Board of Directors

I have a passion for unlocking the potential in students, ten years’ experience as a system leader in two high-performing multi-academy trusts and an intimate knowledge and understanding of teacher development and the education landscape. I admire the significant positive impact that New Collaborative Learning Trust has had on young people in our region and I look forward to contributing to NCLT’s vision, ethos and strategic direction. I am highly experienced in leading people, driving improvement and providing sensitive support and challenge to a range of stakeholders. Formerly Executive Director of English at Delta, I engaged and developed a high-performing team of nine subject directors and sixteen English departments, to establish and share a clear vision for English, which ultimately raised student achievement and exceeded national averages in academies predominantly serving communities characterised by privation. In June 2019, I began to lead the professional development across the Trust and brought coherence to the activities within our Teaching School Alliance, from initial teacher training (School Direct programme in partnership with Sheffield Hallam University) to active participation in the early rollout of the Early Career Framework, and delivery of the National Professional Qualifications. I undertook the complementary role of NPQ Assessor so I could better understand the demands placed on our participants and how to best support them through the change programme design and delivery. In October 2020, I led a successful application for two teaching school hubs, galvanising a partnership of schools and educational networks across the region. In my current role as Executive Director of Teaching School Hubs, I am deeply engaged with leading-edge thinking in the sector, utilising the best available evidence around professional development design and delivery. In collaboration with the Research School network, I am co-designing and co-delivering Phase 2 of a sustained cross-phase programme across our 53 academies, joint-funded by EEF, to continue our work in narrowing the gap and building leadership capacity around implementation. My priority is always students, and I approach all aspects of my role with their experience firmly in my view. In every interaction, I ask my team to consider the user experience – our participants, our facilitators, our schools, our partners, and our lead providers – in all their decision-making. At a practical level, it is vitally important that all colleagues fully understand and appreciate the challenges students, teachers and school leaders are facing.