Alys strategically leads professional learning, wellbeing and EDI (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion) across the trust. Alys is also Acting Executive Head Teacher for two of the trust’s primary schools (Firbeck Academy and Robert Miles Infant School). Alys has executive oversight of the trust’s Initial Teacher Training provider (Nottinghamshire Torch SCITT). A focus on coaching, Teaching and Learning, and developing leadership capacity is fundamental to her approach.

Alys started her career as a secondary English and Drama specialist, in a range of Middle and Senior Leadership roles, with responsibilities which included Teaching and Learning, CPD, Appraisal, SEND and Oxbridge applications. Following this, Alys has worked in a range of local and national ITT leadership roles, leading cross-phase provision. Alys also worked on secondment to Teach First, spending three years as the National Curriculum and Assessment Lead for English, leading and quality assuring Teach First’s secondary English provision across England, with an advisory role for the start-up provision in Wales.

In 2016, she led a West Yorkshire SCITT from being at risk of closure to a Good with Outstanding features Ofsted judgement in 2016/17. Following this success and time as a trustee for the National Association of School-Based Teacher Trainers (NASBTT), Alys worked as an Education Consultant specialising in teacher development, mentoring, leadership and management and ITT Ofsted preparation. This included working nationally with teacher education providers and other organisations on a range of projects and priorities, including authoring NASBTT’s Assessment title in its series for Early Career Teachers.