I am Senior Lecturer in post-compulsory education and passionate about teacher education. I have significant hands-on experience, having worked in further education colleges for most of my working life. I have led teacher training at a large FE college, developing an interest in innovative approaches to teacher education and development.  I have also worked for the Institute for Learning as Regional Advisor, running CPD events as well as supporting and assessing QTLS applications. This broadened my experience and I became interested in teacher development and experience across the wider post-compulsory sector. Another expansion of my interests and experiences came from working for an educational research organisation, where I specialised in research informed practice, designing and delivering programmes for supporting professional enquiry.

Widening participation is key focus for me, and I have always used my experience to help promote, manage and support national programmes, such as Access to Higher education courses, serving on awarding body committees, and setting up regional networks.

My years of work with in-service teachers has given me a broad experience of the academic and vocational demands teachers face, and I have successfully supported teachers in a wide variety of curriculum areas, ranging from construction to accounting.

I remain fascinated by how learning works in different contexts and how the experience of students and tutors can be supported, celebrated and improved. My current PhD research focuses on understanding and comparing communities of practice within a diverse range of lifelong learning settings.

• University of Wolverhampton: MA Ed (FAHE)                           
• University of Wolverhampton: Post Graduate Diploma
• in Education (FAHE)                                                              
• Aston University: BSc (hons) Combined Subjects - First Class    
• Gained prize for best overall student in Combined Honours on graduation

Publications

• Contribution to book chapter on Identity and Autonomy in Lifelong Education on the FE experience – in progress with co-authors in PCE team and Dr Rob Smith and Dr Matt O’Leary

Practitioner publications in IfL’s In Tuition magazine:

Cordingley, P. and Groll, A. (2014) Teacher enquiry is the key to learning Autumn 2014, available at: http://www.curee.co.uk/node/3149

Conference Presentations

• Using PebblePad in Initial Teacher Education (ITE) - Co presented with Julie Hughes at Jisc conference – May 2012

• Curee, Senior Research Informed Practice Manager
• Birmingham Metropolitan College, Assistant Director,  Teacher Training
• Institute for Learning, Regional Advisor (secondment in addition to college duties)
• Curriculum Manager, Pastoral, Enrichment and Teacher Training
• Sutton Coldfield College, Lecturer (part time)
• Sutton Coldfield College, Programme Manager, Access Course
• Sutton Coldfield College, Programme Manager, A level General Studies

• QTLS (Qualified Teacher, Learning and Skills)
• FSET (Fellow of the Institute of the Society of Education and Training)