Veritas Multi Academy Trust, formed in 2015, is a small, primary phase Multi Academy Trust, consisting of Warden House Primary in Deal, Pilgrims’ Way Primary in Canterbury and Mundella Primary in Folkestone.
Tell us about your career before becoming CEO
My career began as a secondary history teacher before I moved rapidly into leadership, becoming head of department and later a deputy head. I was ambitious and deeply committed to school improvement, but when my second child was diagnosed with autism and verbal dyspraxia, I needed greater flexibility. I transitioned into teacher education at Canterbury Christ Church University, initially as a History PGCE course leader. Over time, I led the Graduate Teacher Programme (GTP), which grew to become the largest in the country. We moved the programme to an Outstanding judgment within five years – one of the most rewarding experiences of my career.
I then became Head of Primary Education, and later held cross-faculty leadership roles including Assistant Head of Department for Humanities and Education. Alongside this, I completed my Doctorate in Education, titled ‘Being Heard: A Post-Structural Feminist Narrative Inquiry into How Women in Education Have Used Twitter to Find Their Leadership Voice’. Much of that work shaped my later leadership philosophy around inclusion, authenticity, and voice.
After more than a decade in higher education, I realised I needed to return to a role where I could make a more direct difference to children and communities. I left the university shortly after completing my doctorate, unsure exactly what would come next – until an opportunity to lead a small trust arose.
