Education Support Team (ID 1310)

• Claire Lowe
  Chief Executive Officer
  Claire Lowe

  With experience as Headteacher and Executive Headteacher across school federation and partnership models, and now as CEO of a successful Multi-Academy Trust, Claire Lowe brings both a track record of excellence and a deep empathy for the many changes and challenges facing school and system leaders today.

  Claire is Chief Executive Officer of Inspire Learning Partnership, a values-led trust committed to transforming lives and building futures for children, staff and communities. Alongside this, she works as a Department for Education RISE Adviser, supporting school and trust improvement across the region, and serves as Co-Chair of the Board of Trustees for a mental health charity. These roles reflect her strong commitment to education, public service, wellbeing and system leadership.

  Claire has a reputation for embedding a culture of deep reflection within and across schools and trusts. She is known for growing senior leaders across the region, with an influence that extends far beyond her direct work in school and system improvement.

  Through extensive partnership work, Claire has been a pioneering force in championing women in leadership, including through WomenEd, research-informed practice, evidence-led decision making, mentoring new CEOs, ethical leadership, regional and national professional development networks and leadership coaching and advice. She also holds an MA(Ed) in Education Leadership and was recognised for her significant contribution to education through appointment as a Founding Fellow of the Chartered College of Teaching.

  Claire has a deeply held passion for ensuring that every child is immersed in excellent education. She brings infectious warmth, optimism and energy to those she works with, and her leadership is rooted in moral purpose, relational trust and the belief that great schools are built through great people.

  Claire is a proud mum of two young adults and has a strong sense of adventure, alongside a passion for fitness, food and nutrition. She loves travelling in the UK and beyond, with favourite places including the Lake District and the Middle East, following time spent living and teaching in Riyadh in the late 1990s

• Julia Hughes
  Director of Finance
  Julia Hughes

• Amanda Johnston
  Director of Safeguarding and School Operations, Trust DSL
  Amanda Johnston

  With extensive school leadership experience as a Headteacher, Executive Headteacher, Director of Education and as the CEO of a small MAT, Amanda joined the Trust team in June 2022. She has worked across a range of primary and secondary schools in Hampshire, Surrey, Dorset and on the Isle of Wight. This has included planning and opening a brand-new primary school and leading it to its first successful Ofsted inspection, participating in church school SIAMS inspections, as well as transforming schools in challenging circumstances.

  Amanda is committed to ensuring that all pupils feel safe and secure to enable them to flourish in every respect. She has a passion for safeguarding and has delivered safeguarding training and undertaken safeguarding reviews and investigations in multiple schools and Trusts, in addition to a national children's charity. She is a panellist for the DfE Teaching Regulation Agency, a member of the National Association of Academy Safeguarding Advisors (NAASA) group and Fellow of the Chartered College of Teaching.

  Amanda's leadership style is grounded in walking alongside others to mentor and develop them. She warmly encourages the selfless sharing of best practice and creating improvements that are outward facing and truly sustainable. Amanda is a coach on the National Professional Qualification for Executive Leadership (NPQEL) programme, where her role is to develop participants to be able to lead change and improvement across a group of schools or within a multi-academy trust.

  In her free time, you might find Amanda walking through a forest or along a beach, whilst listening to 90's music or a podcast. She is also a keen swimmer and likes spending time playing board games with her family or sharing a variety of experiences with friends.

• Tariq Sasso
  Executive Headteacher - Blackfield Primary School & Fawley Infant School
  Tariq Sasso

  Tariq has been part of the Trust since it began in 2014, initially as Deputy Head Teacher of Blackfield Primary School, before becoming the Principal of the School in 2018.

  Tariq leads a school which has capacity for over 540 children and has helped develop Blackfield's approach to 'Flipped and Blended Learning', through use of digital technology. Not only this, but he has also supported other schools with several other digital platforms which are currently being used across the Trust. Tariq is also a firm believer in staff development having seen numerous NQTs grow into leadership positions and sees the strength of the Trust in developing future leaders too,

  Tariq was himself an NQT at Blackfield Primary School, where he soon became Leader of New Technologies before becoming Year Leader and Deputy Head Teacher, then eventually becoming the Principal. With a background in sport, having studied Sports Science at Brunel University, Tariq is a champion for extra-curricular activities and has been a main figurehead for the Children's University initiative, which he aims to get all the schools in the Trust involved in in the future.

  When not at school, Tariq is with his young family, often jumping in muddy puddles or visiting the beach. He enjoys science-fiction stories, playing golf and he absolutely loves a game-of anything!

• Hayley Clark
  Headteacher - St Monica Primary School
  Hayley Clark

  Hayley is a committed and reflective teacher who strongly believes that all children deserve the best education. She has a passion for Early Years and Key Stage One education and believes that they are the most important and fundamental years for instilling effective learning behaviours and equipping children with the essential foundational skills for all future learning. Hayley is particularly keen on developing early reading, phonics and writing skills. She also loves Art.

  Having started at Blackfield Primary School as an NQT, Hayley has worked across both key stages and has taken on various roles including Phase Leader before moving to Fawley Infant School in 2012 as Head of School. Whilst Hayley was Principal at Fawley Infant School she successfully created a culture of high expectation and challenge at the school where children 'learn to fly high'. She sees responsive teaching as key to improving outcomes for all. Hayley loves working with others and creating organised and simple systems of work. Hayley is currently the Principal of St Monica Primary School.

  Hayley was recently appointed as a Fellow of the Chartered College of Teaching for her contribution to the teaching profession and has also completed the National Award for SEN co-ordination.

  Outside of school, Hayley has a busy family life with two adorable young children. She loves every moment with her children, watching them play, learn and develop their own unique personalities.

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• Rosie perry
  Executive Assistant & Governance Professional
  Rosie perry

  Executive Assistant to the Chief Executive Officer. Contactable for all governance, academy councils and chair related queries.

• Carrie Jackson
  HR Admin Officer and Payroll Support
  Carrie Jackson

  Contact for all HR & recruitment queries. Also provides payroll support.
  payroll@ilpartnership.org
  hr@ilpartnership.org

• Nichola Usher
  Finance and Payroll Officer
  Nichola Usher

  Contact for queries relating to orders, goods receipting, analysis codes, invoices, credit cards and any supplier related queries. Also provides payroll support.

  payroll@ilpartnership.org

  finance@ilpartnership.org

• Kayleigh Hawkins
  Trust Operations Officer
  Kayleigh Hawkins

  Contactable for all procurement, contracts, health and safety matters across the Trust, site team management, and PA support for the Headteacher at Endeavour Primary School. Works 2.5 days in the Trust Education Support Team

• Jenny Whitehouse
  Trust HR Support Officer
  Jenny Whitehouse

  Contact for administration and HR support, including recruitment and management of administrative systems and the admin team at Endeavour. Works 2 days in the Trust Education Support Team

  hr@ilpartnership.org

• Pete Plowman
  Senior Site Manager
  Pete Plowman

  Provides strategic support to Site Managers across our Trust