Email: finola.utton@stmarys.ac.uk
Tel: 020 8240 4246
Biography
Finola is a senior lecturer in primary English, and the Primary English subject lead. She teaches English on the Primary Education Work-based Routes, the BA Hons in Primary Education with QTS and the PGCE in Primary Education with QTS. She is also a link tutor in St Mary’s partnership schools.
Finola is passionate about teaching English, particularly celebrating diversity and reading and writing for pleasure. She co-runs an Open University/United Kingdom Literacy Association Teachers Reading Group which delivers high quality CPD on reading for pleasure and includes participants engaging in research in their own schools. She has co-conducted research into students as writers, which received a commendation at the St Mary’s Walpole Prize, and was published in the UKLA 4-11 magazine. She has collaborated with The British Library learning on a project on student identity, and is currently involved in a joint research project on teacher writer identity and the impact this has on teaching and learning. Finola has presented at several conferences including TEAN; UKLA International Conferences, Teaching and Learning Festival, and to online English Special Interest Groups.
Previously Finola worked at the University of Cumbria as a senior lecturer across all QTS programmes and before this, Finola taught in a primary school in the London Borough of Hounslow for thirteen years where she was head of key stage one and a member of the senior leadership team. Whilst being a full time class teacher, Finola completed her Masters Degree, with her dissertation involving action research into different spelling strategies.
Finola is a school governor at a federation of schools in Hammersmith and Fulham; she is the SEND link governor and chair of the families, curriculum and achievement committee.