All our Non-Executive Board members (NEBM) sit on the Advisory Board and some are also members of the Audit and Risk Committee.

The Advisory Board plays a crucial role in the strategic governance of Education Scotland. As a member of the Advisory Board, NEBMs offer leadership, direction and guidance to the organisation, supporting the Agency to deliver their corporate objectives and ensuring that it runs efficiently.

As part of the Audit and Risk Committee, NEBMs provide robust constructive challenge and scrutiny to support the Chief Executive in her role as Accountable Officer. This includes reviewing the effectiveness of internal control, risk management arrangements, financial information, and the integrity and independent audit of the Annual Report and Accounts.

As at 11 November 2019 our Non-Executive Board Members are:

John Fyffe (appointed November 2017)

John Fyffe BSc, Dip Tech Ed, Dip Ed Tech, Dip Prof Studies is a lifelong learner having left school at 16 and served an apprenticeship as a toolmaker. Since then he has had a long and distinguished career in education having taught in five schools before his appointment as a secondary headteacher.

John was a Corporate Director in Perth and Kinross for over 10 years where as Executive Director of Education and Children’s Services, he successfully led sustainable service and corporate initiatives for the benefit of children and communities. John served as President of the Association of Directors of Education in Scotland between 2013 and 2015 and co-wrote its 2020 vision strategy paper which has influenced current national policy.

John has been a member of numerous national boards and working groups and currently is a member of the Scottish Attainment Challenge Programme Board, vice chair of the Career Ready Scotland Board and chair of Education Scotland’s audit and risk committee. He is a trustee of the charity Dundee Bairns which provides meals to prevent holiday hunger and separately the Nine Trades of Dundee’s charities committee. Prior to his retirement from full time work in March 2018, he was Senior Depute Chief Executive with responsibility for Equalities, Public Sector Reform, Housing and Community Planning.

David Gemmell (appointed July 2019)

David Gemmell BSc (Hons) is a Change Director with over 20 years experience working across public and private sector industries. His roles have spanned, business and technology change with some of the UKs best known corporations.

David spent some time teaching in Malawi prior to commencing his career in change delivery.

He has also been actively involved with the Boys Brigade movement in Scotland from boy to man including Captaining his local Company.

Professor Kevin Kelman (appointed November 2019)

Professor Kelman is Director of NHS Scotland Academy, Learning and Innovation at NHS Education for Scotland (NES). He is the Founding Director of NHS Scotland Academy, an innovative national venture between NHS Golden Jubilee and NHS Education for Scotland (NES), two national Health Boards, to offer accelerated training for a wide range of health and social care roles and professions.

Kevin is a visiting professor at Strathclyde Business School at the University of Strathclyde.

Prior to his current role, Kevin was Chief Operating Officer and Chief Education Officer at Stirling Council, with strategic responsibility for Education, Children’s Social Services, Justice Services and Community Learning and Development (CLD).

As well as being a non-executive board member of Education Scotland, Kevin is a member of the Scottish Funding Council’s Skills Enhancement Access and Learning (SEAL) Committee.

Kevin has a range of experience working in Early Years, Primary Education, Secondary Education and Further Education. Kevin has also worked in Higher Education at the University of Glasgow and in the third sector with Childline Scotland.

Kevin was an associate assessor with Her Majesty’s Inspectors of Education and professional associate with Education Scotland, where he was involved in inspections of schools and education authorities. Kevin is a member of the General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS).

Kevin has written a range of articles, chapters, and books on a range of educational themes.

Lyndsay McRoberts (appointed November 2019)

Lyndsay is currently Director of Education in South Ayrshire, having taken up post in April 2022. Prior to this, Lyndsay was Head Teacher at Duncanrig Secondary School in East Kilbride. In 2014 Lyndsay became Head Teacher of Kyle Academy in South Ayrshire and then spent 18 months as Executive Head Techer of Kyle and Ayr Academies before moving to East Kilbride.

Since 2016, Lyndsay has been a member of the SQA Advisory Council and joined the Board of Education Scotland as a non-executive member in 2019. Passionate about school improvement, Lyndsay has been a member of BOCSH, has served as a peer HT supporter with Education Scotland and as an Associate Assessor with HMIe.

Prior to school leadership roles, Lyndsay was Principal Teacher of Pupil Support in East Ayrshire, starting her career as a Biology Teacher in Glasgow City Council.

Aileen Ponton (appointed July 2019)

Aileen was the Chief Executive of the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF) Partnership from July 2007 until she retired in December 2022.

The Partnership is the body responsible for maintaining the SCQF National Framework for Scotland. Prior to joining the SCQF Partnership, Aileen was Head of Policy Development for Scotland with the Sector Skills Development Agency (SSDA) for 3 years. This role included the supporting of Sector skills Council to develop occupational standards and to link with Scottish Government priorities.

Before joining the SSDA, Aileen worked with the Scottish Qualifications Authority and its predecessor SCOTVEC for 16 years in a range of roles around qualifications development and quality assurance.

In addition, she previously served for six years as a member of the Hong Kong Council for the Accreditation of Academic and Vocational Qualifications and has acted as an international expert for a number of countries developing Qualifications Frameworks. She is also a non-executive Director of the Advisory Board of Education Scotland.