Projects
Chatten Free School: From Inception to Ofsted 'Outstanding'
Building Chatten Free School is easily one of the proudest achievements of my career. We set out to create a setting unlike any other—a purpose-built provision designed specifically for pupils whose complex needs simply could not be met in any other special school.
I was lucky enough to project-manage the journey from the ground up, leading the physical building and IT procurement, and carefully managing the school’s initial financial strategy. I had incredible trust support along the way, working closely alongside the person who would eventually become my deputy head.
From there, we assembled an extraordinary, multidisciplinary team of therapists, specialists, and educators who brought our vision to life every day. Leading this setting from a blank piece of paper to an Ofsted 'Outstanding' rating within just three years was an incredible privilege—but what was even better was seeing pupils who had been out of education for years not only attending school, but genuinely thriving.
Chatten is a special place that changes lives. I am immensely proud of our pupils, the team that built Chatten alongside me, and the lasting legacy of what we created together.
OFSTED REPORT - click here
NEWS ARTICLE - click here
CHATTEN WEBSITE - click here
North Essex Autism Hubs and System Outreach.
Two years into my special needs career, I was asked to take over the complex autism bases at Market Field School. Shortly after, I was lucky enough to take the lead on setting up the North Essex Autism Hubs across mainstream schools, while providing wider outreach and specialist training. As part of this work, I helped establish two autism hubs—consulting on curriculum design, recruitment, and general provision oversight. Alongside this, I delivered extended outreach across North Essex, working directly with mainstream schools to evaluate their SEND provision, advise leadership, and upskill teams. This included delivering evidence-based autism training across dozens of settings, including keynote sessions for audiences of up to 500 educators
Teacher training and lived experience
Alongside my outreach work, I have been fortunate to speak to trainee teachers at an Essex training college every year for the past five years. Over time, this training program has evolved significantly. What began as a more academically focused course on autism and SEND support transformed after I received my own diagnosis. Today, the training blends rigorous academic guidance with my personal lived experience as an autistic leader with ADHD—giving future teachers a unique, authentic lens on neurodiversity and practical support in the classroom.