The Education Team

Fiona

Director of Independent Schools

Fiona became Director of Independent Schools at United Learning 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. Under Fiona’s leadership, Guildford High became a Teaching School in 2013 and Fiona was appointed an NLE. Fiona led the United Learning Teaching School Alliance from 2013–2020.

She has a variety of governance roles; she is an Associate Director of Cumbria University, a Governor at North London Collegiate School and is a member of the ‘Learning Partners Academy Trust’. She has also served on the governing bodies of Portsmouth Grammar School, St Ives Prep School, Hoe Bridge Prep School and Epsom College.

Fiona is on the Advisory Board of a 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 from 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

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.

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

Secondary Regional Director

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

Secondary Regional Director

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

Secondary Regional Director

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

Secondary Regional Director

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

Secondary Regional Director

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

Secondary Regional Director

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.

Christine

Secondary Regional Director

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.