Deputy Headteacher
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I bring extensive senior leadership experience, proven impact, financial acumen and high commitment to community-centred education. I am ready to lead with integrity, ambition and strategic clarity, ensuring that pupils thrive, staff feel empowered and the school continues its journey of excellence. I am committed to creating a culture where staff feel supported, pupils feel inspired and families feel connected and to leading with the optimism, steadiness and the high expectations that our children deserve.
Experience Across 28 years in London schools, I have worked exclusively in multicultural, multilingual and socio-economically deprived communities, bringing deep contextual understanding and cultural competence. Previously, I have served as Acting Headteacher for 18 months, managing a £1m+ budget, leading whole-school improvement and maintaining stability during a period of challenge. Over the course of my career I have experience in leading change especially around growing schools capacity as evidenced in my first Deputyship/Acting Headteacher role growing my school from a newly opened school that ranged from Nursery to Year 2 through to it becoming a full Primary set up with year groups up to Year 6.
I have taught every year group from Nursery to Year 6, giving me a comprehensive understanding of curriculum progression and pedagogy. My leadership has spanned EYFS, KS1 and KS2, with responsibility for teaching, assessment, behaviour, attendance, safeguarding, curriculum development and staff development. As part of the SLT, I have co- led on the deployment of early reading, establishing through my Phonics lead, a programme of robust early phonics and reading strategies with teaching beginning in Nursery and moving across the school including phonic and reading intervention programmes for children who struggle further up the school.
These daily phonic focused lessons have seen a rapid improvement in early reading and reading development across the school. Recently, at BET the introduction of WalkThrus and T4W strategies has enhanced Teaching & Learning at the school. I have also worked collaboratively alongside our partnership school to firm up and improve our delivery of the Trust’s Maths programme ‘Maths Problem’ which has seen the quality and consistency of approach of our teachers' delivery improve across this year leading to more sustained outcomes by our children.
Qualities and Knowledge I am a visible, calm and solution-focused leader who builds strong relationships with pupils, staff and families. My leadership style is rooted in high expectations, empathy and professional trust. I model the behaviours I expect from others and foster a culture of respect, ambition and inclusion.
I make myself visible and approachable. I pride myself on remaining calm, solution focused and communicative. I remain up to date with national policy, such as the recent white paper reform and research and best practice (WalkThrus), using evidence-informed approaches to drive improvement.
I have led curriculum redesign, assessment reform and pedagogical development across multiple subjects, ensuring alignment with national expectations and Trust priorities. I work closely with the CEO, Headteachers and SLT across the Trust, ensuring consistency of approach and delivery across all policies and curriculum content and that my school is aligned with the values and practices of the Trust. In another school, I have demonstrated financial acumen by reducing supply costs through a HLTA internal cover model.
This reduced costly supply spending. I have generated new revenue streams through lettings of the unused spaces within the school while the school was growing, finding creative ways to provide the school with additional funding, and have secured over £20,000 in match-funding for EYFS improvements. These decisions improved provision while protecting the school’s long-term sustainability.
I have written successful bids for match-funding creating revenue to support the creation of a community sports club providing out of hours provision for the local community. This club is now self sufficient. Pupils and Staff I lead pupil progress meetings, analyse data rigorously and ensure targeted intervention for pupils at risk of underachievement particularly focusing on SEND and Disadvantaged Pupils.
My leadership contributed to improved outcomes, including rapid improvement in handwriting, spelling and presentation, which Ofsted confirmed had been fully addressed within a year. Within six weeks, we saw significant improvements. Ofsted confirmed all concerns had been fully addressed.
Village, my daily Year 6 maths interventions supported improved SATs outcomes, with emerging pupils making accelerated progress. I coach staff, lead INSET, support ECTs and student teachers, and run Subject Hubs to strengthen leadership and consistency. I balance high expectations with high support, contributing to strong staff retention and wellbeing.
I operate an open-door policy. I believe in the power of enrichment and providing children with opportunities to experience and engage with their curriculum through real world exploration and experiences helping them to make concrete the sometimes abstract concepts of their learning. Children need to live and breathe their curriculum and use the resources of the world around them to better support their understanding of the world they are living in.
School visits and experiences are powerful tools to unlock their learning. It is important that all children succeed and are given the same opportunities to do so and this is especially important for children with SEND - that they are not seen as on the edge of the curriculum but are at the very heart of the learning. In the light of the incoming SEND reforms it is vital that children with SEND are given equal opportunities across all aspects of their education and that the curriculum allows them that access.
Leadership of Systems and Process I manage timetables, PPA, interventions, external providers and whole-school events, ensuring smooth daily operations. I have strengthened safeguarding systems, ensuring weekly case reviews, robust oversight and compliance with statutory guidance. I support middle leaders through action planning, coaching and monitoring.
I have led improvements in teaching and learning, curriculum coverage and assessment systems, ensuring accountability and professional growth. I prepare reports for governors and local authority partners, contribute to policy development and communicate clearly about school performance, priorities and risks. I have overseen budget-linked curriculum decisions, ensuring resources are deployed equitably and aligned with school priorities.
My financial decisions have reduced costs, increased revenue and improved provision. As part of my senior leadership role I have attended governors meetings,sub committees and finance meetings. The Self-improving Academy System I have led community-driven projects such as the Silvertown Green development, working with architects, councillors and local partners.
I have written bids for community sports programmes and green spaces, strengthening the school’s civic role. I work closely with safeguarding teams, counsellors, external agencies and Trust leaders. I introduced concept maps to strengthen knowledge retention, redesigned curricula across multiple subjects and embedded evidence-based approaches to teaching and learning.
I led the development of the Media Centre, enabling access to VR, digital music production and 3D printing. I also re-established a strong culture of educational visits post-pandemic, increasing participation and enriching curriculum experiences. I lead with optimism, resilience and ambition, championing the transformative power of education shaped by my own lived experience since moving to the vibrant town of Maldon .
Giving back to the community that has had such a positive impact on me is deeply important.
I hold Qualified Teacher Status and have completed the NPQH, which has strengthened my strategic leadership, change management and organisational decision-making. I apply NPQH principles daily, such as Ethical Leadership & Professionalism and Implementation Focus particularly in developing systems, leading improvement and ensuring accountability. My 28-year career in education, including 15 years as Deputy Headteacher, reflects sustained professional development and commitment to excellence.
