My Story

Sandra has previously been a principal within both mainstream and special education and has designed curriculums and led educational establishments from K-12 and at post 16.  She has huge insight and a broad perspective of the education sector, having held senior leadership positions and consultancy roles working with the full range of special educational needs, including profound and complex needs and social, emotional mental health needs.  She has worked closely with multi-disciplinary teams to ensure appropriate and comprehensive provision is in place to remove barriers to learning for all students and she has advised and mentored school leaders to ensure rapid improvement at both a strategic and operational level.

Sandra has a successful history of positive impact through her leadership and has developed a deep understanding of the complex challenges involved throughout education. In short, she is able to identify and support the development and implementation of effective strategies to address the needs of schools, their staff and all stakeholders.

Sandra was a former founding headteacher of a therapeutic school in the UK, where she project managed the build, formed the governing board and established its structure and scheme of delegation, designed the curriculum and staffing structure, wrote the policies and strategic improvement plans, recruited and trained all staff and saw that procedures were implemented and developed effectively in line with the Department for Education, Independent School Standards and the inspectorate’s requirements and framework. She has an acute knowledge of compliance and of how to move policy into practice.

As an inclusion advocate, Sandra is passionate about inspiring others to believe in themselves, understand their part in the learning journey and develop skills to ensure success and opportunity throughout life.

Sandra is the Chair of the Global School Principals’ Forum (GSPF) for the International Forum of Inclusion Practitioners, where she is also a Distinguished Fellow. She is an international speaker and trainer and is often asked for her views and opinions for publications and on a range of social media platforms.

With over 25 years of invaluable experience spanning early years to post-16 education, encompassing both mainstream and special education schools, Sandra brings a vast wealth of knowledge to the table. As an independent education consultant, her projects now span the globe, reflecting her progressive and thoughtful approach honed through her tenure as a visionary special education Headteacher in the UK, as well as her ongoing work with diverse school communities.

-Skilled in all aspects of strategic and operational school improvement, including curriculum design and implementation, governance, and policy.

-Designated Safeguarding Lead, experienced in supervision practice.

-Experience of opening a new school, DFE Licencing, OFSTED pre-inspection, and strategic growth.

-Implementation of highly effective performance management and CPD, raising the quality of teaching and learning and enabling achievement and success for all, safeguarding, CiC, inclusion and SEND.

-Strong education professional with a 1st Class BEd Honours from The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama.

-Thrive Practitioner with extensive experience of providing parental advice and early help for families and social, emotional, mental health support for children.