Victor Allen
Elizabeth Coley
Mike Crossley
Jonathan Dunn
Rachel Hadley-Leonard
Stuart Nicholson
Brendan Pavey
Julie Robinson
Gemma Woodhouse
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Elizabeth Coley is an independent educational consultant, having previously been Head teacher of two independent schools. Her teaching experience over more than thirty years ranges from Nursery to Advanced Level in both maintained and independent schools, and her main subjects include music, mathematics and religious education. Elizabeth was awarded a DfES best practice research scholarship in 2001 for research into the classroom practice of NQTs and their recruitment, training and retention. She has also published various texts in mathematics, music and reasoning, been an external tutor and QTS assessor for teachers following the GTP and OTTP routes into teaching, and has been a governor of four independent schools. She has retired as a Reporting Inspector for ISI, having previously been an Ofsted Registered and Additional Inspector for twelve years in addition to working for ISI for nearly eighteen years.
Mike Crossley retired as Headmaster of Langley Preparatory School in 2022.
With over 25 years’ experience as a senior manager in three leading schools, and fourteen years as a Head, Mike offers a wealth of knowledge in the world of education in general and has recently started additional work as a freelance mental health instructor for a leading mental health trust.
Mike is also a much practised ISI school Inspector, experienced leadership and middle management trainer and he qualified as a Head through the government’s National Professional Qualification for Headship scheme via the National College of School Leadership. He is also an ILM Level 7 executive coach and mentor who is currently working with newly appointed Heads for IAPS.
Jonathan was previously the deputy headteacher (pastoral) and DSL at a prep school. Prior positions include the headship of two state schools and deputy head academic. His principal roles have included school improvement planning, staff recruitment, performance management and development, use of data to improve academic performance, pastoral care and emotional wellbeing, and management of pupil behaviour. He is an experienced education and school improvement consultant, working with middle and senior leadership teams to transform the experiences and outcomes of children.
Rachel has over thirty years’ experience in independent schools’ marketing, admissions and development, gained in the education sector, and also within charities and commercial organisations.
Rachel offers a wealth of qualified marketing and development expertise gained through a variety of roles within the sector, field specific study, and experience at Board Director level, the latter with AMCIS for six years, two of which as Co-Chair. Rachel is an IAPS consultant. She teaches on the AMCIS Diploma course, and runs training in Marketing and Development for professional membership bodies including AMCIS, ISBA, IAPS, ISA, AGBIS and IDPE.
Rachel works with schools to ensure financial growth, improved stakeholder relations and increased pupil numbers. She has particular experience in the Prep School sector, but also works with Senior, all-through and International schools. Her strengths lie in the areas of strategy, audits, research, and development start-ups.
MAD Recruitment is a further service offered by RHLConsulting, supporting schools with the recruitment of senior level Marketing, Admissions and Development professions.
Rachel is an experienced mentor working with ‘new to career’ and ‘new to role’ colleagues, helping them to achieve their own professional goals. Rachel was for many years a judge for the TES Independent School Awards as Marketing lead judge, and is currently a global InspirED marketing and fundraising awards judge. She has been an independent school Governor, writes for educational media, and is a regular conference speaker.
Stuart Nicholson retired in December 2021 after 35 years in the independent sector. He started his career teaching physics, added business studies for a few years, and then had most of his career in SLT posts. This began as a boarding Housemaster, for 13 years, but he also spent five years as a development director, running alumni relations and
fundraising. Most recently he was Headmaster/Principal in three ISA schools.
Stuart is a great advocate of ISA; he served in regional ISA posts as well as on the national executive and as the Association Chair. He is treasurer of CIFE, the Association of
Independent Sixth-form colleges, a trustee of AEGIS, the Association for Education and Guardianship of International Students, and when required is a Team Inspector for ISI. Stuart expected to be doing a little more inspecting in retirement, but he has proved not to be very good at retiring. He has been tempted back into house mastering and is now the Assistant Principal (Boarding) at CATS College London, another ISA school.
Graduating from Durham with a BSc in Geography Brendan moved to London to complete his PGCE. His first teaching job was at Colfe's School in SE London where he was appointed as 'teacher of Geography and Games'. During his 6 years there the school introduced co-education (having formerly been all boys) and Brendan was appointed as Head of Year 8 for one of the cohorts to have both boys and girls. In January 2004 he was appointed as 'Head of Geography' at Shiplake College, Henley-on-Thames, where he would spend 10 happy years, including 5 years as a boarding Housemaster and 3 years as Head of 6th Form. From there, Brendan moved to take on his first Headship, at Long Close School, a through school with children from 2-16yrs old where he worked for 4 very happy and successful years. In 2017 Brendan was appointed as Headteacher at North Bridge House Senior School in Hampstead, and over the next few years increased his scope to become Executive Headteacher of NBH Senior Schools, and in 2022, he was appointed as the first Executive Headteacher of the 6 North Bridge House Schools, situated across North London. As part of this role he had a seat on the Cognita European Leadership Team, and worked with other members of this team to develop the educational and strategic direction of Cognita Schools.
Brendan is married to Sarah, and they have four children, Madeleine (23), Isabelle (22), Grace 20 and Freddie 18 and so is both an experienced professional working with teenagers and young people, and understands many of the challenges and joys that being a parent of school aged children brings. He has a particular passion for supporting children with mental health challenges as a result of experiences he has had with his own family.
Julie Robinson, General Secretary, ISC
Julie was first a teacher then head of two co-educational, day and boarding prep schools for children aged 3-13. She led education and training for IAPS for five years and was appointed General Secretary of the Independent Schools Council in 2015.
The ISC’s data analysis informs advocacy of the sector and Julie has appeared in the national media regularly. Live appearances include Newsnight, Sky News, The Today Programme, BBC, and Channel 4 News. The ISC is a representative body working with a range of other organisations linking the independent education sector and government policy. It brings together the independent school associations AGBIS, GSA, HMC, ISA, IAPS, ISBA and the Society of Heads along with affiliate associations BSA, COBIS, SCIS and WISC. The ISC’s three priority areas of activity are: research/data; media/communications and policy/public affairs. ISC seeks to support, inform and promote the sector, rebutting untruths and explaining the value of independent education to wider society.
Julie advocates working together for the benefit of children in all kinds of schools. She is a trustee of the School Partnerships Alliance and a school governor at a state school as well as an independent school in London.
Partner, Employment & Education at Penningtons Manches Cooper
Gemma specialises in both contentious and non-contentious employment law and has a keen interest in all aspects of discrimination law. Since her qualification in 2007, she has been involved with a significant Court of Appeal decision, a number of tribunal hearings and appeals to the Employment Appeal Tribunal. She has also provided corporate support in relation to business transfers and reorganisations and advised on the terms of compromise agreements, employment contracts and employee handbooks. In addition, Gemma has provided guidance to clients on the implications of TUPE and the terms of commercial outsourcing arrangements. Gemma advises independent schools and academies on a number of HR and education specific issues, including safeguarding responsibilities and compliance requirements. She regularly writes in the ISBA Bursar’s Review and provides training to schools on employment updates, safeguarding requirements and management of staff including performance management. Gemma hosts several forums for HR directors, managers and Bursars within independent schools. Listed by Chambers UK as 'up and coming', Gemma has been described as having a 'good tactical approach to dealing with HR issues', being 'very swift with her advice' and as an adviser who 'acts in the client’s best interests'. She is a member of the Employment Lawyers’ Association and the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development.