The following list indicates the extent and breadth of support for Upstart Scotland. It’s been compiled gradually (and, admittedly, rather haphazardly!) to be representative of the varied personal and professional backgrounds of Upstart’s many thousands of supporters around Scotland.
Bruce Adamson, Scotland’s Commissioner for Children and Young People
Luke Addison Manager, Riverside Cottage Nursery, Bathgate
Louise Arbuckle Director, The Drama Studio, Edinburgh
Elaine Bennett Founder of Keep Early Years Unique, Upstart’s sister organisation in England
Rhona Bain Former Primary Infant Teacher and Manager at Musical Steps, Coupar
Ian Barr Former Director of Curriculum for the Scottish Consultative Committee on the Curriculum
David Baxter Former Consultant Community Paediatrician, Highlands
Jackie Brock CEO Children in Scotland
David Cameron Scottish educationist and one of the architects of Curriculum for Excellence
John Carnochan OBE Former Chief Superintendent, Strathclyde Police, co-founder of Scottish Violence Reduction Unit
Theresa Casey Independent Consultant and President, International Play Association (2008-17) during which time she managed the drafting process of General Comment 17 on article 31 of the UNCRC
Gillian Carlin-Kulwicki Nursery School Head Teacher, Glasgow
Poly Cheer Parent and Early Years professional, Moray
Dr Beth Christie Programme Director MSc Learning for Sustainability, University of Edinburgh
Mairi Clark Managing Director, Mulberry Bush Montessori, Glasgow
Prof Margaret Clark OBE literacy specialist, formerly at University of Strathclyde, and author of ‘Young Fluent Readers’ and ‘Reading the Evidence: Synthetic Phonics and Early Literacy’
Anne Condie Head of Childminding Services, Scottish Childminding Association
Karen Craig Retired Primary Headteacher and former Early Years Development Officer in Highland
Emily Cutts Chair of the Children’s Wood, Glasgow
John Davis Professor of Childhood Inclusion,
Wendy Elliott CEO Save Childhood Movement (UK wide)
Willie French Headteacher, Royal High Primary School, Edinburgh
George Gilchrist former primary headteacher, writer and speaker on education and leadership, Scottish Borders
Mary Glasgow Director of Children and Family Services and External Affairs, Children 1st
Michele Gordon Director at The Language Hub, Glasgow
Gerry Hassan writer, political commentator and academic, University of Dundee
Dr. Elizabeth Henderson Early Years Consultant, Founder of Nature Nurture, Aberdeen
Susie Heywood Researcher, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde
Liz Hignett Home-School Partnership Worker, South Lanarkshire Council
George Hawkins MBE former head teacher of a British International School
Marguerite Hunter Blair CEO Play Scotland
Katie Hunter Edinburgh Secondary Teacher and mother of two pre-school boys
Louise James Early Years worker and mother of three
Michelle Jones and Kara Whelan Craigmillar Books for Babies Project
Pat Kane musician, political commentator and author of ‘The Play Ethic’
Jacqueline Lamb CEO Indigo Group (3-18 schools) Castlemilk, Glasgow
Ali Laver primary teacher, Shetland
Jean Macaulay Retired Nursery Nurse, North Lanarkshire
Cathy McCulloch Founder and Director of The Children’s Parliament
Anne McKechnie Independent Consultant Forensic Clinical Psychologist, Glasgow
Dr Miles Mack former Chair of the Royal College of General Practitioners, Scotland
Rhona Matheson CEO, Starcatchers
Liz McEntee Head of External Relations, Glasgow Council for the Voluntary Sector
Ian McGowan Director of the Movement and Learning Centre, Bo’ness
Margaret McLelland BA MSc Play Consultant, Glasgow
Lynn McNair Teaching Fellow, University of Edinburgh; Organiser of Moray House Froebel Course
Chris Miles MBE former Coordinator of Pre-School Learning for Fife, Celtic folk singer and specialist in outdoor learning
Dr Alice J F Mongiello BA Childhood Practice Programme Leader, University of Highlands and Islands, Inverness College
Marta Moskal Mother and Social Scientist, Glasgow
Lynne Munro Parent and P1 Teacher
Kathleen Murray Lecturer at the University of the Highlands and Islands, Inverness College
Janni Nicol Editor and Publisher of the Journal for Steiner Waldorf Early Childhood
Virginia Radcliffe Artistic Director, Licketyspit Theatre Company
Dr Rosie Reid, Paediatrician and Chaplain at Caithness General Hospital
Lucy Reynolds, Consultant Paediatrician, Glasgow
Lesley Riddoch Writer, Fife
Juliet Robertson Outdoor Education Specialist, Creative Star Learning Company, Aberdeenshire
Terry Ross Educational Consultant, Lecturer and Teacher, Bathgate
Jonathan Sher Organiser of Scottish coalition for ‘Social Justice Begins with Babies’
Katrina Sher Early Primary Teacher/Mentor in Australia, USA and Scotland
Maggie Simpson former CEO Scottish Childminders Association
Alan Sinclair Visiting Fellow at the Work Foundation, former Director of Skills for Scottish Enterprise
Donald Smith Director, Traditional Arts and Culture Scotland (Tracs)
Ben Southwood Head of Research, Adam Smith Institute
Shona Stephen CEO, Queens Cross Housing Association, Glasgow
Ninian Stuart Founding Director of the Centre for Stewardship, Fife
Colwyn Trevarthen Emeritus Professor of Child Psychology, Edinburgh University, and Vice President, Early Education
Charles Weedon Educational Psychologist and specialist in learning difficulties
Avril Williamson Headteacher, Linthaugh Nursery School, Glasgow
Charlotte Willson Kindergarten Teacher
Phil Wilson Professor of Primary Care and Rural Health, University of Aberdeen
Shelagh Young Scotland Director, Home Start UK
Suzanne Zeedyk Research Scientist, University of Dundee and Connected Baby
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