I have 16 years of experience in education and have enjoyed every role and challenge in that time. Most recently I was Assistant Head and DSL in a specialist school for pupils who are neurodiverse and struggled to thrive in mainstream school settings and this is where my passion lies: not only in teaching and nurturing children in the classroom but also in creating a culture and learning environment that encourages and celebrates all their achievements. To make this happen you need the best team of people around you and you must invest in training and CPD. I mentored ECTs (formally NQTs) and this has been an extremely rewarding part of my job and a privilege to be an integral part of their career progression. A natural optimist and positive thinker, I believe that with the right approach and strategic thinking, any problem can be solved.