Linda Lyn Cook
My current responsibilities in Education include:
- School improvement advisor with a particular focus on special schools and specialist settings. This includes Nottingham Schools Trust schools, R.E.A.L Education (Independent Special schools), T.E.A.M Education Trust.
- I am also a Governor at Ash Lea special school but intend to step down from this role in order to become a member of the trust
- I am a visiting lecturer at Nottingham Trent University (for the National SENCO Award as well as other SEND courses for qualified teachers)
I have both breadth and depth of experience in the field of SEND and learning disability spanning a thirty year period. As a school improvement adviser I have expertise in raising levels of achievement and securing improved pupil outcomes through effective support, monitoring and challenge in each of the schools I work with. My work with Nottingham Trent University has involved developing the capacity of the workforce to improve provision for children and young people with SEND whether in special or mainstream schools.
Other relevant experience includes:
- External examiner at Sheffield Hallam University for Masters level courses in Autism (2016-2019)
- Project lead for the DfE Autism Education Trust and a member of the product development team which includes several publications
- Qualified school inspector (NPQSI) with 6 years recent experience of Ofsted inspections (2013-2019)
- Member of a Local Authority IEB for a special school (Redgate Special school) that received a special measures judgement in their recent Ofsted inspection
- Consultant teacher in Autism (Nottinghamshire LA)
- Providing Governor training in SEND (NCC) 2018/19
- I have long standing and successful experience of school improvement in a range of different contexts and through various mechanisms