Visiting Fellow Community

The role of Expert Facilitator or Visiting Fellow is a recognition of some of the leading expert teachers and leaders in their field. These colleagues possess the expertise and capacity to support their peers within and beyond their own school.

 

• Karen Smith
  ECT Expert Facilitator
  Karen Smith

  Karen is a senior leader working in the core team at David Ross Education Trust as the trust-wide maths lead and strategic lead for assessment. Â This role is culmination of 22 years of classroom teaching and leadership roles in primary schools. Â Â

  Karen works with teachers, middle and senior leaders all 22 DRET primary schools to support the development of high-quality teaching and learning across the network. Â She has also worked with East Midlands East Maths Hub for the past 6 years, as a specialist leading mastery workgroups with schools across Lincolnshire.

• Tanya Grundy
  ECT Expert Facilitator
  Tanya Grundy

  Tanya Grundy has over 20 years' experience as Head of Faculty and Lead Practitioner. For six of those years, she also taught drama and Shakespeare elements within the English PGCE at Nottingham Trent University. She is a specialist in both drama and dance, Key Stage 3-5, with a proven track record of high attainment across age range and disciplines. She is passionate about Teaching and Learning, Literacy and Oracy and drives these through her role as Lead Practitioner at Charnwood College. Currently, Tanya is taking her MA in Expert Teaching, researching cognitive science theories and how these support teaching, learning and curriculum planning.

• Nick Warren
  ECT Expert Facilitator
  Nick Warren

  Nick Warren is a Year 6 Teacher, Mathematics Lead and Raising Standards Lead at Briar Hill Primary School in Northampton. He began his teaching journey in 2016 on the DRET's PGCE Schools Direct offer. Nick has been involved in a number of projects with Briar Hill including being involved in NCETM Sustaining for Mastery School, involved in the DRET's English and Mathematics Communities and completing his NPQML in 2020 and starting his NPQSL in 2021. Nick is passionate about supporting early career teachers to be the best that they can be and wants to inspire new Early Career Teachers. Â

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• Sonia Thundercliffe,
  ECT Expert Facilitator,
  Sonia Thundercliffe,

  Sonia is Assistant Principal for Staff Development at Havelock Academy, Grimsby. Sonia is a Havelock veteran, having spent almost half of her career at the Academy. Sonia has been teaching History for more than twenty years and is happiest in the classroom grappling with a contentious historical question. Sonia is a passionate advocate for an ambitious curriculum, as well as the provision of high-quality teaching as a tool for social justice. Sonia takes great joy from mentoring fledgling teachers to the profession, with a core part of her current role leading on the induction of Early Careers Teachers at Havelock. Â Â

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• Sarah Durbin
  ECT Expert Facilitator
  Sarah Durbin

  Sarah has been a teacher for nearly 10 years and entered the profession as a mature student. Having been so inspired by her own mentors as she entered her career, she has always been passionate about helping new teachers as they enter their career. This is her 7th year within DRET and 6th year of being ITT co-ordinator with her school. Sarah loves all areas of curriculum but has a strong passion for history and science.

• Wendy Baxter
  ECT Expert Facilitator
  Wendy Baxter

  Wendy currently works as a trust regional director. Her role involves providing guidance, support and challenge to senior leaders as well as leading on attendance. Wendy has worked in many different schools, both primary and secondary. More recently she has supported some of the most challenging schools in the country. As such she is widely experienced in school 'turnaround' and is passionate about making sure that every pupil has high aspirations for their future. She has also studied some of the very best schools, both in the UK and US, as part of her participation in the Future Leaders programme.

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• Jacqueline Brewell
  ECT Expert Facilitator
  Jacqueline Brewell

  Jacqueline is an experienced Expert Facilitator, Instructional Coach and Mentor and has been working with the ECF since its introduction in 2021, and with NPQs since Spring ‘23. Whilst now freelance, Jacqueline has been a Deputy Head and Senior Leader in primary schools, where she was responsible for: Curriculum Development; the Quality of Teaching and Learning; Assessment; and NQTs/ECTs/ITTs, amongst other things! Before entering Education, Jacqueline held several senior positions in industry involving professional development of staff.

 

• Stuart Lock
  Visiting Fellow: NPQH
  Stuart Lock

  Stuart has over 20 years of experience teaching, 17 of which have been in leadership in schools. He has advised the Department for Education on the group that developed the Early Career Framework, the group that wrote the Headteacher Standards in 2020, and the group that looked at the role of National Leaders of Education in 2019.

• Sol Johnson
  Visiting Fellow: NPQH
  Sol Johnson

  Sol Johnson  is the inspirational principal of Welton CE Primary School and Newnham Academy.  Welton CE has recently been Ofsted inspected has been judged grade 1.  Under his leadership Newnham has moved from grade 3 to 2.  Prior to him leading Welton, it was judged by the SIAMS inspectorate to be grade 3 and is widely expected to achieve a grade 1 when next inspected.  He is also the DRET church school lead.

• Megan Morris
  Visiting Fellow: NPQH
  Megan Morris

  Megan Morris is the Executive Headteacher at DRET across schools and strategically leads on the Post-16 provision at the Trust. She has over  17  years of experience in school leadership in a range of secondary school settings. In addition to her in-school role, Megan has held a role of school governor for a number of years. Â

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  Megan has led the significant improvement of outcomes at Malcolm Arnold Academy, a large secondary setting in the Midlands. Megan leads with a continued, dedicated focus on placing the teacher as the expert in the classroom. She maintains that colleagues should see themselves as part of a consistent team, providing children with the very best school experience as a result of the warm and strict environment they create, the powerful knowledge they teach and the strong moral purpose that drives them. Megan identifies school leadership as a privilege and that colleagues have a shared mission of delivering a world-class education to ensure that all students live full, rich and successful lives.

• Clair Mills
  Visiting Fellow: NPQSL
  Clair Mills

  Clair is currently very privileged to be the principal at Eastfield Academy in Northampton. She has had various leadership roles previously, including being deputy head at Kings Heath Academy. Clair has always had a keen interest in leadership, professional development and ITT. She has been on different steering groups for the University of Northampton and supported a range of routes into teaching. Clair is part of the Trust Primary Teaching and Learning Community which has enabled her to work with a variety of leaders and teachers across the Trust. She is also passionate about the importance of Early Years and will happily talk about how important these foundations are for all of our pupils to succeed. Â

• Angela Watts
  Visiting Fellow: NPQSL
  Angela Watts

  Angela is an experienced Headteacher who has worked, and led, in schools across England for 17 years. Angela has a passion for working in challenging schools and working with staff to transform behaviour and securing the best possible outcomes for all pupils.

• John Niland
  Visiting Fellow: NPQSL
  John Niland

  John is Associate Principal at Coritani Academy and has wide leadership experience in a variety of settings across Yorkshire and Lincolnshire. As a leader, areas of focus include developing school culture, leadership and behaviour and previously 5 years as an Advanced Skills Teacher.

• Phil Allen
  Visiting Fellow: NPQSL
  Phil Allen

  As the Deputy Head teacher at Lisle Marsden CE Primary Academy for the last 8 years, Phil is an experienced senior leader who currently oversees the development of teaching staff and their CPD, curriculum developments and assessment. He has expertise in curriculum leadership and the development of leadership skills within staff. He joined the teaching profession in 1997 as a primary teacher specializing in mathematics and technology. He has worked in multiple schools in a range of leadership roles including ICT subject leadership, key stage 2 leadership and assistant headteacher.

• Jude Hunton
  Visiting Fellow: NPQSL
  Jude Hunton

  Jude Hunton is executive headteacher at DRET and headmaster of Skegness Grammar School. He has over fifteen years of experience teaching, ten years in leadership roles: leading English and then senior leadership in four different schools.

  Â He is currently headmaster at Skegness Grammar and part of a leadership team that have raised outcomes and improved the school's Ofsted rating. He has written and led training for the Chartered College of Teaching and their journal Impact. Jude is the organiser of researched Rugby in partnership with Rugby School, the midland's largest CPD event for teachers. He is executive headteacher at DRET for Quality of Education in secondaries. Jude is also a governor at a Lincolnshire primary school.

• Claire Tyrell-Smith
  Visiting Fellow: NPQEYL
  Claire Tyrell-Smith

  Claire holds a Trust wide role for the Early Years Foundation Stage. Â Claire is currently Deputy Head of Greenfields Primary School and Nursery, that was rated 'outstanding' by Ofsted in January 2020.

• Helen Savage
  Visiting Fellow: NPQEYL
  Helen Savage

  Helen has over 20 years of experience working across many different educational contexts including Primary schools, Children's Centres, Sure Starts, PVI and International language schools. Currently Helen is a nursery teacher and Early Years lead based at Endike Academy in Hull. She is also privileged to work Trust wide in the roles of SLE and EYFS Trust lead. Â

  Helen is the Area Lead for Croydon and is involved in overseeing and delivering the EYFS Covid19 Recovery Programme for the DFE. Helen lives and breathes early years and is an enthusiastic advocate for play. Her mission is to ensure all practitioners have a strong understanding of child development, play, practice, and pedagogy. She is passionate about giving educators the best possible toolkits for their roles and enjoys developing high quality training that is accessible to all. She has a keen interest in international early years practice and has had experience of working overseas and of visiting a range of international early years settings

• Jane Badger-Jones
  Visiting Fellow: NPQEYL
  Jane Badger-Jones

  Jane has over 20 years of experience working across many different educational contexts including Infant, Primary schools and a Leading ITT, then aspiration Widening Participation Outreach in a University. Currently Jane is a Nursery Teacher and Early Years lead based at Kings Heath Academy in Northamptonshire in a community of deprivation. She is passionate about Early Years and the vital role this has in ensuring children are successful, enthusiastic and empowered learners for life. Jane has visited Europe Early Years settings in the area of Thinking skills and presented at a National Conference in Washington DC around Children as Change Makers.

• Scott Barlow
  Visiting Fellow: NPQLBC
  Scott Barlow

  Scott has been a teacher for 22 years and senior leader for over 12 years, having worked in three contrasting secondary schools across the Yorkshire and Humber region. Throughout Scott's career he has continued to seek opportunities to develop his practice as a leader and as a teacher. Scott is currently the Principal in an 11-18 academy in North Lincolnshire. Scott is passionate about school improvement and school leadership having worked with a number of leaders in differing local authorities over the last 10 years. Â Â Previously Scott has been an SLE for the Doncaster Teaching School, worked for the National College as a Middle Leader Facilitator for its NPQML courses and has also delivered school to school support as a PIXL Associate. Â

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• Sue Jones
  Visiting Fellow: NPQLBC
  Sue Jones

  Sue joined the David Ross Education Trust in January 2019 as Principal of Charles Read Academy and is now Executive Principal across two academies in Lincolnshire. She is experienced at all levels of leadership, has worked in single sex and co-educational academies and her success in driving achievement and improving schools has been recognised  on many occasions  by Ofsted.  Sue has completed a master's degree in education, has her NPQH, was involved in the Talented Leaders programme with the Ambition Institute and more recently the Exemplary Leadership programme.  Â

  Sue is passionate about driving character and values through the vehicle of a House system. Her vision for a framework to enhance personal development was recognised this year when Charles Read Academy received the Character Kitemark, and recognition that, 'The school's House System is outstanding practice as a framework for delivering character education.' (Association of Character Education) Â Â

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• Darren Gardiner
  Visiting Fellow: NPQLBC
  Darren Gardiner

  Darren is a passionate and experienced Senior Leader. Darren is currently a specialist behaviour support coach for BILD and specialist leader of education. He believes in always learning and always sharing good practice and that positive relationships are the cornerstone of high quality education provision.

• Janine King
  Visiting Fellow: NPQLBC
  Janine King

  Over a career in education spanning 30 years, Janine has had numerous leadership roles in Primary, Middle and Junior schools across the country. She firmly believes that children deserve to have the best education available, and that the first step is to create a positive ethos and culture that runs throughout the school – a clear and consistent expectation that is communicated and modelled by every staff member in every classroom, every lesson, every day. Janine has a proven track record of driving school improvement in schools in challenging circumstances. She currently leads Wold Academy in Hull.

• Jeanette Taylor
  Visiting Fellow: NPQLTD
  Jeanette Taylor

  Jeanette has 30 years teaching experience across a variety of primary schools. She was literacy advisor for North Lincolnshire Local Authority. She works for the North Lincolnshire SCITT Partnership developing the central training programme for ITTs. Jeanette has an MA in Education research.

• Virginie Barre
  Visiting Fellow: NPQLTD
  Virginie Barre

  Virginie is a Trust-wide subject lead at DRET. She has an MA, an MFL PGCE and an NPQH. For 25 years, Virginie has taught Modern Languages in a range of schools, held the role of Deputy Head in a large school in London and played a role in the school being awarded two Outstanding ratings by Ofsted, and Teaching School status.

• Naomi Bell
  Visiting Fellow: NPQLTD
  Naomi Bell

  Naomi is an experienced math teacher and department lead, who joined Advantage Schools as the maths lead for the trust in September 2019. Prior to joining the trust Naomi taught for six years in central London where she had a track record of supporting her students to achieve excellent outcomes at GCSE as well as improving outcomes across the school. Naomi has also developed a passion for becoming and supporting others to become expert teachers of maths, supporting both primary and secondary colleagues. In particular, Naomi enjoys creating highly effective strategies for teaching difficult concepts, planning and resourcing excellent curricula and training other teachers to become skilled practitioners.

• Amelia Holdcroft
  Visiting Fellow: NPQLT
  Amelia Holdcroft

  Amelia is a Teaching and Learning Lead at OFSTED-rated 'Outstanding' Greenfields Primary School and Nursery in Kettering. Amelia drives whole-school improvement in Teaching and Learning as well as supporting colleagues across the Trust.

• Kerry Milligan
  Visiting Fellow: NPQLT
  Kerry Milligan

  Kerry is Assistant Principal at King Edward VI Academy in Spilsby. Her current role involves leading teaching and learning across the academy, line management of the different faculties and the role of ECT Induction Co-ordinator.

• Chanel McPherson-George
  Visiting Fellow: NPQLT
  Chanel McPherson-George

  As Head of Science at Bedford Free School, Chanel has lead on developing new curricula and implementing cyclical improvements. Â She has led departmental CPD and mentored/coached many early career teachers as well as experienced staff members. Chanel has an interest in neuroscientific approaches to teaching and engage in small-scale classroom-based action research to inform decision and policy making. For her, it is vital that department policy becomes reality and that staff hold each other, and their students, to account for the high standards that we as educators are ever-aspiring towards.

• Eve Kenny
  Visiting Fellow: NPQLT
  Eve Kenny

  Eve began her teaching career in 2013 at Greenfields Primary School as a Key Stage One Teacher. She spent many years in Key Stage One and is highly skilled in Early Reading, Writing and Mathematics. Throughout her time teaching at Greenfields, Eve progressed into senior leadership, becoming a phase leader also leading on English and Mathematics across the school. In 2021 Eve took on a secondment at Briar Hill Primary School as the assistant head teacher leading teaching and learning. Eve is incredibly passionate in ensuring achievement for all children no matter their background. She is highly skilled in direct instruction and coaching teachers so that they can always promote high standards of learning.

• Jo McCluskie
  Visiting Fellow: NPQLL
  Jo McCluskie

  Joanne is Trust-wide subject lead at DRET and was previously a Trust Curriculum & Research Lead. A secondary English teacher for over 20 years, Joanne also worked with the Teacher Development Trust as an Expert Advisor for the new NPQs. After successfully implementing a Whole School Reading Scheme, she has consulted with a range of schools to support implementation in their context

• Charlie Wild
  Visiting Fellow: NPQLL
  Charlie Wild

  Charlie is an experienced English teacher and literacy leader. He began his career as a primary class teacher. Charlie has a wealth of knowledge about the development of reading, writing and vocabulary across a wide range of ages. He also has several years of experience coaching and mentoring trainee teachers.