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Nic Crossley

Nic Crossley - Honorary Teaching Fellow

Email: nicola.crossley@warwick.ac.uk

As Director of Education and Children’s Services for the National Autistic Society, and Chief Executive Officer at NAS Academies Trust, Nic has over 20 years’ experience in education, which spans primary, secondary, mainstream and specialist provision. Her previous roles also include experience as a Consultant Principal to two special academies, a School Inspector, and as a Local Authority School Improvement Partner.

Nic has experience in writing and delivering leadership development training for middle and senior leaders in primary, secondary and special education in England, Wales and Jersey and contributes to the development of SEND Policy and practice both regionally and nationally.

She has:

  • Contributed to the development of the Whole School SEND MAT Review Guide
  • Been a member of the DfE roundtable to improve the availability and use of SEND data in the GIAS (Get Information about Schools) register
  • Been a member of the DfE’s task and finish group for the development of the ECF (Early career Framework) from a SEND perspective
  • Been a member of the Ofsted and CQC SEND Advisory Group in the formation of the revised inspection framework

With a Masters in Educational Leadership and Management and a Masters in Practice-Based Educational Research, Nic is also an Associate Tutor at Leeds Beckett University delivering modules for undergraduates as part of the BSc Educational Psychology and PGCE Primary Education.

 Professional & Teaching Expertise

Teacher Education, Educational research and evaluation, Secondary English, SEND, Assessment, innovation and change management in schools, curriculum design and evaluation

Academic Interests & Teaching & Learning Specialisms

Teacher professionalism and the impact of policy; labelling theory impacting pupils with SEND; the factors which contribute to educational underachievement

Publications & Projects

  • Crossley, N and Hewitt D. (2021) Inclusion: a Principled Guide for School Leaders. London: Routledge.
  • Crossley, N (2021) Voices for Change (London, Association of School and College Leaders) available at: https://bit.ly/3at2Sk3
  • Crossley, N (2020) Closing the Opportunity Gap for Learners with SEND Beyond the Pandemic (London, Queen Street Group) Available at: https://rb.gy/2odeiu

 

Other Positions

  • Council Member for ASCL (Association of School and College Leaders)
  • National SEND Representative for ASCL
  • Member of the Ethics, Inclusion and Equalities Committee for ASCL
  • Chair of the Women Leaders Network for ASCL
  • Trustee at the CIEA (Chartered Institute of Educational Assessors)
  • Fellow and Chartered Educational Assessor at the CIEA
  • Member of the Peterborough and Cambridgeshire Children and Young People’s Mental Health Board
  • Co-Founder and Co-Chair of the MAT SEND Network