About Wonderstruck
Wonderstruck is all about taking the process of learning and making it wonderful. For all concerned.
Creating thought provoking, fun activities and resources for learners of any age and at any kind of venue is at the heart of what we do.
But we appreciate there’s more to education than that. Which is why we engage with businesses, why we do websites and branding for educational institutions, why we do teacher CPD and ITT, why we develop and deliver outreach activities, why we create learning resources that enthuse and inspire.
It’s why we do the things we do.
The Team
Peter Wright – Managing Director
Peter set up Wonderstruck in 2004 when he realised that teachers quite often simply do not have the time that they might like to spend in developing new ideas and resources. Since then he has worked with schools, businesses, museums and universities to develop resources and activities that engage and inspire audiences.
Prior to Wonderstruck Peter had a somewhat varied (some might say eccentric) career path. He first honed his practical skills working as an engineer for a specialist precision fabricators, building parts for nuclear submarines and office chairs. He then spent a year travelling the lesser frequented regions of Central Asia and the Middle East as he researched the Mongol Empire and its contact with the Crusader states of the Levant. This lead to work as a freelance writer, contributing to the BBC flagship science programme Horizon and the magazines Focus and New Scientist as well as writing and lecturing on his historical interests and travel experiences.
From writing he made the progression into education where he taught physics for a number of years and was well known at one school for blowing himself up in front of a class of year 9 pupils.
Peter was tempted away from formal education with the chance to develop and run his very own education programme at Action Stations in Portsmouth Historic Dockyard. The programme concentrated on science, technology, leisure and tourism and enterprise and was a great success. After four happy years at the dockyard Peter joined the University of Portsmouth as their Curriculum Development Co-ordinator where he helped to develop the University of Portsmouth’s award winning educational outreach scheme, UP for It.
Peter sees Wonderstruck as a natural continuation of his tireless quest to make education inspiring and fun.
He is currently building a very large trebuchet and experimenting (safely) with black powder.
Anne Burrill – Branding/Educational Out-reach Consultant
Anne has a broad strategic marketing background encompassing PR, media relations, corporate communications, branding & relationship marketing amongst others. In her early years she dreamt of making it on stage and screen. However, an appearance in the Barron Knights (who?) Christmas show encouraged her to decide that it might be better to make a career out of promoting those with a more realistic chance of stardom!
Anne has worked at a senior management level for the last 20 yrs in a variety of fields from arts development, culture, tourism and visitor marketing and heritage for both the public and private sectors. The last 10 yrs have been specifically devoted to the Education field from Primary to HE. She developed The UP for It ( schools outreach) brand for the University of Portsmouth and has enjoyed being part of its subsequent growth and incredible success.
Anne’s input to Wonderstruck projects has been invaluable in developing a strategic view and improving operational understanding. As a governor to both a primary and secondary inner city school and also being responsible for the Hampshire Aimhigher and Creative Partnership programme delivery in the area she is amply qualified to do just that!
As well as her involvement in Wonderstruck, Anne is currently Deputy Director of Marketing & Communications at the University of Portsmouth responsible for student recruitment, educational outreach, market research, community engagement and widening aspirations. What little remaining time she has sees her sitting on the board of Directors for the New Theatre Royal, Portsmouth & Higher Educational External Relations Association (HEERA).
Dr Chris Riley – Media and Communications Consultant
Chris Riley is one of the leading science communication specialists in the UK. He has been involved in science education, journalism, broadcasting and film-making for nearly twenty years, and is familiar to many for his regular appearances on radio and television.
After many years as a journalist in print and on radio, Chris moved to BBC TV in 1997 to work as series researcher for their landmark series The Planets. He co-presented the BBC’s 1999 total eclipse coverage and their 30th anniversary celebrations of Apollo 11 the same year. He has produced and directed over 50 films for the corporation’s flagship science and technology show Tomorrow’s World, and produced and directed the last series of Rough Science.
He regularly presents astronomy and space programmes across the BBC’s TV and radio channels and web sites. He is the author of more than thirty science articles and books on astronomy and planetary science and produced the BBC’s blockbuster space drama-documentary series Space Odyssey, in 2004, winner of the UK’s prestigious Arthur C. Clarke Award.
Chris was a founding scientist of the UK ‘s National Science Line and has been a consultant to the Association for Science Education. He is a Senior Visiting Fellow at the University of Lancaster, and he lecturers annually on Imperial College’s Science Communication M.Sc. course and at the UK’s bi-annual Space School in Leicester.
In 2006, Chris presented the Radio 4 cosmology series The Cosmic Hunters. He has recently co-directed In the Shadow of the Moon, a film on the Apollo astronauts for Channel 4 which won the World Documentary Audience Award at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival. He is also the founder and director of online film archive company FootageVault.com.
Lisa Kerley – Heritage, Family Learning and Access Consultant
Lisa’s specialism is lifelong learning within a museum and heritage setting. She has a wide range of experience in developing learning programmes which help to address social inclusion and extend intellectual and social access to historical collections.
Lisa’s particular interest is in exploring the relationship between heritage and community regeneration as well as engaging harder to reach audiences. Her work involves creating new learning programmes for a range of audiences at museums and historic sites. In addition to this Lisa is involved with the production of learning resources, audience development initiatives, fundraising for learning and access projects, project management, strategy and forward planning, teaching and lecturing. Lisa’s qualifications include a BA Hons Degree in History and an MA in Museum Studies.
Sue Portman – Graphic Design
Sue has a passion for clear communication. Looking back (but not that far) she can see that this started at age 13 when she found a maths teacher who could actually make her understand what was happening to the numbers in long division.
The communication bug lay dormant until Sue decided to go back to art college aged 21, and was offered a place on the Graphic Design course – even though she didn’t know what a ‘graphic designer’ was at that point.
This was highly ironic given that her first ‘office’ job at 18 had turned out to be in design and print. If only she had known about typesetting then – she’d have saved the company a fortune in Letraset.
Since the heady days of that first job, Sue has somewhat improved her layout skills and expanded her portfolio of professional qualifications, most recently with an MA in Technical Communication from the University of Portsmouth. As a result she has been a part of the graphic design industry for more than 20 years, building up a wealth of experience in open learning and education.
She has continued to develop that passion for clear communication along with a keen appreciation for the importance of good design in getting the message across – whatever the message is.
Sue finds working with Wonderstruck is great fun. “The projects are always interesting – where else could you be asked to layout a page which explains to A-level chemistry students how to make biologically accurate fake poo?”
Sue is currently trying to figure out how she can fit in writing a novel with her work for Wonderstruck. In the meantime words, design and great communication are what inspire her, with the occasional chocolate biscuit helping it all along.
James Waterfield – Illustration & Artwork Consultant
John Ward – Web & Digital Design
John takes all the creative artwork and content put together by other members of the team and builds either CD-ROM’s or websites for interaction!
Currently studying part-time for a MA in Marketing having previously graduated with a BSc Hons Entertainment Technology, John works as a marketer and web designer and enjoys his spare time working on Wonderstruck projects!
"Working on Wonderstruck projects is always interesting and colourful! It’s good to know that the finished product helps towards learning and development as well!"
Outside of work, John enjoys travelling, photography and the rollercoster ride of supporting his local football team Portsmouth FC!
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