I have lead academic teams in both the further and higher education sectors. I am a strong advocate collaborative working between higher and further education institutions. I believe this two-way collaboration can enhance the educational experience for all students.

I began my career in education as a Learning Support Assistant in a further education college, supporting students with special educational needs. I then trained as a teacher of business and finance, teaching across a range of programmes including higher education courses delivered in a further education setting. I joined the University of Portsmouth to lead the further education initial teacher education provision, which during my tenure was graded Outstanding by Ofsted.

In my current role as Head of School Languages and Applied Linguistics I am very fortunate to work with a diverse range of colleagues. The School has a wide offer, not only providing undergraduate and postgraduate degrees but also administering cross university programmes such as, Institution Wide Language Programme (IWLP), Pre-Sessional English (PSE) and In-Sessional English (ISE). I am therefore fortunate enough to work with colleagues from across the University and its international partners.

My research focuses on professional development for professionals and education practitioners. Previously this has included the development of further education teachers in response to national policy initiatives. More recently my research has investigated the development of a contextualised competency framework for further education middle managers. This has resulted in me consulting on the development of the first set of professional standards for leaders in the further education sector by the Education and Training Foundation.

My research has also led to my involvement in a range of projects. Most recently these include:

In 2015 I led a national project commissioned by the Education and Training Foundation which developed a research-informed solution to changes in educational policy in the further education sector. This programme provided professional development to over 650 teachers and educators across the UK.

In 2017 I became the South of England lead for the Further Forces Project, a national programme designed to recruit, retrain and source employment for service personnel leaving the military. This programme is featured as part of the UK’s first Veterans Strategy and is still ongoing.

In 2021, I developed the Professional Standards for Leaders in Further Education in England for the Education and Training Foundation as well as becoming a member of the FE Leadership Institute Steering Group.