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Julie Addis

Julie is a founding partner of TLC Formerly, Science Officer and Lead on the 'Developing thinking and assessment for learning programme' for the Welsh Government. Julie taught in the secondary sector for 17 years, rising to a Senior Manager in a valley's comprehensive. She then took the opportunity to become Science Adviser for the Vale of Glamorgan before moving to ACCAC (QCA Wales) in 2000. ACCAC was subsequently merged with the Welsh Government. Throughout her 11 years as Science Officer, Julie produced many major instrumental documents to help move science from a more knowledge-based subject to one where scientific literacy and skills development were paramount to success. The National Curriculum for Science, 2008, was written with groups of teachers, consulted upon nationally as well as with major UK-wide scientific societies and institutions. Subsequent guidance documents, Science: Curriculum Guidance for KS2 and KS3 and Higher Order Skills in Scientific Enquiry, were written using the same process. Julie also led on the associated assessment arrangements for science, including the KS3 external moderation and the KS2 and KS3 cluster group pilot moderation. Within the Welsh Government, Julie also accepted temporary promotions to Head of Curriculum and Head of Assessment.

As the lead on Developing thinking in the non-statutory Skills framework, Julie has been involved in all aspects of thinking skills, including leading on the joint Estyn, BBC and WG DVD and intellectual involvement in the development of the Optional Skills Assessment Materials for Year 5 learners. This work was broadened from 2005, with the pilot and then extension of the development programme for thinking and assessment for learning. Within this programme, Julie worked with Julia Jenkins to improve learning across Wales in all classrooms, developing many supporting materials, and coaching and mentoring more than 3,000 teachers. This work led to the PISA intervention programme, which Julie designed.

Julie has directed the international and local projects for TLC, which have been highly successful and had very positive impacts on the teachers and their practice – leading to higher quality outcomes for their learners in Wales, Thailand, Mexico, Colombia, South Africa and the rest of the UK.

Although having a science background, Julie is also a numeracy specialist with many years' experience of working with teachers and learners to improve numeracy skills, especially reasoning, and therefore outcomes. She is currently an OfQual Subject Expert, an Examiner for OCR at A level and IGCSE and a member of Qualifications Wales’ Curriculum and Assessment group advising on changes needed to qualifications following the introduction of Curriculum 2022.