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ABOUT ME

Introducing Paul Sceeny...

I'm an independent consultant, specialising in adult and post-16 education, and with particular expertise in ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages), literacy and numeracy. I also have a wider interest in public policy, organisational and workforce development, quality systems and diversity/equity/inclusion (DEI).

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I advise and support educators and organisations throughout the island of Ireland, England, Scotland, Wales and beyond. Originally from the English south midlands, I have been based in Derry in the north west of Ireland since the early 2010s.

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For over 25 years I worked in a range of roles at City & Guilds, most of which involved looking after its ESOL, literacy and numeracy products and services. At various times I led on:

  • assessment production, standardising and awarding

  • qualification development

  • stakeholder and regulator liaison

  • product/portfolio management.

 

Latterly I worked directly with practitioners and provider organisations as a specialist Technical Advisor to support their delivery of programmes leading to City & Guilds qualifications.

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​In 2022-23 I took a career break to complete a MEd in Adult & Community Education at Maynooth University. My thesis research focused on the experiences of ESOL tutors in Ireland during the COVID-19 pandemic. As well as achieving First Class Honours, I won the Department's Paulo Freire Prize.

 

I'm Co-Chair of the National Association for Teaching English and other Community Languages to Adults (NATECLA) - the forum and professional association for ESOL practitioners throughout Britain and Ireland. 

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I'm also currently working as a part-time Interim Manager at North West Migrants Forum - the leading anti-racism charity in the north west of Ireland. 

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I'm also a:

  • Management Group member of Research and Practice in Adult Literacies (RaPAL)

  • member of AONTAS (Ireland's National Adult Learning Organisation)

  • member of the National Adult Literacy Agency (NALA)

  • member of the Forum for Adult Learning Northern Ireland (FALNI).

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