Tom Garbutt

tomgarbutt@lendmeyourliteracy.com

Tom is the founder and co-creator of lendmeyourliteracy. He became disillusioned with children stuffing their valuable work into their trays/plastic bags/pockets at the end of term to be forgotten about. Determined to look for a more “modern” solution, Tom applied the same principle of sharing photos on-line to sharing examples of work…and lendmeyourliteracy was born!

Tom has been working in Primary Education and Welfare for eight years after studying History at the University of Liverpool. Following stints as a TA and his PGCE in 2006 he taught Year 3 at a primary  school in Crosby. He then took up a more specialised role in Education  Welfare working with schools across Liverpool as a Parent Support Worker for Attendance. Tom then moved back to Yorkshire in 2010 to take  up his current role as a Parent Support Advisor at Grove Road Primary, Harrogate, an Enhanced Mainstream School for children with  Behavioural, Emotional and Social Difficulties (BESD).

Tom feels passionately about Adult Literacy and Skills For Life and Employment. He has seen first hand the social and economic disadvantages that a lack of confidence in reading and writing can bring to families and wants lendmeyourliteracy to support children and adults in overcoming these barriers. 

Tom has two young sons who demand a lot of his attention! Any spare time is spent playing local football and cricket at a questionable level.

 

Simon Blower

simonblower@lendmeyourliteracy.com

Simon is the co-creator of lendmeyourliteracy and brings with him a wealth of experience and talent. He has been a primary teacher for 13 years since graduating from Loughborough University. His first nine years were spent teaching in an affluent area of Harrogate.After four years he became KS1 leader and Numeracy co-ordinator. Simon then moved into the leadership team and took a role as Acting Deputy Head in addition to taking on a Year 6 class with the mandate to improve KS2 results. That year the pupils received 100% level 4 in all areas and over 50% Level 5. Simon then opted for new challenge as Deputy Head at Grove Road, a multi-cultural school with a high proportion of MEA and SEN pupils. He feels this has further developed his teaching and leadership skills. Simon currently teaches Y5 but spends two days a week in his leadership role managing over 50 staff

Simon is an avid Middlesborough FC fan and coaches Brazilian football. He has a real passion for lendmeyourliteracy and the benefits of peer-peer learning.

 

Henry Smith

henrysmith@lendmeyourliteracy.com

Henry is our ‘literacy geek’, an experienced literacy co-ordinator and Year 6 teacher in central Leeds.  He specialises in the teaching of writing, nurturing consistently excellent progress with the children he teaches and lends much of his invaluable expertise to many parts of this site.  Having spent five years teaching in an affluent area of North Yorkshire, he sought a new challenge and jumped in the deep end, moving to teach in a contrasting urban environment a little more than three years ago.  It wasn’t long before he was, again, leading children and adults in raising attainment in literacy – his area of passion.  Although a member of his school’s SLT (Senior Leadership Team) and being Key Stage 2 Co-ordinator, he has resisted temptation to push towards promotion that would remove him from the classroom.

Henry is a staunch believer in lendmeyourliteracy and its ethos of celebrating and enjoying children’s writing.

 

Jonathan Smith

jonsmith@lendmeyourliteracy.com 

Jonathan is our business ‘execution powerhouse’ and provides the perfect complement to his three educational counterparts. Since graduating from Oxford University, Jonathan has excelled in various Project Management and Business related roles, in international locations such as London, San Francisco, Qatar, Abu Dhabi and even Romania! As a Chartered Civil Engineer, Jonathan brings with him an objective, organized, results driven approach and is the catalyst for transforming the brilliant ideas generated by the team into effective programs to enhance literacy teaching and learning. Jonathan is passionate about personal development, and sees lendmeyourliteracy as an innovative and inspiring way to support others’ learning and development. Jonathan’s international experience has encouraged the team to expand the lendmeyourliteracy vision to beyond just the UK.

Jonathan enjoys scuba diving and music, and regularly takes leading roles in local musical productions.

 

Charlie Carroll

We are delighted to welcome talented teacher and author Charlie Carroll on to our team. Like us, he shares a passion for children’s writing. Like us, he believes in creative, inspirational teaching to raise standards. Like us, he is hugely excited at spreading LendMeYourLiteracy’s philosophy far and wide! His delivery of our highly successful LMYL days has been widely praised. Charlie is a writer, English teacher, musician, traveller and proud Cornishman!

 

Sarah Bullivant

Sarah is an enthusiastic and experienced teacher. Her classroom experience extends fifteen years across the primary age range (Year 1 – Year 6). Currently she enjoys teaching a Year 3/4 class part-time in Harrogate, where she has been for thirteen years.
After obtaining a Theology degree, Sarah completed her PGCE at the University of Hertfordshire. Sarah worked for a year in Watford teaching Year 2 before moving North into a Year 5 class in Darlington. In her current setting she has demonstrated proven leadership skills, leading change in a number of key areas linked to the School Development Plan, and five years ago she became literacy subject leader. Under her leadership the English results that were already very high have continued to rise.
In her current role she is pro-active, keen to maintain high standards whilst ensuring writing is enjoyable and linked to the experience of pupils. She aims for children to have a healthy self-esteem, be confident in the skills they have and proud of their achievements.
Having grown up on the South coast, Sarah loves long walks along the beach whenever possible. She enjoys baking and is kept busy by her energetic three year old!

 

 

 

LendMeYourLearning Ltd is a company registered in England and Wales no: 7784707

LendMeYourLearning Ltd

48 The Limes

Helmsley

York

YO62 5DT