The Council for Learning Outside the Classroom (CLOtC) is delighted to welcome two new members to the team: Clare Carlin, our new Education Programme Manager, and Stu Meese, our new LOtC Quality Badge Manager.
Their appointments mark an exciting period of growth and development for the charity, strengthening our capacity to support high-quality learning beyond the classroom and to extend our reach across the sector.
Clare joins CLOtC with over 20 years’ experience working across museums and heritage settings. Beginning her career as an English teacher in London secondary schools, she went on to specialise in museum and gallery learning, leading programmes at organisations including the Museum of London and Wellcome Collection. Clare has a wealth of experience developing creative, curriculum-linked experiences that connect young people with culture, place and ideas.
In her new role as Education Programme Manager, Clare will be supporting schools and other settings to embed learning outside the classroom into their practice, policy and culture. She will lead on the Learning Beyond pathways, including the LOtC Mark, as well as delivering online events, CPD and a range of projects. Her work will help ensure that more educators are equipped to offer rich, meaningful learning experiences that improve outcomes for children and young people.
Stu joins the team with more than 30 years’ experience in outdoor learning, youth work and education, both in the UK and internationally. His diverse background includes outdoor centre leadership, adventurous activities, teaching and expedition leadership, giving him a deep understanding of the transformative power of learning outside the classroom.
As LOtC Quality Badge Manager, Stu will oversee the delivery and ongoing development of the LOtC Quality Badge scheme. Working closely with providers, advisers and sector partners, he will help to strengthen quality standards and support more organisations to achieve recognition. This will enable more children and young people to access safe, inspiring and impactful learning experiences beyond the classroom.
Together, these new roles significantly enhance CLOtC’s ability to deliver its mission to ensure that learning beyond the classroom experiences can happen everywhere and should be available to everyone. They reflect the organisation’s continued commitment to growth, collaboration, and innovation.
Anne Hunt, CEO of CLOtC, said:
“We are absolutely delighted to welcome Clare and Stu to the team. They both bring a wealth of experience, insight and passion for learning beyond the classroom, which will be invaluable as we continue to extend and improve our services. These appointments strengthen our ability to support schools and providers, and to develop our programmes so that all children and young people can benefit from learning beyond the classroom. It’s an exciting time for CLOtC, and we’re looking forward to the difference Clare and Stu will make.”
You can view our full staff team on the CLOtC staff page on our website.
As we extend a warm welcome to Clare and Stu, we also prepare to say a fond farewell to Kim Hudson, who has served as our Awards & CPD Manager for the past five years.
During her time with us, Kim has worked tirelessly to develop our Learning Beyond programmes for schools and to strengthen the LOtC Quality Badge scheme. Her dedication has driven significant improvements, enabling us to broaden our reach and enhance the quality of learning outside the classroom.
Kim’s knowledge, insight and exceptional work ethic have been deeply valued by the CLOtC team, our trustees, and the many schools and providers she has supported. She will be greatly missed by all who have had the pleasure of working with her.
We wish Kim every success in her next chapter, as she returns to being self-employed as Inspiring Outdoors to help schools take their learning outdoors and pursue her passion for connecting people of all ages with the natural world and inspiring others through her love of gardening.
