Shelley College is an amazing place, located in a supportive community, with brilliant students and staff. Being Executive Principal is an honour and something that I am very proud of. 

Respect and commitment underpin our ethos of 'Valuing People, Supporting Personal Best'. Our aim is to help students leave Shelley fully equipped with the life skills, experiences and educational outcomes to have a happy and successful future. To achieve this students need to enjoy what they’re doing, feel safe and be rewarded for their commitment and success. We therefore support and invest in our students and staff, whilst maintaining high expectations.

Let's all 'work hard, play hard and enjoy life'

As Principal, I am immensely proud to lead this unique and very special school. Shelley College is a place defined by unity, ambition and a genuine sense of togetherness. Every day, I see our students support one another, celebrate each other’s successes and strive to become the very best versions of themselves.

We are a school built on high expectations and strong relationships. Our staff are passionate experts who care deeply about helping every young person achieve their own personal best.  We want our students to excel academically, develop new talents and build a strong character.

What makes Shelley College truly stand out is our belief that  every lesson counts and every opportunity should be within reach. We are relentless in securing the best possible outcomes for our young people because they deserve nothing less.

Thank you for taking the time to learn more about our wonderful school. I am incredibly proud of our students, our staff and our community.

I joined Shelley College in 2007 initially as a teacher of dance.  After seeing the pastoral team in action, I realised this was my calling and trained further in counselling young people and safeguarding children. I am incredibly proud to be a member of the pastoral team. When asked what our pastoral team 'dream' was, we decided it was to equip students with the skills to be successful in life. This continues to drive me as part of an outstanding team in an outstanding school, to challenge students to be the best version of themselves they can be. 

After qualifying as an English teacher in 2013, I very quickly realised that SEND was my passion and that supporting students with additional needs, and helping them progress, was the most rewarding aspect of teaching for me personally. I joined Shelley College in 2018 and was immediately struck by the level of care that the college has for all its students and staff members; everyone is highly valued and is supported to achieve their best.

I have always had a keen interest in Psychology and as my teaching career progressed, I became very interested in Educational Psychology in particular. I decided to do a Masters degree in Psychology and wrote my thesis on classroom engagement in students who struggle to engage in learning, which was incredibly rewarding and gave me a real insight into students’ varied experiences of the classroom. My MSc studies led me to teaching A-Level Psychology to our sixth-form students, which I absolutely love.

I was incredibly excited to commence my role as the school SENDCo in April 2024, as I knew that I could make a real difference. I really enjoy working closely with our students and their families and supporting them in overcoming barriers to learning. Our Student Support Centre is a wonderful place with a fantastic team of HLTAs and TAs, who care deeply about our students and support them unfailingly. I am very proud to be part of the team and look forward to supporting Shelley students for many years to come.

Joining Shelley College in 2012, I work in the post of Assistant Principal Student Progress, Exams and Director of Sixth Form.  In this role I oversee the student monitoring and tracking, helping teachers and curriculum leaders identify and target students to help and support.  Working with the Examinations Officer we ensure that internal assessments are purposeful, and prepare students for external assessments.  We ensure that formal external assessments are run in a way that supports all students to concentrate on the exam in order to achieve the best grade they can. 

As Director of Sixth Form I work to make sure that all students in Post 16 education are well supported, contribute to the wider school community and are well prepared for their next steps.  I am proud of the amazing staff I work with here at Shelley College.  I enjoy the far-reaching nature of my role, and that it allows me to help many students in their time with us at Shelley College.

After spending many years working in another school within the Trust, I was delighted to have the opportunity to join the team at Shelley College. I have worked in education for twenty four years and am a Science teacher by background. While I still enjoy teaching the occasional Science lesson, the majority of my role now focuses on leading the Pastoral team and supporting students as they grow into young adults who embody the values needed to make a positive contribution to society.

I believe in keeping things straightforward. Students should arrive ready to learn, engage fully in their work, and make the most of the opportunities available to them. When they do the right things, they should be recognised and rewarded; when they make poor choices, it is important that they are challenged so they can learn and improve. And when additional support is needed, the Pastoral team is here to provide it.

Everything we do at Shelley College centres around two expectations: 100% effort and 100% respect. When students commit to giving their best and treating others well, the rewards naturally follow.

I feel privileged to have worked at Shelley College since 2004. I have held a variety of positions in my time at Shelley College ranging from a curriculum leader, Head of Sixth Form and Assistant Principal. In my current role, I have the opportunity to work closely with the Principal influencing and designing the curriculum we offer. An essential element of this offer is ensuring the curriculum has both breadth and depth for our learners, allowing the acquisition of knowledge and skills vital to be successful in future life. I also develop and produce a whole school timetable which enables us to operate a two-week timetable for students. Through running a comprehensive options programme for Year 9 and Year 11 students I am able to adapt and amend our curriculum providing information and support for all students throughout the process.

Our learners never cease to amaze me with their talents, skills and energy. Helping to shape and channel this through my curriculum work is both rewarding and inspiring. I consider myself very lucky to be in a senior role that allows me to see learners achieve their personal best before moving into the big wide world beyond Shelley College.

TBC