Oak Curriculum Partners

Matthew Burroughs, a dynamic and seasoned primary school teacher who has a real zest for physical education and a heart for nurturing young minds. With over six years experience as P.E. Lead across two schools, Matthew has transformed curriculums, making physical activity an exhilarating and inclusive experience for all students. Armed with NPQLT and NPQML qualifications, Matthew is also a passionate mentor, dedicated to supporting and inspiring fellow educators. His unwavering belief that “physical activity is for everyone—you just need to find your passion,” drives his innovative approach to teaching. A health and fitness enthusiast, Matthew embodies the spirit of active living and is on a mission to ignite that same passion in others. Whether he’s on the field, in the classroom, or leading a professional development session, Matthew’s energy and commitment make him an inspiring force in the world of education.

Jackie is an experienced teacher of over 20 years within Physical Education. Whilst being a curriculum lead, in 2011 she achieved Advanced Skills Teacher status and worked as a lead practitioner with a focus on teaching and learning. In 2016, she founded PeActive, a bespoke consultancy service specialising in using her experience of academic PE to raise engagement and maximise student attainment in GCSE and A level, as well as supporting teachers to deliver effective academic PE lessons and programmes. Jackie is fully involved in the examination and moderation process at GCSE, BTEC and A level and has been recognised for personalised and supportive in school support. Jackie is also a tutor for YST (Youth Sport Trust) where she is involved with the FA Game On and Shooting Stars inspired by Disney programmes, both of which target activity levels in girls. Jackie champions the power of physical activity on health, well-being and skills for life.

Carl Broome has been working within PE and youth sport for 20 years, both in the UK and internationally. He has led PE and sport in four schools, most recently as Director of Sport at Cheltenham Muscat in Oman, and also worked as a Head Coach at Aspire Academy for Sporting Excellence in Qatar with a focus on talent ID and multi-skill development. Carl holds an MA in Educational Leadership and an NPQSL while he also recently became a Co-Consultant for the IPLA. He is passionate about curriculum development and striving to achieve provision in PE and sport which inspires all young people to become physically literate.

Louise has over 15 years’ experience within education across the primary, secondary and online education sectors. She qualified from Leeds Beckett University in 2010 and went on to teach and lead PE across 3 different inner-city schools in Leeds and Bradford. Louise has a depth of experience as a PE teacher with wider experience in middle management as a Head of Department, Head of Year, Transition Lead and School Sports Coordinator. She is an enthusiastic ‘Leeds Girl Can’ ambassador and is passionate about breaking down barriers within Physical Education. Louise is about to embark on an exciting Master of Research degree within this area. More recently, Louise has worked as a content creator within online education as the role of PE Curriculum Specialist and Sport Subject Matter Expert for online qualifications as she is keen to reduce teacher workload. Louise is also the author of coursework booklets and revision guides for BTEC Sport and Health & Social Care. She is a qualified Sports Massage Therapist and has taught this within further education. Louise has a reputation for creating high quality PE resources that have been utilised both nationally and internationally to suit, include and help a range of learners access PE courses. Louise is passionate about inclusivity and giving every student the opportunity to access high quality Physical Education.

Katie is an experienced teacher, school leader, coach, mentor and training facilitator. With over twenty years of experience in the education sector, helping others to grow and develop is what drives her to work to the highest of standards. This has included leaders at all stages of their development, postgraduate and apprentice learners, tertiary, secondary and young adults, primary and early years children. Katie spent fifteen years working in international schools in the UAE in a variety of roles including Head of PE, Vice Principal and Vice President of a Professional Development organisation. During this time, she worked on several projects for the Ministry of Education and designed the Safeguarding Training undertaken by teachers as part of their process to gain a Teaching License for the region. She is passionate about supporting teachers to continue to develop throughout their career and has worked with both National Institute of Teaching and The Teacher Development Trust on the design, delivery and assessment of National Professional Qualifications (NPQs). During her time in schools, Katie has seen the wide ranging benefits of PE for children and is excited to work with the team at PE Scholar to empower all teachers to offer exceptional PE experiences for the children they teach.

Kirsty joined the University of Huddersfield in 2021 as a Senior Lecturer on the BSc (Hons) Sport and Physical Education course and is taking a sabbatical to work with us on this exciting project. She started her employment working as a secondary school Physical Education teacher. Kirsty has experience working in a diverse range of schools and has fulfilled several leadership positions including Head of Department and Head of Year. Kirsty has spent the last 10 years working in the HE sector. She was a Senior Lecturer at Sheffield Hallam University for 5 years before moving to the University of Huddersfield. At Sheffield Hallam, she taught on a variety of degrees including Physical Education and School Sport, Sport and Exercise Science, and Sport Development with Coaching. Throughout her career in HE, Kirsty has taken on additional roles including leading on Student Experience and Employability as well as mentoring staff. Kirsty has a keen interest in Sport Psychology and pursued an MSc in this area alongside her role as a teacher. Kirsty is currently undertaking a PhD exploring student motivation and engagement in Secondary School Physical Education. Kirsty is passionate about bridging the gap between theory and practice within PE, and her research focuses on improving the PE experience for both teachers and students. She has a particular interest in innovative pedagogical approaches and is excited to utilise her knowledge and expertise to help teachers offer students a meaningful and engaging PE experience. As well as being an experienced teacher and teacher educator, Kirsty has taken on the role of examiner and moderator for GCSE PE for the last 17 years. She has also fulfilled several External Examiner roles across a number of HE institutions.

Sarah has been a primary teacher for almost 30 years, working from early years to KS 2. Consequently, she has a wealth of experience, knowledge and understanding of the needs and likes of this age group. Sarah qualified as a Primary PE teacher in 1995 and has led PE in her current school for 13 years. She understands the pressures and demands on class teachers and has successfully supported and motivated staff to deliver high quality PE lessons. Sarah has worked with other PE leads from across her Multi-Academy trust, supporting them in their leadership with advice and documentation. She has created PE schemes of work, programmes of study, lesson plans and assessment materials for all staff. She is passionate about providing rich opportunities for all pupils, and works hard to ensure all pupils have access to these. Ofsted recognised her efforts and PE and Sport were highly acclaimed in the last inspection. Sarah has always been a gymnast. She successfully motivates children to be excited about movement and the endless possibilities they are capable of. Sarah is an advocate of PE framed as ‘Positive Experiences’ and is a firm believer in the power PE, sport and physical activity to support the holistic needs of all children, supporting physical abilities, social connections, mental health and wellbeing.

Claire Pring specialises solely in Dance holding a B.Ed (Hons) in Dance alongside an MA in Dance Studies and gained Advanced Skills Teacher status being described as ‘a shining light’. Recently she was commissioned by BBC Teach to devise the dance content for the highly regarded Step By Step KS1, 2 and 3 alongside One Dance UK. Claire regularly works with or advises arts companies such as The Royal Opera House, English National Ballet, Welsh National Opera, Balbir Singh Dance Company, Blue Apple Theatre on their education work and delivers training such as the Level 3 Award – Supporting the Delivery of Dance in PE & School Sport as well as creating bespoke packages for schools and national organisations such as People Dancing and One Dance UK. Currently she has been commissioned by Arts Council England to research the impact of Aphantasia on dance lessons, particularly referencing the teaching strategies we might use to mitigate the impact and enhance creativity which is the cornerstone of her practice.

Keira Wylie is a forward thinking change maker, putting Physical Education at the heart of school programmes. With over 17 years experience across primary and secondary PE she has built up a strong portfolio of turning departments around to take on a more modern, inclusive and ultimately more valuable approach to PE and school sport. Keira is a qualified PE teacher with a first class degree from the University of Bath. She has supported PGCE programmes and taken a lead on early career teacher development. She has fulfilled head of department and head of year roles simultaneously and contributed whole school through leading on teaching and learning. Her specialisms are in maximising engagement for all; tracking, planning and implementing in a journey to ensure 100% of the school community access additional movement time beyond PE lessons. In addition, Keira has held specific responsibility for student leadership, securing academy status across multiple establishments and supporting others to create equally strong pathways for student leadership. Utilising student voice to invoke change is something she has done brilliantly and resulted in PE Ambassadors being a key feature across schools in her local area. The Dartmoor and Teignbridge community have in recent years presented her with a sports personality of the year award for her work to change the ethos surrounding school sport in the region. She is currently a Head of PE on a part time basis so she can take on additional opportunities to make a wider impact. Shortlisted for subject leader of the year and being part of the team to receive the Youth Sport Trust award for highly commended practice in the outstanding secondary category have been the highlights of the year for her. Her passion is all things PE and she wishes to use her love of the subject to ensure every single student has positive experiences that impact their wider lives and the development of healthy habits.

Celia is a dedicated secondary PE teacher, with over 20 years of experience. She qualified from St Mary’s University, going on to teach and lead PE at different key stages and to be a Head of PE. Celia is an experienced mentor of trainee teachers from St. Mary’s University, Bedfordshire University and the University of Winchester. Training and mentoring ECTs is also a career highlight. She wants to ensure PE teachers of the future are student focused, well informed, safe, and realistic in their planning and practice. Celia is also a devoted member within her own PE department. She has developed comprehensive schemes of work, lesson plans, resources and assessment materials across all key stages, ensuring consistency and high-quality delivery of PE. Her core belief that ‘PE is the most important subject’, is a key driver. Physical health, mental resilience, and a willingness to take risks are essential life skills that foster kindness, teamwork, accountability, and discipline at their core; all developed in PE. Celia leads an active, outdoorsy lifestyle.

Celia is passionate about all aspects of PE and aims to share her love for the subject to create positive experiences for every student, influencing their overall lives and future health and happiness.