about us. supporting you all the way

Some careers end when their practitioners are still young (professional sport) or after a set time (armed or other services) or when glass ceilings are reached because of lack of qualifications. FUTURESMART recognises that experiences gained in these fields can be used to assist in gaining qualifications or transitioning to other careers.

WHY FUTURESMART IS DIFFERENT
• We offer bespoke programmes tailored to the needs of the individual. READ MORE ABOUT OUR BESPOKE PROGRAMMES
• We can arrange pathways leading to formal academic or professional qualifications.
• In many instances we enable clients to access Masters level courses without  an undergraduate degree, saving much time and money. READ MORE ABOUT ACCESSING MASTER COURSES WITHOUT AN UNDERGRADUATE  DEGREE
• Flexibility. Our bespoke programmes permit our clients to study for Undergraduate, Masters or Professional qualifications during or after their sporting or other careers. Our bespoke educational packages are specifically structured to be compatible with an individual’s present career commitments and their future ambitions.
• We can negotiate with Universities on your behalf.
• Our packages allow your attributes and skills to be utilised to acquire academic qualifications with universities and designed with potential employers in mind.
• All bespoke educational packages are accessible online and support from qualified tutors is available locally to each client to suit her/his schedule.
• We work at your pace; we negotiate for you and offer guidance, support and tuition  for you to succeed. 

In short, we can provide products that are of value to you and your future.

CAROLE DAVIES . MA ED
FOUNDER AND HEAD OF EDUCATIONAL SERVICES AND QUALIFIED PERSONAL TUTOR

As Head of Educational Services, Carole is able to draw on her established network of contacts, and an in-depth understanding of academic administration. Carole meets with potential clients and sports clubs, assesses their requirements, and works closely with universities and professional bodies to organise, develop and deliver FUTURESMART’s bespoke academic programmes. She has vast knowledge and experience of working with athletes and is adept at understanding the needs for flexible working and study in order for learning to be combined with being a professional sports person.

carole@futuresmart.uk

GERAINT DAVIES BSc. MB.ChB. FRCS(Lond). MD.
FOUNDER, CEO AND HONORARY SENIOR LECTURER AT SHEFFIELD UNIVERSITY MEDICAL SCHOOL

I’m a recently retired Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon, having served at Sheffield Children’s Hospital. I obtained an MD (Doctorate in Medicine,) from a research post in Bristol in 1986. Teaching at undergraduate and postgraduate levels was an important component of the post at The Children’s Hospital, and in addition I have supervised research projects and dissertations for BSc and MSc candidates. I am a member of World Orthopaedic Concern (WOC), an organisation to promote orthopaedic care in developing countries, and I assist in charitable work in Nepal, in association with the registered charity NEVEREST.

MIRANDA TROJANOWSKA
HEAD OF COURSE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM AND QUALIFIED PERSONAL TUTOR

After Postdoctoral research in Biochemistry, Miranda spent 15 years teaching in Further and Higher Education, principally Biology & Forensic Science. She also gained a qualification in Counselling and has extensive experience in pastoral support of students in a range of issues. In FutureSmart she is responsible for all IT requirements, updating the website and for the design and management of Moodle, the online support system. She tutors and mentors students in their preparation for academic and professional qualifications.

miranda@futuresmart.uk

SIMON SINCLAIR
HEAD OF PS2E PROGRAMME (PROFESSIONAL SPORT TO EDUCATION)

Having worked in education for a number of years as a Director of Sport namely at Framlingham College along with overseeing the Elite Player Development Programme for Northampton Saints for the Eastern Region for 10 years. Simon then took a full time role as Academy Manager at Northampton Saints for 3 years overseeing the day to day operation of the academy and supporting athletes on and off the field. In 2019 he was offered the opportunity to join Bedford Modern School as Director of Sport which was too good to turn down as it has given Simon the opportunity to further develop his career.

Simon has a passion for developing, supporting and mentoring athletes. Having been in both education and professional sport he knows what it takes to support athletes transitioning from sport to education.

KATE MCKENZIE MA, BA(Hons)
PERSONAL QUALIFIED TUTOR

Kate's career in education spans 15 years. She has worked in both Further Education and the community including roles as tutor, mentor, coach, and manager. Kate was Programme Manager for a large Creative Industries Department in an FE college and progressed to Deputy Head of a multi-discipline department in a large regional FE college. Here, she was responsible for 23 staff and over 400 students who were studying both FE and HE courses.
Within the community she worked closely with a range of employers to provide high quality educational opportunities for a range of diverse students. These have included Theatres, Sports Clubs, Shopping Centres, to name a few.
During her career Kate has mentored and supported both colleagues and students in their continuing professional development. This has been in both educational and professional settings. Her experience has provided her with an insight and the skills to provide a diverse range of students the necessary guidance, support, and motivation.

POLLY JEFFRIES
QUALIFIED PERSONAL TUTOR

Polly has spent 20 years working in the music industry as a professional singer, voice teacher and workshop leader having studied at King’s College London and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. As a performer, she has plentiful and varied experience of working in a demanding and competitive field and understands the challenge of combining this with other areas of work and study. She works with a wide range of ages and abilities, mentors her students to access and develop new skills and knowledge and supports them to grow in confidence whilst working towards qualifications, further studies or job opportunities.

SHEINE PEART
PERSONAL QUALIFIED TUTOR

Dr Sheine Peart is a lecturer in Professional Studies at Bishop Grosseteste University. She teaches on the Foundation Degree, the BA honours, the Masters programmes in Professional Studies and the Doctoral Awards at the University. Sheine joined Bishop Grosseteste in April 2019. In her previous post at Nottingham Trent University she held a number of different posts of responsibility including the course leader for the SENCO Award for practising and aspirant SENCOs, the course leader for the Education Masters programmes and the Post Graduate Reserach Tutor for Education Doctorates as well as teaching on the Foundation Award in Education, the BA in Education and teacher training courses.

Before teaching in HE she worked in FE for 15 years, teaching numeracy to learners on a wide variety of vocational programmes, and managing the College’s teacher education programmes. She has a broad experience of practical classroom issues and working with disadvantaged learners and those with challenging behaviour. Her outstanding doctoral research on the experience of Black male learners in the FE won the BERA/SAGE award for research in 2012. Prior to being based in HE Sheine worked as a local authority adviser, a secondary school teacher, a youth worker and a fast food retail manager.

JOJO SANDERSON
PERSONAL QUALIFIED TUTOR

Jojo graduated with a degree in vocational acting from Leeds University. She pursued this career for several years, working in live theatre, voiceover, pantomime and theatre in education. Facilitating drama workshops in schools gave Jojo a passion for teaching and she became a secondary school drama teacher 10 years ago. Whilst working in education she became a head of year and gained lots of experience in pastoral support and behaviour management. She has worked in a range of education settings due to moving around the country to follow her husband’s rugby career. Jojo gained a PGCERT in Professional Practice in 2017 and has been working as a tutor supporting masters level CPD modules and dissertations since that date.
Jojo is acutely aware of the need for professional sports players to prepare for their next careers and understand the process from the student perspective.

JILL FORTUNE
MENTOR

Jill brings over 20 years of experience of facilitating learning for work-based learners within leadership and management. She is passionate about supporting and coaching individuals so they are able to develop and realise individualised personal and professional goals and has worked with Universities, Academies and Professional Bodies to deliver and develop learning and development programmes and qualifications. In Futuresmart Jill will be responsible for workshops that support personal awareness and development.

SEAN WRIGHT
MENTOR

Sean is a former British Army NCO and highly-motivated, educated professional currently working within the sports industry. He has a proven track record of providing exemplary levels of service to a broad range of partners, professionals and stakeholders. Recently graduated from Northumbria University with a 2:1 MA in professional practice in Coaching & Mentoring. Sean has experience in project management and change management as well as assisting with developing valuable skills sets to create positive impacts.

JACKIE KING-OWEN
INTERNAL MODERATOR

Jackie is a qualified social worker registered with the Social Work England and also an experienced housing practitioner with nearly 40 years working in the public, voluntary and not-for-profit third sector.
She is a practice teacher for social work students and has helped to train 18 in the last 4 years. She is a trained performance and life coach.
Jackie is committed to lifelong learning and has recently retired from the University of Derby where she was a lecturer for the last 4 years. She has written and taught the Management and Leadership module at level 6 for the last 2 years. This is based on over 25 years’ in management as a leader of a large charitable organisation where as CEO she employed 650 staff to support 350 service users with learning difficulties.
She has 3 degrees herself including a Professional Masters in Health and Social Care and a Masters in Social Work. She completed a Post Graduate Certificate in Higher Education in 2019 and is a fellow of the Higher Education Academy. Katie has registered for a doctorate. She is committed to supporting students to achieve their personal best and enjoys supervising written and academic work.
She is a trained Cruse bereavement volunteer which helps with listening and communication skills.