Sonja Smith has been teaching since 2009 and is currently Principal Teacher of Learning and Teaching at Gryffe High School, as well as a seconded Teacher Associate with the University of Glasgow's Centre for Teaching Excellence. A research-informed practitioner-leader, she is recognised for translating robust evidence into clear, practical approaches that strengthen pedagogy, professional learning, and reliable implementation across departments and stages. Her current post is the inaugural role of PT Learning and Teaching, through which she authored the school's Learning, Teaching and Assessment strategy, designed and delivered a multi-phase CLPL programme for staff and associated primary schools, and introduced learning walks to build shared confidence and coherence in classroom practice. 

Sonja holds a BSc (Hons) in Neuroscience from the University of Glasgow and a PGDE in Chemistry and Biology with Science. Previously, she served as Principal Teacher of Guidance and as Project Leader for Raising Attainment, roles that deepened her commitment to equity, inclusion, and learner wellbeing. She was instrumental in the launch of the Glasgow Motivation and Wellbeing Profile within the school and maintains that learner wellbeing must sit at the centre of educational decision-making. Sonja's values-driven facilitation is warm and collegiate, fostering trust and clarity while supporting colleagues to engage critically with research and retain agency in their professional judgement. 

Alongside whole-school leadership, Sonja is advancing two complementary strands of system-minded improvement. Together for Learning is a short-life working group designing a school-family partnership strategy in collaboration with Local Authority Educational Psychologists, including a parent-body focus group and survey. It aims to identify current gaps and provide coherent signposting for support. In parallel, Sonja is piloting a peer coaching programme that builds teacher agency through structured, non-judgemental lesson visits. Alongside these, she has introduced the Learning and Teaching Showcase, a pioneering model that celebrates excellent practice, supports departmental self-evaluation, and replaces traditional management observations with collaborative reflection and targeted follow-up. These initiatives reflect Sonja's commitment to empowering teachers and fostering a culture of trust, dialogue, and continuous growth. 

Research-informed Pedagogy and Cognitive Science

Applying evidence on task design, explicit instruction, retrieval practice, dual coding, and cognitive load theory to improve learning, close gaps, and sustain high-quality classroom routines. 

Adaptive Teaching

Designing policy, routines, and classroom practices that enable responsive teaching, participation, and belonging, especially for learners facing disadvantage, while safeguarding teacher professional judgement. 

Professional Learning, Peer Coaching, and Implementation

Building colleague capacity through high-quality CLPL, accessible research translation, and a peer coaching model that centres teacher agency and professionalism; using learning walks, structured lesson visits, and the Learning Showcase model to support consistent, reliable implementation. 

Family Learning and Home-School Partnership

Advancing projects to co-design supports with parents/carers and wider supporting bodies such as Educational Psychology, using stakeholder voice to create a practical, needs-led offer. 

Leadership and System-Level Improvement

The role of middle leadership in culture-building, coherence, and scale; developing models that embed research in everyday practice within and across schools, with a particular interest in collaboration at a national level.