About

Finola Wilson

Finola has a unique skill set and is highly unusual in having taught both English and Maths in KS3 and KS4. Finola has over a decade’s experience as a Language and Literacy specialist and has taught English from KS2 to KS5, specialising in A Level English Language and Linguistics.

Finola is an expert in coaching and mentoring having studied Psycho-Linguistics and Transactional Analysis and spending several years training coaches for UK Athletics.

In her role as Senior NSP Partner for CfBT Education Trust Finola was the strategic lead for Assessment, Recording and Reporting across Wales and has worked with numerous schools to develop and enhance assessment skills.

Finola is also an experienced project manager in both the private and public sectors working with NGOs and community groups across South Wales.

  • The Illustrated Guide to Pedagogy

    Research is not just theoretical, but a direct description of the actions, approaches, and choices that teachers make every day in the classroom. Providing a comprehensive look into how learning happens in the brain, this essential guide provides practical teaching…

    Read More : The Illustrated Guide to Pedagogy

  • Closing the Disadvantage Gap in Schools

    Many children are leaving school without the learning that they need to navigate the adult world effectively, the majority of whom are among the most vulnerable in our society. Closing the Disadvantage Gap in Schools helps teachers and school leaders…

    Read More : Closing the Disadvantage Gap in Schools

  • The Illustrated Pocket Guide to Teaching and Learning.

    This essential classroom companion for all teachers brings the complexity of cognitive science research to life in an accessible and innovative format.

What we offer

Bespoke, research-informed school support

We provide bespoke support and create user-friendly curriculum resources that allow teachers to take control of their own learning and have direct impact on standards.

See Case Studies

Bespoke Support
conference speaker:
workshops
bespoke sketchnotes
consultancy support

Every time Fin or Jane speak, they have a superpower of cutting through the white noise and getting to the heart of the matter.  I needed that for my team.  Having CPD planned over months meant we could also put Rosenshine’s principles into action and implement the science of learning while learning to use it.  The training led to improvements in pedagogical understanding and informed future planning.  Superb and invaluable.
Ceri Richmond, Deputy Headteacher Morriston Comprehensive School
Fin and Jane at Impact Wales really understand what schools need to know regarding learning and the work they have produced on the New Wales Curriculum is excellent. They explain it in a way that is easy to understand and follow, extracting the main points for focus and simplifying a very large document into very manageable sections for schools and teachers to focus on. Their sketchnotes are visually stunning and attention-grabbing. I highly recommend Impact Wales.
Julian Littler, Headteacher, Stebonheath Primary
Jane and Finola have engaged our staff with high quality professional learning. We have explored strategies to engage EAL learners through distance learning as well as increasing our awareness and knowledge of key elements of the Curriculum for Wales and how it is developing in schools and specifically LLC for EAL learners.  The sessions have been interactive and engaging and supplemented with digital workbooks for staff to record learning.  We would not hesitate to book support from Impact Wales in the future.
Esther Lewis, Senior Achievement Team Leader, Gwent Education Minority Ethnic Service (GEMS)
Jane and Finola’s invaluable support and wealth of knowledge was absolutely integral in helping us to create a strategic plan to drive forward the Skills agenda. Working as ‘critical friends’ to both myself and colleagues in the school, we were able to act upon their advice, think more logically and in a very short space of time see the ‘green shoots’ of progress emerge both with literacy and numeracy. I can safely say, the school would not be where it is now in terms of skills if we hadn’t had the support of Impact.
Anthony Ager, Assistant Headteacher, Abersychan School