Meet the judging panel

Paul Edge - ERA Judge

Paul Edge

Member of the Senior Leadership Team at Ribblesdale High School

Paul has been a member of the Senior Leadership Team at Ribblesdale High School since 2011 and has fulfilled a range of different roles, whilst continually leading the use of technology across the organisation.

Paul currently holds the position as leader of Curriculum and EdTech at Ribblesdale, which has encompassed the successful rollout of Microsoft 365 and a parental supported Windows one-to-one device scheme, for over 1400 students.  He has held a dual role for many years, supporting other schools in the development and use of EdTech on a local, national and international level.

Follow Paul on twitter: @Paul_A_Edge

Martin Bailey - ERA Judge

Martin Bailey

Director, Animate 2 Educate Ltd

Martin Bailey has been a Primary School Teacher and Computing Subject Lead for over 20 years in various North East schools. He is currently employed in a part-time role as Digital Enrichment Leader at Lanchester EP Primary School (Co.Durham). Martin also runs his own company (Animate 2 Educate) where he works with schools all over the world delivering pupil workshops and staff training sessions with the aim of bringing the curriculum to life! Martin is also a lecturer at Durham University where he delivers the Computing element of the course to PGCE and BA students.

Bukky Yusuf - ERA Judge

Bukky Yusuf

Senior Leaders, Edith Kay School

Bukky Yusuf is a Thought Leader and Trustee that has worked for local authorities and secondary schools for two decades. She has undertaken leadership roles within mainstream and special school settings. She also has various Ed(ucation) Tech(nology) experiences and was appointed by the Department of Education as co-chair for the EdTech Leadership Group.

Bukky supports the development of educators at all levels and promotes projects that help colleagues to maintain their well-being. She is an ambassador for Leadership Matters, a Network Leader for WomenEd London and co-lead for WomenEd Tech. Bukky has contributed chapters to a number of educational books including the second WomenEd book (Being 10% Braver) and The Early Career Framework Handbook by the Chartered College of Teaching. In 2021, she co-edited ‘The Big Book of Whole School Wellbeing’ – an essential guide to wellbeing.

Denise Hart - ERA Judge

Denise Hart

A publishing professional with extensive experience in educational publishing and commercial operations. Denise has spent her career working with both start-ups and corporates, making a significant impact to process, efficiency, and operating profit. In February 2019 she began her freelance career journey, consolidating all that she learned and offering it on a consultancy basis.

Assignments so far have been in supporting CEOs, in both fast paced and growing SMEs (and start-ups), reviewing and auditing workflows to ensure maximum efficiencies and optimisation at all stages.

Comfortable with both print and digital resources for international and UK markets, including blended and online learning environments, Denise understands learning impact and how that is best delivered.

Philip Wesolowski - ERA Judge

Philip Wesolowski

Managing Director of Staedtler (UK)

Philip Wesolowski has been Managing Director of Staedtler (UK) Limited for the last 7 years and believes passionately in excellence in Education. As a key supplier to the Education sector, Staedtler UK have always seen their role as going beyond that of pure resources supply and wish to engage with the Education sector on as many levels as possible. Philip is also a member of the BESA Executive Council, having joined in 2021 and plays an active role in delivering the best for the Education Suppliers in our industry via the association.

Cat Scutt - ERA Judge

Cat Scutt

Director of Education & Research, Chartered College of Teaching

A former English teacher, Cat’s roles have since focused on supporting teacher development both online and through face-to-face activities, with a particular focus on development through collaboration and through engagement with research and evidence. She has worked as a teacher and advisor in the state and independent sector, as well as in corporate learning and development. Cat leads on the Chartered College Of Teaching’s work around teacher CPD, including the Chartered Teacher programme, and their research activities and publications, including their termly peer reviewed journal, Impact. In addition, Cat is a studying for her doctorate at the UCL Institute of Education.

Natalie Hawkes - ERA Judge

Natalie Hawkes

I have been working in education for 28 years as a classroom teacher, literacy consultant, deputy head and headteacher. My expertise lies in leadership, assessment and curriculum design. I am delighted to have recently joined Attain Academy Partnership Trust as Strategic Lead in September 2023 where I am working with all the Attain schools to ensure the best education and outcomes for our pupils. My role also includes a focus on the wellbeing of staff which is absolutely crucial. I have just started the National Professional Qualification for Executive Leadership which promises to develop my skills and knowledge further.

Chris Dyson - ERA Judge

Chris Dyson

Chris Dyson, was the headteacher at Parklands Primary, situated on one of Europe’s largest council estates in Leeds. One of the most deprived schools in Leeds, with 64% Pupil Premium, when Chris arrived at the school, it had been deemed inadequate and had 150 suspensions in a year. In addition, results were rock bottom. By the time he left, exclusions had dropped to only 1 in 9 years, the school has the highest progress score for Maths in the country and were in the Top 5% in Reading and Writing. Ofsted judged the school outstanding.

Chris’s strength is changing the culture of schools, with the proverbial ‘carrot’ being used rather than a stick, coaching used with staff, and the wellbeing of staff and children becoming the driving force. Upon leaving for a new role the succession planning was in place with the Deputy Head becoming the new Head Teacher.

Chris was an NLE driving standards forward in schools across Yorkshire and works with schools to achieve transformation and School Improvement. Chris is the Deputy CEO of a Trust in Birmingham with 3000 children, The Create Trust, where in March 2023 one of the schools moved from Inadequate (ungraded) to Good by Inspectors and in June, a second school in the Trust moved from RI to Good.

Ben Annett - ERA Judge

Ben Annett

I am the Specialist Advisor for Assistive Technology and Inclusion for the Learning Advisory Service in Tower Hamlets and have over 17 years of experience working within special needs education. For the past 4 years, I have worked as an advisor, supporting educators in effectively harnessing technology to meet the needs of learners with a range of learning, physical, and cognitive needs. I’ve been excited to work within education as the technological landscape has changed and increasingly innovative and exciting solutions have come to market that have the potential to enhance good teaching, bring learning to life, and empower students to overcome barriers to learning.

Katie Blainey - ERA Judge

Katie Blainey

Katie has over 20 years’ publishing and product experience spanning primary, secondary and the independent sector publishing print and digital resources for Hodder Education and Rising Stars. Over her career she has been passionate about developing resources that solve teachers’ problems and save them time. Recently as Product Director of RS Assessment Katie and her team developed and delivered a large programme of bespoke, standardised tests and surveys for the K-12 market. The products are used widely in thousands of primary schools in the UK and globally to support teachers in their decision making and to improve pupils’ learning. She led a team with extensive digital experience of developing assessments, platforms and software with a strong data-rich underpinning and is proud to have won awards for SNAP (a special needs product). In 2021-22 she was Principal Investigator on the Nuffield Foundation funded research project to explore the impact of Covid-19 related school closures on children’s attainment and wellbeing and presented the findings at international conferences. She is now Head of Delivery and Product at Hubbub Fundraising, supporting schools and universities.