Our People
Partner Profiles (ID 1237)
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Dan Stobbart
Dan Stobbart
Following a successful year as a trainee teacher at Hightown Primary, Dan was offered an Early Career Teaching post, a two year programme, to refine and develop his understanding of pedagogy and practice.
His love for the school and passion for teaching began when he visited the site as a Saints Football Academy Coach. Making sport accessible for all through innovative coaching and inclusive strategies, meant all pupils became engaged in the programmes offered and were able to take part in some unique and exciting opportunities offered by the club.
Dan was keen to become a part of the Hightown family; he recognised in himself the joy that teaching brings when you see reflected back, the sheer delight of unravelling a mystery for a child; those lightbulb moments that inspire a love for learning and ultimately drive success for learners. It was then that he sought to pursue a career in the classroom.
Whilst working as a fulltime teacher, in what he describes as the most fulfilling of vocations, Dan's love of football has continued through his coaching role for the Saints Academy. This work with the girls RTC, enables talented female players to develop within the club's environment with the aim of turning potential into excellence on and off the pitch.
When not working, Dan loves to spend time with his little boy Rex and hopes that the model for excellence and the personal drive for being the best you can be, is an example for his son.
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Alice Sandeman
Alice Sandeman
Stepping stones to making learning irresistible
Alice's career has developed within a culture where 'innovation is not just a word, it is at the core'. As a student on a placement from the University of Winchester ten years ago, Alice knew that Blackfield was the place where she wanted to work and shared the school's values. She has always been given opportunities for professional growth, even when taken out of her comfort zone she always knew she was 'safe to innovate, be creative and try different ideas for the benefit of staff and the children.'
Alice took up the post of Vice Principal two years ago and she acknowledges that her steady development was helped by 'stepping stones', the consistent and supportive building of skills, knowledge and confidence at each step as she took on responsibilities as an Early career Teacher, Year Leader, Assistant Principal and now Vice Principal.
Alice has valued working collaboratively with others, discussing pedagogy and sharing ideas. Early on in her career she was given a research project on the theme of the classroom environment and was told 'The sky's the limit'. She used her interest in research to ask questions and to think about possibilities. At each step the feedback, encouragement and trust she was given resulted in Alice presenting to Governors/the Academic Board an idea which is still being used across the school today. Working walls are part of the process teachers use to make learning current and relevant and which support the extension of pupils' vocabulary .
Alice's love of the children, the curriculum and 'making learning irresistible' is what motivates her every day.
'What excites me is that I can continue to share my passion and have a wider influence on children's learning.' She nurtures positive relationships and feels she is part of a successful, cohesive team.
'There are lots of people with whom you can have professional conversations and who share a curiosity about possibilities for engaging and enthusing children in learning.'
Alice appreciates working in an environment where people ask 'What if .' 'How about.. How can we .' This reflective ethos means that there is a 'tying together of research, current practice and future possibilities.'
Alice believes in the power of coaching, mentoring and recognises the value of receiving and giving practical and relevant feedback. All of these processes have played an important part in her professional development and increased her self-belief, and extended her knowledge and skills. Being able to influence the growth of other colleagues is an exciting and rewarding part of Alice's role, for example, working with an ECT on their identity as a teacher, discussing leadership skills with a newly appointed leader or developing the curriculum within a year group. She is looking forward to using her own coaching and mentoring skills to support staff.
Alice is excited about the next steps in the work of 'every moment, every person, make it count'. She wants to continue to combine her love of curriculum with research- informed practice to find creative solutions to support and nurture all children and to help them navigate successfully in whatever they choose to do in the future. Being part of a team and knowing that everyone wants to 'Inspire Together' is a strong motivator for Alice and she wants to consolidate her role and grow within the team.
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Sarah Mills
Sarah Mills
Keep calm and love your team
Sarah 'adores' her team and found that support from others and a willingness to come out of her comfort zone have all helped her grow professionally and to love of her job. Sarah joined INSPIRE five years ago as an administrator and although she was experienced in administration she had not worked in education and schools. Her skills and can do attitude were quickly recognised by senior leaders and Sarah is now working as Operations Officer with a diversity of responsibilities. The variety in Sarah's role has kept her busy and motivated and she has valued learning from others. She has completed the School Business Foundation Certificate which has given a firm baseline for understanding the scope of her responsibilities.
'Each day I look forward to working with all the administration staff across INSPIRE. We value and support each other and will jump in to help if anyone is absent or needs additional support.'
Sarah is able to use her knowledge and influence across the Trust. 'It is important to be one team' she says and she regularly visits each school to meet with her colleagues. Sarah enjoys the exchange of ideas and suggestions, as well as finding ways to maintain the consistency and organisation across the Trust. She wants to make sure that her colleagues are supported in the same way as others 'took her under their wing' when she first started working for the Trust. Sarah likes to contribute to the 'little wins' when people achieve personal success and make improvements in their role.
Going forward Sarah is excited by a growing Trust and the opportunities to increase her operational knowledge and complete the Business Manager Diploma. She has high expectations of herself and others and knows that the quality and consistency of administration across the Trust matters.
'The more organised and knowledgeable we are as administrators the better it is for teachers to do their job with the children.'
Sarah sometimes feels that she is furiously paddling like a duck in water whilst appearing calm above the surface. She wouldn't have it any other way, 'I know I am valued and supported.'
Sarah welcomes the challenges, and her love of her team and mutual support will keep her buoyant in whatever is upstream in the future
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Steve James
Steve James
Investigating in the future
Steven's mission is for each student to know what it means to be a scientist with the skills and desire to question, investigate and observe. He loves his work with the students, inspiring their curiosity and supporting them to be able to confidently play whatever roles they choose in their lives.
Steve has been a teacher for 8 years and worked within the Trust for x years. A change of career from vicar to teacher meant Steve has continued to give and receive 'little acts of kindness' and to work with individual learners to facilitate those 'penny dropping moments'. Thirty children with their own individual sense of humour and needs is a big motivation for Steve; he believes in taking the time to 'stand back, acknowledge and celebrate progress before moving on too quickly.'
Steve values opportunities to work with colleagues in different school contexts, to contribute to the Trust's vision and to be 'acknowledged, supported and wanted.' He reflects,
'It is rewarding to be able to talk to colleagues in different schools, to have a healthy dialogue about subject knowledge and pedagogy and be given opportunities to innovate.'
Steve has been working with teams using the Scientific Wheel and posing the question What does it mean to be a scientist This work has changed the nature of science activity in classrooms and has been influential in learning progression, knowledge acquisition and lighting the fires of curiosity and discovery where students have ownership of their learning. Learning may not be neat and tidy and teachers may not always feel in control but the students say,
'I am actually learning; the teacher isn't going to tell me the answers.'
A knowledge driven, enquiry-led approach gives students ownership where they are successfully and effectively using observation, investigation and questioning.
One of the benefits for the students is their understanding of the inter-relatedness of the curriculum, for example, making meaning in subjects through the use of language, and understanding how words can be defined in different subjects. Steve believes,
'Substantive knowledge needs to be everywhere so cross-curricular links and learning matters.'
Steve is proactive about his own learning and takes opportunities to learn with and from others, for example, attending the Kent Science conference, participating in the Science cluster and engaging in conversations with colleagues across the Trust. Steve promotes partnerships beyond the school to give students the chance to see the relevance, application and purpose of science in a wider context. Southampton University and the Royal Institute are important and influential learning partners. Funding has been secured for an outdoor classroom and after school club which is already oversubscribed - evidence of the students' motivation and excitement for science.
Steve combines his passion for science, amateur dramatics and his experience of being part of the Mad Science Company to create environments for students to question and confidently test out ideas. He is undaunted by any seeming 'mission impossible' and if a movie were to be made of Science in the Trust Steve imagines the opening scene.
'Imagine me in a large venue where there is music, information presented in visually stimulating ways, equations on the walls and floor, where there are animals, lots of people, an environment that assaults the senses and is not neat and tidy. Enter the main characters - the students - curious, enthusiastic, fascinated by all they see .'
Steve looks forward to continuing to play his part in the Trust's vision, in contributing to the development of curious and confident students and teachers and sharing in many different storylines and possibilities. Full STEAM ahead!
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Katy Hunter
Katy Hunter
Connecting and Building Relationships
Katy’s role is all about building relationships with children, families and colleagues to remove barriers so that children come to school regularly and thrive. As Attendance and Family Support Officer and DSL Katy focuses on getting to know children and families and uses her extensive networks efficiently to put in place plans and resources needed for each individual case.
Katy joined St Monica’s 7 years ago and part of the INSPIRE Trust for 4 years. The values of the Trust are aligned to her own values and she feels a sense of 'belonging' to a 'family' where the Trust cares about her own development and future plans. She describes the Trust as 'nurturing' and knows that there is always someone to turn to and be inspired by. Working with colleagues in other schools is motivating and Katy enjoys learning, for example, through peer reviews, network meetings and Trust development sessions and days. The Senior Leaders’ commitment to her development and success in the role is evident to Katy on a regular basis.
After working for a credit company and the NHS Katy’s first role at the school was within the administration team. She always had an interest in social deprivation and ways to break negative cycles. Her interest in attendance at St Monica’s influenced the creation of the Attendance and Family Support Officer role. Katy describes one of the challenges of working with families is to help them 'want' support and then to identify specifically 'where' the support will lead to the best outcomes. One of the highlights has been working with a family new to the Trust with a history of non-engagement. Early meetings, building trust, finding out as much as possible, working with agencies and putting in place robust plans have all led to the children in the family being in school all day, every day and thriving.
Katy describes one of the cornerstones of her leadership as 'building relationships' and she is helped in her role by the culture of the Trust as everyone sees safeguarding and attendance as their responsibility. She enjoys working with colleagues in other schools in similar roles as there is a desire to share ideas and to analyse what is working and what would be even better for children and families.
'We are constantly talking to each other'
Katy knows the Trust is passionate about outcomes for children and the community and committed to looking after all staff. Future challenges will include changing demographics and the importance of continuing to connect with families as early as possible in order to break the cycle. She reflects, 'Education is the key.'
Katy has been supported to develop her skills and knowledge within the role and to nurture a genuine desire to help families within a context of social deprivation. With daily challenges it is the small wins which are celebrated and working with supportive colleagues across the Trust 'builds confidence and self esteem.'
She is looking to the future with hope and curiosity about new ways of working within the community, knowing that the foundation of success is all about relationships with everyone.
'Being a part of a Trust is brilliant. The children influence me. They are my biggest motivator.'
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Hayley Clark
Hayley Clark
Enabling staff to achieve meaningful success
Hayley appreciates being part of a values-led organisation where there are many opportunities for collaboration to improve outcomes for all. Her growth as a teacher and leader has been supported and enabled by other leaders in the Trust and especially through the advocacy of Claire, the CEO.
'Other leaders know me well and identify strengths I might not see myself.'
Being part of a 'collaborative community' has played a significant part in Hayley’s learning as a teacher and leader. Her career started at Blackfield Primary School as an NQT in 2006. After just over five years she moved on to take up the position of Head of School at Fawley Infant School where she stayed for nearly 10 years. Since 2021 she has been Principal at Hightown Primary School. At each phase of her leadership journey she has been given support and encouragement, and her confidence and expertise have grown through invitations to take on projects and challenges within a community focused on 'improvement rather than judgement'. Hayley’s passion is teaching and learning and her leadership of Trust priorities such as Responsive Teaching and The Learning Rubric are highlights in her journey. She has worked collaboratively with colleagues across the Trust and used evidence-informed practice to make positive differences in classrooms. Hayley reflects on the importance of being challenged to think about improvements and solutions and is committed to self-improvement through processes such as coaching which has given her space and time to reflect and has opened up new perspectives. The Trust has supported her participation in the NPQH which was 'hugely beneficial' and the programme added to her portfolio of tools and techniques for school improvement, drawing together the theory and practice.
Hayley believes that effective leadership is about 'enabling staff to achieve meaningful success.' She wants to continue to invest in staff and knows that future challenges will require high expectations, resilience and practitioners who are reflective and open to improvement. Hayley is keen to continue to support teacher development from ECTs to experienced teachers.
Hayley has a strong sense of loyalty to the Trust and the schools in which she has worked and they have played a significant role in her leadership development. She is enabled to retain her own school’s individuality within a community where colleagues share the same values and vision and are motivated by wanting to do the best for all children leading to 'excellence for all'.
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Leanne Dalton
Leanne Dalton
Step up and grab the opportunities
Leanne was attracted to join Blackfield School and INSPIRE Trust as it had a reputation for being forward-thinking, engaging with the community and always having children at the heart of its thinking. In the 7 years Leanne has worked in the Trust the ‘nurturing’ culture has enabled her self-belief, confidence and expertise to grow.
‘I thought that being part-time would be a barrier to my career but I have been given opportunities which support and complement my drive, ambition and love of learning with the importance of my family.’
Leanne currently leads on KS2 writing and facilitating staff learning at the Trust conference 2024 was one of the highlights of her learning as a leader.
‘The Head believes in you and you are given opportunities to shine and rise to the challenge’.
As someone who thrives on a challenge Leanne values working within an ‘amazing team’ and with staff who are ‘vibrant, forward-thinking, friendly and drive for improvement’. Leanne is energised and rewarded by the pupils whose learning and progress is visible every day. She loves the bright, fresh environment and the ways in which people innovate, for example, she describes the ‘clever use of technology to support children’. Within the family of schools there is the established practice of helping each other and there is ‘always someone there for you.’ For Leanne the Trust is a family of schools where ‘everything is evolving and improving.’
Leanne began her teaching career in Islington, moving on to Hertfordshire before returning to Hampshire, the place where she had grown up and had friends and contacts. She had first thought about being an actress and then was encouraged to become a teacher where the art and skill of performance and communication are constantly required. She is motivated by being able to share ideas and visit other colleagues’ classrooms across the Trust. As a leader she is able to shape the process of change, the implementation of new ideas, to facilitate development sessions and then see the impact in the classrooms. Leanne’s appetite for learning is helped by immersion in current research and by being supported to participate in programmes such as Opening Doors to Writing which will improve greater depth for all. There are many options for staff to learn together including sharing books, moderation and learning walks. Leanne’s advice is to ‘grab’ the opportunities to learn and lead.
The Trust offers leadership development programmes and Leanne has benefited from the middle leadership course which helped self-reflection and professional dialogue in a community with other leaders and practitioners. The culture of the Trust is one of driving forward where there is confidence to ask questions and evaluate what works. The use of the IRIS system and Leanne’s work with Early Career Teachers supports her growth as a teacher and leader – both examples show the importance of asking questions and honest dialogue to bring about improvement.
A future challenge in the digital world that we now live in is children writing less, and therefore Leanne knows that both skills and the curriculum must be kept up-to-date and relevant. The Trust’s Big Move Serving our Communities particularly resonates with Leanne as this is a dynamic and rewarding area including family support, extra curricular learning and creative ways of meeting specific needs. Leanne ‘loves being in the classroom’ and is now also embracing the opportunities to lead improvements with talented people who are ambitious for pupils and staff achievements and successes.
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Nicola Broomfield
Nicola Broomfield
Champion for life
Nicola always knew she wanted to be a teacher. As a child in primary school she experienced the positive and negative influence of two of her teachers and this made her determined to work hard and achieve her goal of being ‘a teacher who could inspire children and make their lives better’. Her journey into teaching started as a Classroom Assistant at Kane’s Hill; quickly her commitment and skills were recognised by senior staff and she was given more responsibility, including working with larger groups of children and then as an unqualified teacher. Sarah and Suzanne, the Assistant Heads, gift wrapped university application forms for Nicola and presented them on her birthday. Such was their belief in her and Nicola is ‘forever grateful’ for their continuing support and encouragement.
Twenty six years later and Nicola is now a Lead Practitioner for the Trust. She is passionate about the role which includes influencing the next generation of teachers and helping colleagues develop their practice to give pupils the best possible outcomes. Nicola draws on her skills and knowledge from responsibilities as Teaching and Learning Coach and English Lead. She role models the importance of continuing to challenge thinking and increase new learning and is currently participating in the NPQ for Literacy. She works in many different ways with colleagues across the Trust, for example, learning walks, facilitating moderation, leading staff development sessions and planning with colleagues. Being given a range of opportunities and challenges has increased Nicola’s confidence, and Lisa, her Executive Principal has made Nicola leave her comfort zone to lead others in different contexts. ‘Other people have pushed me and believed in me, telling me - ‘You can do it!’
Nicola knows the community and the families and values her relationships with all parents- many were once pupils in her classroom.
‘This is more than a job; it is being part of a family which includes the community and other schools.’
An important part of Nicola’s philosophy is to give children as many different opportunities as possible. The ‘Epic’ event of the annual Christmas Production was one of Nicola’s responsibilities. She made sure she included lots of singing and dancing to enrich the children’s experiences. When she bumped into an ex-pupil in his 20s he told her that being ‘pushed’ to dance in the production influenced him to be a dancer and he had been selected for the opening ceremony of the Olympics at The Mayflower. Such examples are rewarding for Nicola who knows that what she does each day will influence children’s lives in the future ‘beyond ways that I could imagine.’
‘Leadership is not about me – it is about everyone else’. Nicola wants to continue to support and work alongside colleagues in the Trust so that they can inspire more children and families. Leading in this way is a ‘passion’ and gives her ‘the buzz’ to continue to grow in the role. As Nicola thinks about the future she reflects on the changing role of the teacher who now plays many different parts - doctor, counsellor and most importantly ‘champion’.
‘Knowing the children isn’t enough any more. It is important to know how they spend their time, what they have access to, what they are hearing and watching and what may be affecting their behaviour.’
Nicola is ambitious for others and is looking forward to the many different ways that she can work with colleagues and children and families to be their ‘champion’ now and in the future.
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Carrie Jackson
Carrie Jackson
Empower Others and Champion People
Carrie believes in helping and supporting people and being part of the INSPIRE team gives her many opportunities to empower others so that they are able to make choices which are ‘All about the children’. Carrie joined the Trust in 2017 as a Finance Administrator and within a couple of years she was invited to lead on Human Resources and Data Protection. Her inexperience was not a barrier as the CEO and Director of Primary believed in Carrie’s potential and willingly gave their time and expertise to enable her to grow in the role and to increase her knowledge and skills to be as effective as possible. Claire’s attitude of ‘You can do it’ and Amanda’s ‘immense’ kindness and problem-solving approach have significantly increased Carrie’s confidence and expertise.
Carrie’s professional career has been characterised by helping people. Early on she worked in Market Research and then supported students in many different ways at Itchen College. She now works ‘behind the scenes’ to make sure the children of the Trust have ‘the best possible opportunities for the future’. The culture of the Trust motivates her and the alignment between her own and the Trust’s values is important; Carrie believes in fairness and kindness and she is ambitious for everyone in the school community. She focuses on the question, ‘What does the Trust need?’. She is keenly aware that many of the current and future challenges, for example recruitment, retention and financial constraints require ‘thinking outside the box’. She enjoys a challenge and is given opportunities to actively contribute to solutions. She values working with the Principals in the Trust schools and members of the Administration Team. She knows that collaboration within and across teams will bring solutions and values the cultural emphasis of sharing ideas.
Carrie is appreciative of the many opportunities she has been given to increase her own learning and knows her contributions are valued by others. She completed CIPD level 5 and highlights as important Senior Leaders’ commitment to all colleagues’ professional development and learning.
Retention is one of the educational challenges for the future and Carrie reflects ‘Induction is an important part of retention’. She will be continuing to work within and across Trust teams on different induction ideas and approaches. Being the employer of choice* is one of the Trust’s Big Moves and Carrie is determined to innovate and problem solve as she knows that Securing the highest possible outcomes for all** is dependent on quality staff and an environment where learning can effectively take place. Carrie is looking forward to continuing to support people, to offer ‘the listening ear’ and to being part of a ‘can do’ culture which is all about the best for the pupils.