Meet the Team

Dr Perry Walters

I am passionate about helping young people thrive and reach their full potential. I have over thirty years experience working in education, elite sport and research. After my scholarship as a professional footballer I subsequently trained as a secondary school teacher, working in both London and Bristol. In football I’ve worked as a coach at a number of professional academies and lectured as part of the English FA’s Advanced Youth Award. During this time I became increasingly interested in how the sciences of mind and brain could enhance our understanding of young people. I followed this line of inquiry through studying for a Masters degree in Education (Psychology) at Bristol University’s Graduate School of Education, which led to reading for a PhD in Education (Adolescent Neuroscience). In recent years, I have worked to translate and communicate this relatively new field of knowledge for educators, both in the classroom and on the pitch. I am currently an Associate Research Fellow at Bristol University where my interests lie in exploring how adolescent neuroscience can be integrated in educators’ thinking and practice.

Dr Dave Bainton

The thread that connects all the work in education over the last three decades has been to try to bring joy and respect for all students into their experience of education. Having started out as a science teacher in rural schools in Zimbabwe and Bhutan followed by time in inner city London, I hope that I am able to bring a curiosity to collaborative tinkering with the world to nudge complex situations into more humane ways of educating young people. A PhD at the University of Bristol focused on knowledge ecologies and the impact of colonial conceptualizations of education on indigenous knowledge and communities in Ladakh. I have worked as a Lecturer at Goldsmiths College and Senior research Fellow at the University of Bristol. Working with Perry and Tim on the ASPIRE framework has been an amazing experience of developing ideas that are accessible, transformative and generous. What the NA institute is trying to create is a catalyzing space where all practitioners can come together co create a more equitable education.

Empowerment, curiosity and the freedom to think creatively are values I hold close to my heart. I’ve specialised in all forms of professional development and personal growth spanning 35 years working with young people and adults. My career began in community and youth work in South Bristol, where my own experiences with youth housing shaped a deep commitment to accessible support. Early roles took me from Sports Development, five years with the Sports Council in the 1980s, followed by 10 years with the Probation Service where I managed group work programmes for high risk offenders. This work inspired me to pursue therapeutic practice, gaining the Advanced Diploma in Counselling and an INLPTA Master Practitioner in Neuro-Linguistic Programming. I have worked in Secondary Schools and Post 16 education where I developed careers programmes and supported young people with their future aspirations. My coaching practice grew from supporting staff with mediation, professional progression, and emotional regulation, and since expanded across a number of sectors. Today, I lead professional development within the creative sector at Boomsatsuma and run my private coaching practice, Down to Earth Coaching. Across every role, my focus remains the same; helping people grow with confidence, clarity, and purpose. NeuroAspire has become a central theme in all I do.