Our experienced education teams provide high quality school improvement, school development and leadership support to our schools, working closely with school leaders to ensure that each school exemplifies the principles of our Framework for Excellence and delivers an excellent education to the children and young people it serves.
Each of our three national Education Directors has been an outstanding school leader and brings a wealth of experience to the role. They each lead a team dedicated to supporting their schools – independent schools; primary academies and secondary academies – while also working closely with colleagues across United Learning to ensure that each school receives the support it needs.
Ben Antell currently works as Director of Secondary Academies in United Learning. Before taking…
Benjamin
Director of Secondary Academies and Regional Director for Paddington Academy
Ben Antell currently works as Director of Secondary Academies in United Learning. Before taking up this post, Ben worked for four years as a Secondary Regional Director supporting schools across the country.
Ben has previously held Executive Principal and Principal posts in a number of schools before his appointment as Regional Director. Ben holds an honours degree from the University of Exeter. His wider interests include keeping fit, playing a variety of sports and providing a taxi service to his two teenage sons.
Fiona became Director of Independent Schools in September 2022. She originally joined the…
Fiona
Director of Independent Schools
Fiona became Director of Independent Schools in September 2022. She originally joined the organisation in 1995 when it was the Church Schools Company; later becoming United Learning. She was Head of Guildford High School from 2002 – 2022 and is currently the Executive Head there. Guildford High became a Teaching School in 2013 and Fiona was appointed an NLE, leading the United Learning Teaching School Alliance from 2013 – 2020. She has a variety of governance roles; she is an Associate Director of Cumbria University, on the governing body of Epsom College and St Ives Prep School and she is a member of the ‘Learning Partners Academy Trust’.
Fiona is on the Advisory Board of a new charity called the School Partnerships Alliance and she has helped to establish the West Surrey Partnership of all the state and independent schools in the Guildford area. She was Chair of HMC in 2019-2020, and on the Advisory Council of the Institute for Ethical AI in Education (IEAIED) (2018 – 2021).
In 2023, Fiona was awarded an OBE in the New Year Honours list for services to education.
Darran has a wide range of achievements in education, including…
Darran
Director of Primary Education
Darran has a wide range of achievements in education, including Headteacher at both Primary and Secondary phases as well as in special education. Darran was a National Leader of Education, leading one of the first national teaching schools and a federation of primary schools in the North of England. The teaching school under his leadership provided a wide range of school improvement work and was one of the first schools providing initial teacher training.
Darran has overseen growth to over 40 primary academies and nurseries. Darran’s leadership of improvement work has secured enhanced quality of teaching, resulting in schools moving from Special Measures to Good and outstanding, at times requiring him to step in as Executive Head or acting Principal to support.
Darran is Director with responsibility for the Trust’s support, challenge and accountability on safeguarding, ensuring that United Learning meets statutory requirements and that safeguarding processes across the Group are robust and effective.
Each of our Regional Directors has experience of leading and delivering school improvement with impact, often in challenging circumstances. They each work with a group of schools – grouped together in clusters wherever possible – supporting the Head and senior leaders to ensure that each school is continuously developing and improving, drawing on the resources from within the education team and more widely in the interests of children, young people, staff and the wider community.
Claire has enjoyed an extensive and varied career working in schools, starting in 1988, and…
Claire
Primary Regional Director (South)
Claire has enjoyed an extensive and varied career working in schools, starting in 1988, and leading on to subsequent success in primary teaching, subject and senior leadership. As part of this, she has had over 20 years’ experience of headship which included taking a school to Outstanding and leading a school out of Special Measures.
Claire is a Local Leader of Education, has been an Inspector for Ofsted for a number of years, and has worked as a school improvement partner providing wide-ranging support for schools in challenging contexts. She joined United Learning following 3 years in the role of Director of Education for a large multi-academy trust in Cornwall.
Michelle
Interim Primary Regional Director (North)
Michelle is currently a serving Executive Headteacher with United Learning who has a wealth of school improvement experience. She started teaching in 1997 and has had a successful career in education as a primary teacher, deputy headteacher, headteacher and Executive Headteacher.
As part of leading one of the first National Teaching Schools Michelle has supported many schools in challenging contexts, securing rapid improvement and removal from Special Measure to Good and Outstanding. During this time Michelle was also appointed and trained as an Educational Advisor for the DfE.
Michelle’s passion is the development and leadership of people, supporting them to be the very best teachers and leaders.
Catherine joined United learning in September 2014 as a Deputy Head Teacher. Since then, she has…
Catherine
Interim Primary Regional Director
Catherine joined United learning in September 2014 as a Deputy Head Teacher. Since then, she has worked as Principal at Hunningley Primary Academy taking the school to an Outstanding Ofsted judgement, as an Executive Head Teacher and now as a Regional Director and lead for Education with Character.
Catherine is also a Senior Leader of Education, a Chair of Governors, has trained as a school Kagan facilitator and has undertaken Conscious Discipline training with Dr. Becky Baily in America.
Catherine is passionate about supporting schools in challenging circumstances to bring about the best possible educational experience for children. She achieves this through the implementation and leadership of a high-quality curriculum, investing in people and leadership at all levels and developing a school family culture where all feel valued.
Tanya joined United Learning in January 2018. In her previous role as HMI she led inspections of…
Tanya
Primary Regional Director (North)
Tanya joined United Learning in January 2018. In her previous role as HMI she led inspections of primary schools, independent schools, nurseries and special schools. Her role as HMI also involved complaints investigations, monitoring schools in categories of concern and taking part in national surveys. Her background in early years means that she has had the privilege of inspecting nursery schools.
Tanya started teaching in 1988 and has had a successful career in education as a primary teacher, deputy headteacher and headteacher. This experience includes working in schools in challenging contexts and in both urban and rural settings. She sat on the executive boards for the Primary Heads Association and the NAHT in Cumbria, working on issues that affected the future direction of education.
Karen joined United Learning in September 2022. She started teaching in 2004 and has had a…
Karen
Primary Regional Director (London)
Karen joined United Learning in September 2022. She started teaching in 2004 and has had a successful career in education as a primary teacher, deputy headteacher and headteacher. This experience includes working in maintained schools, MATs and schools in challenging contexts and areas of high depravation.
Karen is a lead Ofsted Inspector with experience of inspecting schools in all remits. Karen has also worked as a lead adviser for an inner London local authority supporting primary headteachers.
Matthew joined United Learning in November 2016. In his previous roles, Matthew served as a…
Matthew
Primary Regional Director (Midlands)
Matthew joined United Learning in November 2016. In his previous roles, Matthew served as a Primary Headteacher for nearly ten years. During this period, he led schools that were in an Ofsted Category, ensuring a rapid and focused improvement in all areas.
Prior to his appointment as a Headteacher, Matthew worked as a Deputy Head, leading Assessment, Behaviour and Curriculum.
Matthew started teaching in 1993. All of his teaching and leadership experience have been within areas of social and economic challenge, ensuring his focus has always been upon improving life chances and educational progress for all groups of pupils.
Oli is Regional Director for Cumbria and Lancashire. She has previously been the Regional…
Oli
Senior Secondary Regional Director
Oli is Regional Director for Cumbria and Lancashire. She has previously been the Regional Director for the East Midlands where she has worked with three schools on their improvement journey towards Outstanding. Prior to this, Oli led the first national SCITT for United Learning and was Principal and Executive Principal of Paddington Academy for 10 years.
Leon is a part-time Regional Director and part-time Executive Head at The Elms and The Hurlingham…
Leon
Secondary Regional Director
Leon is a part-time Regional Director and part-time Executive Head at The Elms and The Hurlingham Academies. Leon works with schools across London and his strategic priority is Year 11 Standards.
Steve works as a Regional Director with United Learning schools in Cambridge and London. Before…
Steve
Steve works as a Regional Director with United Learning schools in Cambridge and London. Before taking up this post, Steve established United Learning’s team of subject and specialist advisers and led the team’s curriculum work which accelerated during the pandemic. In 2018, Steve was part of the team that led the introduction of the Rosenshine Principles to United Learning schools.
Steve joined United Learning in 2015 following senior leadership positions in two London schools. He has a Masters in Education Management and recently completed the National Professional Qualification for Executive Leadership. Steve enjoys reading and running, and playing football with his son while he still has the upper hand. He lives in east London with his wife and son.
Chris recently joined the Regional Director team for Secondaries and is working with schools in…
Chris
Chris recently joined the Regional Director team for Secondaries and is working with schools in the East Midlands. Chris remains Principal of Northampton Academy where he has been for the last six years. In that time, the school has moved to now be recognised as a national leader in character education and achieved a strong Ofsted outcome in March 2023.
Outside of school he is kept very busy with two little kids, but when he gets a chance, he is an avid sports fan. His two passions are Scotland Rugby team and Dundee United Football Club. They both test his character on a regular basis.
Dino works primarily with schools in the Midlands and Swindon. He also holds the position of…
Dino
Dino works primarily with schools in the Midlands and Swindon. He also holds the position of Principal at Kettering Buccleuch Academy, an all-through school which has improved rapidly under his leadership and has won a Pearson Silver Award this year for Secondary School Of The Year: Making A Difference. Alongside his other roles, Dino has guided many of United Learning’s aspiring leaders through the completion of the group’s NPQH programme.
Katie is a part-time Regional Director and joint Principal of Paddington Academy. Katie works…
Katie
Katie is a part-time Regional Director and joint Principal of Paddington Academy. Katie works with schools in South-East London and her strategic priority is United Teaching.
Stuart is a full-time Regional Director and works with schools in Salford, Bournemouth and Poole…
Stuart
Stuart is a full-time Regional Director and works with schools in Salford, Bournemouth and Poole and the south. Stuart’s strategic responsibilities are Data and Assessment and Behaviour and Suspensions. Stuart has worked in the group since 2015 where he started at Glenmoor and Winton Academies in Bournemouth. His interests include coaching at his local cricket club and being an active parent for his three children.
Laura is a full-time Regional Director and works with schools in Yorkshire and Manchester.…
Laura
Laura is a full-time Regional Director and works with schools in Yorkshire and Manchester. Laura’s strategic responsibility is Disadvantaged and Pupil Premium. Before taking up this post, Laura worked as a Principal of a secondary school in Leeds. Her wider interests include visiting galleries, arts and crafts, walking and keeping her 5-year-old daughter entertained.
Chris is a secondary Regional Director for academies in the south. She joined United Learning in…
Christine
Chris is a secondary Regional Director for academies in the south. She joined United Learning in September 2017 following 7 years working for Ofsted as one of Her Majesty’s Inspectors. For her last three years with Ofsted, Chris was a senior HMI, working in the South West, overseeing and quality-assuring inspection throughout the region. She is an experienced secondary senior leader, working in schools and local authorities in two London authorities and, since 2005, in Hampshire, where she lives.
Our trustees support the running of our linked charities. Our executive team are experienced leaders with a passion for their specialist area within the education sector.
Our first academy – Manchester Academy – opened in 2003. Today, our nurseries, primary and secondary academies across the country provide an excellent education to tens of thousands of children and young people. Each of our schools has its own distinct identity and ethos; all are committed to bringing out ‘the best in everyone’.
The ‘Church Schools Company’ founded its first independent school – Surbiton High School – in 1884. Today, our nurseries, prep/junior schools and senior schools provide an excellent education to children and young people aged 0-18. Each of our schools has its own distinct identity and ethos; all are committed to bringing out ‘the best in everyone’.
United Learning comprises: United Learning Ltd (Registered in England No: 00018582. Charity No. 313999) UCST (Registered in England No: 2780748. Charity No. 1016538) and ULT (Registered in England No. 4439859. An Exempt Charity). Companies limited by guarantee. Registered address: United Learning, Worldwide House, Thorpe Wood, Peterborough, PE3 6SB.
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