I was appointed as Headteacher at Queen Elizabeth’s Grammar School (QEGS), Ashbourne in September 2012 having been a Headteacher in Stoke-on-Trent.  QEGS achieved Outstanding for Leadership & Management in an Ofsted inspection in November 2014 and I became a National Leader of Education (NLE) in 2015. I served as a member of the Derby Diocesan Academy Trust until 2022 and continue to work in partnership with several schools and academies. In early 2016, I became the Executive Headteacher/CEO of QEGSMAT – something of which I am very proud.  School to school support, focused on delivering school improvement, is now a significant part of my role – supporting other Headteachers and schools in the locality – including Derbyshire, Derby City and Staffordshire.

I was elected to serve on the East Midlands and Humber Headteacher Board from the 1st of November 2017 until August 2022.  I am a National Coach for Women into Leadership and more recently, in December 2019, I was awarded a Fellowship from the Chartered College of Teaching.

From September 2020 I became part of the School Improvement Team at Derbyshire Local Authority and work with identified schools delivering work on school improvement as a Link Adviser.

I firmly believe that young people have just one chance in education – we must do everything we can to make sure that it is the very best it can be.  Being an NLE, coach, adviser and CEO of a multi-academy trust means that, as a profession, we can continue to learn from each other and offer support to raise the standards of education for all young people in our local region.  Supporting other local schools is such an incredibly rewarding experience.  The quality of leadership has been enriched, local staff have been provided with the opportunities to develop in their schools and we have been able to attract the very best staff to teach our young people.

I have over 25 years experience in public sector finance and accountancy roles and joined Queen Elizabeth’s Grammar School as Business Manager in 2006. I led the school’s successful conversion to an academy in 2011 and then the conversion from a single academy trust to a multi-academy trust and academy sponsor (QEGSMAT) in 2017. I am now the Trust’s Chief Operating Officer with lead responsibility for all business operations including finance, human resources, premises, health and safety and ICT. I also lead on developing and implementing the Trust’s strategic plans and growth strategy and on converting schools joining the QEGSMAT to academies.

During my career I have worked extensively with other schools, across all phases, providing financial support and guidance to Headteachers and Governors, particularly those facing challenging financial circumstances, and am a member of the Derbyshire Schools Forum.

I am committed to the delivery of outstanding education across Trust for the benefit of our children and young people.

I have worked in education as a teacher, leader, coach and author for over fifteen years. I have always been passionate about creating conditions where all children benefit from an exciting curriculum, whilst developing their desire for, and, love of learning.

My subject specialism is mathematics. I have taught 11 to 18 year olds in three large secondary schools across Derby city and Derbyshire. In addition to teaching, I have also worked on many exciting projects: I have been an ambassador for the National Centre for the Excellence in the Teaching of Mathematics (NCETM), had my teaching videoed to launch the regional Maths Hubs across the UK and have worked on international projects developing the teaching and learning of students’ problem solving skills with numerous countries including the USA, South Africa and several European countries. I am currently the External Examiner for the School of Education at the University of Nottingham, assessing their initial teacher education programmes.

I have vast experience in senior leadership driving forward school improvement, focussing primarily on ensuring that teaching, learning and the curriculum offer is right for each and every student. I know the importance of classroom focussed professional development and enjoy working collaboratively with teachers and leaders to maximise student outcomes in the broadest of senses. I am an active member of Japanese lesson study cycles – a process that considers all aspects of student learning, crucial to development of their knowledge, skills and understanding. I have been fortunate to experience lesson study in Tokyo and have since performed the role of Koshi across the UK. Lesson study was also the main focus of my Master’s Degree.

I am relishing the next exciting challenge in my career working closely with the central team, leaders and teachers within the QEGSMAT academies and wider partnerships, to give all of our students the best opportunities both whilst they are at school and in their future lives.

With over thirty years experience in the Administration/PA role I am responsible for providing support to the CEO, Chief Operating Officer and the Board of Trustees.  As a member of the QEGSMAT Central Team I am continually developing my knowledge and experience whilst hoping to deliver a proficient service to all.

I have worked in facilities management for the last 16 years, having moved into education from a leisure background approximately six years ago.  I have a passion for delivering safe, user friendly environments to pupils, staff and visitors to academy sites.  I am keen to embrace technology, in both the modernisation of academy sites and the monitoring of health and safety across the Trust. I believe in the vision of QEGSMAT and am looking forward to being part of the team moving forward and continually improve sites to offer the best possible outcomes for pupils in our care.

As the Trust Data Manager I am responsible for ensuring data is coherent across the all QEGSMAT schools to support school improvement. I have 12 years’ experience working in the education sector. Though I started my journey as a specialist teaching assistant I found that I have an aptitude for working with school systems/solutions and I migrated across to data and information management. I have gained a great wealth of knowledge in many areas of business management in schools and how these areas all interlink. I feel that improving systems, data integrity, communication and efficiency is integral in facilitating a school community to improve and succeed.  My genuine passion is supporting school staff to make a difference to children’s lives by ensuring key information is readily available and intelligible.

Working within the education sector, as a Creative Technologist, I have led the development of innovative technology based solutions with a focus on assessment and data analysis. I am passionate about making people’s lives easier and the use of technology being advantageous and not acting as a barrier to learning or the smooth running of an organisation.

I am an experienced Chartered HR Generalist having spent much of my career within Local Government. I have wide experience dealing with a vast array of HR matters from Employment Cycle, Casework, Pay and Reward, Organisational Design, Restructures, Redundancies, TUPE and Workforce Strategy. I have a firm belief in the ethos of QEGSMAT. I am committed to making sustainable changes within the Trust to improve experiences and educational outcomes for all. I believe in ensuring our biggest resource is supported and developed then we will be able to drive school improvement.

I joined the QEGSMAT HR Department in January 2023, having worked within an office environment for over 30 years.  I have worked in HR in retail for 9 years and the last 7 years for the NHS in a GP Surgery.  I am excited to restart my HR journey within an education setting at QEGSMAT, developing my knowledge and skillset.

As the MAT’s Finance Manager I am responsible for the Trust’s management accounts, financial systems and processes. I work to ensure the Trust’s cash and other assets are safe and secure, and provide support and guidance to other schools. I have over 30 years experience of working in finance management roles, which includes extensive experience in the Education sector.

I have 30 years of experience in the Finance Sector. I am continually developing my knowledge and experiences and sharing our good practices and skills across the growing Multi Academy Trust and this is something that I am very proud to be part of.

After completing my university education, I worked in a variety of roles in the water industry including auditing the income base and billing.  After having children I undertook a variety of roles both paid and supporting the community, including book-keeping for local businesses and Treasurer to a village toddler group.  I then spent ten years working in education administration at Waterhouses CE Primary.  I joined the Central Finance Team in February 2023 and am looking forward to using my skills and knowledge to support QEGSMAT as it continues to grow.

I joined the Finance department within the central team at QEGSMAT in March 2023.  My previous roles include working within the healthcare e-learning sector and in the NHS.  I’m looking forward to this new challenging role and my focus will be to support the Finance Manager in all their responsibilities in relation to managing the assets of the Trust. 

I joined the QEGSMAT team in October 2021, as a Finance Assistant. Having worked in the financial sector for five years, I am excited to continue developing my skills and knowledge whilst supporting the team.