2022 Judges

Carol Allen is an education advisor for ICT and Inclusion in particular supporting LGFL and providing strategic inclusion advice to Local Authorities.  Carol was named as one of the top ten educators for 2018 in the field of educational technology for her inclusion work, see #EdTech2018. 

She has taught since 1980 in both mainstream schools – primary and high, and schools for students with severe, profound and multiple learning difficulties.  Recognising, as an English specialist, that communication lies at the heart of all effective teaching, the majority of her work has centred on creative and engaging use of technology to support communication in its widest sense. 

Carol works in partnership with many companies in the educational technology field as she holds a strong belief in sharing and collaboration across all participants in order to maximise the potential opportunities for her students.  In particular, she has designed products specifically for the Early Years market which are now in use in many schools world-wide – including 25 city tours of Australia.

Workshop/keynote presentations include FETC and  ATIA Florida, Illinois District educators summer conference; Denmark , BETT, Birmingham, Manchester, Geneva, Cologne, London and most recently, a five city road trip round Australia. 

Carol is list owner for sld-forum, an international mailing list for practitioners and educators interested in the effective teaching and learning for those with complex barriers to learning. 

All work centres on easy to replicate practice which is fun, achievable and creates communication enhancement opportunities.  Twin vices of caffeine and chocolate keep the energy sparky and the ideas flowing!

Over the years he has contributed to a number of computing related projects including: CAS’s computer science curriculum, the national curriculum computing programmes of study, the CAS / Naace guide to the computing curriculum for primary teachers, training of CAS Master Teachers, the BETT and ERA Award winning Rising Stars Switched on Computing, Barefoot Computing, Code Club Pro’s training materials, QuickStart Computing and resources for the BBC and Microsoft. Current projects include Hello World, a free magazine for computing teachers, and Project Quantum – a national item bank of computing questions.

He gives regular keynotes and CPD workshops on computing and education technology in the UK and abroad and has worked on a number of international consultancy projects involving curriculum development and CPD.

Some of her recent achievements have been giving evidence to the House of Lords – All Party Parliamentary Group on Artificial Intelligence and being the BCS nominee for the Women in Engineering Society – Karen Burt Award (2018). She has also been the subject matter expert for a series of BBC Bitesize videos on Computational Thinking and has written for publications such as Hello World Magazine and TES.

With a keen interest in education and being a self-starter she set up the Artificial Intelligence in Schools programme aimed at providing free teaching resources on AI for key stage 3 teachers. Additionally, she is the author of the American Exploring Computer Science (ECS) – Artificial Intelligence Alternate Unit (2019)

Her book “Computer Science Teacher” – Insight Into The Computing Classroom is aimed at trainee teachers of Computing, attracting new entrants into the field of teaching computing and is also useful for anyone who wishes to know what it is like to teach Computing in a secondary school environment.

Beverly also regularly speaks at conferences promoting Computing education.

I also taught the PGCE ICT programme at Birmingham City University from 2005-2010.  I support schools across the West Midlands to encourage them to use technology helping them make best use of technology in school.

Bob is also Chair of Governors at Northern College and Vice Chair of Governors a Trafford school.

He has been Toshiba’s Education Adviser for 16 years and is a writer, presenter and researcher on mobile learning, digital technologies and next generation learning.

Bob regularly visits the Palo Alto campus of Stanford University to research current developments and is a participant in the “education’s digital future” project and is a judge at the Stanford Graduate School of Education Learning Design with Technology Masters programme.. Bob is also a judge for the BIS/Innovate UK Learning Technology-Design for Impact fund,

He is a Board member of the UfI Trust, YMCA Training and Awards and is a Judge for the BETT Awards and TES FE Awards.

Bob has recently been invited to join the BIS FE and Skills Area based review advisory group trying to reshape the FE landscape towards a more digital future.

He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.

Ysanne works with schools, academies, local authorities and education suppliers helping to shape how technology can make a positive difference in the quality of children’s learning and the professionalism of teachers. Recent work has included evaluating new technologies and apps, teacher training, delivering professional development and creating peer-peer online collaboration opportunities using IT.

 Ysanne is an experienced judge of EdTech awards including recent WorldDidac Awards and previously Becta and  Bafta Education TV Awards. She often speaks at education conferences sharing experiences from classroom research and observation. She is a Director of Teem Education where she set up TEEM software evaluation service and is now a consultant delivering a range of EdTech projects in early years and beyond. She is a qualified maths teacher, governor of two schools and a Fellow of the RSA.

John is The Director of Innovation at the Family of RGS Worcester Schools, a member of the SLT, an Apple Distinguished Educator and a teacher. John ensures that the Four, Apple Distinguished, RGS Worcester Schools remain at the forefront of digital strategy and continue to offer world-leading, award-winning digital teaching and learning.

John regularly delivers presentations on EdTech, CPD, digital strategy, leadership and management and has written for publications such as the TES, BETT Newsletter and Independent Schools Magazine. John has worked in the state, independent and international sectors and continually ensures pupils, parents and colleagues develop and build meaningful digital skills, knowledge and culture.

Dr. Neelam Parmar currently works as Director of Educational Technology, Digital Learning and Innovation at Ashford School and as Educational Technologist at United Learning. She also works as Educational Technologist for the United Learning Group of Schools. Neelam draws on her research and practical experiences of working with technology and regularly presents around the UK and internationally on the role of EdTech in education, providing strategy, roadmaps and CPD programmes for blended and online learning approaches. She is the author of the ‘Digital Literacy in the Primary’ series and ‘Digital Parenting’ book. Neelam is an award-winning professional, international researcher, author, thought leader and speaker on effective technology, pedagogy and curriculum integration within education and is currently engaged with the Department of Education (DfE) EdTech Leadership Group, #EdTechImpact workshops and @WomenEdTech movement.

I am also an educational technologist at United Learning