schools in Oxfordshire and Lincolnshire. He leads over 70 conferences each year for Dragonfly Training, including active whole school training days on learning and teaching. He writes a range of literary, linguistic and interactive whiteboard resources for commercial publishers, and he has published poems, short stories and ideas on how to improve writing at Key Stage 4. Tony has consistently achieved outstanding results with students of all ages and abilities through innovative, imaginative and engaging lessons. On observing one of his lessons an OFSTED inspector once wrote that he had seen some ‘remarkable teaching’.

Tony Woolstone has been running Modern Foreign Languages and other courses for many years and his dynamic and eccentric style will be familiar to many. He has over 40 years classroom experience and although nominally retiring in 2008, returned to the classroom in 2011 where he continues to teach both French and Spanish from Year 5 to Year 13. He has been a Head of Department and Deputy Head, is Chair of Languages for a major examining Board and continues to be a Schools’ Inspector. His courses guarantee a thought- provoking day from which you will return almost certainly enriched and very probably exhausted!