Meet the Team
During your time at Cleeve Training Hub, you will be supported by a range of staff from Cleeve School, our Partner schools and the University of Worcester or the University of Gloucestershire. At present we have 12 fully qualified DFE ITT mentors.
Rachael Slatter Head of Initial and Early Career Teacher Training
Rachael has been a teacher for over 20 years and teaches Geography (KS3,4 and 5) and Sociology GCSE. She completed her PGCE at The University of Bristol and has been at Cleeve since 2021. Prior to working at Cleeve School, she was Head of Geography and Associate Senior Leader of Humanities at Denmark Road High School, Gloucester.
One of Rachael’s passions is training and working with the next generation of teachers, she feels strongly that the provision for ITT is exemplary. The ability to work collaboratively with a large number of professionals, both internally and externally at a pivotal time in the development and merging of the Initial Teacher Training and Early Careers Framework is exciting. She has a keen interest in the role of mentoring and coaching and its importance in initial teacher training and early career development.
Rachael also believes that all teachers should continually work to reflect on and improve their skills. She has completed training in developing outstanding teachers and leaders through outstanding coaching and holds a National Professional Qualification in Leading Teacher Development (NPQLTD). Since starting this role in April 2024 Rachael has also been fully involved in the development of our ECT1 and ECT2 teachers at Cleeve identifying potential and working with the staff to ensure the highest expectations across our subject areas. She is a fully qualified ITT and ECT mentor and delivers local ECT provision through the Best Practice Network and InvestED.
Claire Sheppard Deputy Head: Our People
Claire has worked in education for 30 years, teaching Performing Arts and holding a range of middle and senior leadership roles across 4 schools. Having studied Music for her degree at Bath Spa University, she also completed her PGCE there. Her first teaching role was as a Music and Drama teacher in Northamptonshire. She then went on to lead a Music Department in a school in rural Herefordshire where one of her proudest achievements was setting up a thriving music department, including a choir of 100 pupils in a school of 600. She moved to North Worcestershire to take on the role of Head of Faculty of a large Performing Arts Department and was promoted to Assistant Head during which time she completed her NPQSL. Claire joined Cleeve School as Deputy Principal, Teaching and Learning in 2018. Claire is passionate about teaching pedagogy and loves helping teachers to develop their practice at all stages of their career. Having recently completed her Level 7 Coaching Qualification from the Institute of Leadership and Management, Claire believes that coaching and mentoring are vital in supporting teachers and leaders to become the very best version of themselves.
Tim Aldred Induction Tutor ECT and Trainee Mentor (Business and Economics)
Tim has been a member of Cleeve School Staff since 2010 and teaches Business Studies and Economics. He completed both his Undergraduate and PGCE at the University of Worcester. During his time at Cleeve School, Tim has completed both Head of Department and Head of College (Pastoral) roles, building up a significant whole school experience. Tim has been an ECT Induction Tutor for the past four years, guiding ECT through the first couple of years of school life. It is a role he is passionate about, developing initial and early career teachers in the profession that he loves. Tim completed the NPQ in Leading Teacher Development and regularly delivers CPD sessions to ITTs both within Cleeve School Training Hub and the University of Worcester. Tim manages to find the time to play staff 5 a side football each week and runs the Cleeve School Staff Cricket Team.
Adam Gilbury Induction Tutor ECT and Trainee Mentor (History)
Adam has been working at Cleeve School for 11 years and teaches History across Key Stage 3, 4 and 5. He completed both his History BA and PGCE at the University of Sheffield. He has mentored many ITTs, both from the University of Gloucester and more recently the University of Worcester. He has recently joined the ECT team as an Induction Tutor and is keen to be involved in the development of ECT’s at Cleeve. He is looking forward to using his mentoring experience to guide and coach staff, giving them the best possible experience in the early years of their career. He believes this is integral to ensuring students received the best possible teaching and learning, which is an area he is very passionate about.
Claire Tustin-Armstrong Trainee and ECT Mentor (English)
Claire is in her 11th year of teaching English. Following a Masters degree in Education Studies and English at the University of Cambridge, Claire completed her PGCE at the University of Gloucestershire. Prior to working at Cleeve School, Claire taught English at Severn Vale School and worked as a Teaching Assistant at Bournside School. She has led a variety of teaching and learning initiatives within the English department and is currently working as Assistant Head of English: Improving Standards and Outcomes. She is passionate about ensuring that the next generation receive the best quality education available and strongly believes that one of the ways to achieve this is by supporting and developing initial trainee teachers, early career teachers and support staff. Claire has recently completed a National Professional Qualification in Leading Literacy (NPQLL) with an aim to champion whole school literacy at Cleeve School.
James Nicol Trainee and ECT Mentor (Ethics)
James has had over twenty years’ experience of being an ITT Mentor and Head of Philosophy and Ethics. James can’t understand why anyone would want to teach anything else. James completed his PGCE at Warwick University and before moving to Cleeve School in 2013, James worked at Evesham High School and Studley High School. James has a passion for ensuring students have the tools to work out what is true for themselves and then the determination to put those truths into practice, ensuring they all become kind and respectful human beings who are confident of their own value. James is very proud of the fact that two members of the Philosophy and Ethics department successfully completed ITT placements at Cleeve.
Gillian Bozwell Trainee and ECT Mentor (Food Technology)
Gillian has over 20 years’ experience as a Design Technology teacher specialising in Food and Nutrition. She completed her PGCE at the University of Gloucestershire following a successful career within the food industry, heading up a new product development team. Gillian is passionate about her subject, championing its value in the curriculum and relevance within society.
Katie Amey Induction Tutor ECT and Trainee Mentor (Geography)
Katie is Head of Geography and Life Skills at Cleeve. Katie has been a teacher and form tutor for eight years and specialises in Geography from KS3 to KS5. She has also taught History at KS3 and Life Skills/PSHE across KS3 and 4. She completed her PGCE at the University of Worcester and joined Cleeve in 2022, initially as Head of Geography.
One of Katie's key passions is teaching and learning, with a particular focus on curriculum design and cross-curricular learning. She enjoys working closely with trainee teachers, firmly believing that ITT is a vital part of a thriving school community. Katie values the opportunity to support new teachers in developing their practice, while also learning from their fresh ideas, perspectives and emerging pedagogies. She is committed to continually improving provision across Geography and Life Skills, ensuring both areas reflect the needs of a diverse community and embed inclusion, diversity and sustainability throughout.
Katie holds the NPQLT and has mentored previously for both the University of Worcester and the University of Gloucestershire. In addition, she is currently undertaking research with the University of Gloucestershire exploring the benefits of cross-curricular learning. In her time at Cleeve she has redesigned the curriculum and assessment framework for Geography and for Life Skills, oversees data and progress reporting, and leads a range of compulsory fieldwork and wider enrichment opportunities. Katie works with a team of 6 other Geography teachers, all of whom have worked with, supported, and/or mentored ITTs in recent years.
Katie's favourite part of teaching is being in the classroom and inspiring students to value the world around them. Geography is close to her heart, and she prides herself on bringing enthusiasm, passion, and a commitment to helping all students thrive.
Steph Nicholls Trainee Mentor (Director of Languages)
Steph is our Director of Languages at Cleeve School, and oversees the teaching of French, Spanish, Mandarin, Latin and more within out Languages Department. Her particular area of specialism is Spanish. Steph completed her PGCE in Swansea, and has experience of teaching in both England and Wales. Steph has led in both a pastoral and curriculum- based capacity, she has completed a National Professional Qualification in leadership, as well as taking an active role in curriculum groups, subject leader communities and coaching practices.
Steph has a keen interest in the development of teachers, from initial teacher training and beyond and has mentored ITT trainees, NQTs (now ECTs) and staff within and across departments, recently as part of a buddy scheme for new Heads of Departments.
Deborah Taylor Trainee and ECT Mentor (Physics)
Deborah has been teaching for nearly 20 years. Her PGCE was completed at the University of Gloucestershire as part of a career change from newspaper journalism. Initially trained as a chemistry and science teacher, she moved into teaching physics, which involved completing a year-long course, about 10 years ago. Deborah has worked at four schools in Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire and joined Cleeve School in September 2024 as Head of Physics.
Wider Cleeve School Team
Trainees will have the opportunity to work with lots of different staff members from all over the school.
Click the buttons below to find out more about our staff:
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