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.

• 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.

• Peter Fairbrother
  ECT Expert Facilitator
  Peter Fairbrother

  Having begun his teaching career in 2005 after graduating from Brunel University, Peter have gained extensive experience across a range of schools in West London. His classroom expertise spans all primary age phases, with a particular specialism in Upper Key Stage 2. Throughout his career, he has held a variety of senior leadership positions, including Assistant Headteacher, Behaviour Lead, and Deputy Headteacher for Teaching & Learning. Peter is currently Headteacher of Eastfield Academy, part of the David Ross Education Trust (DRET).

• Sophie Follan
  ECT Expert Facilitator
  Sophie Follan

  Sophie Follan is an experienced primary school educator with over 16 years teaching experience across a range of local primary settings. Sophie is currently the Deputy Headteacher at Bursar Primary Academy, alongside serving as the school's Designated Safeguarding Lead and Designated Teacher.

  Sophie has extensive leadership experience in teaching and learning, as well as curriculum development across the school. She is also an experienced Induction Coordinator, having supported Early Career Teachers, and has mentored both ECTs and trainee teachers throughout her career.

  She is deeply committed to professional development, having collaborated with DRET Teaching School Hub and she successfully completed the National Professional Qualification for Senior Leadership (NPQSL) between 2023 and 2024.

  Sophie is motivated to champion and support those entering the profession, helping them to grow, thrive, and make a lasting impact.

• Ben Latham
  ECT Expert Facilitator
  Ben Latham

  Ben is currently Assistant Principal at Cleethorpes Academy. Ben has served as a Head of English in both the state and private sectors. He is a GCSE Literature marker for Eduqas and has previously presented at their national ‘Teach Meets'. Recently, Ben has worked with a Google and Microsoft partner company advising a portfolio of Primary, Secondary and Special schools on digital strategy, transformation and classroom practice. His academic areas of interest are disciplinary literacy, dialogic teaching and digital pedagogy.

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• Megan Morris
  ECT Expert Facilitator
  Megan Morris

  Megan has led the significant improvement of Malcolm Arnold Academy for the last 5 years, a large secondary academy in the Midlands and also strategically supports Thomas Middlecott Academy, a smaller, rural academy in Lincolnshire. Megan leads with a continued, dedicated focus on placing the teacher as the expert in the classroom and having exceptionally high standards of colleagues and students. 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.

• Matt Smith
  ECT Expert Facilitator
  Matt Smith

  Matt Smith has worked in education since 2009, beginning his career as an instructor of science. After gaining his teaching qualification, Matt quickly progressed to second in department. He then moved to another local academy, becoming head of science and developing extensive experience in leading a team. During this time, he completed the NPQ in Leading Teacher Development and later became a facilitator on the NPQ Leading Teaching programme, sparking a passion for supporting colleagues to improve their practice. This led to his current role, where he now serves as ECT/ITE Lead alongside Teaching and Learning lead.