Author list

Natalie Packer is an education consultant specialising in SEND and school improvement. Having previously worked for the National Strategies SEN team and as a local authority adviser, Natalie has a significant amount of experience within this area of the education sector. She runs a range of professional development courses, carries out SEND reviews and supports a range of multi-academy trusts across the country with their strategic development of SEND provision.

As Executive Director at Restorative Thinking, Lesley Parkinson supports a restorative education for all (including pupils, children, parents and carers, workforce professionals, young and adult offenders), promoting key life skills in restorative practice via training programmes and consultation.

Torsten Payne is a full-time teacher with over twenty years' experience. He values practical strategies that work in the classroom and small changes that make a big difference. A regular contributor to teaching publications and national conferences, he delivers staff training across all key stages in schools across Europe.

Jo Payne is a Deputy Head Teacher. Although she specialised in primary languages during her teaching degree, she is particularly interested in how technology can enhance pupils' learning. She writes a blog, MrsPTeach, on which she shares ideas about many subjects within education, including: feedback and marking, whole-class reading and maintaining a healthy work'life balance as a teacher @MrsPTeach.

Click here to read Jo Payne’s blog.

Louise Pearce is an experienced teacher of French and has been a head of department. She has worked as a language teaching advisor with CILT Cymru, working with businesses and schools in business languages. She has had extensive experience as an examiner and as a CPD presenter.

Georges Philips is a Consultant Hypnoanalyst and Psychotherapist, Stress Management Counsellor, Trainer and creator of GOLD Counselling. He and his co-author and partner Lyn, have a successful private practice in Finchley, London, and also run personal development courses in the UK and Greece. Their International College of Eclectic Therapies offers training in Hypnotherapy, Psychotherapy, GOLD Counselling, Stress Management Counselling and NLP. Georges is the founder of the Association of Analytical Therapist and the Stress Management Counsellors Association.

Dr Jo Phillips has taught in four different sixth form colleges, then moved into higher education, and has been teaching in universities for the last 15 years. This puts her in a rare position - she’s taught not only A-level students but hundreds of undergraduates too. She currently teaches Landscape Architecture at the University of Sheffield. 

Jo is also the co-author of The Backpacker’s Guide to University (2025), along with Martin Griffin. Between them, they’ve taught A levels for 30 years and have also been adult students a total of 8 times, making mistakes along the way, so they still vividly remember what it’s like to try and learn something new, deal with unfamiliar settings, figure out what the teacher expects and submit work on time.

Articles and interviews available

Jo is available for interview, expert comment or bylined articles on a range of topics, such as:

• Successful study at university
• Motivation
• Independent learning
• Focus
• Distraction and social media
• Habit formation
• Academic success
• Joy in learning

View the press release for The Backpacker's Guide to University here.

Discover all of Jo's latest news here.

Professor Gervase Phinn taught in a range of schools for fourteen years before becoming an education adviser and school inspector. He is now a freelance lecturer, broadcaster, writer, and a consultant for the Open University. He is President of The School Library Association.

Kenny Pieper has been teaching English for fifteen years and still loves every minute of it. He stands shakily on the shoulders of giants in the shape of his amazingly inspiring colleagues. Deep down, he still can't believe his luck that he gets to do this.

Click here to listen in on Kenny's podcast with Pivotal Education on How to get children reading for pleasure'.

Claudette Portelli is a clinical psychologist, psychotherapist, therapist, researcher and trainer at the Centro di Terapia Strategica in Arezzo, Italy.

Graham Powell has over forty years' experience working in education ' holding various posts including head teacher, Ofsted inspector, and local authority adviser ' and has throughout his career maintained a passionate concern for the ways in which young people learn. He has worked with numerous schools, both across the UK and overseas, that have chosen to place the LPA at the heart of their vision for 21^st century learning. Graham is also a distinctive and inspirational trainer and is the co-author of many books including The Learning Powered School and Pathways to Coaching.