Testimonials
Amber Orsborn-Smith - Curriculum and Innovation Manager, Nacro
Dr Anna James has led on the delivery of Nacro’s National Teacher Development Training Programme for the last 3 years, creating and delivering bespoke and innovative training plans that have met the needs of our teaching staff, managers and learners, as well as addressing Nacro’s national priorities identified in our Self-Assessment Report and quality Improvement plans.
Her training has supported staff to become better reflective practitioners with increased self-awareness on their strengths and areas for improvement in classroom delivery. As a result the learner experience has improved significantly at Nacro in the last 3 years evidence through a positive three year trajectory in learner outcomes and progression.Anna’s ongoing schedule of training has meant that teaching staff from across the provision have been given the opportunity to collaborate, plan together and continue to share best practice. In our recent published inspection report Ofsted wrote “Staff development and training improve teaching and build the capacity and skills of teachers well”
John O’Dwyer - Head of Quality, Kidderminster College
The college has used March training regularly for a number of years to deliver staff training on a variety of topics. Evaluations from teachers and support staff are always overwhelmingly positive.
We have found the company flexible and willing to adapt delivery to meet our bespoke needs. Content is always relevant and evidence based, delivered with authority which inspires confidence. Staff always retain useful materials which serve as a useful reminder of content covered.
Mark Welsh - Assistant Principal-Education in Secure Settings, Nacro
Medway STC accommodates up to 64 young people aged 12–18 who have committed offences and have multiple complex social, emotional and mental health needs. Since 2016 we have worked with Dr Anna James who has developed and implemented a comprehensive training/CPD programme that has included a wide range of topics such as:
- Managing Mental Health Issues in a Secure Environment
- Effective Teaching Strategies for Learners with Dyspraxia, Dyslexia and Autism
- Creating Inspiring Lessons
- Motivating Difficult Learners
- Differentiation, Pace and Challenge
- Using Learner Data to Effectively Differentiate
- Managing Challenging Behaviours in Secure Environments
Staff are effusive about the support and guidance they receive. The training is inspirational, energising, bringing lots of ideas, with both substantial and in-depth knowledge of ‘what work’ in the environment, together with case studies, learning from experience and being fully practice-oriented. There is a well-balanced structure to workshop sessions, which contributes to interesting and focused discussions and exchanges. As a result of the training, the quality of teaching and learning has improved. Team teaching and coaching are now regular features and contribute to more consistent practices. Children experience well-planned lessons and access a wider range of resources and information and are drawn into lively debate and activities. Teachers set appropriate but challenging targets so that children are encouraged to work hard and exceed expectations.
Anna James is excellent, combining theory and examples from the field and extracting the valid points from the different contributors from the group. She has a huge breadth of knowledge and the ability to tie the different worlds of education together and the strategies that work.
Mark Welsh, Assistant Principal-Education in Secure Settings, Nacro
Nicky Rowland - Head of HR at the College of West Anglia
“ We have worked extremely successfully with Anna James and March Training for many years now (more than 10) and would thoroughly recommend the services provided. Anna’s background provides a wealth of experiential information which helps create lively interaction and debate about even the driest or most difficult subjects. She is also amazingly flexible – we identify a training need, talk to her and she builds the session just for us and this can be for classes of 6 through to 50. Even the crustiest of staff vote with their feet and attend Anna’s sessions. Specific areas she covers for us every year include safeguarding, Prevent, supervisors development and restraint but other bespoke sessions have included time management, effectively managing mental health in FE, building employee resilience and teaching creatively in HE. When we run a whole college training day and Anna is running one of the workshops, it will be the first one booked out whatever the subject! ”
Mandy Piper-Killick - Director of People And Organisational Development
“ I am delighted to provide this testimonial for Dr Anna James, who I have worked with for the last 4 years at St Christopher’s and also for a number of years in a previous organisation. In all of my interactions with Anna, I have always found her to be highly professional, knowledgeable and effective.
Anna supported a number of training programmes at St Christopher’s by creating and delivering a range of quality workshops for staff at all levels, from very junior staff up to and including the Executive Team. The topics have incorporated areas such as customer care, strategic planning and management skills workshops. Anna has also provided valuable training to Committee members to better understand their role of ‘representing others’ and how to ensure that meetings are effective. Internal feedback has confirmed that Anna’s contribution to both of the organisation’s Leadership and Management Development Programmes, which each spanned a period of 10-months, supported several managers to gain greater confidence in their role, which in turn has led to an overall increase in their willingness to take on more responsibility and/or their desire to develop themselves further.
I have no hesitation or reservation in highly recommending Anna to any other organisation that is seeking to develop their workforce. ”