Our Team
Trust Leadership Team
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Claire LoweChief Executive Officer
Claire Lowe
With experience as Headteacher and Executive Headteacher of school federation and partnership models and now as CEO of a successful MAT, Claire Lowe offers both experience of excellence and empathy for the many changes and challenges facing school and system leaders today.
Claire has a reputation for embedding a culture of deep reflection within and across schools and trusts and she is known for growing senior leaders across the region - extending far beyond her direct work supporting 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, demonstrating ethical leadership, innovating regional and national professional development networks and as a leadership coach and advisor. 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, and an infectious positive warmth that energises all those that she works with.
Claire adores being a mum to two teenagers and has a sense of adventure and a passion for fitness, food and nutrition. She loves travelling in the UK and beyond, her favourite places being the Lake District and the Middle East after time spent living and teaching in Riyadh in the late 90s.
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Phil AndrewsDirector of Finance
Phil Andrews
Phil joined ILP as Director of Finance in February 2020. His role is to manage the finance function across the Trust, ensuring that we have efficient processes and procedures in place. This includes advising staff and Trustees on all financial matters, completing various statutory financial returns and preparing and reporting on the Trust budget. Ultimately the aim is to maximise the resource that we have available to spend on raising the education outcomes for children.
Phil is a CIMA qualified accountant and has spent nearly 30 years working in Education including roles at the University of Portsmouth and Highbury FE College. He spent a number of years working for Hampshire County Council (HCC) supporting schools in HCC and on the Isle of Wight with strategic financial management and more recently 3 years at the Access Group implementing financial software in a wide range of schools and Trusts across the southern half of the country.
Phil loves being outdoors and enjoys long walks as well as playing golf, umpiring local league cricket or spending time with his family cheering on Portsmouth FC.
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Amanda JohnstonDirector of Primary Education and 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, 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, in addition to a national children's charity. She is a Fellow of the Chartered College of Teaching and a member of the National Association of Academy Safeguarding Advisors (NAASA) group.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 experiences with friends. -
Mandy HooperHead of Insights
Mandy Hooper
As an independent mathematics consultant with leadership experience across the age ranges, Mandy supports others in making informed decisions and positive transformation in schools, based on data outcomes and interpretation. Through clearly articulating trends, leaders are then able to translate these insights into actions within the Trust. Using analytics at the core of a school's approach to improved performance, must also be responsive as the dynamics evolve.
Through her work with the National Centre for Excellence in the Teaching of Mathematics, Mandy develops programmes and facilitates learning for adults. This passion for making the learning of mathematics outstanding for all children, embraces the mastery pedagogy and practice with equity at its heart. She believes that everyone can learn mathematics and that teachers hold the key to unlocking this potential. She also holds an MA(Ed) in Mathematics Education from Winchester University and was recognised for her significant contribution to education through appointment as a Fellow of the Chartered College of Teaching.
Prior to her retirement as Associate Principal for the Inspire Learning Partnership, Mandy applied research-based practice in supporting the growth of middle leaders. She also developed the Curiosity Approach to Nursery Education in the Trust, where children thrive through engaging with authentic, natural and beautiful learning spaces which drive imaginative thinking, encourage exploration and celebrate the joy of being.
Mandy is a mum to two adult children and a grandma to two gorgeous girls. Family is the most important part of her life. With a passion for travel, Mandy, and her husband hope to explore widely over the coming years and make extensive use of their Kayaks.
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Lisa MarshallExecutive Principal - Kanes Hill Primary School & St Monica Primary School
Lisa Marshall
Lisa started working with The Inspire Learning Partnership in June 2019 as an Interim Head at Kanes Hill Primary School. The school had gone into Requires Improvement and her role was to work with the deputy head and staff to bring about rapid improvement.
When offered the role of substantive Principal at Kanes Hill Lisa jumped at the chance. Lisa is currently Interim Executive Principal of both Kanes Hill and St Monica Primary Schools. Her hope for the future is that both schools can become the best that they can be and all children succeed in a safe and happy environment.
Lisa has over 30 years of experience in education and over 14 years experience in a leadership role. Lisa has significant experience in improving standards within schools through innovative curriculum leading to improved outcomes for children.
Lisa is passionate about music and theatre and spends a lot of time at The Mayflower Theatre watching musicals, comedies, operas and plays. Apart from music, her other equally important passion is her family.
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Tariq SassoBlackfield Primary 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!
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Hayley JakimaviciusHightown Primary School
Hayley Jakimavicius
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 Hightown 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 and a firefighter husband. She loves every moment with her children, watching them play, learn and develop their own unique personalities.
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Zoe DoyleFawley Infant School
Zoe Doyle
Zoe joined the Inspire learning Partnership in 2019 as Vice Principal and has progressed to Principal at Fawley Infant School where she hopes that she can encourage everyone, children and adults alike, to be curious and passionate learners.
She has been studying for her NPQH this year which has developed her skills and knowledge needed to be a highly effective Principal; her research into phonics has impacted considerably on children's early reading and the expertise of all staff in this area of development.
Zoe has a wealth of experience in education in a range of settings and has worked for Hampshire County Council advising on behaviour across some of the most disadvantaged areas in the County. She is passionate about inclusion and strongly believes in and promotes equity and diversity. She firmly believes that everyone is a leader and supports others to be the best they can be. Zoe leads by example and drives change through modelling exemplary practice. Outside of school, she is a devoted mum of two young men who are currently studying in America and playing soccer. She adores travelling around the world and has a passion for food and experiencing different cultures.
Finance Team
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Emma BrowningFinance and Payroll Manager
Emma Browning
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Nichola UsherFinance Assistant
Nichola Usher
IT Team
Operations Team
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Mark GroveTrust Facilities Manager
Mark Grove
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Sarah MillsTrust Operations Officer
Sarah Mills
HR and Governance Team
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Julie BroomfieldGovernance Lead and PA to the CEO
Julie Broomfield
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Carrie JacksonHR Admin Assistant and DPO Officer
Carrie Jackson
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Rosie PerryExecutive Assistant and Governance Professional
Rosie Perry