Steve taught History in three London academies, including two senior leadership roles. He has now been with United Learning for nearly 10 years, initially leading on curriculum and subject support and now as a Regional Director. Steve is also an Ofsted inspector. Steve has a Master’s in Education Management and has recently gained the National Professional Qualification for Executive Leadership.  Steve loves working for United Learning because it provides the chance to visit schools up and down the country and work towards ensuring that all pupils get a great deal when they step through our doors.

Ben Antell is the recently appointed Director of Secondary Academies in United Learning. Before taking up this role, Ben was a Regional Director in the trust and previous to that an Executive Principal with a responsibility for schools in Bournemouth and London. Ben is passionate about school improvement and the belief that education is the key to social mobility and future success. Ben also works as an Ofsted inspector in the south-west and counts himself fortunate enough to have worked with some of the leading educationalists in the country through both his Regional Director, Executive Principal and Ofsted roles.

Tom Bennett was a teacher in the East End of London for thirteen years. Currently he is the Director and founder of researchED, a grass-roots, teacher-led project that aims to make teachers research-literate and pseudo-science proof.

Fiona became Director of Independent Schools in September 2022. She originally joined the organisation in 1995 when it was the Church Schools Company; it later became United Learning. She was Head of Guildford High School from 2002 – 2022. Guildford High became a Teaching School in 2013 and Fiona was appointed an NLE, leading the United Learning Teaching School Alliance from 2013 - 2020.

She has a variety of Governance roles; she is an Associate Director of Cumbria University (since 01.06.21), she is on the Governing body of Epsom College (since 01.11.09) and she is a member of the ‘Learning Partners Academy Trust’. Fiona is on the Advisory Board of 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 in 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.

Keynote: Leading from the start: building habits that drive impact

Author, speaker, former headteacher, director at the National College for School Leadership, and managing director at United Learning, Andy subsequently founded Leadership Matters, BASIC4schools and Cadogan Press. Andy also chairs the L.E.A.D. Academy Trust. 

A geography teacher by trade, Andy went on to become a headteacher for thirteen years at two schools in east London.  In his second headship, his school was judged outstanding and he was designated a National Leader of Education.  In 2009, he was appointed as a director at the National College for School Leadership and in 2012 was appointed as the managing director of academies at United Learning, one of the largest academy groups in the UK.   

He has written nine books on leadership and coaching, including the best-selling Leadership Matters, BASIC Coaching and BASIC Leadership. In 2018, Andy was invited to become a Founding Fellow of the College of Teaching and in 2019 he established a small independent publishing company, Cadogan Press. 

Since January 2012, Jon Coles has been Group Chief Executive of United Learning.

Adriano has worked for United Learning for 11 years, during this time he has worked as Head of Art at Kettering Buccleuch Academy and as a SLE across the trust. Adrian’s SLE work has allowed him to visit a number of our schools across the country, giving support on KS3 curriculum and helping to improve outcomes at KS4 and KS5.

During the pandemic Adriano led a team of teachers to design a key stage 3 art curriculum, create and record lessons for Oak National Academy.

Adriano has recently written for the NSEAD on how the trust is using the ARAEA checklist to improve diversity and representation across the United Learning art curriculum.

Adriano now joins the subject adviser’s team alongside his work as a lead practitioner at Kettering Buccleuch Academy.

For the past twelve years, Shaun has led the strategic development of sport at United Learning, as Head of Sport. A former Head of PE, Shaun advanced to Deputy Headteacher roles in two secondary schools before taking on a national position with the Youth Sport Trust as Head of Raising Achievement.

Shaun’s influence extends across the wider landscape of physical education. He recently completed a successful tenure as Chair of the Leadership Skills Foundation, played a key role on the Association for PE’s national Taskforce in 2021, and was handpicked to join Ofsted’s PE Working Group in 2022. He’s the author of two widely respected books on PE and school sport, and is currently helping to shape the future of the subject advising government on the new national curriculum for Physical Education.

His leadership continues to be recognised at the highest levels. He was recently appointed to the Board for England Rugby Schools, where Shaun played a central role in promoting a structure for the safe and secure playing of rugby in all schools in England.

His expertise has also been recognised internationally, with his work taking him to South Africa, America, and Iraq where he has shared his expertise on a global stage. When he’s not transforming school sport, Shaun channels his energy into triathlon - competing as an athlete and coaching the next generation at his local club. His work is fuelled by a deep belief in the power of sport to change lives - and he’s spent his career proving it.

Osi Ejiofor is an experienced education expert with over two decades in the field. Starting
as a teaching assistant, he quickly advanced to roles such as teacher, middle leader, and
Assistant Headteacher, specializing in ICT/computing and STEM education in various
London schools. He has made a significant impact in Newham, Redbridge, and Barking
and Dagenham.
Driven by a desire to assist more institutions, Osi founded Osi's Tech Tips, offering expert
advice and training on integrating technology in education. He works with primary,
secondary schools, sixth forms, and independent schools across the UK and globally. As
an Educational Technologist at United Learning, he helps schools in the trust develop
strategies to reduce teacher workload and enhance student learning through technology.
Osi is dedicated to improving educational quality for both students and teachers, helping
them make the most of the technology they already have.

Hannah Hamilton started her career as a broadcast journalist, and spent six years in public relations consultancy before specialising in marketing and communications in the education sector. Hannah spent fifteen years working in schools before joining United Learning in 2021 as Director of Marketing. She leads a team that is fortunate enough to be involved in nearly every aspect of United Learning: not only supporting 110+ schools, but also United Teaching, the United Curriculum and United Apprenticeships, and everything else in between. The team also builds and supports around 120 websites, and provides graphic design services and internal communications. Hannah believes education, as a means to improve lives, is “the single most important thing”; every action the team takes helps to support our aim of bringing out the best in everyone.

Mel has been Principal of Salford City Academy since April 2017 which has improved significantly under her leadership. More recently, Mel has been appointed as an Executive Principal (North) and is currently working with Principals in Lancashire to provide leadership support. Mel has delivered leadership sessions on radical candor and challenging conversations to aspiring leaders both in teaching and support roles; she is passionate about providing leadership opportunities for both staff and students. 

Lucy is Senior Primary Curriculum Lead at United Learning, overseeing the development and implementation of the primary curriculum to ensure coherence, alignment with evidence-informed teaching practices and the right support for our teachers. She also specifically works on the History curriculum for primary. Lucy is passionate about curriculum design and educational research and, prior to joining United Learning in 2022, held senior leadership roles at primary schools in Bristol and London. As a Deputy Headteacher, she led many areas including SEND, teaching and learning, and professional development, and seeks to draw on these experiences as much as possible in her current role. 

Sarah has over 12 years of experience working in secondary education in the South of the country. After starting as a geography teacher in 2010, she moved into middle leadership through a Head of Geography and then a Head of Humanities role.  In 2015, Sarah moved into the sphere of special education needs and was a SENDCo for over 8 years and has recently held an Assistant Principal position. Sarah currently works as the Secondary Inclusion Adviser for United Learning, which she initially began in 2021. She is passionate about providing strategic guidance and support to schools nationally on effective SEND provision, to reduce the attainment gap and ensure students with SEND thrive.

Catherine joined United learning in September 2014 as a Deputy Head Teacher. Since then, she has worked as Principal at Hunningley Primary Academy taking the school to an Outstanding Ofsted judgement, as an Executive Head Teacher and now as a Regional Director and lead for Education with Character.

Catherine is also a Senior Leader of Education, a Chair of Governors, has trained as a school Kagan facilitator and has undertaken Conscious Discipline training with Dr. Becky Baily in America.

Catherine is passionate about supporting schools in challenging circumstances to bring about the best possible educational experience for children. She achieves this through the implementation and leadership of a high-quality curriculum, investing in people and leadership at all levels and developing a school family culture where all feel valued.

Suzanne joined United Learning in 2012, having previously worked at the Department for Education. She is passionate about creating development opportunities for all staff in schools, and nurturing an inclusive environment, where diverse teams can flourish.  

Chris joined United Learning in December 2023 as Executive Business Manager for the Manchester cluster of 3 secondaries and 1 All-Through school.

Prior to this, he has 18 years of experience in education business operations management working for 2 other academy trusts in similar roles and 13 years’ experience prior to this in commercial finance.

Chris’s primary focus is to ensure that school operations, including Finance, Estates, IT, Operations, H&S, GDPR and Office Admin functions, are not only fit for purpose but provide exceptional support for all students and staff. He is the strategic link between the cluster of schools and also between the cluster and United Learning.

He enjoys building strong relationships with all internal and external stakeholders and is passionate about improving learning environments to ensure that everyone can achieve their potential. 

Jess Johnson joined United Learning as Head of Professional Development Projects in 2023. She leads on projects in the areas of line management, SEND and Inclusion, and support staff development. Jess believes that great communication and professional development are the foundations of strong teams. She is committed to providing high quality learning opportunities for adults so that, in turn, they can make education better for children and young people.

Jools is the Deputy SENCo at Robert Blake School, bringing a wealth of experience from a diverse career in education. Prior to her current role, she served as the school's SEN Administrator and has previously worked as a Dance teacher and Learning Support Assistant in both primary and secondary settings. Jools is passionate about creating an inclusive environment where every student feels supported, experiences success, and develops a strong sense of belonging throughout their secondary school journey.

Lucy works as a Religious Studies subject adviser and classroom teacher at Glenmoor & Winton Academies in Bournemouth. She previously held the roles of Lead Practitioner and Head of Department and is an examiner for both Eduqas and AQA. She delivers the United Teach programme for RS and is an active member of the wider RS community. 

Victoria joined Langford Primary School in 2015 and is currently the Head of School. As well as leading Langford, Victoria runs the ECT programme for the Central London Teaching School Hub, facilitating the Early Career Framework for over 400 ECTs in last three years. 

Victoria has 20 years of experience in Primary Schools, including five years teaching internationally in Vietnam, but is particularly passionate about providing high quality education to disadvantaged communities in London.

With over 15 years of experience in education business management, Kate brings a deep understanding of financial strategy, operational leadership, and school improvement. She currently serves as the Executive Business Manager at United Learning, a role Kate has held since February 2025. In this position, Kate leads strategic business planning and support across multiple academies, ensuring that resources are aligned to deliver the best outcomes for students.

Kate's journey with United Learning began in 2018. Over the years, she has held key roles including Finance Business Partner at Central Office and Finance Manager at Stockport Academy. These roles have equipped Kate with a strong foundation in financial planning, stakeholder engagement, and cross-functional collaboration.

Prior to joining United Learning, Kate worked in Local Authority schools from 2009, where she developed her expertise in school business management and administration. This early experience gave her a solid grounding in the operational challenges and opportunities within the education sector.

Kate is passionate about driving efficiency, supporting school leaders, and making a meaningful impact on the educational experience of young people.

Adam started his career in his native North East of England before moving to London. Alongside leading a highly successful languages faculty, Adam has had experience of overseeing whole-school literacy, on-site teacher training induction and has been a whole-school Lead Practitioner. Outside of the classroom, Adam is an examiner, has presented at various conferences, and has had work published as part of the launch materials provided by exam boards ahead of the new GCSE specification. Adam has also authored work in the new Pearson GCSE Spanish textbooks. 

Adam is a firm believer that languages should be for all, regardless of ability or background, and is very interested in how students read - investigating this as part of his final project to become a Chartered Teacher.

Alec has worked in education for over 20 years, as a secondary school mathematics teacher across KS3, 4 and 5, as a Head of Department, a Director of Maths across a cluster of schools and also became an SLE for United Learning in 2016.

Alec has experienced teaching in the U.S education system after being awarded a Fulbright Scholarship as part of an international teacher exchange programme in partnership between the US Department of State and the British Council. The result of this meant he taught mathematics at Bainbridge High School in the state of Washington. 

Alec joined central team at United Learning and became a Secondary Maths Adviser in September 2020 prior to being successfully becoming one of the Co-Director of Maths in November 2024.

Ben has worked in education for over 20 years, as a secondary school science teacher, Advanced Skills Teacher, senior leader and advisor. He joined United Learning as the Science Advisor in January 2016, before becoming Senior Science Advisor in 2018.

Ben has worked in several schools on developing science teaching, both as an AST and as a local authority advisor, as well as leading on teaching and learning across a whole school. Ben also has a MA in Education, with a focus in the impact of feedback on students learning.

James McEvoy-Stevenson is a Music Adviser at United Learning. He began his career with Teach First at the Totteridge Academy, where he was Head of Music. After working in one of the country’s top performing grammar schools, he went on to lead a large Creative Arts faculty in North London. He studied music at the University of Oxford, where he was both a choral and academic scholar. In the classroom, he regularly draws on his experience of singing and conducting in the professional sphere. He has performed throughout the UK and abroad, on Radio 3 and in professional recordings. His formative experiences as a chorister growing up in Liverpool underpin his drive to harness the potential of music to change life chances of young people, as it did for him.

Lindi Nejrup is Primary Regional Director at United Learning, leading on attendance across the Trust’s primary schools. She is an experienced educational leader with over ten years’ experience of headship, including executive headship, where she has successfully guided schools out of special measures and supported leaders to drive rapid and sustainable improvement.

Trained in coaching, Kagan, and Conscious Discipline, Lindi is passionate about ensuring every child attends school every day to access highest quality of education so the child thrives and succeeds.

Matt’s role involves overseeing Operations at Barnsley Academy, Sheffield Park Academy, Sheffield Springs Academy and Fir Vale School. Matt is supported by Operations Officers placed in each school and his role includes overseeing administration functions, compliance, health and safety, data protection and catering. Matt works closely with various departments within the cluster, including the Principals and SLT at each school as well as other business services managers such as the Cluster Facilities Manager, Cluster Finance Manager, Cluster Network Manager and Cluster HR Manager. Matt’s role sits underneath the Executive Business Manager and within a business services structure supported by this management team.

Matt is passionate about providing an exceptional service to all stakeholders he deals with, including providing exemplary support and guidance to his team, students, and local communities. Matt continuously strives to build strong relationships both internally and externally, driving and developing the support available within each school from an operational and business services perspective, with the end goal always being to ensure students have all the tools they need to succeed within an exceptional learning environment.

Leanne is a School Business Manager with over a decade of experience in the education sector, Leanne’s career has excelled throughout her seven years currently at United Learning. Having led on strategic business operations as Business Manager for multiple schools as well as a cluster she manages key areas such as finance, HR, compliance, and site operations, ensuring that the school runs efficiently and effectively to support the best outcomes for students.

Leanne is most passionate about leading teams, processes and systems that allow teaching staff to focus on delivering quality education, while ensuring the infrastructure behind the scenes is robust, compliant, and pupil-focused by ensuring that pupils are at the heart of every decision so that they have the best possible experience as they develop through the school.

Sarah joined United Learning in 2020 and works in the central Professional Development Team. She leads on projects to support the development and progression of business support staff. Her areas of work include Business Manager development, central office training, and support for Group-wide networks. Sarah is committed to ensuring that business support staff have access to high quality CPD, including introducing and managing tailored agendas for business support staff at the BiE Induction Conference.

Jen joined United Learning in 2018 and has worked in Primary Education for over 30 years, much of the time combining teaching with other roles. Jen is a former English Advisor for the CAM Academy Trust and facilitated writing moderation with large clusters of schools throughout Cambridgeshire sharing her work at Beyond Levels conferences. She is also a former English Adviser for Cambridgeshire and tutor on the PGCE and GTP at the Faculty of Education, Cambridge University. Jen has researched several areas of children's literacy, including gender differences in responding to texts and has written guest blogs for The Chartered College and No More Marking on the use of Comparative Judgement to assess writing. She was a researcher on the Cambridge University government funded project, ‘Raising Boys’ Achievement’, specifically researching the role of drama and talk to develop writing.

Mark joined the Primary team at United Learning in September 2019 as Maths Advisor supporting schools mainly in the South and the Midlands. Prior to joining the Primary team, Mark was a primary school teacher and maths subject lead for over 10 years in schools in Westminster and Hammersmith & Fulham, one of which was Langford Primary School, which is also part of the group. Mark has completed the NPQSL and is accredited as both an NCETM Professional Development Lead, and School Development Lead.

Marie Sugarman built her career in the Financial Services sector as a Learning and Development Consultant, Quality Manager and Head of Communications, advocating continuous improvement at all stages.

Marie joined United Learning as Strategic Communications Manager at the start of summer 2021, where her initial focus was supporting the promotion of the DfE's EdTech Demonstrator Programme. Marie is responsible for the internal communications strategy, improving collaboration across teams and departments and championing best practice for communication-based activities.

Bruce’s career in educational technology has spanned over 25 years. He used technology in the classroom as a teacher and has led on its deployment as a middle and then senior leader in schools in both the UK and New Zealand. He gained valuable commercial experience whilst working for a leading technology supplier on new school builds and after a brief spell back in school following his period in industry, he joined United Learning 11 years ago. He played a major role in the Group’s ‘Shift to the Cloud’ project, leading on the work to deploy cloud MIS across all the Group’s primary and secondary Academies as well as supporting their moves to Microsoft 365. He has supported community education and sport outside the Group as a Chair of Governors for a local primary school and as head coach and safeguarding lead for his sons’ grass roots rugby club. Bruce is currently Head of Educational Technology and is specifically leading the work to support schools to develop their own digital strategies, including more recently, the strategic use of AI tools in our schools.

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.

This year marks my twentieth year in education, a journey that has taken me through a range of fulfilling roles. I began my career as a classroom teacher and went on to become Head of History and then Head of Humanities, before moving into a trust-wide role.

Since then, I’ve had the privilege of working in trust roles across three multi-academy trusts, gaining valuable experience in school improvement and curriculum development. In January 2025, I was delighted to join United Learning, where I continue to support schools as Director of History.

I recently completed my NPQH, which has further deepened my understanding of leadership at scale. I remain passionate about empowering teachers and leaders to create ambitious, inclusive, and enriching learning environments for all pupils.