I am a Senior Lecturer in Primary Education in the School of Humanities, Social Science and Law. In addition to teaching responsibility across undergraduate and postgraduate programmes, I am Curriculum and Assessment Convener on the MA (Hons) Primary Education where I oversee the student learning journey. I also lead on the International Baccalaureate (IB), supporting students following the IB Pathway through their MAEd.

I joined the University of Dundee after a decade working in primary education as class teacher, principal teacher and acting depute head teacher, during which time I gained teaching experience of all stages from pre-school to primary 7 in schools in East Renfrewshire and Angus. 

With a first degree in Dramatic Studies from the Royal Scottish Academy of Music & Drama, now the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (now RCS) in 1998 and a very brief career as an actress, my subject specialism is Drama in the Primary School. In 2022 I gained an MEd in Learning and Teaching in the Performing Arts from the RCS.

Prior to studying a PGDE in Primary Education at the University of Dundee, from which I graduated with Merit in 2006, I gained an MSc in Public Relations from the University of Stirling where I was awarded a full ESRC Scholarship. Graduating in 2002, I worked briefly in the private sector before moving in to teaching.

I currently teach across a variety of curriculum and pedagogy modules on the MA Primary Education and PGDE Primary Education and programmes. 

I am passionate about dramatic inquiry and the ways drama can enhance learning across the curriculum. My drama expertise informs the work I do to support student teachers with use of voice and classroom presence. 

I am module leader for the MA2 module Learning and Teaching for Sustainability and a member of the national working group Learning for Sustainability in Initial Teacher Education.

My research centres on teacher confidence, drama in education and learning beyond subject boundaries.