Previous Experience

Francesco began his career as a General and Financial Manager in the private sector, where he developed expertise in finance, budgeting and interest rates. His passion for teaching led him to Bradford College, where he started as a Maths Specialist and also taught ESOL, employability, citizenship and Italian. He advanced to the role of Curriculum Team Leader in the ESOL provision in Further Education (FE) and is currently serving as a Curriculum Team Leader in the English, Maths, Employability and Digital Skills provision.

Teaching Responsibilities

In his role as a Curriculum Team Leader, Francesco is dedicated to ensuring students’ academic progress and helping them achieve their targets to gain essential employability skills. He oversees curriculum development, monitors student performance and implements strategies to support student success. Francesco is committed to creating a supportive learning environment that transforms students’ lives and helps them reach their future goals.

Professional Interests

Francesco is passionate about delivering comprehensive programmes in English, Maths, Employability and Digital Skills. He aims to equip students with the skills needed for success in today’s digital world and in their everyday lives.

Previous Experience

I graduated from Bradford College with both my BA (Hons) Degree and Masters degree in 2015. I had a successful career in corporate sales in managing and IT educational software services.

Being dyslexic, I was never seen as one of the academically minded students in school, but with my higher education achievements and how it played a huge part of my career progression and development, I want people to know that anything is possible.

Bradford College has an excellent higher education program and as part of the HE Recruitment and wider participation engagement team, my passion is engaging with people of all ages. I want to show them the possibilities and benefits of degrees and Higher Technical Qualifications and how they can truly transform lives through education.

Previous Experience

After entering the catering industry, Richard trained at the Leiths School of Food & Wine in London. He gained years of restaurant experience before running his own restaurant in Skipton for 17 years – endorsed by the Good Food Guide.

Richard has been at the College for eight years, is CertEd qualified, and teaches Level 2 Professional Cookery while facilitating learning in the College’s Grove Restaurant.

Previous Experience

Nigel has industrial experience as a geophysicist before retraining as a teacher of geology and science. He has thirty years of teaching and leadership experience across a wide variety of schools including: CTC’s, academies, free and local authority schools throughout the Midlands and Bradford.

Teaching Responsibilities

Nigel plans and delivers lectures in Education and Science on the PGCE Secondary programme. Nigel also works as a link tutor on the PGCE Secondary programme and QTS assessment only route and as well as being a Masters dissertation tutor.

Professional Interests

All areas of teaching and learning with particular interest in curriculum and assessment.

Previous Experience

Newly recruited to the PSET team, Claire has been a teacher of English GCSE Language and A-Level Literature in Bradford College and has twenty years further education (FE) teaching experience.

Teaching Responsibilities

Claire is involved in the design, delivery and assessment of our Certificate in Education and Training, Postgraduate Diploma in Education and Training, BA Hons Education Studies and the Level 3 Award in Education and Training. Claire is also the module lead for PSET Teaching Learning and Assessment as well as being a personal and Link tutor for pre-service trainees.

Professional Interests

Claire is particularly interested in the embedding of English and maths in vocational teaching, including the promotion of the importance of this to students and institutions. She also has an interest in the development of formative and summative assessment strategies for 16-18 year olds in further education.

Previous Experience

I am a Senior Engagement Officer and I have worked at Bradford College for over 30 years. I graduated from Aston University with a Foundation Degree in FE/HE Business Administration in 2012 alongside this I have a Advice and Guidance qualification.

I‘ve worked in both FE and HE over the years focusing on providing information, advice and guidance to students. This is done through careers fairs, parents evenings, delivering presentations, workshops and organising campus visits.

I’ve always had the passion to engage with students giving them the right help to continue their journey in education. It is really important to build and maintain relationships with other schools, colleges and universities.

In my spare time and outside of work I keep myself busy by going to the gym and playing badminton. I also volunteer to help out in the community alongside spending quality time with my family.

Previous Experience

Lewis graduated in 2015 with a Distinction in his MSc in Music and Sound Technology. He now works as a Producer, Artist and Stage Manager, having worked with range of professional musicians including The Buzzocks, The Proclaimers, and Toumani Diabate. Lewis is currently focused on producing his own electronic music which he releases on Spotify and Apple music.

A majority of students Lewis has taught have progressed to careers in the music industry with artists including: While She Sleeps and Skarlett Riot; as well as engineers and managers for Wembley SSE Arena, Recording Studio London, and a range of freelance and community musicians.

Teaching Responsibilities

Emma trained as a dancer at the Northern School of Contemporary Dance, graduating in 2007 and worked as a professional dancer, choreographer and teacher. Trained in contemporary, ballet, commercial styles, jazz, tap and hip hop, Emma has performed both nationally and internationally for different agencies and companies, including performing in shows and events in Abu Dhabi, India, Turkey, Cyprus, London, Birmingham and Newcastle. Choreography credits include Portrait of a Nation (Liverpool, 2008), Dance Bradford (2008), Jonzi D’s Breakin’ Convention (Sheffield 2012), and her choreography has been performed at various youth dance showcases.

As a teacher, Emma has taught for notable organisations including Dance for Life, Qdos Creates, Wayne Sables Project, KliK Arts and RJC Dance. In 2013 Emma achieved her PGDip in Teaching, and since then has worked in education as a lecturer and Curriculum Manager in Further Education settings. Emma is currently the Curriculum Area Manager at the Bradford School of Art, but remains committed to dance and is involved in networks and external events to support dance in the local community.

Previous Experience

Gary brings 17 years of experience in further education, including over 15 years at the College, and a 6-year career in the Royal Marines. His expertise, discipline, and passion inspire our students to reach their full potential, developing their physical skills, mental toughness, and leadership abilities.

Previous Experience

As a former catering student at Bradford College himself, Andy knows the importance of vocational education. Andy spent years working in the catering industry as Head Chef at Hollins Hall Hotel and then London Marriott Hotel Regents Park.

Andy returned to Bradford College some 14 years ago when he became a training assessor and lecturer. He teaches the Level 3 Professional Cookery students who deliver the weekly à la carte menu in the College restaurant.

Previous Experience

Julie has worked at Bradford College for just over a year and has worked in education for over 20 years. After graduating from the University College of Ripon & York St. John’s Julie successfully completed a PGCE in primary. She secured her first teaching post in a Middle school in Bradford as English and drama specialist.

Later she worked as a literacy coordinator and early years specialist. She has extensive experience in provision of in-service training, working with teachers and Early Years professionals across Yorkshire.

Julie has also served as a Phase 1 Leader with responsibility for pupils from Nursery to Key Stage 1 and Literacy Manager and worked in partnership with other schools developing curriculum and pedagogy across the authority.

Teaching Responsibilities

Julie became a lecturer in Primary Language at Bradford College in September 2014. She works as a link-tutor supervising trainees on placement in schools and she provides support to mentors in Initial Teacher Training (ITT). She also delivers internal CPD to link tutors concerning effective observation and assessment of Early Reading and Phonics.

She teaches across a number of courses, including the foundation degree and a number of courses leading to QTS. She has a strong interest in supporting student learning and has presented posters and workshops at conferences (Bradford College, 2015. In September 2015 Julie took on the role of MTR (Managing and Teaching Role) and now liaises with External Examiners and is responsible for shaping the delivery of English across QTS, TLLP, BASMLE and QTS courses. She took an active role in preparing and presenting English modules 2019

More recently she has become involved in the English hub and contributes to shaping local pedagogy in primary schools across the district.

Professional Interests

Julie’s research interest centres mainly around Language and Literacy. Recent research has focused on determining how the teaching of early reading and specifically the impact of effective Systematic Synthetic Phonics (SSP) instruction has on pupil progress. She has tracked the impact of intervention and training on ITT students and staff in Partnerships schools on pupil progress. This has led to changes in the way trainee teacher students are monitored and identified as requiring early intervention to secure subject knowledge and pedagogical support in college.

Current MEd research is exploring how primary schools addressing the teaching of reading to negate the impact the pandemic has had on pupils’ reading progress.

Previous Experience

Paul recently joined the College having spent 10 years in Primary Education, leading core subjects and being the initial teacher training lead. In addition, he was the Lead Practitioner for Pupil Premium. Prior to this he was Head of Year in a 9-13 middle school, mainly teaching Science.

Teaching Responsibilities

Paul teaches on most of the Primary Teacher Training courses, mainly specialising in Science. In addition, he teaches on Educational Professional Studies Modules and is a link tutor visiting student teachers on their teaching practices. He is also a year lead on the BAQTS course.

Professional Interests

• Current developments within Primary education
• Researching how assessment is evolving in education
• Learning beyond the classroom