Karlie is a highly motivated and dedicated primary teacher with experience across all stages of primary education, having taught learners from P1 to P7 for almost 20 years. She is deeply committed to the education, wellbeing and inclusion of every learner and is skilled in designing engaging, differentiated learning experiences that reduce barriers and maximise outcomes for children and young people, particularly those affected by poverty. Her classroom practice has been evaluated as highly effective, underpinned by a strong understanding of evidence-based learning, teaching and assessment approaches.

Throughout her career, Karlie has taken on a range of leadership roles including Cluster Literacy Lead, Technologies Network Lead and Principal Teacher of Learning and Teaching. She is SCIL (Scottish Improvement Leader) trained and has worked as a facilitator within the Children and Young People’s Collaborative (CYPIC) National Writing Wave Programme. In these roles, she has supported effective practice through modelling, team-teaching and the facilitation of Professional Learning Partnerships, working collaboratively with a wide range of stakeholders to plan, implement and evaluate strategic improvement aimed at closing attainment gaps.

Karlie completed a Masters in Professional Enquiry in 2014, which further developed her interest in pedagogy and, in particular, how teachers learn and improve their practice through research and enquiry. She has a strong track record of leading and supporting practitioner research, designing and facilitating professional learning, and developing sustainable communities of practice across ASN, primary and secondary settings. She is skilled in translating research and national policy into practical, classroom-based strategies that support meaningful change.

Since 2021, Karlie has worked as an Equity Development Officer, a role which has further strengthened her system-level understanding of effective practice and improvement. Through modelling, team-teaching and the facilitation of Professional Learning Partnerships, she has supported practitioners to reduce barriers to learning and improve outcomes for children and young people affected by poverty. She has worked closely with a wide range of stakeholders to plan, implement and evaluate progress in tackling equity gaps, and has led strategic improvement and professional learning across school teams, including ASN, primary and secondary sectors.

Having completed Education Scotland’s Leading Professional Learning programme, Karlie brings extensive experience in creating, delivering and evaluating high-quality professional learning and CLPL. Her collaborative leadership style fosters shared responsibility for improvement, building teacher capacity and confidence at all levels. She is committed to the aims of the Centre for Teaching Excellence, continuous professional learning and reflective practice, and to improving learning and teaching through practitioner-led research.

Karlie’s professional interests centre on equity, effective pedagogy, practitioner enquiry and professional learning that leads to sustained improvement in classroom practice. In her role as a Teaching Associate, she works alongside teachers to support reflective practice, enquiry and research-informed approaches that are grounded in the realities of the classroom. She is passionate about building practitioner confidence and capability, supporting teachers to translate evidence into meaningful action, and creating collaborative spaces where professional learning leads to improved outcomes for all learners.

• Improving Attendance - A collaborative community of professional learning that that has been established across 14 schools. All are using the Quality Improvement Journey and other research to plan, deliver, evaluate and assess impact around targeted attendance projects. The course consists of 6 universal PL sessions and 6 coaching/mentoring inputs too. 
• Evidence-Based Approaches to Learning, Teaching and Assessment (Bitesize Series) - 
  A series of short professional learning sessions focused on evidence-informed pedagogical approaches to tackling equity gaps, including feedback, questioning, cognitive load theory, metacognition, learners leading learning, and peer collaboration. Sessions support practitioners to translate research into practical classroom strategies that enhance inclusion, engagement and attainment.
• Differentiation (Bitesize Series)
  A structured professional learning programme exploring differentiation through content, process, product and environment. The sessions support teachers to design responsive learning experiences that meet diverse learner needs while maintaining high expectations for all.
• Leading Equitable Schools (LES) Programme
  A multi-session leadership programme for school leaders and aspiring leaders focused on developing equitable cultures, systems and practices. The programme supports participants to critically examine equity within their context, use evidence to inform decision-making, and lead sustainable improvement aligned with local and national priorities.