Lisa is a passionate and enthusiastic leader who strives to improve the school system both in her own school and across her alliance each and every day. She is currently an active Headteacher at St Anthony's Catholic Primary School, a school rated outstanding under her leadership since 2010, currently providing support to several schools across four local education authorities. She has experience of working in primary schools with very different socioeconomic backgrounds but mainly demonstrates expertise in schools with challenging circumstances, especially inner-city locations.

In addition to this role, Lisa is also the Director of the St Anthony's Teaching School Alliance, where she leads all aspects of the role, working with her skilled strategic partners. Lisa has shown proven success in school improvement working with schools in special measures, moving them rapidly to good, and also with RI schools, also on their journey to good. As an outstanding school, Lisa is keen to showcase the highest standards within an inner-city location, proving it can be done! Lisa is rated as an outstanding leader of an outstanding school. She is driven and focused on developing whole-school systems and strategies that underpin successful schools. She has mentored newly appointed Headteachers as well as use the experience and talent in her own partner schools to support schools in special measures. She has been a headteacher of two schools during this academic year, with both rated as outstanding.

Lisa's passion for organisation, developing whole staff and distributive leadership, enables her to develop strong teams across a school, improving communication, expectations, and raising standards. Within her own school and the alliance, Lisa is blessed to have a number of skilled professionals that excel in each area of school life, with her own school now rated as a national support school with four specialist leaders of education. Lisa has a strong moral sense of service to her alliance and is successful in her aims. 

SIOBHAN LEONARD

Siobhan is currently headteacher at Rothwell St Mary’s Catholic Primary School in the outer South area of Leeds and has been in post for 10 years. Previously, Siobhan was the deputy head at St Mary’s and held the post for 9 years where she taught in Reception. She started her career in Wakefield, where she taught for 6 years across Year 1 and Year 2. She has led most subject areas and has held positions of leadership either at subject level or school leadership level.

Siobhan has always had a passion for Early Years and Assessment in her career and she thrives on supporting others to develop these areas, as well as others, in the schools she supports. She is a strategic partner to St Anthony’s Teaching School and sits as lead NLE for ITT as well as being a member of the School-to-School-Support team. She has extensive knowledge of system leadership and has supported many schools that have been part of the funded School-to-School-Support grant, as well as those who broker independent support. She is always looking to improve further and develop her own school in its mission to provide the best education for all pupils. She currently has three SLE’s in her own school who support ITT and School to School support.

What do you enjoy most about the teaching profession? 

I am passionate about developing schools to ensure that the best possible education is available for all pupils, at all times. I am keen to support staff in their career development and ensure that I hold on to my vision that all members of the school community should be engaged in life-long learning.

‘Each day we leave an imprint of ourselves on the hearts and mind of the pupils we teach’