Specialist Leaders of Education (SLEs)
Specialist leaders of education (SLEs) are outstanding middle and senior leaders who
have the skills to support individuals or teams in similar positions in other schools.
They understand what outstanding leadership practice in their area of expertise
looks like and are skilled in helping other leaders to achieve it in their own context.
SLEs have a successful track record of working effectively within and beyond their
own school. They demonstrate excellent communication and interpersonal skills and
high levels of emotional intelligence to work sensitively and collaboratively with
peer colleagues.
We currently have ten SLEs designated in a range of specialisms. This document
details what our SLEs can offer. Should you wish to make an enquiry about SLE
support please contact lpalmer@themead.wilts.sch.uk.
Sarah Ashton
Current role:
Second in English with responsibility for Teaching and Learning,
SEN and Literacy
Kingdown School, Warminster
Specialist Area:
 English
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Assessment for Learning
Teaching and learning (KS3)
Experience and examples of work:
 I have taught in local comprehensive schools for 13 years, teaching to the full age and
ability range.
 I am currently 2nd in a Department of 13 full time members of staff, with responsibility
for teaching and learning, Literacy lessons, and special educational needs in English.
 I have been graded as ‘Outstanding’ in lesson observations, and have had good results
with exam classes, helping pupils to achieve target grades and make progress. I have had
experience of Leading Key Stage Three, and creating a KS3 curriculum which has put the
explicit teaching of skills and Assessment for Learning at the heart of teaching and
learning in the department.
 I am currently running the ‘Good to Outstanding’ project within the Department, which
involves informal observation of colleagues on a focussed area of teaching and learning,
and then organising and leading training to share good practice.
 I have also run training sessions on AFL as part of whole school professional
development sessions which offered tips and strategies and also encouraged colleagues
to share practical ideas to use in their subject.
 This year, I am working closely with the Assistant Head in charge of Literacy across the
curriculum to embed the teaching of Literacy across the school. I have written, and am
monitoring, the delivery of weekly Literacy lessons, and have employed various
strategies to encourage members of staff in all areas to embrace the teaching of Literacy
in their subject areas.
 I am also in the process of developing and monitoring a differentiated curriculum for
SEN and vulnerable pupils in KS3 to ensure provision for the learning needs of all pupils
in English.
 I currently co-lead the Trowbridge Literacy Forum, which provides an opportunity for
Primary and Secondary colleagues to discuss Literacy teaching, transition from KS2 to 3,
and offers the chance to moderate assessed work.
 I can offer support, coaching and mentoring in:
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Leading Key Stage 3
Moving teachers from ‘good’ to ‘outstanding’
Incorporating Assessment for Learning into Schemes of Work
Developing Literacy Across the Curriculum
Curriculum development and planning
Tracy Boulton
Current role:
Assistant Head
The Mead Primary School, Trowbridge
Specialist Area:
 Teaching and Learning
 KS2/KS3 Transition
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Experience and examples of work
 I have 11 years’ experience of teaching in a variety of schools in Dorset and Wiltshire. I
have taught across KS1 and 2 and have previously been a Leading Teacher for Literacy in
Wiltshire.
 In my current role I lead on Teaching and Learning across a large split-site school,
supporting colleagues to provide a curriculum that is both rich and engaging, whilst
ensuring standards, coverage and progression are maintained through thorough
planning and rigorous assessment.
 I very much enjoy exploring new pedagogical ideas and techniques to enhance teaching
and learning and have led on initiatives such as Building Learning Power and developing
higher order questioning.
 I currently lead the schools numeracy team. Through the National Centre for Excellence
in Teaching Maths I have successfully gained accreditation as a Primary CPD leader. This
is a new and exciting role supporting colleagues with their mathematical understanding
and new and innovative ideas for classroom practice.
 I lead on KS2/3 transition and liaise closely with secondary colleagues to ensure a
smooth transfer for pupils into the next stage in their education and I am an active
member of the local schools collaborative working party for KS2-KS3 transition.
 Through The Mead’s work as a National Support School I have had the opportunity to
work with colleagues in developing their classroom practice and I am currently
accredited as a facilitator for both the Improving and Outstanding Teacher Programmes.
 I have co-written and facilitated a course for the Local Authority focussing on Learning
Centred Leadership.
 I am passionate about ensuring children have the highest quality education to become
lifelong autonomous learners through rich and engaging learning experiences
 I am able to offer coaching, support and mentoring to staff in developing teaching and
learning, monitoring and evaluation, lesson observation, feedback and use of data to
narrow the learning gap and improve teaching and learning and curriculum
development.
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Emma Holton
Current role:
Senior Teacher with responsibility for Literacy and Assessment
The Mead Primary School, Trowbridge
Specialist Area:
 KS1 and 2 Literacy
 Talk for writing
 Drama conventions
 Handwriting
 Phonics
 Early reading and writing
 Assessment of reading and writing
 Data analysis and target setting
 Development of the learning environment to provide rich literate experiences
Experience and examples of work:
 I have 11 years experience working at The Mead Community Primary school teaching in
all years from Foundation Stage to Year 5.
 I am passionate about teaching and learning in all areas of Literacy and have been
Literacy Leader at The Mead for 7 years.
 I am very proud to be considered an outstanding teacher and take great pride in striving
to provide the very best opportunities for all children.
 I have worked alongside colleagues from other schools as part of our National Support
School role. This work has involved developing literacy provision including team
planning, assessing and moderating writing, development of the learning environment
and supporting the teaching of basic skills (handwriting, spelling and phonics).
 I currently co-facilitate the ‘Trowbridge Literacy Forum’ which meets six times per year
to discuss current literacy provision across our collaborative of schools and the next
steps for literacy transition between KS2 and KS3.
 I have a range of experiences using mentoring and coaching.
 I have led training for Bath Spa University on ‘Talk for Writing’ and for Gloucester
University’s GTP programme on ‘Phonics and the Development of Early Reading and
Writing’.
 I am able to offer wide-ranging support including the following:
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Development of a rich and engaging literate environment.
Finding ways to develop role play, storytelling and drama opportunities.
Supporting teachers with planning, teaching and assessment in literacy.
Supporting the use of APP and target setting to identify next steps in pupils’ skills
development.
 Using ‘Talk for Writing’ strategies to enhance literacy lessons.
 Using assessment data to understand key priorities in English.
 Supporting new literacy subject leaders to develop their role.
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Kirsty Jamieson MAEd, PGCert (NASENCO)
Current role:
Assistant Head (Inclusion) and SENCO,
The Mead Primary School, Trowbridge
Specialist Area:
 Special Educational Needs
 Behaviour social and emotional difficulties
Experience and examples of work:
 I have taught in a wide range of provision including, mainstream pre-school and primary
school settings and special schools for children from 3 – 7 years and from 11 – 16 years
of age.
 I worked as an advisory teacher for Wiltshire’s Primary Behaviour Support Service and
led a number of initiatives focusing on early intervention.
 I am about to lead national training for SENCOs on behalf of the National Association of
Special Educational Needs (NASEN).
 I work with Bath Spa University as an associate lecturer to deliver the Master’s level
‘National Award for SEN ‘. I am fortunate to be able to lead sessions, mentor new
SENCOs and mark Master’s assignments.
 Through The Mead’s National Support School work I have coached and advised SENCOs
and teachers, TAs and MDSAs and provide a range of professional development
sessions.
 I very much enjoy reflecting on practice through a culture of enquiry and research and
joint practice development.
 I believe in a culture of professional learning within which all staff including teachers,
senior leaders and teaching assistants pursue learning journeys alongside each other.
 My passion is around inclusion of those children vulnerable to under-achievement. By
having high aspirations for ALL children I have seen the impact of removing barriers to
learning on the learning experiences, achievements and life chances of children and
young people.
 I am able to offer support in the following areas:
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Coaching and mentoring for staff – SEN & behaviour.
SENCO support – SEN systems and processes eg provision mapping, IEPs, record
keeping etc.
Provision management – including deployment of TAs.
Support for NQTs .
Preparation for Ofsted.
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Mandy Mills
Current role:
AST for Art & Design
Kingdown School, Warminster
Specialist Area:
 Art and design
Experience and examples of work:
 I have 23 years experience as Head of subject, 15 years moderator for GCSE, 10 years
approved moderator for Applied Advanced Level, 14 years coach and mentor for PGCE
students and NQT’s.
 I have worked as an AST for Wiltshire LA. I am also experienced in the provision of
conferences for primary, secondary and special school art and design teachers and have
provided six primary cluster courses focussing on schemes of work and the use of artists
in school.
 I have developed a tried and proven method of group-work which promotes selfsupported learning.
 I am confident in my knowledge, skills and experience and can offer the following:
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Support the writing of comprehensive KS3, KS4 or KS5 schemes of work to
include progression, thinking skills, kinesthetic teaching, citizenship,
differentiation and work related learning.
Choose a qualification and an Examination Board and liaise with external bodies
Facilitate primary and secondary school art workshops in skills such as printing,
ceramics, textiles, sculpture, painting, drawing, photography, and mixed media
for pupils and/or staff.
Develop Teaching and learning including Assessment for Learning: setting
challenging teaching and learning objectives including effective use of peer
assessment
Effective use of support staff and management of their work within your
classroom
Strategies to promote good behaviour and create a safe, purposeful learning
environment; Health and Safety.
Support in preparation for Ofsted.
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Rita Owen
Current role:
Early Years Specialist
Personal Tutor (PGCE 3 – 7yrs)
The Mead Primary School, Trowbridge
Specialist Area:
 Early Years
 Early Language and Literacy
Experience and examples of work:
 I am passionate about the Early Years and all aspects of Early Year’s pedagogy and
currently work as an SLE for Early Years and Early Lit/Lang at The Mead Community
Primary School.
 As part of the school’s National Support School role I am working with teachers to
support the development of quality first practice in foundation stage settings and also
within a KS1 context.
 In addition I am working as a Personal Tutor at Bath Spa University on the Early Years
PGCE and teach both on the Professional Studies and English modules of the course.
 I am currently leading a research project which will focus on children’s early narrative
invention and am working with a range of settings both locally and nationally to initiate
enquiry and reflection in this field.
 Prior to my current post I have worked in small school rural environments and in urban,
multicultural contexts both in London and Hong Kong. I have worked as advisory teacher
both for English and Early Years and have also worked as a Deputy Headteacher and
Associate Headteacher. I have had extensive opportunities to work alongside teachers to
improve outcomes for young children and have worked in several challenging contexts
including the support of schools in Ofsted categories.
 I am available to provide coaching, support and mentoring to staff within such settings in
order to improve provision and thus improve outcomes for young children. My
particular interests within Early Years are:
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Children’s imaginative and creative thinking.
Concepts related to childhood and outdoor learning.
Enabling environments.
Global dimensions in Early Years research provision.
The development of young children’s language and how they become readers
and writers.
Children for whom English is an additional language.
Currently leading a research project which will focus on children’s early narrative
invention and am working with a range of settings both locally and nationally to
initiate enquiry and reflection in this field.
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Helen Tate
Current role:
Senior Teacher
The Mead Primary School, Trowbridge
Specialist Area:
 Early Years
 Developing role play throughout the school
 Outdoor learning (Forest School)
Experience and examples of work
 I qualified as a Primary School Teacher in 1992 and since then the majority of my
teaching practice has been within Early Years classes.
 I have also worked for the Wiltshire Early Years Team as a Teacher Consultant, where my
role enabled me to meet and work alongside Early Years practitioners across maintained
and non - maintained settings, either through leading training on effective early years
practice or by visiting and working alongside others in their setting.
 I have also worked with Early Years settings on developing a self- evaluation framework
and coaching teams through quality assurance schemes such as Bristol Standard and
EEL.
 I feel very passionate about the opportunities we provide for all children, but particularly
those within Early Years Education. I consider creativity to be at the core of everything opportunities and provision within my settings is based upon every child being able to
express themselves as a unique individual and achieve to their full potential in all
aspects of their development.
 I enjoy working alongside children to create a learning environment, based on their own
personal interests, and I really value role play as a key part of the environment to
support and develop many aspects of learning.
 I am particularly interested in child initiated learning and how we as practitioners can
use our observations of children’s learning to feed into planning and the learning
environment. This includes the outdoor learning environment as well as indoors. Using
our local wooded area to facilitate and engage children’s fascinations is an aspect of my
practice which I thoroughly enjoy and value as a crucial part of my teaching and
children’s learning.
 In addition, I am also a professional tutor for Bath Spa Early Years PGCE students who
attend weekly sessions at The Mead.
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Lisa Wickes
Current role:
Senior Teacher
The Mead Primary School, Trowbridge
Specialist Area:
 Initial Teacher Training (ITT)
 Newly Qualified Teacher (NQT) development
Experience and examples of work
 I have been an NQT Induction Tutor at The Mead for the last nine years.
 I am a member of the NQT Verification Panel for Wiltshire Council (2008 to present).
This involves working with a small group of Primary and Secondary NQT Induction Tutors
to ensure a consistent approach for NQTs in their induction year in Wiltshire.
 I am a member of the steering group for Trowbridge Collaborative Schools Ltd for a new
NQT Induction Programme. I have led training sessions and collaborated with colleagues
to provide bespoke training for the 18 NQTs currently in Trowbridge.
 I liaise with Bath Spa University for Undergraduate and PGCE placements at The Mead
Community Primary School and have started to run sessions at the University.
 I was the Graduate Training Manager for the Wiltshire Cluster of Graduate Teacher’s for
the University of Gloucester from 2009 to 2011. I worked with various schools in
Wiltshire supporting the mentors/Head Teachers and, in total, nine Graduate Teachers
to the award of Qualified Teacher Status (QTS).
 I am passionate about every new teacher/trainee teacher delivering the best teaching
and learning opportunities they can, for all children, with an effective mentor leading
the way.
 As an SLE for ITT/NQT development I can offer schools:
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Support with current NQT or future student placements, including policy,
processes and mandatory expectations.
Resources that can support an NQT or the designated NQT Induction Tutor
school including paperwork to support all aspects of the induction year journey
of an NQT.
Support with objective lesson observations for NQTs and trainee teachers, giving
feedback, setting appropriate targets, following up on those actions and writing
reports of the NQT/trainee teacher.
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Sarah Wilton- Rhead
Current role:
Mathematics Advanced Skills Teacher
Associate Member of the Strategic Leadership Team
The John of Gaunt School
Specialist Area:
 Mathematics
Experience and examples of work:
 I am currently based at The John of Gaunt School and have extensive classroom
experience and innovative ideas and teaching strategies. I am passionate about the
teaching of mathematics and helping students achieve their potential.
 I have worked as a local authority AST for several years and have had wide ranging
experience working with teachers and leaders, supporting classroom practice.
 I use coaching to empower teachers to feel more confident in the classroom.
 I currently lead the mathematics learning community for the Trowbridge Schools
Collaborative, which bring Primary and Secondary teachers together to discuss the
teaching and learning priorities in the area.
 I feel confident in my knowledge skills abilities to offer a range of support to schools
including:
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Supporting NQTs or teachers in their first few years of teaching including advice
on classroom management.
Moving teachers towards good and outstanding practice.
Teaching and learning strategies at all secondary Key stages, including effective
lesson planning, the use of APP, ICT and whiteboards, the use of questioning and
problem solving, maximising the impact of teacher feedback.
Integrating functional skills into mathematics teaching.
Supporting students: revision sessions for KS4 students, enrichment activities for
Gifted and Talented KS2 and KS3 students, whole class problem solving activities.
Developing schemes of work using “fluid” principles.
Support with new GCSE courses and functional elements (including exam board
advice).
Developing resources and “rich tasks” to promote problem solving and
collaborative working.
Facilitating INSET professional development.
Preparation for OFSETD.
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Phil Wylie
Current role:
PE Consultant
Trowbridge Schools
Specialist Area:
 Raising achievement through physical education
Experience and examples of work:
 I am a secondary trained PE teacher with 10 years of teaching experience in a variety of
secondary schools.
 I became a School Sports Coordinator three years ago and this role has allowed me to
work with a variety of primary and secondary schools observing and developing best
practice in PE. My role has since developed into providing school support using my
expertise in PE.
 I also work for The Mead Primary School as a class teacher, as well as my SLE role. The
experiences and opportunities I have had in recent years has helped me to improve my
own teaching as well as develop innovative ways to engage children in their learning.
 I have run a series of successful projects in local schools including:
 Supporting transition for year 6 through the ‘Olympic Values’ program.
 Developing social skills through the ‘Team Player’ Intervention program.
 Raising aspirations through the ‘No Limits’ Intervention program.
 ‘Living for sport’ project to develop personal and social skills for learning.
 Developing ‘learning to learn’ skills with year 4 through PE.
 Raising attainment in year 5/6 through the ‘Learning Leaders’ Program.
 Raising achievement through the ‘Learning Champions Program.
I feel confident in my knowledge skills abilities to offer a range of support to schools including:
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Raising achievement using Physical Education as the vehicle for change: developing
Personal and Social learning skills and confidence through PE.
Supporting Transition: Developing the confidence and skills required to be a happy
successful learner at secondary school.
Engaging parents in their child’s learning: Developing adult confidence and knowledge to
support their child’s learning at home, through after school family Funs clubs; helping
schools to set up and run their own Family learning club.
staff inset training around PE: developing the whole child, effective AFL and physical
literacy for all
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