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School to School Support

CTSA is committed to collaborative school improvement which is achieved by mutual support within and across the Partnership. We maintain a regularly updated ‘directory of expertise’ which enables member schools to identify where they can gain access to best practice and support from other member schools. We also run an annual Joint CPD Week where member schools open their doors for twilight sessions in which they share an aspect of their own practice with colleagues.

In 2021 the government brought the existing Teaching School programme to an end. Part of the role of the Teaching School was the designation of Specialist Leaders in Education (SLEs), which ended in 2022. To retain and further develop the expertise in our area, recently designated SLEs have been invited to apply for a new status as Expert Practitioners (Expert Teachers or Expert Leaders) within the CTSA Chelmsford Schools Partnership.

Watch this space for details once the designation process has been completed later this term, and for information regarding potential future expansion of the programme, as it becomes available.

 

 

  • Christina Bury Open Close

    Science Specialist Gifted and Talented Leader

    Christina has been a teacher for over 20 years, both in the state school sector and, more recently, as a member of the Leadership Team at Felsted Preparatory School, in the private school sector. She has held a number of different roles and responsibilities, including working for the Inspection and Advisory Team in Havering. In 2011 Christina achieved the NACE Challenge Award for her school, in recognition of excellence in provision for Gifted and Talented pupils. This is a quality standard by which to asses and evaluate provision, and to enable the school to make changes to their day-to-day practice. Achieving the NACE Award enabled Christina to help other local schools develop their provision for able children. She has run CPD and INSET sessions, as well as supporting Gifted and Talented Coordinators in a number of schools to raise their standards of provision especially those who are working towards the NACE Challenge Award. Christina is a full time Science teacher supporting students in both the National Curriculum and Common Entrance syllabuses. Her pupils have gone on to win many regional prizes for their science work as well as winning the National Science and Engineering Competition.

    Specialist Area of Expertise

    • Science
    • Gifted and Talented

    Other Areas of Expertise

    • Curriculum Development
    • Assessment for Learning
    • Teaching and Learning
  • Gemma Woolley Open Close

    Head of RE Humanities Cluster Leader

    Gemma Woolley is currently Leading the Humanities cluster at Chelmer Valley High School which is part of the Chelmsford Teaching Schools Alliance. She has worked as Head of RE for the last 5 years and has worked with outside agencies developing exemplar curriculum plans within RE. In addition to her Humanities skills Gemma is a trained Olevi Improving Teacher Programme and Outstanding Teacher Programme facilitator. This entails facilitating the development of teaching and learning in the classroom, focusing on developing skills of differentiation, questioning, progress and assessment. Gemma has run Teacher Learning Communities and is part of a Teaching and Learning focus group which develops T&L policies and Inset training tailor-made to staff requirements and their areas for development. When working for the Chelmsford Teaching Schools Alliance Gemma has developed an ‘Aiming Higher’ course for teachers from various schools to attend. The course was hugely successful and received 100% positive feedback. The course focuses around contemporary educational research into classroom practice and how to improve T&L. As SMSC Co-ordinator Gemma has worked on whole school training, auditing and monitoring in order to improve delivery and evaluate impact in line with Ofsted requirements. Gemma has a Masters in Educational Research which focused upon developing Critical Thinking and the impact this has on progress, learning and results. Earlier this year Gemma was invited to address the NCTL BERA conference to evaluate the impact of her research.

    Specialist Area of Expertise

    • RE and Humanities Leadership
    • Teaching and Learning
    • SMSC

    Other Areas of Expertise

    • Curriculum Development
    • Mentoring NQTs
    • Olevi ITP and OTP
  • Laura Wigglesworth Open Close

    Religious Education, Philosophy & Ethics

    Laura is currently a Teacher of Religious Education at The Boswells School. Previously, at Felsted Senior School, Laura has been a Head of Department, EPQ Co-ordinator, Assistant House Mistress and Residential Tutor. She has worked in a range of schools undertaking both academic and whole school responsibilities. Laura has previously taken an ‘underperforming’ RE department to ‘outstanding’ within two years. At a whole school level Laura has been a Teaching and Learning Ambassador with a focus on Assessment for Learning. Leading the CPD on such subjects as, Ofsted expectations, Questioning for Learning, improving marking techniques, using data effectively and AfL. Laura has also supported colleagues with marking initiatives, literacy development, behaviour management strategies and raising the interest and achievement of More Able Students. As a PGCE mentor Laura has supported a number of Initial Teacher Trainees and delivered lectures at York St. John University who have described her as “one of our strongest school mentors …..and as a result the trainees who have been placed with her have made excellent progress…” In Laura’s pastoral roles her “presence has created a really positive vibe and has seen the productivity levels increase enormously compared to previous years.

    Specialist Area of Expertise

    • Theology, Ethics and Philosophy and Humanities Leadership
    • Initial Teacher Training
    • Extended Project Qualification
    • IT platforms (Google and Microsoft) to support and extend learning
    • Assessment for Learning
    • Behaviour for Learning
    • Literacy Development                                                            Other Areas of Expertise
    • Coaching and Mentoring
    • Questioning for Learning
    • Effective Marking
  • Marie-Ann Perry Open Close

    Foreign Languages, MFL

    Marie-Ann Perry is currently a teacher at Newlands Spring Primary School, which leads the Chelmsford Teaching Schools Alliance. She has been working in education for 18 years as a classroom teacher, deputy head teacher and Modern Foreign Languages consultant. During her two year secondment to Essex as an MFL consultant, she helped many schools to begin or develop their MFL provision. She delivered training in language learning for teachers and in methodology for teaching a subject which they were not always familiar with. Marie-Ann believes that relationships are key to fostering confidence, raising motivation and achieving sustainable progress. She works with colleagues in whatever stage of development their school’s is at, to raise the standard of teaching and the achievement of learners. She seeks to empower staff, so that they can take full control of MFL in their school.

    Specialist Area of Expertise

    • MFL curriculum design and planning
    • MFL teaching strategies
    • Training adults in languages
    • French & Spanish

    Other Areas of Expertise

    • Developing Inter-cultural understanding
  • Natalie Hawkes Open Close

    Literacy Specialist, Gifted and Talented Leader

    Natalie Hawkes is currently Head of School at Newlands Spring Primary School which leads the CTSA. She has been working in education for 18 years as a classroom teacher, Literacy Consultant and deputy head. Her expertise lies in literacy, assessment and curriculum design. As a Literacy Consultant she helped to plan programmes of support to raise attainment in literacy, develop subject leaders and train teachers. More recently, she has worked in local schools to support writing moderation and develop the role of the deputy head. She leads the local deputy head cluster group which meets twice a term and has developed a programme of support for those new to the role to enable them to lead change in their schools. As the assessment leader at her school, Natalie has designed rigorous systems and processes to ensure a clear focus on every child’s achievement and attainment. Judicious use of data supports leaders across the school to identify children at risk of not making progress and enables intervention programmes to be initiated. She can train colleagues on the use of Target Tracker to input data, create reports, track vulnerable groups and identify children for focused intervention groups and 1:1 tuition. She is also an expert on Assessment for Learning (AFL). She has extensive experience of curriculum design and has led subject leaders to create exciting, creative curricula which reflect the unique nature of their schools. She has led CPD on a ‘toolkit’ of teaching and learning strategies including visual literacy, drama techniques and philosophy for children. Natalie is currently leading on the “Closing the Gap: Test and Learn” research from the NCTL.

    Specialist Area of Expertise

    • Assessment – Use of data and AfL
    • Curriculum Development
    • Literacy
    • Teaching and Learning

    Other Areas of Expertise

    • Mentoring NQTs and SCITT students
    • Developing middle leaders
  • Samantha Hutchings Open Close

    Senior Teacher and English Leader

    Samantha Hutchings is currently the English Leader and Year Six teacher at Rayne Primary and Nursery School. She has been working in education for 8 years as support staff, a class teacher and subject leader after studying English Language and Literature which is where her subject specialism lies.

    In each school Samantha has worked in, she has been involved in the development of the English curriculum as either the subject leader or a team member. She has been involved in many writing moderations and has led CPD sessions for clusters of schools as well as at her own setting.

    Previously, Samantha has supported NQTs to provide the best opportunities for children and develop their practice. She is keen to continue her own professional development by taking part in research projects linked to curriculum areas, engagement and resilience of pupils.

    More recently, Samantha has supported colleagues in developing their subject knowledge and teaching practice as well as raising the profile of English within her school.

     

    Specialist Area of Expertise

    • English
    • Writing Moderation
    • KS2

    Other Areas of Expertise

    • Mentoring NQTs
  • Alex Steele Open Close

    Teacher of French & German

    Alex has been a teacher of French and German at King Edward VI Grammar School, Chelmsford for 9 years. He currently co-ordinates the curriculum and assessment programmes for the beginner and GCSE classes in these languages as part of the school’s accelerated language-learning programme.

    In 2015 he was awarded the Peter Boaks prize for outstanding achievements in teaching German by the Goethe Institut. He has regularly delivered CPD INSET to language teachers across Essex, focusing on language-teaching methodologies and curriculum planning, in particular in shifting to the new GCSE course and teaching towards a terminal exam. He has a particular interest in the methodologies advocated by Dr. Gianfranco Conti.

    At a whole-school level he has been involved in the support of trainee teachers and NQTs, whether as a mentor or through the provision of CPD on formative assessment. He has also been involved in the review and development of an adapted behaviour framework for the school in his capacity as Head of Year.

    Over the years he has contributed to the school’s in-house research journal Learning Lessons. As a member of the Chartered College of Teaching, he is especially interested in the research into assessment by Dylan Wiliam and Daisy Christodoulou and into curriculum design by Mary Myatt.

  • Rachel Dunn Open Close

    Head of Year 7 & PE Teacher

    Rachel is currently in her tenth year of teaching and has spent eight of those in middle management.  Previous roles include School Sports Coordinator (SSCO) and Head of Girls’ PE. She is currently a Head of Year (HOY) at SJP Catholic School. She has been a HOY for four years now, three of those spent as the HOY 7.  During this time, she has become increasingly responsible for the organisation and delivery of the Year 6-7 Transition Process and there has been a significant increase in the year groups attendance figures and a dramatic decrease in behaviour points.  She believes that a strong transition process and relationship between secondary and feeder school can have a hugely positive impact on student behaviour, parental trust and support, and student attainment and attendance.

    Rachel also has a strong proven track record of mentoring and coaching NQT and trainee teachers both within PE and as an effective form tutor. She has experience in leading whole school CPD and as an SSCO, delivering government initiatives and successfully embedding them in her secondary hub school and primary feeder schools.

    Specialist Area of Expertise
    Year 6-7 Transition

    Other Areas of Expertise
    PE

    Mentoring and coaching

    Mentoring Trainees & NQTs

    HOY

    Behaviour & Discipline

     

  • Jessica Lucking Open Close

    Head of Design and Technology

    Jessica is the Head of Design Technology and Engineering at Chelmer Valley High School. Having almost 15 years’ experience, she has led her department  through the many reforms and changing curriculum demands faced by her subject. She has worked with a number of exam boards including Edexcel, AQA and NCFE; she adapted KS4 provision to ensure that courses are accessible to all abilities and as a result, student achievement is consistently well above the national average.

    She has worked as a  Lead Subject Mentor for the Mid Essex Initial Training Programme and delivers NQT training on the use of data and raising achievement. At a whole school level, Jessica is currently on the Senior Leadership Team and support colleagues in developing their use  of Questioning for Learning and strategies for challenge and independence in the classroom.

    Jessica has also successfully implemented a variety of marking strategies to improve feedback for students and reduce workload for teachers. In addition to her responsibilities at school, she also works as a moderator for the AQA exam board, a post she has held for the past five years and is appointed for the moderation of the new NEA examination series 2019.

     

     

  • Cherie Lashmar Open Close

    Lower School Phase Leader and Head of PE

    Cherie is currently in her eighth year of teaching and has spent four of these years within the Middle Management Team; starting as Head of Physical Education and is now a Head of Learning for Lower School Phase. Cherie currently works at Columbus School & College which is a school for pupils aged 3-19 years with Special Educational Needs.

    She has supported the school through two Outstanding OFSTED inspections and is one of the behavioural leads at the school. Cherie is currently undertaking her National Professional Qualification in Middle Leadership and is an Educational Visits Coordinator.

    Cherie is experienced in working with pupils with Severe Learning Difficulties and Challenging Behaviours and has supported class teams with strategies and ideas on how to provide the best opportunities and teaching for these pupils.

    Cherie has a strong track record of mentoring and coaching Trainee Teachers and NQTs both within PE and as a SEN class teacher. She has experience in leading whole school CPD as an Essex STEPS tutor and Behavioural Lead at Columbus and has delivered training to mainstream through the CSSP on Autism and Sensory Workshops.

    Cherie would love to work with mainstream schools that may be struggling with strategies for managing behaviour and to support classes with high levels of pupils with SEN.

    Specialist Areas of Expertise

    Behaviour

    SEN

     

    Other Areas of Expertise

    PE

    Educational Visits

    Mentoring and Coaching

  • Tracey Plane Open Close

    Assistant Principal and FE Phase Leader

    Tracey has have worked at Columbus School and College for 10 years and has been involved in a variety of roles starting as a Physical Education teacher, then Head of Department for the Post 16 pupils and is now Assistant Principal.

    She has supported the school through two ‘Outstanding’ Ofsted inspections and is an Essex Steps tutor and lead on behaviour at Columbus and has supported other schools in this area.

    She has worked with the Chelmsford School Sports Association and has lead training on Gym Trails, Supporting the Autistic Child in School and Parent Behaviour workshops.

    Her role necessitates working with many professionals to ensure students EHCP’s are reviewed regularly and  families are  supported through the process of transferring from a statement to an EHCP.

     

    Specialist area

    • Behaviour Management
    • SEND

    Other areas 

    • Coaching and mentoring
  • Lorna Quinn Open Close

    Deputy Headteacher, Assessment and Teaching and Learning Leader

    Lorna Quinn has been a primary school teacher for over 17 years, having previously been an AST and Senior Teacher, she is currently the Deputy Head at The Cathedral School, Chelmsford.  She has developed and supported a range of teachers through effective mentoring and coaching.  She currently leads English, Assessment and Teaching and Learning across the school. She has developed and supported staff with improving quality first teaching and ensuring all children have the best opportunities.  Most recently, she has been working with subject leaders in the development of their curriculum and progression.

     

     

     

    Specialist Area of Expertise

    • Teaching and Learning
    • Assessment
    • English
    • Mentoring / coaching
  • Evonne Bentham Open Close

    Early Years Lead & Foundation Stage Teacher

    Evonne has been a teacher for 26 years. She has worked in the London Borough of Redbridge and Chelmsford and taught from Nursery to Year 6 specialising in Early Years teaching and as a Foundation Stage Leader in two schools. As an Assistant Head she had many roles and worked alongside colleagues to develop an exciting and sustainable Early Years curriculum. Evonne has been a Maths leader, English leader and has driven the teaching of phonics throughout Key Stage One. As a Deputy Head she developed training in Mantle of the Expert and lead Open School training with partner schools. She has lead training in the CTSA for Mantle of the Expert, linking this to Early Years provision and  played a significant part in enabling her current school to obtain the Mantle of the Expert Training School Award.

     

     

    Specialist area

    Mantle of the Expert

    Early Years

  • Kate Grover Open Close

    Kate Grover has been a primary school teacher for 16 years, spending the majority of her teaching time in EYFS. Kate is currently the EYFS leader at The Cathedral School, Chelmsford and is also completing her NPQSL. Kate has also led an Early Years teacher network for CTSA.

    Kate has an interest in child development and how this can impact learning in the early years, Kate is dedicated to ensuring every child achieves to the best of their ability regardless of their starting point or background.

    In both her previous and current settings, Kate has developed planning and continuous provision to meet the needs of individual children. As an Early Adopter school, Kate has adapted the curriculum to meet the revised ELGs and to ensure children continue to have the best learning experiences and gain the skills needed to be year 1 ready. Kate has worked on transition into year 1 and supported the implementation of continuous provision in year 1.

    Kate is a successful mentor and has supported SCITT students and NQTs in both EYFS and KS1.

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Tracy Goodway - 01245 442031

Chelmsford Schools Partnership
Newlands Spring Primary School
Dickens Place
Newlands Spring
Chelmsford
Essex CM1 4UU

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