What first drew you to a career in HR, and what led you to work within education specifically?

Having studied Business and Philosophy at University, I was drawn to a career that combined the practical side of business operations with critical thinking and ethical reasoning.  After graduating, I completed a Graduate Management placement with a global law firm in London, where I chose to specialise in HR.

My first senior HR role was at Deloitte UK in 2000, which was an invaluable experience and helped me develop as a strategic partner within a large, complex organisation. After ten years in London, I took an extended career break to raise my family and we relocated to Somerset.

During that time, education became a big part of my life. I was Chair of a pre-school committee, involved in the PTA, and later became a School Governor. When I was ready to return to my professional career, moving into education felt like a natural and exciting next step. In 2018, I joined Haygrove School in a standalone HR Manager role. Since then, I have transformed the role of HR within our schools so that the function operates both in an advisory capacity and as a trusted strategic partner to the executive and school leadership teams.

Can you describe your role as HR Director and what a typical day looks like across the Trust?

My role is to provide strategic leadership for all people-related matters across the Trust. This includes workforce planning, recruitment and retention, employee relations, performance management, wellbeing and ensuring we have robust and consistent HR practices in place.

No two days are the same. I might start the day meeting with our CEO or school leaders to discuss staffing priorities or a change process. I could then be advising on a complex employee relations issue, supporting performance management, or working on updating Trust-wide policies. Alongside this, I’m continually supporting my HR team, particularly with recruitment campaigns and staffing advice.

It’s a constant balance between addressing immediate operational needs and keeping an eye on long-term strategic priorities.

What do you see as the most important role HR plays in supporting schools and improving outcomes for pupils?

HR is fundamental to supporting schools and improving pupil outcomes.  A strong People Strategy is key to creating the conditions for great teaching and learning.  By attracting, developing and retaining the best staff, HR ensures that our schools have the right people in the right roles and can support a positive and inclusive culture where staff feel valued and supported.

By putting effective systems in place for performance management, professional development, compliance, safeguarding and wellbeing, HR allows school leaders to focus on their core purpose: delivering high-quality education for pupils.

What are some of the biggest people-related challenges facing schools and trusts at the moment?

Nationally, schools are facing significant challenges, including tight budgets, recruitment shortages, falling teacher retention, increasing workloads and wellbeing concerns, alongside complex employment and safeguarding requirements.

HR plays a critical role in helping schools navigate these pressures. This includes developing creative recruitment and retention strategies, implementing wellbeing initiatives, ensuring legal and safeguarding compliance and working with leaders to manage change effectively. Workforce planning is also key, helping schools balance educational quality with financial sustainability.

What does great leadership look like to you, and how do you help develop it across the Trust?

Great leadership is about inspiring a shared vision, building trust and empowering others to deliver excellence for our pupils. It means being visible, values-led and decisive, while also encouraging collaboration, resilience and strong relationships.

HR supports leadership development by identifying and nurturing talent, providing targeted professional development and coaching, supporting robust appraisal systems and ensuring succession planning is in place. Our aim is to make sure leaders at all levels have the skills, confidence and support they need to drive improvement across our schools.

Outside of work, how do you like to unwind and maintain a healthy work/life balance?

My children are now 22, 19 and 17 and although they’re scattered at university and college, we make the most of any time together. Aside from them (and my husband of course), the greatest loves of my life are my 18-month-old Labrador and 15-year-old Westie.  We enjoy long walks on the Quantocks and Mendip hills.  I am also an enthusiastic road cyclist and a very amateur triathlete, definitely more at home in a heated swimming pool than open water!  I’m an avid reader and a reluctant gardener.