Meet our team
Craig Lowther
Craig is the Head of School Education and Applied Sciences, and lecturer on the Professional Graduate Diploma in Education (PGDE) Secondary Mathematics, and is also an Associate Assessor for Education Scotland Post 16 College sector and member of the Editorial team for the Scottish Mathematical Council Journal SMC Journal – The Scottish Mathematical Council | Comhairle Matamataig na h-Alba
He holds the following qualifications, BEng (Hons) Coventry University, PGCE (Secondary Mathematics) University of Newcastle Upon Tyne, MEd (Education Leadership and Management) The Open University.
Craig has previously held positions as Principal Teacher of Mathematics, Principal Teacher Guidance and Head of Faculty at schools in London, Fife, Dumfries and Galloway and Moray, and was also the Learning and Teaching Officer for Numeracy and Mathematics (3-18) for Moray Council and held a secondment as Development Officer at Education Scotland. He has been involved in the following initiatives and projects:
- Series Editor for Leckie and Leckie publishers for all their Mathematics Titles
- Primary Enterprising Maths Competition deliverer - Moray and Highland
- Development team SQA for Numeracy and Mathematics qualifications.
- Scottish Mathematical Council Member, conference organiser and journal contributor
Craig is a member of the General Teaching Council for Scotland; Mathematics Association; British Society for Research into Learning Mathematics, and is currently involved in a project to research the pedagogy of fractions and its impact on teacher confidence.
Craig is the Chair of the Parent Council of his local Primary School, and he enjoys spending time with his family, baking, reading and going to the cinema.
Mark Lindley-Highfield
Mark Lindley-Highfield is the Programme Leader for the BA (Hons) degree in Moral and Philosophical Studies with Religious Education, and Lecturer in Teacher Education, supporting learning on a number of different programmes, including the Professional Graduate Diploma in Education (PGDE) and the MEd in Critical Enquiry. He has previously served as External Examiner for the PGCE in Secondary Religious Education at the University of Chester, and is due to take up the role of External Examiner in Level 1 Islamic Studies at the University of Leeds.
Mark was educated at the universities of Oxford, Aberdeen, Edinburgh and The Open University. He holds the following qualifications: BA (Hons), BSc (Hons), MA Ed (Applied Linguistics), MEd, MA (Hons), MRes, MPhil, PGDE. He is a Chartered Educational Assessor.
Mark has previously held positions as Principal Examiner for the Cambridge International Examinations' International Project Qualification and the Cambridge Research Qualification, and AQA's GCE A Level in Anthropology Project Paper.
He is or has been involved in the following research and projects:
- Scottish Council of Deans of Education Scottish Attainment Challenge Research Project
- Practitioner Enquiry support for a local Highland Secondary School
- Doctoral research into placement context familiarity in Teacher Education
Mark is a member of the General Teaching Council for Scotland, the Royal Society of South Africa, the Society of Professors of Education (USA), Pi Lambda Theta, and the Association of University Lecturers in Religion and Education; and is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, the Royal Anthropological Institute, the Royal Geographical Society, the Higher Education Academy, and the Chartered Institute of Educational Assessors.
Mark enjoys spending time with his family, supporting charitable activities, walking his dog, and reading about history and heraldry. He is a Burgess of Glasgow, and Aberdeen, and is a Freeman of the City of London, being a liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Arts Scholars.
Mairi Sutherland
Head Teacher, Highland Council
Lecturer PGDE Secondary Chemistry
Currently I am a teaching Head Teacher for Highland Council.
I started my teaching career with the British Council in Africa. Returning to Scotland to teach Chemistry for Highland Council. I then continued studying completing my Chartered Teachers status and then the Standard for Headship. I have held positions as Teacher of Chemistry, Faculty Principal Teacher of Science, then I was seconded to Deputy Head and am acting Head Teacher at present.
I hold the following qualifications, BSc Science Industrial Studies (Edinburgh Napier University), PGCE (Secondary Chemistry and Science) (Moray House, University of Edinburgh), MA in Education (The Open University). I also have professional membership to the General Teaching Council for Scotland.
I have been involved in the following initiatives and projects:
- Secondment as Science Development Officer for Highland Council
- Learning Teaching Scotland contributor to 5-14 science national resource
- BBC science consultant
- SQA chemistry nominee and marker
I teach on both the Professional Graduate Diploma in Education and MEd Critical Enquiry programmes.
I am interested in values based approach leadership and the impact of learning and teaching, and in my spare time I enjoy spending time with my family and eating out.
Judith Munro
Programme Leader PGDE (Secondary) English Medium
Lecturer in Teacher Education
BSc (Hons) University of Glasgow, PGCE (Secondary Physics and Science) Northern College, Aberdeen, MSc (Chartered Teacher Studies) University of Strathclyde.
Currently I am the Programme Leader for PGDE (Professional Graduate Diploma in Education) (Secondary) English Medium at The University of the Highlands and Islands, Inverness College. I work with the Royal Academy of Engineering as their Teacher Co-ordinator for the Highlands and Islands.
Previously I held positions as Head of Faculty and Chartered Teacher of Physics and Science in Highland Schools and Science Subject Supporter for Highland Local Authority.
I am currently invovled in the following projects/initiatives:
- Marker and question writer for SQA.
- Lead Practitioner for AiFL projects across ASG and Local Authority – funded through Learning Teaching Scotland and SEED.
- Contributor, teaching material writer for Technology Enhanced Subject Teaching project – funded through the Scottish Government.
I am a member of the General Teaching Council for Scotland.
I teach on the Professional Graduate Diploma in Education, MEd Critical Enquiry, TQFE (Teaching Qualification Further Education) and PGDE: Teaching Qualification (Independent Sector) and am module leader for The Enterprising Educator.
I am currently involved in establishing STEM networks of practice with Primary and Secondary teachers in the Highlands and Islands, supported by the Royal Academy of Engineering.
I enjoy spending time with my family, travelling, walking, playing tennis and have recently become a Brownie Guide leader.