Autumn Study Conference 2024

Leanna Barratt & Steve Cottrell

Leanna founded the first full-time outdoor nursery in the UK 8 years ago. Little Forest Folk eventually expanded to 7 full-time forest nurseries offering education for 2-5 year olds. 

In 2019 Leanna founded Liberty Woodland School, a progressive primary school with a mission to develop those children most likely to succeed in the 21st century through a unique outdoor environment. In 2022 Leanna expanded Liberty Woodland School to extend to secondary school pupils. Leanna remains Head of School for Liberty Woodland School primary and secondary. 

Steve has worked and led in schools in the UK, Malaysia and China. With various roles leading curriculum redesign and a core belief in the power of real-life, authentic learning, joining Leanna at Liberty Woodland School, as Deputy Head, was the perfect fit when he returned back to work in the UK. 

Together Leanna and Steve lead Liberty Woodland School, now in its fifth year. Having just started our second year with a Secondary phase, we continue to drive to develop a school that will lead its students to be truly prepared for the unknown futures ahead of them. 

Abdul Chohan

Abdul Chohan, a visionary educator with over 25 years of experience, has served as a headteacher, CEO of a Multi Academy Trust in the UK, and is currently the Vice President of Learning at Showbie. As an Apple Professional Learning Specialist and founder of a free school in the UK, Abdul has been at the forefront of transforming digital learning strategies since 2012, inspiring thousands of educators globally. His approach emphasises a shift from technology-led to pedagogically-led digital strategies, challenging educational leaders to place teaching and learning at the core of their digital initiatives.

Abdul's expertise lies in coaching educational leaders to help them craft digital strategy with pedagogical intent. This approach has been led by integrating research-based practices with simple, reliable tools. His work establishes a foundation for consistent, high-quality education by emphasising key pedagogical components: direct instruction, independent practice, feedback, and assessment. This approach has significantly reshaped how learning communities in the UK and abroad approach education in an ever-evolving digital landscape.

Rachel Hadley-Leonard

Rachel has over thirty years’ experience in independent schools’ marketing, admissions and development, gained in the education sector, and also within charities and commercial organisations.

Rachel offers a wealth of qualified marketing  and development expertise gained through a variety of  roles within the sector, field specific study, and experience at Board Director level, the latter with AMCIS for six years, two of which as Co-Chair. Rachel is an IAPS consultant. She teaches on the AMCIS Diploma course, and runs training in Marketing and Development for professional membership bodies including AMCIS, ISBA, IAPS, ISA, AGBIS and  IDPE.

Rachel works with schools to ensure financial growth, improved stakeholder relations and increased pupil numbers. She has particular experience in the Prep School sector, but also works with Senior, all-through and International schools. Her strengths lie in the areas of strategy, audits, research, and development start-ups.

MAD Recruitment is a further service offered by RHLConsulting, supporting schools with the recruitment of senior level Marketing, Admissions and Development professions.

Rachel is an experienced mentor working with ‘new to career’ and ‘new to role’ colleagues, helping them to achieve their own professional goals. Rachel was for many years a judge for the TES Independent School Awards as Marketing lead judge, and is currently a global InspirED marketing and fundraising awards judge. She has been an independent school Governor, writes for educational media, and is a regular conference speaker.

Andrew Hampton

Andrew is a former Chair of ISA and former director of ISI. He has trained aspirant and new Headteachers in the independent sector using the popular “Leading an Independent School’ online course for the last 10 years and his particular focus has been on finance and governance. Andrew stepped down from the Headship of the multi-award winning Thorpe Hall School in July ‘21 after 14 years in post. At Thorpe Hall he built up the pupil roll from 300 to 411, and garnered funds for projects worth over £4m during his tenure.

Laura Knight

Laura Knight, Founder of Sapio Ltd, specialises in digital strategy and innovation. Previously, she served as Director of Digital Learning at Berkhamsted School for over a decade. With two decades of teaching experience across both maintained and independent sectors, Laura excels in strategic technology development for teaching and learning, 1-1 devices, AI, digital skills training, and online safeguarding.

As a disruptive thinker, international keynote speaker, and coach, Laura empowers leaders in schools, universities, and commercial organisations. Leveraging technology, she transforms outcomes, systems, and teams. Her upcoming book, The Little Guide for Teachers on Generative AI, will be published by Sage this autumn.

Laura contributes to advisory boards, including EDUtech Europe, the Good Future Foundation, and the Independent Schools Council Digital Advisory Group. She also advises international governments, edtech companies, groups of schools and leadership associations on digital strategy and educational policy and providing training and insights for the education sector.

Yasmina Koné

Yasmina is Deputy Lead of Hemisphere Education, an innovative brain-training platform disrupting bias and improving racial literacy in schools. She’s driving the adoption of Hemisphere across the UK, building partnerships with leading schools, education partnerships and MATs to change outcomes for diverse pupils. Prior to Hemisphere, Yasmina led multi-award-winning teams at market-leading companies including one of London’s top 10 start-ups, Beam, and Magic Circle law firm Clifford Chance. Her work to open access to opportunity and create meaningful social impact has seen her feature in the BBC, The Lawyer, and Black Tech Fest. She combines strategic acumen with a commitment to social justice and is passionate about the role that the education sector plays in creating a more inclusive society.  

Marisa Leaf

Marisa is the Founder of Hemisphere Education, an innovative brain-training platform disrupting bias and improving racial literacy in schools. She was called to the Bar in 2006 and has worked on a range of social justice issues, both in the UK and internationally. She is also a published author. For the past 12 years Marisa has combined her human rights expertise and experience in the law with the possibilities offered by technology, creating, running and advising award-winning businesses that are solving problems to create long-term good. Since 2021, she has worked closely with Rare to harness their 20 years of experience and expertise on race equity in employment and education to develop Hemisphere Education. 

Kate Lexén

Kate is Director of Services at Tender, overseeing the delivery of all the charity’s work across Schools and Youth Settings and Adult Services and supporting the charity’s governance as part of the Senior Leadership Team. She has worked at Tender since 2015, first within the delivery team managing projects in schools and youth settings, and for the last 6 years in a senior leadership role. Kate also has extensive experience delivering direct work with children and young people, having been a workshop facilitator for almost a decade before joining the charity sector. She graduated from the University of Exeter with a BA in Drama, specialising in Applied Drama, and more recently became a Clore Social Fellow, having completed a year-long Leadership Programme for Emerging Leaders in the Women and Girls sector.

Ben Rawlings

Disney Theatrical Teaching Artists are musical theatre professionals and educators. They run Disney’s preshow workshops as well as initiatives in schools, teacher CPD and public facing workshop sessions. Ben is also a performer and creator.

Liz Robinson

Liz is a school and system leader, passionate about asking bigger questions about what school can or should be about and working with others to make that a reality. Liz began her headship back in 2006, and leads from a clear vision of education which acknowledges the reality of children as ‘whole beings’ with multifaceted needs and capabilities, who live within families and communities. She has worked throughout her career to design school practices which embrace this truth and avoid simplistic or reductive assumptions and approaches.

Liz is the co-founder and CEO of Big Education, a Multi-academy Trust running schools in underserved communities in inner London. Liz and the team are seeking to act as change makers in the wider system by modelling practices which embody ‘a big education’ - an education of the ‘heart, head, and hand’. They run a number of projects and programmes, including Rethinking Assessment, Rethinking Leadership, the ‘Rethinking School’ project and the Big Education Leadership Programme, to facilitate innovation, build capacity in others and advocate for change. Liz is part of the Bell childcare review for the Labour party.

Liz has a particular interest in developing values-led leadership, and has worked extensively as a speaker, trainer and coach. As mum to two young girls, Ella and Alys, Liz works flexibly to manage her roles. She’s also made lots of mistakes in her career and tries to model being a learner and avoid the trappings of ‘superhero’ leadership.

@lizzierobinson3 

@_bigeducation

Jake Saunders

As Head of School & Youth Setting Programmes, Jake oversees and supports Tender’s programme teams across the country as they develop and deliver the charity’s work with children and young people. Jake studied at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama where he fell in love with the marriage of different arts techniques and education, and throughout his career, he has sought to employ creative methods to unlock new ways of thinking, learning and growing. Before joining Tender, Jake worked across the charity sector as a facilitator before moving into performance management and facilitator coaching. He previously managed the British Red Cross’ London First Aid Training team and has also travelled the country developing and delivering anti-bullying training to students, parents and teachers. Jake has been engaged with Tender since 2014, when he joined as a Workshop Leader and Youth Board Member.

James Slocombe

James Slocombe has substantial experience of outward-facing profile-building roles in education, having served as Chief Academic Officer, Headmaster, Deputy Head (Academic), Head of Sixth Form and Head of Department (Business and Economics) at independent schools in the UK and internationally. James is a team inspector for the Independent Schools’ Inspectorate, with specific expertise in Compliance and NMSB.

Further to being a qualified teacher (with QTS), James is also a qualified business accountant (with CIMA), and co-founded the British School of Valladolid. James has served as a Governor/Non-Executive Director to 9 schools and businesses since the start of his career. As a Freeman of the Worshipful Company of Educators, a Fellow of the RSA, and life-member of the Independent Schools’ Association, James actively contributes to the advancement of educational theory, practice and pedagogy, taking a particular interest in international methodologies.

In 2006, James led the UK’s delegation to the CHOGM youth forum in Malta as a Trustee of the British Youth Council and has remained politically active since. He is a proud member of The Scout Association, to which he credits his ‘can-do people-builder’ attitude and bias to action. 

Felicity Sparks

Disney Theatrical Teaching Artists are musical theatre professionals and educators. They run Disney’s preshow workshops as well as initiatives in schools, teacher CPD and public facing workshop sessions.

Felicity is also a performer and creator.