Consultancy Services
Research-informed educational design, curriculum development, training and review
I offer specialist consultancy in educational design, curriculum development, EDI/DEI (equity, diversity and inclusion) audits, diagram design, and academic communication, supporting universities, publishers, government bodies, schools, and education-focused organisations.
My work combines deep subject expertise in knowledge brokering and mathematics education with extensive experience in teacher training, research-informed design, and policy development.
Core Areas of Expertise
Educational Design & Curriculum Development
Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) in Education
Diagram Design for Research, Publications & Presentations
Research Support & Proposal Review
Policy Writing & Rapid Evidence Reviews
Educational Design & Curriculum Development
I design and review high-quality learning materials for higher education and teacher education contexts, including substantial experience developing modules for Russell Group universities. My focus includes:
- Mathematics education curriculum design (undergraduate and postgraduate)
- Design and development of images, diagrams and infographics
- Teacher education and CPD programme development
- SEND-informed curriculum adaptation and inclusive pedagogy
- Evidence-based and research-informed design, including developing and reviewing design principles
Work is grounded in evidence-informed pedagogy and accessibility principles, ensuring materials are both rigorous and inclusive.
Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) in Education
I support organisations embedding EDI into:
- Curriculum and assessment design
- Textbook and educational resource development
- Classroom tasks and problem design
- Staff development and teacher training programmes
- Institutional curriculum review processes
- School policies, for example on school uniform or LGBTQ+ identities
This includes applied work on inclusive mathematics education and representation in educational materials, supported by research and practical implementation experience. A relevant publication setting out my approach and framework is available here:
Macey, D., Rycroft-Smith, L. (2025) Developing Guidelines for Assessment and Resource Design In Mathematics Education to Support Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging. Educational Designer, 5(18). ISSN 1759-1325
Retrieved from: http://www.educationaldesigner.org/ed/volume5/issue18/article74
I am also able to offer institutional and organisational training in:
- LGBTQ+ identities and how to navigate and support queerness in the workplace, school or the university
- Inclusive pedagogical design
- Online and remote teaching for inclusion
- Gender and sex issues
- Misogyny in the workplace, school or the university
- School uniform and inclusion
I draw on work that you can find in my book The Equal Classroom: Life-Changing Thinking About Gender (2019).
Diagram Design for Research, Publications & Presentations
I specialise in designing clear, publication-quality diagrams for complex ideas, particularly in mathematics and education research. Services include:
- Conceptual diagrams for academic papers and journals
- Mathematical and statistical visualisations
- Models for research proposals and frameworks
- Presentation graphics for conferences and policy briefings
- Training in diagram design (including courses delivered at Centre for Research Methods, University of Cambridge)
- Infographic design and theory
The aim is to improve clarity, accessibility, and communicative power of complex ideas.
Research Support & Proposal Review
I provide critical review and developmental feedback for:
- Research proposals (academic, NGO, and funding applications)
- Think tank reports and policy-facing research
- Methodology design and conceptual framing
- Literature synthesis and structuring of arguments
This service is particularly valuable for teams seeking to improve clarity, coherence, and fundability of proposals.
Policy Writing & Rapid Evidence Reviews
With over a decade of experience working with international governments and ministries and a PhD in knowledge brokering from the University of Cambridge, I produce:
- Policy briefs and strategic summaries
- Rapid evidence reviews for decision-making contexts
- Translational research outputs for non-academic audiences
- Creative research outputs for public engagement (drawing on a course I teach at Cambridge)
- Curriculum and education policy documentation
My focus is on turning complex research into actionable, concise, impactful and policy-relevant outputs under tight deadlines.
Additional Consultancy Areas
Depending on project needs, I also support:
- Academic writing and publication development
- Workshop facilitation (education, curriculum, EDI, research design)
- Evaluation of educational programmes and interventions
- Development of assessment frameworks and task design
- Advisory work for EdTech and curriculum publishers
- Academic coaching and mentoring
- Competition judging and evaluation
- Creative approaches to teaching and learning mathematics using the arts (see my forthcoming edited Springer volume The Arts in Mathematics Education – Pathways to Innovation and Impact (2027)
Who I work with
Universities and academic departments
Schools, academies and consortia
Teacher associations and organisations
Education publishers and EdTech organisations
Government education departments and ministries
Think tanks and policy institutes
NGOs and international education programmes
Have a project in mind?
Let’s discuss how research, design and education expertise could support your work.
Projects are typically delivered on a day-rate basis (£500–£800/day), with short-term intensive engagements and longer advisory roles both available depending on scope.
Please email me for availability.
Details can be found on the contact page.
