Mike has a background in education as a teacher, teacher adviser, school inspector and government education adviser in the UK. Since 1985 his experience and specific expertise have been in the potential for technologies to modify and support effective teaching and learning, and in employing new curriculum models with an increased focus on individual students, their needs and preferred learning methods.

Since moving to Margaret River in 2001, Mike has continued to support educational change, working with his wife, Bernice Barry, on national initiatives through curriculum development, materials for teachers and for students, and new structures to support continuing professional development. He has worked on local, regional and large scale projects in several countries around the world and advised on the design of initial models for the Australian National Curriculum.

After retiring, Mike chaired the Council of a CARE (Curriculum and Reingagement in Education) school through its initial development and implementation, opening campuses at Fairbridge village and Kalgoorlie, to address the needs of students for whom standard education structures are ineffective. This required the development of innovative models to meet the learning, social, communication and mental health needs of students by integrating the work of teachers, social workers, psychologists and others, including a support dog.

Mike firmly believes that the curriculum is the entire student experience while enrolled in the educational establishment and not just a list of things to be learned. The core principle of his work has always been that education should be about the development of the whole young person, whatever their needs.