I am an education leader who has served in the primary sector since 1991, initially training in English and Education. After several years in the classroom, I became a National Literacy Strategy consultant in Redbridge. In 2005, I returned to school-based leadership work, eventually serving as a headteacher for 12 years in Barking and Dagenham. I left my school in August 2024 to pursue different avenues to contribute to sustainable change and school improvement in education.
I have extensive experience in primary education, working in disadvantaged and diverse communities. During my time in leadership, I developed particular expertise in the strategic planning and management of change, resulting in significant improvements over time. Inclusion has been a continuous focus, both in terms of meeting the needs of children through the mainstream and a specialist SEND unit and building a strong ethos to support the wide diversity within our school community. My interest and expertise in English practice and pedagogy is a strength I continue to explore.
I strongly support collaborative working between schools and colleagues and my own experience includes collaboration in a local partnership of eight schools; experience as an external QA reviewer with the Challenge Partners initiative; mentoring new headteachers and as a headteacher director with BDSIP.
In my role as associate consultant, I am committed to serving the inclusive vision and values of BDSIP, which focus on developing sustained growth and success for all young people. In addition to this role, I work outside the borough, supporting curriculum and leadership development in the independent sector; am a trustee for Harmony House, a Dagenham based charity, with a designated focus on the daycare nursery provision in their three settings and I also serve as a governor for two primary schools in a MAT in Middlesex.
Philosophy and Approach
I believe that children come first and that they should be at the heart of every decision a leader makes. Outcomes are crucial for our young people in terms of attainment and progress; so also are outcomes on a human level – their personal development, attitudes and well-being. I have benefited in the past from the support and challenge given to me by colleagues in my role as headteacher and value constructive, collaborative partnership and professional dialogue, informed by evidence based research. Every school has a unique setting, so solutions should be flexible and tailored to meet the needs of children within that context.