Kelly has been a primary school teacher in Northamptonshire for over 20 years. She is a passionate, reflective and innovative practitioner with teaching experience of the entire primary age range. She currently teaches in a mixed age class in a small primary school, which is federated with 3 other small schools. Kelly has had experience of teaching years 3-6 in one class and experience, as a practitioner, of teaching in both large and small schools and the challenges within these settings.

In her current school, Kelly is school lead as well as English lead. She has effectively led the ‘Talk for Writing’ and ‘Talk for Reading’ approach across the federation through implementing teaching strategies, planning and effectively coaching staff through the process. However although this is the approach used by her schools, she is able to adapt and support schools not following that approach.  Kelly has happily opened her classroom to staff across her federation and across the county to model strategies and systems and has supported other schools in both their approach to reading and writing and their moderation procedures.

Kelly has a natural flair within her specialism and her innovative teaching approaches to this have meant that her pupils flourish. She has had a proven track record of supporting fellow teachers to adapt and enhance their English provision.

Laura-Jayne is currently an Assistant Principal at Guilsborough Academy. She has been teaching since 2006 and has worked in a comprehensive schools in London and the West Midlands.  She has held different roles throughout her career including Assistant Head of Year, Head of Humanities and Languages and Assistant Principal roles related to Post 16, teaching and learning and, currently, behaviour and pastoral support.  Laura-Jayne has worked with a range of teacher training providers to support ITT/NQT/RQT teacher training in London and the West Midlands and delivers national training for Geography ITT on the Royal Geographical Society Scholars Programme.  She became a Specialist Leader of Education specialising in Geography education, leadership coaching and ITT in December 2017.  In 2018 Laura-Jayne received the Ordnance Survey Award for excellence in secondary Geography education at the Royal Geographical Society’s Annual Awards.

As an SLE Laura-Jayne has supported other schools to undertake reviews of and improve standards across Humanities subjects, coached new middle leaders in how to lead and develop their teams, supported primary school teachers with their use of voice in the classroom and delivered trainings on supporting student and staff mental health and wellbeing at a whole school level.

Jo is currently Director of Maths at Guilsborough Academy. She leads a large team of both specialist maths teachers and non-specialist teachers who teach lessons within the department. She has successfully driven through new strategies in the department to improve the attainment of students. These have included introducing new marking and feedback policies, implementing new schemes of learning, resources and courses, and improving teaching and learning strategies within maths.

Jo has led, and been a part of, departmental reviews and has supported others to improve maths outcomes. She has seen an improvement in maths outcomes each year since leading the department and has presented strategies which have helped improve maths at Guilsborough Academy to a group of headteachers.

As well as leading the maths department, Jo has whole school responsibilities and has completed whole school projects on parent/carer communication and redefining effort in sixth form.

Jonathan is currently an Assistant Principal with responsibility for Teaching and Learning. He has held previous Assistant Principal roles with responsibilities including Assessment, Curriculum and Timetabling, and has had responsibility for improving outcomes for disadvantaged students. Jonathan has been teaching for 12 years and has worked in both Middle and Secondary schools across the West Midlands, Worcestershire, and Northamptonshire. 

Having worked across different settings, Jonathan has a comprehensive understanding of assessment at both KS2 and KS4. He has designed and implemented systems for assessment without levels and has a comprehensive understanding of GL assessments.

Jonathan has worked closely with other SLE’s and NLE’s to facilitate SSIF projects focused on closing the attainment gap across clusters of schools, whilst also leading whole school change projects to improve outcomes for disadvantaged students.

James is an experienced teacher at Sponne School, the lead school in the SWAN Teaching School Alliance and has responsibility for leading on the operational aspects of the secondary phase programme of the Teaching School. James’ role incorporates overseeing all aspects of the secondary phase programme and liaising with Alliance schools and other partners to ensure that the programme of CPD offered by the Teaching School provides colleagues with the opportunities and support they need for continued development. A key strength of the Alliance that is led by James, are the range of network meetings that are facilitated by the Teaching School and these allow colleagues from many different schools in a wide range of curriculum, pastoral and whole school areas to meet and plan collectively.

James is the lead facilitator on a wide range of the Teaching School’s CPD programmes, including the updated National Professional Qualification for Senior Leaders (NPQSL) and National Professional Qualification for Middle Leaders (NPQML), along with accredited national programmes such as the Outstanding Teacher Programme (OTP). James also works closely with colleagues within the Alliance to develop and facilitate bespoke training packages covering a wider range of training needs identified within schools.