Robert Powell has spent a lifetime in education, as a classroom teacher, Head of Department, Head of Year, Deputy Head and Headteacher. He led Blurton High School in Stoke-on-Trent for just over four years during which time the school nearly doubled its higher grade GCSE passes and its SATs scores at Key Stage 3. Now called Ormiston Sir Stanley Matthews Academy, it has become, under its wonderful new leadership, one of the highest performing schools in the City.

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Before taking up his headship in 1997 he worked for eight years in publishing and consultancy. He was the co-founder of Network Educational Press and Network Consultancy, but left to set up Robert Powell Training and Publications in 1996. He has written nine books including his two most recent, Feedback and Marking, and Outstanding Teaching, Learning and Assessment: the Handbook. The highly successful Raising Achievement and Active Whole-Class Teaching were amongst his earlier publications. He has worked on INSET with over 2000 primary and secondary schools, was a consultant to the SSAT working with Academies and has led inset with dozens of FE colleges and with most of the high-performing Sixth Form Colleges across the UK. He is renowned for his challenging and humorous style of presentation.