Meet the team

“I am extremely pleased to be ACT’s Honorary President. The role of those teaching citizenship is fundamental to the success of all children in their learning and lives as well as reinforcing a functioning democracy. The subject of citizenship develops essential knowledge and understanding of how we live together, an appetite for engagement with politics, and practical skills to work together to take citizenship actions forward. ACT continues to play a critical role working with teachers and schools nationally to develop, support and promote the high quality citizenship teaching we need to see in every school.”

As Secretary of State, David Blunkett set up the Advisory Group for Citizenship and Teaching of Democracy in schools, chaired by ACT founder Professor, Sir Bernard Crick. This led to Citizenship Studies becoming a statutory National Curriculum subject in secondary schools from 2002.

“Working with citizenship teachers is inspirational and shows the power and impact of high quality subject teaching for young people every day.”

Liz leads the Charity, working with our Board, Teacher Council and staff and overseeing key programmes including the Active Citizenship in Schools Programme and the Five Nations Network in the UK and Ireland. She has a MSc Politics and Public Policy from  Birkbeck London and a BA Hons Geography with Archaeology from Manchester University. Liz has worked in education for over twenty five years and led the development of Citizenship as a new curriculum subject in previous roles for central government. She has expertise in national curriculum reviews, curriculum design and national policy. Liz is a Director of the Council for Subject Associations. She is also the Department for Education’s UK representative to the Council of Europe Education Policy Network on Democratic Citizenship and Human Rights and a member of the Advisory Board on Sustainable Development. Liz is a regular speaker at conferences and has written extensively on Citizenship education in the curriculum. Her writing includes,

The Curriculum and Pedagogy of Values Based Education in Citizenship, Chapter 6 in On the value of subjects… and the subject of values, 2022 John Catt https://www.hachette.co.uk/titles/bridget-knight-2/on-the-subject-of-values-and-the-value-of-subjects-new-thinking-to-guide-schools-through-the-curriculum/9781915261298/

Citizenship Education in England: Policy and Curriculum in The Palgrave Handbook of Citizenship and Education , 2020 Springer Palgrave https://link.springer.com/referenceworkentry/10.1007/978-3-319-67828-3_22

Chapter 3, Citizenship in the National Curriculum in Learning to Teach Secondary Citizenship, 2015 Routledge https://www.routledge.com/Learning-to-Teach-Citizenship-in-the-Secondary-School-A-companion-to-school/Gearon/p/book/9780415826471

Outside of work, Liz is an avid Watford FC fan, and enjoys ballet, tea and cake.

“Citizenship education helps to connect young people with the world around them and inspires them to participate in our democracy, challenge injustice and lead change. Looking at the challenges we face in society, there’s never been a greater need for high quality citizenship education to be taught in schools.”

Richard leads and develops programme operations that contribute to increased awareness of the role and value of Citizenship education, and aids practitioners nationwide to embed the subject in their schools. He works closely with colleagues and strategic partners, and supports ACT’s communications, operations and business development. Richard has a BSc (Hons) in Sports and Exercise Science and was a Director of Partnerships and Communications at Young Citizens – a youth empowerment and participation charity. He has also performed extensive outreach work in over 300 secondary schools and managed national and international citizenship education programmes. He is a long-term volunteer with One Degree, which empowers students from less advantaged backgrounds by developing their self-belief and transforming their academic performance.

Outside of work Richard loves watersports and tennis, long walks in the Oxfordshire countryside and time with his family.

“The reason I love Citizenship education and continue to be inspired by the subject is seeing the impact it has on young people. There is nothing greater than awakening the possibility to a young person that they have the chance to change the world.“

Zoe leads on the development and delivery of professional learning, working with a range of agencies and ACT regional Teaching Ambassadors. She works in close partnership with colleagues and consultants to ensure that our teachers have a wealth of material to draw on to support their roles in school. Zoe’s qualifications include a History and Social Science BA hons, PGCE, and Fellowship of Holocaust Education. She also works on the ITT programme at Canterbury Christ Church University, and she has been a teacher in Kent for over 20 years, as well as an ACT teaching advisor. Zoe is also a freelance educator at the Holocaust Educational Trust, working on the Lessons From Auschwitz Project and accompanying survivors into schools to deliver their testimony.

Outside of work Zoe attempts to run, enjoys a ballet class and spoils her cat Dennis who sometimes drops into CPD webinars.

Amit is our Adviser on Equality, Diversity and Inclusion. A former Citizenship Teacher, he is now a Senior Lecturer and Course Leader at Kingston University. His research interests include Citizenship, social pedagogy, race equity and neurodiversity.  He is a member of the European Race Equity forum.

“ACT’s vision for all young people to be equipped with the knowledge and skills to become active and informed citizens struck a chord with me personally. In both my professional and personal life I have witnessed the positive impact education can have. ACT’s critical role in supporting high quality citizenship education is as inspiring and important as it is impactful.”

Joe joined ACT in January 2023 as Digital Marketing Manager. Utilising key skills in Digital Marketing, Content Creation and SEO Management his role is to help promote and highlight ACT’s mission and services.

Prior to joining ACT Joe held several marketing roles within the education sector, including a senior management role in a distance learning college and education charity. Joe is passionate about widening participation and the transformative impact of education.

Away from work, Joe enjoys playing and listening to music, independent cinema and reading. He lives near Cambridge with his partner and daughter.

“I firmly believe Citizenship education is a cornerstone in ensuring young people enter adulthood as well-rounded, informed citizens, equipped with the knowledge and skills to make a real impact in society. I’m incredibly proud to work for ACT, helping teachers to deliver quality education in such an essential subject.”

Jess joined the team in September 2023 having worked with ACT for over a year as a consultant. She works closely across the team to deliver varied and engaging Citizenship CPD events for teachers of all experience levels. In addition, she uses her abundance of creative and technical skills in the design of our education resources and their promotion to our members.

Prior to joining ACT, Jess worked as a freelance designer and video editor and held roles in content production, design and quality assurance for a national education provider.

In her free time, Jess enjoys travel, reading and spending time with her dog Barnaby.

Leah joined ACT in June 2024 as a Membership & Communications Officer. In her role, she delivers customer service support to both new and existing ACT members, as well as providing broader administrative and communications assistance to the team.

Prior to joining ACT, Leah worked as a Programmes Manager, for a south London-based C.I.C, helping provide media training opportunities for young people from underserved communities. She also has extensive experience in customer service and customer service management.

Outside of work, Leah enjoys reading, running and spending time in the Scottish countryside. She also regularly volunteers for her local Disability Access Panel.

“I am a strong believer in the importance of high-quality citizenship education and the transformational impact it can have on all young people. When done effectively, it supports young people to develop the values, attitudes and behaviours that enable and motivate them to exercise and defend their democratic rights and responsibilities in society. It provides them with the tools they need to take on the complex challenges facing the world today, something that is more important now than ever.”

Naomi joined ACT as project manager for learning resources in 2024 and will be leading our work with Oak National Academy. A trained primary school teacher, Naomi has over 15 years’ experience in curriculum development for both citizenship and careers education. She has extensive experience of developing learning resources and education programmes for both primary and secondary aged young people. Prior to working at ACT, Naomi spent 12 years at the youth empowerment and participation charity Young Citizens. She has held a number of roles from outreach manager for social action projects to education manager overseeing the development of learning resources. Naomi has also acted as a consultant for curriculum development working with a range of organisations.

Outside of work, when Naomi is not busy with her young family, she enjoys cycling, running and is also a member of various choirs.

“We should not underestimate the challenge, nor should we underestimate our collective potential as teachers to make the world a better place, for and through our students.”

Lee is leading our research team on the ACT active citizenship programme, and he coordinates the research and evaluates the impact of ACT’s work. Lee also edits the journal ‘Education, Citizenship and Social Justice’ and he is co-editor of ‘Teaching Citizenship’. He has a PhD Citizenship Education, MA Colonial and Post-colonial History, and PGCE Social Science. For the past 18 years, Lee has worked in higher education training teachers, running MA and CPD programmes, and supervising doctoral students. He was also Education Director at the Institute for Citizenship. And he was a history and sociology teacher  in secondary schools.

In his spare time, Lee loves history and cooking (and eating).

“The current political landscape highlights the urgency of effective Citizenship Education and the importance of student voice. I feel passionately about developing critical thinking skills in children and young people enabling them to become active, empathetic, informed citizens who can make positive and fulfilling contributions to society.”

Faiza is on our research team for the ACT active citizenship programme and she contributes to the collection, analysis and reporting of data from students and teachers, ensuring all research and evaluation activities adhere to ethical standards. Faiza has a MA in Childhood and Education in Diverse Societies from Middlesex University and has worked as a Primary School teacher in the London boroughs of Barnet and Islington for 10 years.

In her spare time, she enjoys tennis, fashion and music.

“Better informed citizens means a better society.”

Yaqub is on our research team for the ACT active citizenship programme and he contributes to the collection, analysis and reporting of data from students and teachers, ensuring all research and evaluation activities adhere to ethical standards. His qualifications include an MA in Islamic and Middle East Studies from the University of Edinburgh and a Certificate in Teaching from the Chicago Center for Teaching at the University of Chicago, where he also studied anthropology. Yaqub Previously worked as a lecturer and preceptor in the Division of Social Sciences at the University of Chicago.

In his spare time he enjoys cycling.

Kylie is studying at the University of Colorado Boulder, majoring in Psychology with a minor in Sports and Media. Her interest in
psychology stems from a genuine curiosity about the human mind and behavior, while her minor in Sports and Media reflects a fascination with the intersection of psychology and sports.

Beyond academics, Kylie co-founded Desserts By
Lauren, a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to raising funds for breast cancer research in memory of her late mother. Kylie also participates in her in the university’s volunteer program, the CU Athletics Equipment
Team, and enjoys hobbies like tennis, workouts, painting, and drawing.

Kylie joined ACT this spring to contribute her skills in Marketing and build her understanding of the charity sector.

Debbie has worked as a consultant copywriter and editor for ACT since November 2022, focusing on the quality, accuracy and consistency of the wide-ranging resources we produce. With particular expertise in the education and charity sectors, her experience spans teaching and learning resources, textbooks, digital media, magazines, and sales and marketing materials for clients such as the British Council, Comic Relief, Children in Need, UNICEF and Change4Life. She worked as an editor on the Design Council’s magazines for schools, managed publications for the National Council for Vocational Qualifications, and produced national curriculum materials for QCA.

When Debbie isn’t working, she enjoys camper van trips, going to gigs and attempting to play the piano.

Marcus is Head of School of Education, Midwifery and Social Work at Kingston University London and a member of the University’s Senior Leadership Group. He has strategic responsibility for all areas of the School’s work, including its course portfolio, research and its partnerships with schools, government and industry. He is a former London secondary school teacher of history, politics and citizenship and led one of the first discrete citizenship departments in England. He has been a member of two subject expert panels for national curriculum citizenship and led a three year exemplification of standards in citizenship project for QCDA. From 2007-2013, he led a Citizenship PGCE at London Metropolitan University. Marcus continues to write and research in the subject area. Marcus joined the ACT Board of Trustees in 2019.

Sarah has worked in a range of public sector roles ranging from legal aid policy to leading the team responsible for including citizenship education in the National Curriculum. Since then she has worked on a wide range of education policies such as examination reforms, school building projects and vocational education. She spent 3 years in the Cabinet Office, a year seconded as Director of Strategy and Governance at the Equalities and Human Rights Commission. She is currently Director of Post 16 Skills and Strategy at the Department of Education. Sarah has job shared for over fifteen years and supports flexible working. She is a primary school governor. Sarah joined the ACT Board of Trustees in 2019.

Hans is Subject Leader PGCE Citizenship at IOE, UCL’s Faculty of Education & Society. Previously while delivering teacher training he led and managed several degree courses within a FE/HE setting. Hans was trained in Citizenship Education and has taught a range of secondary subjects including Citizenship GCSE and A-Levels in Citizenship and Politics. He has been a Head of Citizenship in a school in Luton and a large London FE College. Hans has also worked in the third sector creating and developing educational resources, teacher training and student workshops. Hans is involved in numerous projects to promote citizenship values across different teaching sectors. He has been a member of ACT Council since 2014 and was Vice Chair from 2017-2023. In 2018 he became co-editor of ACT journal ‘Teaching Citizenship’. Hans joined the ACT Board in June 2020 & became Vice Chair of Trustees in 2023.

Asjad is a fellow member of ACCA and a member of the Chartered IIA, UK with considerable experience of working with professional services firms, public sector organisations, and commercial entities. He has specialist expertise in provision of professional services such as governance, internal audit and risk management. Asjad assumed responsibility for managing internal audit and accounting functions for various commercial businesses and joined the ACT Board of Trustees in January 2021.

Scott was a teacher of history and politics, LEA adviser, Chief Examiner (history) and textbook author before becoming an HMI in 1990. Scott represented Ofsted on the Citizenship Advisory Group chaired by Professor (Sir) Bernard Crick and was the specialist adviser for citizenship at Ofsted until his retirement in 2009. He was responsible for the inspection survey of citizenship in schools and also for inspection of citizenship initial teacher education and continuing professional development. He now works as an education consultant. Scott joined the ACT Board of Trustees in 2013.

Richard is a senior lecturer in law at the University of Wolverhampton with over 20 years of experience working in Higher Education. He is a qualified solicitor and formerly practised in criminal law before becoming an academic. His research interests are in protest law, human rights and the law of criminal evidence, and he is the author of a number of publications on these subjects. Richard has a longstanding interest in citizenship studies due to his involvement in legal education and as a result of studying politics and sociology in Bernard Crick’s department at Birkbeck University of London. Richard joined the ACT Board of Trustees in January 2021.

Helen is the Bohunt Trust Subject Director of Personal Development
Curriculum Leader PSCHE. In addition she has responsibility for Pupil Voice and Pupil Leadership. Helen initially trained as a secondary teacher in Business Education but has been involved in Citizenship education for over 20 years. She has been a committed member of ACT Council since 2012 and has helped to plan the ACT national conference, written articles for the journal and worked on curriculum briefings to support teachers and Citizenship professionals with the new National Curriculum.  Helen is also a member of the Expert Subject Group for Citizenship and has contributed to the Five Nations Network as a country expert for England. Helen became Chair of ACT Council in 2015.

Nansi started out as a primary teacher in West Wales, specialising in RE, before moving to teach in London. She moved into education policy, working on primary assessment and early years curriculum for SCAA and QCA, and then as primary education adviser for ATL, the education union. She became Assistant General Secretary at ATL and then at the NEU, leading policy and research, and developing expertise in strategy, people and change management. Nansi is now an education policy consultant, building policy and influence with a range of organisations. She is trustee at Culham St Gabriel’s, and vice chair of Governors at a primary school.

Helen is the Bohunt Trust Subject Director of Personal Development Curriculum Leader PSCHE. In addition  she has responsibility for Pupil Voice and Pupil Leadership. Helen initially trained as a secondary teacher in Business Education but has been involved in Citizenship education for over 20 years. She has been a committed member of ACT Council since 2012 and has helped to plan the ACT national conference, written articles for the journal and worked on curriculum briefings to support teachers and Citizenship professionals with the new National Curriculum.  Helen is also a member of the Expert Subject Group for Citizenship and has contributed to the Five Nations Network as a country expert for England. Helen became Chair of ACT Council in 2015.

Sera Shortland completed a Citizenship PGCE course at Leicester University in 2004. Since qualifying she remains a classroom practitioner, being Head of Citizenship at New College Leicester and has a passion for teaching and learning all things citizenship, recently being awarded a subject matter specialist with Ofqual.  Sera obtained a National Professional Qualification in Senior Leadership in 2015 and completed a Master’s Degree in Education at Birmingham University in 2019.  Sera is active memberACT, being both Vice Chair of Council, Teaching Ambassador and Co-editor of the Teaching Citizenship journal. Sera regularly contributes CPD sessions for both ACT Conference, UCL Citizenship ITT students and the Gordon Cook 5 Nations conference. She has produced and consulted on Citizenship lessons for OAK National Academy and BBC Bitesize.

Ben is a specialist Citizenship teacher and teaches 11 to 16 year old pupils at Bradfield School, a secondary school in Sheffield. He also teaches A-Level Politics and Law. Ben is a member of ACT Council. He is a local Councillor on Sheffield City Council and an active community campaigner.

Hans is Subject Leader PGCE Citizenship at IOE, UCL’s Faculty of Education & Society. Previously while delivering teacher training he led and managed several degree courses within a FE/HE setting. Hans was trained in Citizenship Education and has taught a range of secondary subjects including Citizenship GCSE and A-Levels in Citizenship and Politics. He has been a Head of Citizenship in a school in Luton and a large London FE College. Hans has also worked in the third sector creating and developing educational resources, teacher training and student workshops. Hans is involved in numerous projects to promote citizenship values across different teaching sectors. He has been a member of ACT Council since 2014 and was Vice Chair from 2017-2023. In 2018 he became co-editor of ACT journal ‘Teaching Citizenship’. Hans joined the ACT Board in June 2020 & became Vice Chair of Trustees in 2023.

Lee is Associate Professor in Education at Middlesex University. Lee trained as secondary teacher in Social Studies and taught History and Sociology for several years before moving to the HE sector, where he taught on PGCE programmes, as well as a variety of CPD & MA courses. Lee has been involved with ACT since it began in 2001 and served on the Board of Trustees and was Chair of Council until April 2013. Lee is co-editor of the ACT journal ‘Teaching Citizenship’.

David is Head of Intial Teacher Education at the University of Reading. He was previously a Programme Director of Research at the National Foundation for Educational Research where he led the 10 year longitudinal study on Citizenship in England and its impact. He has previously been an adviser to the DFE, worked internationally on research projects including the International Civic and Citizenship Education Study, and has written extensively on Citizenship education. He became Co-Editor of the ACT journal ‘Teaching Citizenship‘  in 2018.

Anna is a Lecturer of Education at Sheffield Hallam University. Her PhD was on how schools teach about peace and war. Since finishing her PhD, she has worked on research projects related to citizenship education. Prior to going into academia, Anna was Peace Education Officer for the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament. She has been involved with ACT since around 2012 and has recently joined the editorial board of Teaching Citizenship.

Amit is a council member for ACT, he is Senior Lecturer and Course Leader at Kingston University (KU). He has taught citizenship and social sciences in London schools previous to developing courses at Kingston University. Amit hosts the Citizenship Education Podcast on behalf of ACT and KU. He was one of the early graduate of the Citizenship PGCE course, since then he has completed a Masters in Sociology of Education, and currently at the final stages of a PhD with a focus on intersectionality of class and race in education.

In his spare time, he enjoys spending time with the family, supporting Arsenal and trying out the latest and sweetest vegan desserts!

Aroosa is a teacher of Citizenship at Key Stage 3-4, as well as Law and Sociology at Key Stage 5. She teaches pupils across ages 11-18 in a large multicultural secondary school in Harrow. Prior to teaching, Aroosa developed a wide range of experience in the legal industry, specialising in civil dispute resolution. Now she enjoys debating with students and bringing real life scenarios to her lessons so that students can bridge the gap between education and the world of work. Aroosa is an ACT Council Member and writes for the ACT journal ‘Teaching Citizenship’.

Ella completed her PGCE in Citizenship at the IOE after studying Politics, Philosophy, and Economics at the University of Manchester. She has trained at two schools in Harrow and is now starting her ECT years at Westminster City School as an Economics Teacher. She continues to teach Personal Development in her ECT years to her year 7 form group, outlining the importance of educating young people about the ever-evolving world around them. Ella is passionate about inspiring the future generation to have the skills to be both critical thinkers and media literate. Teaching Economics through a citizenship lens allows young people to understand the overlap between the political climate and the economy using real-world case studies, allowing students to form their own views and respectfully understand opposing views.

Steven is Head of Citizenship and PSHE at Altrincham Grammar School for Girls, Manchester. He teaches Citizenship as a discreet subject across Key Stage 3 and 4 and has a large option GCSE group, following the Edexcel specification. He has a Religious Studies and Sociology degree, and is particularly interested in Human Rights, Equality and the role of the media in contemporary society.

Bryden is the Lead Practitioner for Citizenship and PSHE at the Ormiston Academies Trust. He grew up in Melbourne, Australia, and has lived in England for over ten years. Bryden’s aim is to ensure that all pupils are aware of their rights, and that they have the knowledge and skills to be able to make informed decisions in their daily lives.

Scott is CTL for Social Science and Whole School SMSC Lead at Heanor Gate Spencer Academy in Derbyshire. He is a member of ACT Council and took part in the ACT Building Resilience Project. Scott recently completed his Masters in Education.

Coming soon

Madeleine completed a PGCE in Citizenship at the IOE after studying at the University of York and Goldsmiths. Madeleine now teaches Sociology, PSHCE, Oracy and History at Langley Park School for Girls in Bromley.

Zoe Fox is the subject leader of Citizenship at Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Engineering College in Skelmersdale, Lancashire. She graduated from the University of Central Lancashire with a degree in History and worked as a Chaplain at a high school in Liverpool before moving to Our Lady’s, which is her former high school. Whilst at Our Lady’s, she undertook the Wigan and West Lancashire Catholic Schools Direct training to qualify as an RE teacher. Our Lady’s has nurtured her passion for Citizenship and has encouraged her to develop their Citizenship GCSE offer and develop their Curriculum for Life school-wide programme.

James is currently Lead Senior Professional Tutor at Harris Initial Teacher Education, where he is Course Lead for the RE with Citizenship programme. James has worked across a wide variety of roles related to Citizenship education, including as a PGCE Citizenship lead, a local authority advisor, and Head of Department. James holds a Master’s degree in Psychosocial Studies and Education with a particular focus on Initial Teacher Education.

James has previously worked as a consultant for ACT and sat as a member of the Expert Subject Advisory Group for Citizenship. While at the Hackney Learning Trust, James worked with The English and Media Centre to co-produce a popular anthology of short stories and novel extracts entitled, Diverse Shorts: Literature to Promote Critical Thinking, specifically designed to promote critical literacy through engagement with citizenship concepts.

Samed completed his PGCE in Citizenship at the IOE after obtaining a BA degree in Politics and International Relations from Goldsmiths University and a Master’s degree in international politics from City University of London. During his PGCE placements, Samed trained at two secondary schools in Enfield and now teaches Politics at Key Stage 3-5, at Bridge Academy in Hackney. Samed is passionate about being a positive role model to the younger generations, particularly those from the same ethnic and religious background as him; and using real life case studies and often his own life experiences to bridge the gap between the classroom and the real world. He is also passionate about teaching political literacy and critical thinking skills, among many other vital skills, to the decision-makers of tomorrow.

Angelica is the Head of Humanities at Burlington House School in Fulham, an SEN specialist school for students with specific learning difficulties. She teaches Citizenship, PSHE, Sociology, and Geography, bringing a creative approach to pedagogy that ensures all children have the opportunity to achieve their potential. She has a degree in Sociology and International Relation from the University of British Columbia in Canada and completed her PGCE in Citizenship and Social Sciences from Kingston University. As well as a Level 3 Accreditation from the British Dyslexia Association. Coming from Canada, Angelica enjoys bringing a unique international perspective to her teaching, and fostering a diverse and inclusive learning environment.

Helen is the Bohunt Trust Subject Director of Personal Development
Curriculum Leader PSCHE. In addition she has responsibility for Pupil Voice and Pupil Leadership. Helen initially trained as a secondary teacher in Business Education but has been involved in Citizenship education for over 20 years. She has been a committed member of ACT Council since 2012 and has helped to plan the ACT national conference, written articles for the journal and worked on curriculum briefings to support teachers and Citizenship professionals with the new National Curriculum.  Helen is also a member of the Expert Subject Group for Citizenship and has contributed to the Five Nations Network as a country expert for England. Helen became Chair of ACT Council in 2015.

David is the Head of Department for RE, Citizenship and PSHE at Esher Church of England High School in Surrey. He became a teacher after working within secondary schools in London as a volunteer mentor and teaching assistant, and then department lead, before becoming a teacher. He joined ACT towards the end of his NQT year in 2020, supporting teachers who were new to the subject, as well as ECTs.

Jane is Head of Citizenship at a small 11-16 comprehensive school in the south Cotswolds. She has around 80 pupils studying GCSE Citizenship Studies and is responsible for the key stage 3 Citizenship curriculum. A History teacher originally, Jane has found the transition to leading Citizenship invigorating as it brings a fabulous ‘live’ element to her classroom.

Daryl Henson has been in education since 2014. Having started his training teaching A-Level/Foundation degree level Law, he transitioned into secondary education teaching English. Having obtained a Masters Degree in Law, he followed his passion and in 2018 was able to introduce Citizenship Studies as an optional GCSE subject at his current school, Wyvern College. Teaching dual subjects certainly has its positives when it comes to Citizenship education, as we can explore cross curricular issues that arise. He was recently appointed as the North East Regional Ambassador for the Association of Citizenship Teachers, and very much welcomes the chance to develop whilst working with ACT.

Steven is Head of Citizenship and PSHE at Altrincham Grammar School for Girls, a large state 11-18 grammar school in Trafford, Manchester. He teaches Citizenship as a discreet subject across Key Stage 3 and 4 and has a large option GCSE group, following the Edexcel specification. He has a Religious Studies and Sociology degree, and is particularly interested in Human Rights, Equality and the role of the media in contemporary society.

Bryden is the Lead Practitioner for Citizenship and PSHE at the Ormiston Academies Trust. He grew up in Melbourne, Australia, and has lived in England for over ten years. Bryden’s aim is to ensure that all pupils are aware of their rights, and that they have the knowledge and skills to be able to make informed decisions in their daily lives.

Ayla works at Leeds City Academy and plays a vital role in supporting the Personal Development student outcomes across the school. She teaches Citizenship, PSHE and English as well.

Ryan is Curriculum Leader for Humanities at Addey and Stanhope School. He is a trained Citizenship teacher and has been leading the subject and teaching Citizenship explicitly in the curriuclum for over ten years. Ryan has been involved in working with ACT and contributed to national curriculum development projects. Ryan’s approach to teaching the subject has been positively recognised by Ofsted.

Ben is a specialist Citizenship teacher and teaches 11 to 16 year old pupils at Bradfield School, a secondary school in Sheffield. He also teaches A-Level Politics and Law. Ben is a member of ACT Council. He is a local Councillor on Sheffield City Council and an active community campaigner.

Sera Shortland completed a Citizenship PGCE course at Leicester University in 2004. Since qualifying she remains a classroom practitioner, being Head of Citizenship at New College Leicester and has a passion for teaching and learning all things citizenship, recently being awarded a subject matter specialist with Ofqual.  Sera obtained a National Professional Qualification in Senior Leadership in 2015 and completed a Master’s Degree in Education at Birmingham University in 2019.  Sera is active memberACT, being both Vice Chair of Council, Teaching Ambassador and Co-editor of the Teaching Citizenship journal. Sera regularly contributes CPD sessions for both ACT Conference, UCL Citizenship ITT students and the Gordon Cook 5 Nations conference. She has produced and consulted on Citizenship lessons for OAK National Academy and BBC Bitesize.

Nicola Foyle teaches History, Geography and Citizenship in the Post 14 phase at an independent specialist school in Derby. This includes teaching entry level and GCSE qualifications as well as overseeing Key Stage 3 provision. Nicola originally started as a secondary school dance and drama teacher before moving into teaching in SEN schools in 2012 and has worked at her current school since 2013. She had a keen interest in citizenship and started developing her subject knowledge and teaching through ACT CPD sessions before becoming an ambassador.