With a background in Speech Language Therapy, and over ten years working in and alongside schools to grow professional knowledge and practice, Emma brings a wealth of knowledge about oral language and literacy development.

She works with schools to build an evidence-based, Structured Literacy approach which applies the best available research findings to close the achievement gap, and raise literacy and learning outcomes for every child.

This process often involves developing the local curriculum to set high expectations for all learners, and developing the teacher knowledge, pedagogy, and school structures to achieve those language and literacy goals. Assessment for learning, particularly of critical foundational skills (such as oral language, phonological awareness and alphabetic code knowledge) is a critical component of accelerating literacy learning from the outset of children’s school journey.