Team

Role within the Diocese: As Diocesan Director of Education, Alex leads the Education team in the Diocese and acts as the Company Secretary for the Diocesan Board of Education (DBE). He is member of the Bishop of Guildford’s leadership team.

Alex represents the DBE as a ‘Member’ of a number of Church multi-academy trusts across the Diocese and is a Trustee of Schools Alliance for Excellence (SAFE) a local education partnership in Surrey.

Areas of Specialism: Alex’s responsibilities include advising the Diocesan Board of Education on developing its education strategy and policies including school organisation and academisation. As part of his role he advises governing bodies, academies trusts and site trustees on legal issues relating to the Christian character of Church of England schools.

More about: Alex is an experienced Diocesan Director of Education and system leader who has contributed to shaping education policy at both a national and local level.

Before being appointed as Diocesan Director of Education, Alex was a headteacher of a Church of England primary school in Surrey and worked for the local authority as a School Improvement Adviser.

Role within the Diocese: Alice joins the Diocese of Guildford's Education team 1st September as Deputy Diocesan Director of Education | Head of School Effectiveness.

Areas of specialism: Alice has a particular interest in the curriculum and supporting school improvement. 

More about: Alice is an experienced primary school head teacher and Ofsted Inspector who has worked in education for 24 years, including 13 years as a head teacher.

Leading Church of England and Community schools in both the Diocese of Rochester and in Kent, respectively; Alice has also worked as a Director of School Improvement for a Church Multi-Academy Trust. 

Alice is a confirmed Christian and studied religious studies at school before going on to study at Royal Holloway, University of London, and later completing her PGCE at the University of Greenwich in 2001.

Role within the Diocese: Susan joined the Diocese of Guildford's Education team in Autumn 2022 as Lead officer for SIAMS.

Areas of specialism: Working with school leaders, SIAMS.

More about: Susan is an experienced headteacher of a Church of England school in Chichester Diocese and a qualified SIAMS inspector.
Susan brings significant leadership and inspection experience to the team.

Role within the Diocese: Diocesan School Church Partnership Advisor

Jane works with diocesan colleagues to train clergy and church volunteers. Jane provides training and support for school leaders, teachers, and governors in developing links with their parish church.

Areas of specialism: Christian distinctiveness, vision and values in church schools, spiritual development, Religious Education, collective worship, PHSE in church schools, school and church links.

More about: Jane recently has taken on the role of Diocesan School Church Partnership Advisor after being school’s officer with the Diocese of Guildford since 2013. Before that she taught in primary schools in Surrey and Hampshire, this included headships in both church and community schools.

Jane set up one of the first prayer spaces in her school in 2008 and currently is a networker for the Prayer Spaces in Schools team, in this role she assists with training and writing materials. Jane is an assessor for the Christian Aid Global Neighbours awards.

Role within the Diocese: Associate Consultant for RE (Primary Phase) and Advisor to Surrey SACRE.

Areas of specialism: Statutory RE provision; RE in primary classrooms; supporting RE subject leaders; practical ideas for collective worship.

More about: BC (before children!) Rachel taught in the primary phase, as RE subject leader in community school settings for much of that time, with additional responsibilities for Collective Worship and SMSC. She has been involved as a writer in the past 4 reviews of the Surrey RE Agreed Syllabus, leading the Primary teams for the revisions in 2007, 2012 & 2017 and most recently, coordinating the complete review of the new Surrey Agreed Syllabus 2023-28 and launch. She has also reviewed the Diocesan Guidelines for VA Schools and the Diocesan Collective Worship Guidelines (both twice!). In addition to her Diocesan role alongside Jane Whittington, Rachel is currently the RE adviser to Surrey SACRE, and leads RE subject leader training sessions for both the Diocese and Surrey RE networks.

When not reviewing syllabi, Rachel also writes assembly materials and is a regular contributor to the BBC Schools’ Radio Collective Worship programme ‘Something to Think About’.

Role within the Diocese: Jane manages the Diocesan Board of Education’s services to schools programme, including its Service Level Agreements (SLAs) for education services, associate consultancy and training programmes.

Jane assists the Deputy Director with the quality assurances of services and training; works closely with DBE officers including the Head of School Effectiveness, the Lead Buildings Officer, the Lead HR Officer and Associate Consultants to ensure the annual delivery of GDBE elevate services and support to schools and academies within the Diocese and across the region.

Areas of specialism: Management, marketing and delivery of services.

More about: Jane joined the Education team at the Diocese in 2016; Jane moved sectors from her role as a Production Manager, after nearly twenty years within the creative industry, to Education in 2013, initially as part of the office team at her local church school. 

Role within the Diocese: School Buildings and Estates Manager

Areas of Specialism: Prior to this Mike ran his own property maintenance and consultancy advising clients throughout Berkshire and Surrey with maintenance programmes, extensions and new builds. Mike is also a governor at a college in Berkshire for 1,450 students and over 200 staff advising on buildings maintenance, funding and finance. 

More about: Mike joins the Diocese after working within building maintenance and construction, in both the private sector and the independent school sector. Mike's most recent project was to assist with a modernisation programme for an independent school in Berkshire. 

In his time away from work Mike enjoys holidays with his wife and daughter, sea kayaking, walking and is finally finishing a house renovation (his final one)! He has once again taken up motorcycling and is looking forward to the better weather to enjoy the Surrey countryside on two wheels.    

Role within the Diocese: GDBE elevate People, Lead Consultant. Anne leads the GDBE Elevate People service and works strategically with the GDBE education team.

Areas of Specialism: People and Organisational Development - Anne studied for an MSc in People and OD at Roffey Park Institute, graduating from the University of West Sussex in 2019. With an interest in and love of Organisational Development Anne joined the Good Shepherd Trust, Guildford leading the project to introduce regional hubs. Anne has a deep interest in people and seeking the best for them. 

More about: Anne has worked with Surrey schools over many years, leading the School Workforce Remodelling and the Teacher Recruitment Strategy between 2004 and 2010.  She then became Head of HR for Children and Young People’s Services in the London Borough of Sutton before joining Woodard Academies Trust. 

As their founding HR Director she led the TUPE transfer of a number of schools in the Northeast of England and developed an effective HR service for the Trust.  Under Anne’s leadership Woodard Academy Trust was the first Trusts to successfully deliver a common support staff pay and grading structure across several different local authorities and secure a collective agreement. In her spare time, she is a Trustee of the European Christian Mission International and a Trustee of the London City Mission.

Role within the Diocese: Clare is an Education consultant for GDBE elevate.

Areas of expertise/special interest:

• Leadership coaching.
• Head Teacher appraisal and performance management.

More about: Clare spent her early professional life as a scientist, first at the University of Cambridge, before completing a PhD at the University of Manchester. This period inspired her to encourage others to become lifelong learners.

To this end, she committed to the education of children, more recently being headteacher for nine years of Holy Trinity Pewley Down School in Guildford, bringing together a shared vision across two sites, maintaining excellent infant and junior provision and providing a beacon of hope to the local community. Within her school, Clare ensured a values-led approach, leading to high attainment, a remarkable ethos, and a joyful environment in which all could flourish. Her heart for those facing any barriers to learning resulted in a determined spotlight on school development. 

As headteacher, Clare sat on the Diocesan Board of Education, committed to strengthening the church’s role in schools, building flourishing networks and ensuring strategic thinking. 

Role within the Diocese: Kate is an Education consultant for GDBE elevate.

Areas of expertise/special interest:

• Leadership coaching.
• School evaluation led improvement planning
• Inclusion matters: Behaviour, attendance, vulnerable groups
• Pupil Premium impact evaluation
• Governor training
• Head Teacher appraisal and performance management

More about: Kate has worked in school improvement for some years, and is currently a Director for Education for The Good Shepherd Trust, a CofE MAT within Guildford Diocese in Surrey and Hampshire.  She also works in school improvement consultancy largely with Guildford and Southwark Dioceses.  

Prior to working in Surrey, Kate was Lead Inspector: Primary in London Borough of Sutton. Whilst working in Sutton, alongside her inspector role, she also led specialist services for vulnerable pupils (SEND, Travellers, EAL, SEMH and Attendance). Kate has a strong professional and personal drive for inclusion and equality, and ensuring the best possible outcomes, in their widest sense, for all pupils.

Kate is also a Foundation Trustee of a MAT of 16 schools in Devon, chairing their Standards and Curriculum Committee, and a governor for a small village school in Cornwall.

Role within the Diocese: Jon is an Education consultant for GDBE elevate

Areas of expertise/special interest:

• Developing personal leadership
• Leading school development at scale
• Effective governance and quality assurance processes
• Developing strategy across education, operations and finance 
• Working to form a vision, develop it and make it central to the school’s work
• Succession planning 

More about: Jon has worked in Surrey schools for over 17 years, as Headteacher, Executive Head and CEO.  

With over 17,000 children and more than 2,500 colleagues, Jon has led the growth of the trust from one school to 42, including opening eleven brand new primary and secondary schools, two of which are in the county. 

During his tenure as the founding CEO, Jon established the trust’s central team comprising education, operations and finance colleagues. He has extensive experience of working alongside COOs, CFOs and leaders of directorates including HR, IT and Estates.

Jon enjoys developing the leadership of others and enabling them to step up within their schools or organisations and mentors CEOs and Headteachers.

Jon believes that we learn from each other. To augment his professional learning, he has served in various governance and trustee roles as well as completing his MA in 2011. 

Jon served for five years as an elected member of the Advisory Board to the DfE’s Regional Director for the former South-East and South London region. He is presently supporting schools and trusts via the DfE’s TSIO programme.

Role within the Diocese: Isabel is an Education consultant for GDBE elevate.

Areas of expertise/special interest:

• Organisation Development
• Head Teacher Performance Management
• Governance Review
• Pupil Premium Review
• Leadership and Management skills, SEF and Strategic School Development Planning      
• Analysis of pupil data for all groups of children

More about: In April 2018 to date, Isabel became the Consultant Head Teacher at Temple Grove Academy a primary school in Kent, which was 14 years in Requires Improvement. In September 2019 gained “Good” in all Ofsted areas.  She is now the CEO of the Trust.

More about: Isabel was the Executive Head Teacher of Bandon Hill Primary, until August 2017, when she retired. Bandon Hill is a 6-form entry school across two sites, there is also a specialist Autistic department. Under her leadership Bandon Hill maintained “Outstanding”. In 2010 she was awarded National Leader in Education status and Bandon Hill became a National Support School. Isabel was seconded to manage and lead under achieving schools in Sutton in 1999 and in 2009 to 2013, as the substantive Head Teacher.

Over the past years, Isabel has been a Primary School Improvement Consultant with the Guildford Diocese, Southwark Diocese, The Good Shepherd Trust and worked for London Challenge advising schools on school improvement and working with schools needing Intensifying Support. She also undertook Head Teacher Performance Management training with Cambridge Education Associates who initially were responsible for Head Teachers PM. She also completed the Improvement Partner (SIP) training and worked as a consultant in Surrey schools.

Isabel has also served as a Governor at various Secondary and Primary Schools along with a school for hospital tuition and pupil re-integration.

Role within the Diocese: Valerie is an HR consultant for GDBE elevate People.

Areas of specialism: Working with school leaders, helping them to navigate complex HR issues and get the best from their people.

More about: Valerie brings extensive HR experience to her role as HR. Valerie has worked in HRD for the Harris Academy Trust and as HR Director for Oasis Community Learning and more recently has provided HR consultancy to a range of clients through Discovery HR Solutions. Valerie has a deep love for education and is a Trustee for the Centre for Literacy in Primary Education.

Role within the Diocese Maria is an HR consultant for GDBE elevate People.

Areas of expertise/special interest Coaching, Mediation, Training, EDI and Wellbeing

More about: Maria has over 35 years extensive HR experience dealing with complex casework, organisational change projects and other key strategic HR projects across different sectors.
Maria has worked  with schools across seven Local Authorities including Surrey since 2000, most recently at GLF Schools as the founding People Director, building a successful People function and leading it to be the first national Trust to be awarded the “valued worker” accreditation by the recognised trade unions.
Prior to this Maria worked as a HR Consultant at Babcock4S with a caseload of 60 schools supporting leaders to resolve HR cases and delivering people management training.
Maria is pragmatic and solution-focused but gives colleagues dignity and respect within HR processes to enable the best outcomes whilst maintaining relationships.
Maria has a Master’s Degree in Employment Law and Employee Relations, is an accredited Executive Coach, qualified Mediator and brings a wealth of experience in leadership development, people management training and employee relations.
In addition Maria brings over 20 years’ experience in school governance in Primary and Secondary phases both at governor and trustee level.

Role within the Diocese Camillia is an HR consultant for GDBE elevate People.

Areas of expertise/special interest: Safeguarding, TUPE, General HR.

More about: Camillia has extensive experience across all areas of HR at both a strategic and operational level.  As well as being a HR Consultant, Camillia has a part time role at TOVE Learning Trust. As HR Strategy Manager Camilla’s role is to create the people plan working across the organisation to support the trust in achieving its strategy through its people and to support the Executive Team and Board of Trustees as a single employer for a fast growing Multi Academy Trust.

Camillia has worked in the education sector for 23 years, having spent nine years as Head of HR at The Diocese of Coventry Multi Academy Trust, taking the Trust from inception with two academies to nineteen. She oversaw the successful set up and continued delivery of the entire HR and payroll function leading a team of HR professionals.

Prior to working in the academy sector Camillia worked in further education having spent twelve years working for the Warwickshire College Group as Deputy HR Director. Prior to this she was in the private sector.

Camillia has two Dachshunds and in her spare time she can be found taking them on walks.