Biographies
Lindens Primary School
Training Staff Biographies
Chris Randall
Chris Randall is currently Director of ECT, ITT and Mental Health. He has extensive experience of teaching in Primary schools and working in Initial Teacher Training and School Improvement. He has worked in schools across the Black Country and local authorities including Birmingham, Coventry and Staffordshire. His areas of expertise are Literacy, Drama, School Leadership and ITT supporting school co-ordinators, teachers and school leaders in developing a fit for purpose pedagogy and facilitating expertise in delivery of CPD opportunities within the primary curriculum.
Lee Cross
Lee Cross is currently the Headteacher at Elmwood School, Walsall. Previously he has worked in challenging mainstream secondary schools across Dudley and Stoke-on-Trent, where he managed to secure his AST status after 3 years within the profession specialising in Physical Education. He then felt that he had a secure enough curriculum knowledge to embark into Special Educational Needs (specifically SEBD) as an AST and KS3 lead where he now leads and manages the curriculum, behaviour and safeguarding for 25 pupils, after after a successful 3 years where he managed to secure a KS3 Ofsted judgement of “outstanding” in 2012. He was then appointed as Deputy Headteacher at Elmwood School, which had been identified as a ‘cause for concern’ school by the Walsall LA, their recent Ofsted Inspection March 2014 ratified the rapid improvements in progress, achievement and behaviour resulting in a “good” judgement. In addition to this he has been an Advanced Trainer for Team-Teach and delivers in house and Walsall LA training around the underpinning principles of Team-Teach. The achievements around school improvement and a driving force within the SEND reform within Walsall has resulted in Lee being seconded to the LA as the strategic lead on behaviour to further build capacity within the LA.
Martin Hawkes
Martin graduated from the University of Bedfordshire in 2011, securing a 2:1 in Physical Education BA (Hons) with Qualified Teacher Status. He also has qualifications in Trampolining, Handball, Dodgeball, Tchouckball and Gaelic Football. Martin is currently a PE teacher at Elmwood School where he also teaches Btec sport. He has 2 years experience in a SEBD environment where he has gained invaluable knowledge, skills and understanding in behaviour management and conflict resolution. He is a Lead Team Teach instructor at intermediate and advanced level. He has delivered various training courses to schools, including; basic intermediate training and advanced training (front ground recovery, knives module, and shield ground recovery). The courses are designed to support staff to understand and manage challenging behaviour through the teaching of holistic de-escalation techniques and physical interventions.