Creative Thinking in Schools: A Leadership Playbook

About Bill LucasDi Fisher-NaylorEllen SpencerKaty MilneLouise StollNia RichardsSian James

Professor Bill Lucas is Director of the Centre for Real-World Learning at the University of Winchester and with Ellen Spencer the originator of a model of creativity in use in schools across the world. A global thought-leader Bill was co-chair of the PISA 2022 test of creative thinking and curates the Creativity Exchange website. Dr Ellen Spencer is Senior Researcher at the Centre for Real-World Learning and with Bill Lucas author of Teaching Creative Thinking. Ellen is also a Researcher for Arts Council England's Creativity Collaboratives a three-year project to test a range of innovative practices in teaching for creativity in schools. Louise Stoll is Professor of Professional Learning at UCL Institute of Education (IOE) and an international consultant focusing on how schools and systems create capacity for learning. Louise has co-developed several materials and tools to support leaders and teachers in collaboratively connecting research evidence and practice. Di Fisher-Naylor is the Director of Creativity Culture and Education (CCE) the UK based international creative learning foundation. She is a specialist in programme design implementation and quality assurance and in professional learning for school leaders teachers and creative professionals. Di has supported creative learning programmes across the world. Di dropped out of school early and is passionate about the importance of developing creative thinking skills in all children but particularly those from socio-economic disadvantaged families. Nia Richards has been designing and supporting professional learning in creativity since 2015 firstly as Regional Lead for a national programme in Wales and currently as Programme Manager for Creativity Culture and Education. She was a classroom teacher for 13 years in secondary and further education she also has an MA in Practitioner Research. Sian James manages a national creative learning programme with the Arts Council of Wales and has supported over 700 schools and their teachers to explore innovative pedagogy and prepare for the introduction of a new expansive curriculum. Having gained her Masters at Trinity College Sian started out as a television researcher going on to spend over a decade working within Communications for the Arts and Heritage sector in Wales. Sian is passionate about the arts and the sector's positive engagement with education. Katy Milne is Programme Manager at CCE (Creativity Culture and Education). Katy has cultivated educational practice through an enquiry-based approach to creative learning and personal development which has had a positive impact on learning outcomes across schools and networks internationally. Previously Cultural Programme Officer for South Tyneside Council and Director of Arts and Creativity at Greenfield Arts for 16 years Katy has a Masters in Education and a PGC in Innovative Curriculum and Pedagogy which informs approaches to developing creative learning.