Heather Downie

Senior Lecturer Practitioner

Heather is a highly experienced primary school teacher and leader. A passionate leader of literacy, she completed her NPQLL in 2023. Heather has also worked as a mentor and coach throughout her career.

Faculty:
Faculty of Arts, Humanities, Education and Social Sciences
School:
School of Education
Location:
Peterborough
Areas of Expertise:
Education and teaching
Courses taught:
Background

Heather graduated with a First Class Honours Degree in Primary Education with QTS in 2014. Since then, she has worked in a variety of Lincolnshire and Peterborough primary schools, teaching in all year groups across the primary age spectrum, with a particular focus on KS2. Working as Writing Subject Lead, she completed whole school planning for her subject, which led to increased attainment in a number of schools. She has also led whole school initiatives such as Happiness Heroes and Reading for Pleasure as well as many whole school CPD sessions across a range of pedagogical and subject areas. Heather’s greatest passion is enabling all students to succeed and shine during their learning.

Heather has also worked extensively as a mentor and coach and helped teachers throughout their careers to develop their practice. She has successfully overseen the transition of the NQT to ECT pathway whilst being Induction Lead and has significant experience of mentoring ITT students across a variety of courses. Heather has also worked as an ECT Facilitator for the local Teaching School Hub, delivering training to ECTs.

Heather has just completed her PG Cert in Mentoring for Initial Teacher Training and is intending to complete the next stage of her Masters as she works with ARU.

Research interests
  • Initial Teacher Training
  • Mentoring and Coaching in Education
  • Teacher Wellbeing
  • Pupil Wellbeing
  • Subject Knowledge Development in Writing
Teaching

Heather currently teaches on the following modules:

  • Key Professional Skills 1 and 2
  • Wider Curriculum 2
  • Personal Development Programme Year 2
  • ITAP Year 1 - Phonics
Qualifications
  • BA (Hons) Primary Education with QTS, First Class Honours. Bishop Grosseteste University. (2014).
  • NPQLL, Teach First, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Training School Hub. (2021).
  • PG Cert in Mentoring for Initial Teacher Training, ARU. (Completed April 2026).