About Us
Lynn Hannay
Lynn has spent over 40 years in primary education and in 1997 co- founded The Lyceum school in Central London which offers high academic standards alongside an education rich in the performing and visual arts. She left the school in July 2014 to pursue other avenues in education and to set up as a consultant. Lynn led the art education at the Lyceum as well as being joint head teacher and year 6 teacher.
Having qualified in primary education in 1978, with dance as a particular study, she went on to teach in inner London schools where she held posts of responsibility for dance and art amongst more traditional academic curriculum areas. She taught Jazz dance to adult level and was part of The Hackney Hoofers performing tap group. In addition, Lynn taught primary dance groups who went on to perform at The Place.
Lynn has run conferences and in school training for serving and newly qualified teachers on the teaching of all aspects of creative art. Her particular interest is teaching observational drawing as a staring point for creativity. She has previously organised and run week-long residential art courses for children.
Lynn is director of The Schiller Education Company Ltd.and a former chair of NAPE (National Association for Primary Education)
Alison Swann
Alison Swann is a Dance in Education Specialist with over 35 years experience. She trained at Laban (now Trinity Laban) in Contemporary Technique and Movement Analysis.
She took her Cert.Ed at Goldsmiths College London University and has worked in schools and with education authorities across London. Her professional work has included: dancing for the London Film School, working with choreographer Caroline Lange and artist Kate Denton, and as a guest speaker at Laban focusing on GCSE Dance.
She has run a successful primary boy’s dance group, and was part of the team working with schools in Camden to create a live performance for the Arrivals Festival at St Pancras International. Alison has worked with the University of Greenwich and Blackheath Conservatoire to develop and teach a performing arts module to teacher training students.
She has worked with The Place and Laban delivering professional development in both primary and secondary phases, and on the Learn Physical Interactive programme for The Place.
Alison is a director of Dance Educates Ltd., a consultancy focussing on dance in schools and using movement as a multi-sensory approach to learning.
Stuart Swann
Stuart has been a primary teacher since 1995 and involved in music education for many years. As a music tutor, he has worked for Greenwich Music Service, teaching guitar and leading multi-instrument ensembles. He also managed the borough’s Rock and Pop Rehearsal Project and has accompanied large groups of young musicians on residential trips.
He was musical director of the NAPE Festival of Voices, an annual primary singing event involving hundreds of children.
He played a pivotal role in the formation of Animate Orchestra, and for many years was the music technology lead.
Stuart is a director of IE Solutions Ltd., an educational consultancy focussed on the use of technology in schools. He is also an Apple Professional Learning Specialist and a LEGO Education Certified Trainer.
His formative music education was in brass bands, where he played solo trombone for City of Lincoln Band. He now plays guitar and sings with two bands.
Stuart is a former vice-chair of NAPE (National Association for Primary Education)
Polly Swann
Polly is an image maker concentrating on portraiture and documentary photography. She is particularly interested in creating pictures that explore mental health, wellbeing and self-reflection in a non-exploitative and non-romanticised way. Polly takes inspiration from literature and music and her work explores concepts of light and dark, movement, and distortion.
Polly is photographer-in-residence of Creative Arts Weeks.
Polly's work can be seen at www.pollyswannphotography.com and Beyond the Story (Photography & Mental Health blog)