Today our education writer James McEnaney highlights ten people in Scottish education that are creating the biggest waves and influencing the direction of the sector.

Jenny Gilruth

A former secondary school teacher, Jenny Gilruth became an MSP in 2016. She had previously served as Transport Secretary before being promoted to Education Secretary when Humza Yousaf took over as First Minister.

Her appointment was well received by many teachers who were happy to have someone with actual classroom experience in the role. While her professional background gives her more credibility than predecessors, it also comes with much higher expectations, making it a risky appointment all round.

So long as she is in post, Gilruth will remain – rightly or wrongly – one of the most influential people in Scottish education.

Professor Louise Hayward

Until recently, most readers wouldn’t have heard of Louise Hayward.

She is Professor of Educational Assessment and Innovation at the University of Glasgow, has a particular interest in the links between assessment approach and social justice, and has contributed to various national and international education reviews.

Most recently, however, she led the Independent Review of Qualifications and Assessment, setting out proposals for potentially wide-ranging and radical changes to Scotland’s out-dated exam system, so her work is going to have an enormous impact on an entire generation of young people.

Nuzhat Uthmani

A primary teacher, union activist and anti-racism campaigner, Nuzhat is also a member of the Scottish Government’s Anti-Racism in Education programme. She became a prominent advocate for teacher well-being and professionalism, appearing on programmes such as Scotland Tonight as an education commentator.

Professor Walter Humes

Another individual of whom many readers will not be aware, but Humes has been one of Scotland’s most interesting and important education academics for more than thirty years. His 1986 book, The Leadership Class, offered a searing indictment of the cosy consensus, and even cosier relationships, that makes progress in Scottish education so difficult to secure.

Blair Minchin

A primary school teacher who has built a significant Twitter following from sharing his lessons and classroom activities online. Blair creates and shares videos highlighting different ideas and approaches for developing his pupils, much of it centred around the use of technology and the importance of play for children’s learning.

Read more: We need to change conversation around Scottish education – let's do it differently

Jordan Daly & Liam Stevenson

Co-founders of the extraordinary Time for Inclusive Education (TIE) which, against all odds, successfully pushed for the development and introduction of LGBT+ inclusive education in Scottish school.

The campaign began in 2015 and just two years later a majority of MSPs backed the call for change. The following year, the Scottish Government accepted a swathe of recommendations for improvements.

TIE now provides materials and training for teachers across Scotland, as well as resources for parents and carers, and receives its core funding from the Scottish Government.

Anne Glennie

A trainer, consultant, business owner, literacy specialist and former primary school teacher who has been at the forefront of the debate around how to teach reading in Scotland.

Over recent years she has campaigned for the national introduction of a specific phonics programme which, she says, is vital to improve reading levels amongst children.

Bruce Robertson

As headteacher of Berwickshire High School, Bruce Robertson has overseen a remarkable turnaround in a school rated as ‘weak’ and ‘unsatisfactory’ just a few years ago.

He is also the author of a popular series of books called ‘The Teaching Delusion’ that support educators and school leaders to improve the quality of teaching going on in their classrooms.

Andrea Bradley

Andrea Bradley is the first woman to be appointed EIS General Secretary – a remarkable statement, given that education is a sector that is otherwise dominated by women.

She took the job as the teaching profession was gearing up for industrial action over a 2% pay offer, ultimately led the union during the first teachers’ strike over pay in nearly 40 years, a helped secure a significantly improved offer for Scotland’s teachers.