NPQ Expert Facilitators (ID 1139)

• Clair Mills
  Expert Facilitator NPQH
  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. She has recently delivered the NPQSL with the TSH and she has completed the NPQH and NPQSL with Ambition so has a good understanding of the frameworks.

• Sarah Sprack
  Expert Facilitator NPQH
  Sarah Sprack

  Sarah started her career in education as a mathematics teacher. She has experience of senior leadership roles in a number of schools in several Local Authority areas across the country, most recently as principal at South Axholme Academy, before becoming substantive CEO of Isle Education Trust in 2019. In this role she has overall responsibility for the trust's performance and delivery. Sarah is Chair of the North Lincolnshire Secondary Heads and Principals group where she has been instrumental in promoting outreach work and peer support within her area. She also sits on the local Schools Standards Board.

• Sam Barlow
  Expert Facilitator NPQSL
  Sam Barlow

  Samantha is an executive headteacher with a demonstrated history of working in primary education. Skilled in Coaching and Curriculum Development with a focus on research led practice. She is a passionate champion of life chances for all pupils, through a research led culture of mutual trust. She believes in a supportive professional environment where teachers are encouraged to lead on areas of curriculum and be the key role models for attitudes and values of our children. When she is not in school, Samantha plays tenor horn in a brass band and reads as much as she can!

• Emily McCullagh
  Expert Facilitator NPQSL
  Emily McCullagh

  Emily, having facilitated the NPQLBC and completed her own NPQEL and NPQSL, possesses a unique and valuable experience that enables her to share insightful perspectives on successfully completing the course while simultaneously fulfilling the demanding roles of a Headteacher, OFSTED inspector, and LLE. With her extensive background, she brings together a wealth of practical knowledge on enhancing teaching and learning by fostering a deep understanding of metacognition and working memory.

  Emily's ability to effectively communicate with her colleagues and provide both constructive challenge and support further reinforces her competence. Through her varied roles and experiences, she has developed a strong foundation for facilitating professional growth and promoting educational excellence. Emily's multifaceted expertise positions her as a valuable resource for educators seeking to enhance their instructional practices and drive positive outcomes for students

• Megan Morris
  Expert Facilitator NPQLBC
  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.

  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.

• Kevin McLaughlin
  Expert Facilitator NPQLTD
  Kevin McLaughlin

  Kevin is the Deputy Director of DRET Teaching School Hub and is strategic lead for the NPQ programmes. Before this role, he was a senior lecturer in primary ITT at Bishop Grosseteste University, Lincoln. He has also been a primary teacher for over twenty years with leadership experience as a Deputy Headteacher and EYFS lead. He is interested in evidenced informed practice and is a keen reader of educational research.

• Virginie Barre
  Expert Facilitator NPQLTD
  Virginie Barre

  Virginie's current role has led her to provide professional development opportunities for a wide range of professionals at different stages in their career and of different degrees of expertise. She also contributes to Day School days for trainee teachers. In addition, she engages and supports the subject community in engaging deeply and practically with the wider curriculum community, ensuring that research and best practices shape lesson design and students' experiences. She is DRET’s curriculum lead for MFL. 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.

• Chris Everton
  Expert Facilitator NPQLL
  Chris Everton

  Chris has been with the David Ross Education Trust for over 9 years currently in the position of Subject Leader of Physical Education at King Edward VI Academy. He is actively involved in curriculum creation of the Trust Wide Curriculum using his subject expertise to ensure that a high level of education is delivered to all students within the Trust.

• Jodie Houston-Lau
  Expert Facilitator NPQLL
  Jodie Houston-Lau

  Jodie Houlston-Lau has led the Communications faculty of Skegness Grammar School since 2016, leading subject teams both within and without her own specialism of English. As an original member of DRET’s Curriculum Development Group for English, she has made extensive contributions to the mapping, designing, and resourcing of the DRET English curriculum, with schemes and resources designed by Jodie taught across the trust. Jodie has significant experience of managing HR in education, including absence management, grievance procedures, and mediation. In 2022, Jodie was published as a 'TED-Ed Educator', after working with the respected conference organisation to develop a 'TED-Ed lesson' entitled 'How to write comedy'.

• Melanie Capes
  Expert Facilitator NPQLL
  Melanie Capes

  Melanie, having wanted to be a teacher since starting Reception class herself, began her teaching career in Early Years. She developed a passion for early reading and phonics, passing on her love of books to her pupils at an early age. As her career developed, she took a keen interest in special educational needs and has supported local SENDCos as they have begun their own journeys. Melanie has been the Principal of a small school since 2017 and still teaches across the school. For the past 10 years, Melanie has also worked with the local university in Lincoln to train teachers through the PGCE and QTS routes.

• Lyndsey Dyer
  Expert Facilitator NPQLL
  Lyndsey Dyer

  Lyndsey is an English teacher at South Axholme Academy. She is also an examiner, has been a head of department, TL Alumni, Literacy Leader, and author of Mr Bruff’s guide to A level English Language and Othello.

• Dave Flowitt
  Expert Facilitator NPQH
  Dave Flowitt

  Dave is Executive Principal of Coritani Academy. He has been a Visiting Fellow with DRET TSH for the Ambition programmes and is currently facilitating on the NPQH with Steve West.

• Steve West
  Expert Facilitator NPQH
  Steve West

  As a headteacher Steve has led schools in challenging circumstance in several highly successful multi-academy trusts. His career has primarily been spent in inner-city London schools, Steve took a failing school in South-East London to an Ofsted Good for the first time in the school's history.

  In his current role as Executive Principal within the David Ross Education Trust Steve leads the Trust’s only all-through Academy, Bobby Moore Academy situated on the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in East London. Steve has also recently been appointed the Executive Principal of Havelock Academy.

• John Niland
  Expert Facilitator NPQSL
  John Niland

  John is the Associate Principal of Coritani Academy. John has been a Visiting Fellow with us during our work with Ambition.

• Claire Tyrrell-Smith
  Expert Facilitator NPQEYL
  Claire Tyrrell-Smith

  With a combined 40 years of experience working across many different educational contexts including Primary schools, Children’s Centres, Sure Start, PVI and International schools, both Helen and Claire hold Trust wide roles for the Early Years Foundation Stage, with Helen additionally holding is involved in overseeing and delivering the EYFS Covid19 Recovery Programme for the DFE in Croydon and Claire as Deputy Head of Greenfields Primary School and Nursery, that was rated 'outstanding' by Ofsted in January 2020.

• Poppy Mallett
  Expert Facilitator NPQLT
  Poppy Mallett

  Poppy is a current Year 6 teacher in a one-form-entry primary school in North Lincolnshire. Since qualifying in 2020, she has led PE through school and managed finances through the PE Premium in this role. She leads behaviour and supports colleagues in fostering an engaging, calm classroom. Poppy’s practice is rooted in the belief that high-quality teaching is the foundation to an engaging and memorable education for pupils alongside the need for inclusivity. Poppy facilitates the NPQLT with Matt Smith.

• Matthew Smith
  Expert Facilitator NPQLT
  Matthew Smith

  Matt is a Science teacher at Skegness Grammar School. He completed the NPQLTD with Ambition prior to facilitating with us. He found this to be really useful in terms of laying out numerous pieces of research behind educational movements and practices along with effective ways to support colleagues to progress. Doing the NPQLTD opened his eyes to effective teaching and learning and he genuinely feels a more capable teacher because of it. He is interested in Instructional Coaching and is taking the tentative steps at exploring how this approach can have an impact on whole school improvement.

• Louise Marsden
  Expert Facilitator NPQLBC
  Louise Marsden

  Louise has worked in secondary education since 2013, prior to which she was employed as a Forensic Scientist as a Gun Shot Residue Expert. Louise is currently Head of Sciences at Havelock Academy, which is part of DRET. Through her time with Havelock she has grown to recognise the value of teachers working collaboratively together to share best practices and approaches to ensure teaching and behaviour for learning is excellent and, regardless of role held, that leadership shown by all is inspiring. Working with middle leaders and and aspiring middle leaders to focus on their own development is something she feels passionate about.

  As a Lead Practitioner of Science, she has demonstrated excellence in teaching and learning. She has expertise in pedagogy and assessment to help teachers develop their instructional strategies and assessment practices. She also has experience in coaching and mentoring teachers to support their professional growth and development.

• Karen Smith
  Expert Facilitator NPQLPM
  Karen Smith

  Karen has worked in primary education for 23 years and joined DRET in 2018 as Primary Head of Maths. She has a relentless passion for primary maths education and is committed to the belief that all pupils can achieve highly in mathematics. Karen has been an integral part of DRET primaries' journey towards implementing a teaching for mastery approach, which has high expectations of all pupils and gaining a deep understanding of mathematical concepts at its heart. Karen is an NCETM accredited PD lead and Primary Mastery specialist teacher working with East Midlands East Maths Hub, leading teaching for mastery workgroups with schools across Lincolnshire. Her academic achievements include BSc Joint Honours in mathematics and psychology, PGCE and, more recently, Masters (MSc) in Strategic Leadership.