MAT Education Advisers
Our Education Advisers are data experts, education professionals, and former teachers. They are here to support Trusts in ensuring their testing experience runs smoothly and, as importantly, make the most of their data. Working on a one to one basis your Education Adviser will support you to get the information you need, whether that’s at individual, class/group or whole Trust level, as well as offer advice to ensure you get full value from your assessments.
Please contact your trust-wide Education Adviser directly with any questions or requests. Not sure who your Education Adviser is, or have any questions about our multi-academy trusts service? Contact [email protected] and we will get in touch.
Georgina Cook
After studying for a BEd in Education at Cambridge University Georgina qualified as a teacher in 2002 and completed a Masters Degree at Kings College London in 2003. She has been teaching and leading English across various secondaries in the East of England, most recently leading literacy and English across a Trust of schools in Peterborough. Georgina is also a Literacy Champion for the National Literacy Trust, and a tutor and examiner for GCSE and A-level English Language and Literature.
- Email: [email protected]
Emma Dibden
After fifteen years as a class teacher, intervention lead, and learning support teacher in UK and overseas primary settings, Emma completed a post graduate diploma in SEN and took on the role of SENCo at an international school in Dubai. Emma graduated from Chester University in 1999 with a B.Ed. Honours and has since completed additional qualifications including a Level 7 certificate for the administration of psychometric testing and assessments. Her prior experience of using GL assessments helps to inform the support she now offers to trusts and their schools.
- Email: [email protected]
Allan Lowe
After having extensive experience in the education sector spanning the past 25 years, Allan has worked closely with senior colleagues in local authorities and MATs. As a senior school leader for 11 years, he worked as a Head in both Hertfordshire and Norfolk schools that focused on school improvement.
- Email: [email protected]
James O'Brien
Following a degree in Human Sciences, James trained as a science teacher through Teach First in the West Midlands. After teaching in Solihull he moved abroad to take up a teaching post at an international school in Nairobi, Kenya. Since returning to the UK and exploring the world of education from outside the classroom he has worked in a variety of schools-facing roles. James also sits in our Assessment Insights team, supporting schools who are using standardised assessment.
- Email: [email protected]
Emily Patrick
Since completing a degree in Literature and Philosophy, Emily has worked in a number of roles in the Education sector. She began her career as the Assistant Director of a tutoring centre in south Oxford, teaching children aged 4 – 14 maths and English. She was responsible for all aspects of the day to day running of the centre as well as organising the local schools’ partnership program and managing and training a team of tutors. Following on from this she moved into more schools-facing roles as an Account Manager and then Education Adviser for Doddle.
- Email: [email protected]
Amanda Petersson
Following a master’s degree in Chemistry at the University of Edinburgh, Amanda trained as a science teacher in Nottingham and has taught across Derbyshire and North London.
- Email: [email protected]
Eileen Thorn
After gaining the B.Ed qualification from Oxford University, Eileen qualified as a teacher and later went on to complete the NPQH. Eileen has 23 years experience in the education sector, 18 of which have been within senior leadership teams and 5 of those in Headteacher roles. She has worked as a school Assessment Lead supporting the delivery and analysis of data for presentation to and used by various stakeholders. As Deputy Head, Eileen also worked with the Local Authority as part of their Moderation team.
Jessica Smith
After receiving a BA Honours in Education from The University of South Wales, Jess went on to be a primary school teacher where she taught for 9 years across the West Midlands. She was the Head of Computing and E-safety lead for a school in Warwickshire before using her insight in assessments and data to join the Education Advisers team.
- Email: [email protected]
Berj Tata
After 13 years in data and analytics roles, with 10 of them being in education, Berj joined GL Assessment as an Education Advisor in April 2023. In his previous role as a MAT leader for Data, Assessments and Quality of Education; alongside teaching, Berj drove school improvement across a MAT in the Northeast of England. As a former user of GL Assessment, Berj’s expertise lies in developing the whole child through data-driven, evidence-informed curriculum design and assessments. His unwavering commitment to providing outstanding education continues with GL Assessment by supporting MATs achieve better outcomes for their students.
Email: [email protected]