Victor Allen
Rhiannon Cutler
Faith Hagerty
Stuart Nicholson
Dai Preston
Julie Robinson
Gemma Woodhouse
Rhiannon leads on strategy, data interpretation and advisory delivery at Baines Cutler, which she co-founded in 2013 in response to growing demand from schools for robust benchmarking data combined with practical, implementable consultancy. Her work sits at the intersection of financial sustainability, workforce strategy and organisational culture.
Rhiannon advises schools on finances, teacher reward and remuneration, fee strategy and whole-school strategic planning. Central to her approach is ensuring that decisions driven by data are delivered in ways that align with a school’s values, incentives and behaviours — particularly where changes affect teaching staff, leadership structures and the relationship between governors and senior leaders. She is known for helping boards and leadership teams move beyond agreement on what must change, to clarity on how change can be implemented successfully and credibly.
In 2016, Rhiannon led the launch of the sector’s first Parental Fee Affordability and Time Survey, which informed analysis challenging assumptions within the Labour manifesto on VAT and independent school fees. In 2018, she launched the sector’s first detailed teacher workload analysis, providing an evidence base for more effective and culturally sustainable approaches to teacher pay and appraisal. She became Managing Director in June 2020.
Rhiannon introduced a consultancy model that places culture and incentive design alongside financial analysis, recognising that long-term viability depends as much on how decisions are experienced by staff and stakeholders as on the decisions themselves. Most recently, she developed the 360-Vision service line, using tailored stakeholder surveys to inform board- and SLT-level decision-making and support change that is both financially sound and organisationally durable.
Faith Hagerty, founder of The Acting Head, obtained a degree in Drama, Film and Television at Bristol University, before completing her PG Dip in Acting at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA) in 2001. Following five years as an actor, she turned her hand to teaching in 2006 and worked her way from Drama Teacher to Deputy Head at St Augustine’s Priory in West London. In 2007, she founded and built her own drama school business Yourstage Drama Ltd and ran this alongside her school career for 13 years, selling it in 2020. In 2021, she joined More House School in Knightsbridge where she was Head for over three years until the summer of 2024.
During her time as Head, she was a member of the GSA Education Committee and still sits on the Society of Heads Futures Group. Since moving on from headship, she has launched The Acting Head consultancy as a way of bringing her leadership experience and drama practice together to assist schools and school associations. She is committed to supporting schools’ most precious resource – their people, and has developed a number of creative programmes for senior leaders, staff and pupils.
Faith qualified as a Graydin coach in December 2024 and offers online one-to-one coaching sessions to school leaders, as well as 360 Appraisals alongside her other Acting Head work. Her coaching work focuses on creative thinking, self-image and wellbeing. She left London last summer and is now based in Nottingham with her blended family of seven.
Stuart started his career teaching physics and later also taught business studies. For over a decade he was a boarding Housemaster, but also spent five years as a development director, running alumni relations and fundraising, before three headships in ISA schools. He retired from headship in 2021, before being immediately inveigled back into running boarding at another ISA School and he eventually stepped back from the front line of schools in August 2023.
He is currently treasurer of CIFE, the Association of Independent Sixth-form colleges, has been a trustee of AEGIS, the Association for Education and Guardianship of International Students, and when required is a Team Inspector for ISI. He also runs his own consultancy, helping schools, students and parents.
Stuart is a great advocate of ISA; during his headships he served in regional ISA posts as well as on the National Executive and as the Association Chair. He has renewed his close links with ISA recently as a governor for an ISA school and as one of the Independent Trustees on the ISA National Executive.
Dai Preston is Headteacher of Arnold Lodge School (a co-educational independent all-through day school for pupils aged 4-18) and Executive Headteacher of Stratford Preparatory School (a co-educational Preparatory School for pupils aged 2-11). Dai has been Headteacher of Arnold Lodge since 2016 and, in that time, the school has grown from 164 pupils to 480 (and is now at maximum capacity). Dai is also an ISA Director and a Team Inspector with ISI.
Julie Robinson, General Secretary, ISC
Julie was first a teacher then head of two co-educational, day and boarding prep schools for children aged 3-13. She led education and training for IAPS for five years and was appointed General Secretary of the Independent Schools Council in 2015.
The ISC’s data analysis informs advocacy of the sector and Julie has appeared in the national media regularly. Live appearances include Newsnight, Sky News, The Today Programme, BBC, and Channel 4 News. The ISC is a representative body working with a range of other organisations linking the independent education sector and government policy. It brings together the independent school associations AGBIS, GSA, HMC, ISA, IAPS, ISBA and the Society of Heads along with affiliate associations BSA, COBIS, SCIS and WISC. The ISC’s three priority areas of activity are: research/data; media/communications and policy/public affairs. ISC seeks to support, inform and promote the sector, rebutting untruths and explaining the value of independent education to wider society.
Julie advocates working together for the benefit of children in all kinds of schools. She is a trustee of the School Partnerships Alliance and a school governor at a state school as well as an independent school in London.
Partner, Employment & Education at Penningtons Manches Cooper
Gemma specialises in both contentious and non-contentious employment law and has a keen interest in all aspects of discrimination law. Since her qualification in 2007, she has been involved with a significant Court of Appeal decision, a number of tribunal hearings and appeals to the Employment Appeal Tribunal. She has also provided corporate support in relation to business transfers and reorganisations and advised on the terms of compromise agreements, employment contracts and employee handbooks. In addition, Gemma has provided guidance to clients on the implications of TUPE and the terms of commercial outsourcing arrangements. Gemma advises independent schools and academies on a number of HR and education specific issues, including safeguarding responsibilities and compliance requirements. She regularly writes in the ISBA Bursar’s Review and provides training to schools on employment updates, safeguarding requirements and management of staff including performance management. Gemma hosts several forums for HR directors, managers and Bursars within independent schools. Listed by Chambers UK as 'up and coming', Gemma has been described as having a 'good tactical approach to dealing with HR issues', being 'very swift with her advice' and as an adviser who 'acts in the client’s best interests'. She is a member of the Employment Lawyers’ Association and the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development.