Who’s Who

As Lead, Emma has full and final accountability for all aspects of training design, delivery and quality across the partnership. In addition she also monitors impact of all development plans and quality assurance activities, liaising with all partners and ECTs. Emma's current priorities are: ensuring the wellbeing of all stakeholders, guaranteeing that safeguarding is an ongoing conversation across the programme, and our inclusive approach is firmly embedding in all aspects of training.

As Course Coordinator, Hayley is the liaison between trainees, staff and all outside providers and partners. She receives applications and is the main point of contact for anyone looking to apply to our course. Having previously worked in field marketing, Hayley moved into education when her children were young. She transitioned from the classroom to the course coordinator role at Portsmouth Primary SCITT in 2019. Hayley not only acts as administrator for the course, but also enjoys supporting trainees with their pastoral needs and is a Mental Health First Aider qualified by MHFA England. She also supports Emma and the Lead Mentor team with course development.

James has 14 years of teaching experience in primary education. Prior to his current role, James was the Early Career Framework Lead for HISP and a senior leader of education; most recently as phase leader and English subject lead here at Stamshaw Junior School in Portsmouth. James is passionate about educational achievement for all and developing others to become outstanding teachers. James is an education and curriculum writer. His writing experience includes designing training for NASBTT’s Mentor Development Modules, print articles for education magazines and journals and presentations for the Institute of Government and Public Policy.

Sarah is an Assistant Headteacher at a local junior school. She has a wealth of experience in teaching and mentoring and has taken the lead at her school for many years in early career and student teacher training and development. She has taught at primary level for over 24 years and is an extremely experienced mentor and Induction tutor for ECTs (formally NQTs).
In recent years her passion for ensuring that student teachers receive high quality mentoring has led her to provide mentor training and lead tutor work for several different ITT providers in the south. She provides the link between centre-based training and school based teacher training, ensuring that mentoring is consistent across all partnership schools. She has completed her NPQSL and has recently completed her NPQLTD, a course specifically designed for leading teacher development.

Lizzi has been working in Portsmouth schools for over 10 years and has worked as a TA through to Maths leader, and is phase leader in her current school. Lizzi has worked with a number of schools as a consultant and delivered CPD to support maths teaching across the city. Lizzi has worked alongside the Solent Maths Hub for her entire career and has previously led workgroups for both teaching assistants and ECT's as part of her work with the Maths Hub. Lizzi uses her knowledge and experience as a current Year 6 class teacher to support all trainees to have an up-to-date understanding of both teaching theory and research as well as current good practice. Lizzi works with us primary mathematics expert, and also a mentor.

Bex Shore has many years of experience as a teacher, teaching all ages across the primary phases. She became the Reading Recovery Teacher Leader & Every Child a Reader (ECAR) Adviser for Portsmouth in 2009 and has supported many schools across the south coast in that time.
Bex is an accredited Reading Recovery Teacher Leader affiliated to the Institute of Education, University of London where she completed her MA in Literacy Learning and Literacy Difficulties. Her master’s report (2012) looked at how pupils with English as an Additional Language progress in reading/writing and how to support pupils with language barriers to make progress in literacy learning across the curriculum.
Bex continues to teach and work with children with literacy difficulties in order to put her knowledge and passion for literacy into practise. She finds this a crucial and useful tool in order to provide honest reflective anecdotes when training others.

Gemma is an esteemed technology teacher and EdTech thought-leader, having worked across all year groups from classroom teacher to leadership roles, in both private and state schools alike, globally. She has a sincere love and understanding for how technology enhances teaching and learning, which she has proven at both a regional and international level. Her specialism includes reducing teacher workload, and equipping all children with the necessary skills to learn, and work, in the 21st century. Gemma is passionate about developing a culture that enables everyone to be able to select the right tool, for the right activity for the right outcome - and is able to make this happen. Gemma knows the barriers she faces with her Dyslexia and uses her lived experience to ensure access to technology is built in for all. Gemma now joins Portsmouth as the Strategic Lead for Digital across the city and Head of Digital Learning, Education and Innovation.

Gemma also joined the Governing Board of Portsmouth Primary SCITT in 2022 as well as facilitating our ICT workshops, to ensure that the course not only aligns with Portsmouth's digital strategy, but our trainees are well equipped to technology and computer in the classroom,

Helen is Inclusion and Early Years lead for Portsmouth Music hub and has over 20 years experience as a primary music specialist. In previous roles, she has worked as a school-based music leader in an inner-city school, running Whole Class Ensemble Teaching, a school choir (who performed at the O2 Arena!) teaching music from Nursery to Year 6. Helen is passionate about inclusive music making and is facilitating Youth Voice projects in SEND settings in Portsmouth as well as creating the Portsmouth Early Years Music Network. In her other roles, Helen is developing educational resources for Aurora Orchestra and lecturing in primary music at Winchester University.

During Andi's extensive career she has worked at a number of schools in Portsmouth teaching from EYFS to KS2

Andi currently works as an Artist in residence and Art teacher across two primary schools in Portsmouth, and as Art and DT Lead, she supports a range of primary schools with their Art curriculum. She also works as an art consultant who offers a tailored art consultancy INSET service to schools. She has taught on the course for a number of years, providing the trainees with not only the knowledge of the Art and DT curriculum, but a hands on experience of the skills and techniques required.

Paula is a Deputy Head, Curriculum Lead, Deputy DSL and qualified coach. She is an experienced ECT tutor and mentor and has been supporting ECT’s (NQT’s) within school and trainees with Portsmouth Primary SCITT for over 10 years.

Having worked in infant, junior and primary school education for over 15 years, Paula has a wealth of experience of both the KS1 and KS2 humanities curriculums. Her career has spanned all year groups from Year R to Year 6 and she uses this knowledge and understanding when supporting trainees to explore and explain how knowledge and skills are initially introduced and embedded through the EYFS curriculum before being expanded and developed through the National Curriculum. She has a strong understanding of metacognition and the vital role in plays in ensuring children retain, recall and apply learning within these subjects. This is something she feels strongly about and incorporates into all of her sessions.

She is passionate about ensuring the humanities curriculum is thought provoking, engaging and accessible to all.

Jennese is passionate about the power of education to cause positive ripples across society and empower learners to take an active role in their lives and that of others. She started her career as a secondary school English teacher in the South West and South East of England. She has also worked within a Local Authority with groups of secondary and primary school Headteachers to improve standards and create opportunities for greater cohesion between both phases through national and local government programmes as well as practitioner led research. Having taken on a range of Senior and Executive leadership roles Jennese embarked on an MA Inclusive Education to further explore how education affects lives and our society. For several years she has been a Lead Ofsted Inspector and sits on the Board of two Multi Academy Trusts (MAT) and a Teaching School Hub. Jennese is the mother of two boys and has fuelled their enthusiasm for literature and the power of storytelling. She is also an amateur ceramist and volunteers for a local theatre. Most recently she has been part of the executive team leading a successful MAT operating across London and East Sussex. She has had the privilege of playing an active role in the Department for Education Trust and School Improvement Review and support programme and has used her extensive sector knowledge to support Trust growth, including leadership development.

Working in education for over 25 years, James has spent his career in a wide range of challenging urban settings. He has experience as a subject leader for English and as a curriculum adviser in a local authority. His senior leadership has focused on the curriculum as Assistant Headteacher and Deputy Headteacher, with staff development around teaching and learning as a particular strength. Before joining the Trust, James had two Headships, one of a large inner-city secondary school and another as an interim Head in a special school.

Having worked in education for over 25 years, Cate has held a range of senior leadership roles. She is a graduate of University of Chichester, gaining her BEd Hons in English. After being awarded her AST and NPQH, Cate became interested in developing people, as well as her love of teaching across the primary phase. During her time as Principal at Portsmouth SCITT, she has successfully retained 2 OfSTED Outstanding grades. Cate understands the importance of championing teaching and pedagogy.