Julie has spent her entire career championing the cause of pupils: those with additional needs, those affected by poverty and prejudice, those who have been excluded, those with sporting or artistic talents and academic gifts and those who are less confident.
Since qualifying as a teacher in 1986, Julie has transformed the lives of countless children, families and communities. She has a proven record of improving standards, and is determined to ‘level up’ education in several deprived areas of the North East.
In 2005 Julie was appointed to her second Headship at Eldon Grove. In 2013 the Extol Trust was established to further enhance system leadership in the North East. She has worked with primary and secondary leadership teams to promote sustainable and effective change management. The Trust has since grown from one to six schools.
Julie has been deployed as interim Headteacher by other local authorities to support schools facing difficulties (with two schools joining the Trust). Through her expert leadership and support, one school moved from ‘Requires Improvement’ to ‘Good’.
Julie’s biggest legacy is with school families. Many parents at Eldon Grove Academy fondly remember Julie as their own Headteacher!
