Jack Lonergan

Foundation Course Advisor

Jack taught in UK and German schools before discovering applied linguistics through a scholarship in 1974 from the Centre for British Teachers, where he worked as a teacher trainer and materials writer. During an international career as a freelance consultant, he wrote textbooks published by CUP, Macmillan, BBC English, and others, and went on to hold the posts of Chief Examiner RSA Communicative Competence (Listening), Council of Europe Expert, and Joint Chief Inspector British Council English Language Schools Accreditation Scheme, one of the bodies which accredits Kings Oxford. Appointed to the University of Westminster, he became Director MOD Languages Examinations Board (1997-2005). He retired as Emeritus Professor of Applied Linguistics to work again as a project consultant.

Carole Thomson

Foundation Course Advisor

Carole has a background in Further Education and English secondary schools, where she taught Mathematics, Computing and Business. In 1987 she joined a large state school in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, where she had management responsibility for developing the Advanced curriculum for Years 12 and 13, and in implementing the changes in the examinations system for university entrants. From 1993 she was an examiner for UCLES and RSA, which became OCR, one of the nationally recognised awarding bodies for Advanced level qualifications. In 2001 she became a tutor/manager for the University of Gloucestershire, delivering and assessing the Post Graduate Certificate of Education course to trainee teachers. Now in retirement, she is a school governor, a trustee, and works for several charities.

Robin Laidlaw

Foundation Course Advisor

Robin taught English and American literature in an Australian university for 12 years, before returning to the UK and becoming Principal of Bell College, a centre for international students in Saffron Walden, Essex. He eventually became Deputy Director General of the Bell Educational Trust, with overall responsibility for the six Bell schools in the UK, and was closely involved in setting up schools in central Europe. In 1993 he became Chief Executive of the British Accreditation Council (BAC) for Independent Further and Higher Education, one of the bodies which accredits Kings Oxford. He combined this post with that of Head of Inspection Services and since his retirement in 2006 has continued to act as a Senior Inspector for BAC.

Anthea Rogers

Foundation Course Advisor

After graduating in managerial Economics, Anthea spent some years as a manager in industry but took up teaching when her children were young. She discovered that she really enjoyed working with young people and spent the rest of her career at Oxford Brookes University where she became Deputy Head of the Business School looking after undergraduate Business studies and related courses.

Her main interests were service industries and courses for international students - including overseas franchising and quality control issues.

Since retirement she has worked for the QAA, The Open University and a variety of professional and educational institutions giving advice on how to achieve and improve quality standards and enhance “the student experience”.