Dr Elizabeth Carruthers is a National Leader of Education a researcher and writer who has taught for many years in schools and early years' settings in the South West of England, London and in Louisville, Kentucky. Elizabeth has worked in higher education as a lecturer on Early Years courses. She has also worked for Local Education Authorities as an advisor for early years and mathematics, including working as a Numeracy Consultant for the National strategies.
She has researched and published widely on children's early mathematics, focusing on pedagogy and Children's Mathematical Graphics, which was the subject of her PhD. She was fortunate to have received funding from the Martin Hughes Memorial Trust for her research into the pedagogy of Children's Mathematical Graphics. Elizabeth was formerly headteacher of the nationally recognised Redcliffe Nursery School and Children's Centre where she also became a director of the Bristol Early years Teaching School. In partnership with Bath Spa University she developed leadership mathematics Masters courses that were 'easy to reach' for local curriculum leaders. Elizabeth is a strong advocate for the empowerment of teachers as experts in their own classrooms.