Meet our team of experts, specialising in quality classroom practice, the Mastery Approach, the use of manipulatives and CPA, Assessment for Learning practices and using the NZ Curriculum.
Brittany Ludemann
I have developed and led effective PLD through:
- Exploring and understanding the science behind the why through pedagogical practices.
- Introduced explicit teaching practices - making connections to previous learning, supporting teachers to identify and provide step-by-step instruction, to meet the needs of all learners, including implementing intervention.
- Establishing a consistent school-wide approach to assessment by: Embedding formative and summative assessment practices, Observation, conversation and feedback.
- Student and teacher partnerships to collaboratively set goals, measure progress, identify next steps, and report to parents.
As a within-school lead for my Kāhui Ako, I have led effective practices:
- Modelling
- Implementing interventions to accelerate students' learning.
- Guiding assessment practices.
As a facilitator:
- Leading a range of workshops and short courses on topics such as maths mastery, differentiation, use of concrete materials to build conceptual understanding, making connections across maths strands, assessment for learning, helping learners who struggle with maths, and more.
- Tailored PLD to be relevant to the needs of adult learners
- Provided in-class coaching and practical guidance
- Supporting schools to monitor the impact of PLD through formative and summative assessment processes.
I have a Bachelor of Teaching and Learning. I am an accredited PLD facilitator, and have also done training around the Structured Literacy approach (iDeal - Learning Matters). I have presented at many workshops and at conferences on structured approaches to teaching and I regularly attend conferences and training courses to keep up-to-date with my knowledge.
Catherine Huxford
- 2020-present Facilitator of School-wide PLD, including RAPLD with MOE (2022-2024)
- I have led impactful assessment PLD for 5 years across multiple schools, with strong evidence of success through repeat invitations, positive feedback, and improved teacher practice and student achievement.
- I have led assessment for learning PLD through RAPLD (summary reports held by MOE show school’s improvements identified).
- My coaching in assessment PLD has led to significant achievement acceleration, particularly for at-risk students.
- I support effective communication by building rapport and trust, discussing beliefs and scaffolding new learning.
- I design bespoke PLD by acknowledging teachers’ previous experiences, designing research-informed learning and providing them with agency (e.g. choosing their own next learning steps)
- Using an “I do, we do, you do” approach, I support teachers to move from a deep understanding of the theory of assessment to practice (with a focus on student outcomes)
My qualifications and Training that support effective Assessment PLD include:
- Formative Assessment School Professional Learning- Evaluation Associates (2015-2017)
- Effective Assessment Training (Allan Powell, 2024 and 2025)
Trish Bunting
South Island
I have 30 years teaching experience in primary education in both large and rural schools. I am passionate about effective evidence based mathematics approaches that have a clear scope and sequence that guides and supports teachers in the classroom. I aim to make maths successful for each and every learner by ensuring concepts are explicitly taught and layered to build knowledge in a meaningful context.
I have led the introduction of a CPA approach in several schools and have seen first hand the impact this approach makes to everyone.
As a school leader in Mathematics and Literacy. I have led the implementation of a structured Mastery approach to the teaching and learning of both mathematics and literacy.
I have developed and led effective PLD through:
● Exploring and understanding the science behind the why through pedagogical practices
● Introduced Explicit teaching practices - making connections to previous learning, supporting teachers to identify and provide step-by-step instruction, to meet the needs of all learners,
● Establishing school-wide practices of I do, we do and you do as our version of explain, model and demonstrate, Embedding formative and summative assessment practices, through observation, conversation and feedback for ākonga and kaiako
● Establishing new school-wide assessment practices to ensure reliability, consistency, validity and fairness through accessibility for all learners
● Student and teacher partnerships to collaboratively set goals, measure progress, identify next steps, and report to parents.
● I aim to work in a culturally responsive manner - upholding te Tiriti o Waitangi.
Janette Davidson
Waikato, Taranaki
I have 25 years in the education sector including 12 years as a Resource Teacher of Learning and Behaviour, and a master's degree in neurodiverse learners and their specific learning styles. This has equipped me to support teachers in delivering impactful classroom instruction. I am dedicated to making mathematics and literacy accessible and successful for every learner with a focus on effective, evidence-based strategies and the implementation of structured tools, including the Concrete-Pictorial-Abstract (CPA) approach.
During my time as an RTLB, having already developed expertise in structured approaches to learning literacy and the Science of Learning underpinning these approaches, I turned my attention to how structured approaches to teaching mathematics could support students who were struggling to learn. I trialled a CPA, Mastery approach with learners who were well below expectation, I saw student achievement and engagement soar. Excited to influence learning and achievement in mathematics more widely, I joined the Maths Associates team in 2023.
I have presented at many workshops and at conferences on structured approaches to teaching mathematics and regularly attend conferences and training courses to keep up-to-date with my knowledge.
2025 - MoE-accredited facilitator for the Maths Curriculum Refresh and as a consultant in schools nationwide
2024 - A facilitator of MoE RAPLD Learning for Assessment
I work with schools and groups of teachers, leading workshops and short courses to support Management, teachers and learning assistants in the Maths subject area - CPA, Mastery, assessment for learning, NZ Curriculum.
I'm a passionate, highly experienced educator and expert facilitator who builds deep teaching capability in staff and leaders—driving significant, measurable gains in student achievement through high-impact leadership and PLD.
With over 30 years in education, almost 20 years in Principal and Deputy roles across NZ and England, I’ve led Catholic, state, rural, urban, and large inner-city schools spanning a wide socio-economic range. I’ve also facilitated in-depth learning across school clusters—especially in assessment—supporting improvement at scale. Due to extensive experience working with various ethnicities, including Mana Whenua, I constantly aim to work in a culturally responsive manner - upholding te Tiriti o Waitangi.
Since I completed my most recent Tumuaki role, in 2024, I’ve worked nationally as an MoE-accredited facilitator for the Maths Curriculum Refresh and as a Maths educational consultant, delivering high-impact PLD in mainstream and Special Schools, with strong evidence of success through repeat invitations, positive feedback, and improved kaiako practice and student achievement.
I have deep expertise in the Science of Learning, specializing in explicit teaching and structured mastery approaches in literacy and mathematics, including Liz Kane literacy, CPA approaches, Numicon and Clarity in the Classroom work led by Dr Michael Absolum. As a school leader, I have successfully led the implementation of these evidence-based methods to significantly improve teaching and learning outcomes for students.
My leadership has delivered 20%+ average increases in student achievement in Reading, Writing, and Maths—with particularly strong acceleration for priority ākonga and tamariki working at greater depth. This success, alongside strong across-curriculum and assessment development, has been recognised by ERO, Ofsted, and MoE Senior Advisors.
I ensure assessment PLD focuses on what truly matters: using assessment to consistently inform teaching, ensuring it is dependable, valid, reliable, fair, and drawn from multiple sources—and empowering students by building their agency and ownership.
I design and facilitate learning that is purposeful, research-informed, and responsive—ensuring trust, active participation, and collaboration. My approach is grounded in adult learning theory, refined through years of mentoring leaders and enhanced by recent training in Leading by Learning (Jacqui Patuawa - Evaluation Associates).
My assessment expertise is further supported by my training and research - some relevant examples including:
- ● National Professional Qualification for Headship (England, 2011–12) – focused on use of assessment with leadership
- ● Extensive assessment research and training (2013–2025), inducing ‘Clarity in the Classroom’ by Dr Michael Absolum with Evaluation Associates, and ‘Teaching to the North East’ by Russell Bishop with Cognition Education. As well as other PLD based on Dylan Wiliam, Shirley Clarke, John Hattie, and Helen Timperley.
- ● Masters-level Educational Leadership papers, University of Waikato (2024) – emphasis on assessment and evaluation
- ● ‘Using Effective Assessment’ training with Allan Powell (2024–25)
With proven impact, deep expertise, and a relentless commitment to raising outcomes, I bring the capability, credibility, and clarity needed to lead transformative assessment professional learning.
I am a strong advocate for assessment as a tool for learning, believing that well-designed assessment empowers students to take ownership of their educational journey and enables teachers to tailor instruction more effectively.
My strength based approach to facilitation supports schools and colleges to develop school wide practices that are culturally responsive and effective in raising student achievement. I use my experience and expertise to support schools in using diverse assessment methods that provide comprehensive insights into student understanding. By embedding these effective assessment practices schools have made positive impacts on both kaiako and ākonga teaching and learning.
I have run successful workshops with tūmuaki and Board members across the lower North Island, supporting kura to facilitate change at a structural and cultural level. This included shaping school-wide assessment policies.
I work in schools and alongside teachers:
- Establishing school-wide practices of both formative - notice, recognise and respond and summative assessment to ensure quality programmes across schools including developing a New Entrant base line assessment that has been adopted by several kura nationally. My commitment is towards schools having assessment practices that ensure reliability, consistency, validity and fairness through accessibility for all learners
- Designing and implement assessment systems that reflect both national guidelines and the unique context of each learning community.
- Supporting the monitoring of the impact of PLD through formative and summative assessment processes.