Mel has been teaching at Birchwood Junior School for seven years, where she started as a newly qualified teacher. She has implemented many strategies to ensure that the pupils have opportunities outside of their environment such as residential trips and beyond-the-classroom tasks.
Mel has led Maths for the last three years and under her leadership, the school (which is in the top 20% deprived areas within the UK) has been above the national average for the last two years. Mel is passionate about professional development and is studying for her PhD in education, focusing on professional development of all staff within school. She has also developed a coaching programme for children to develop their leadership skills and support one another through effective coaching skills. In addition, she identified that some children have never been further than the end of their estate and developed a visit to London West End Shows, a Thames River Cruise and The Houses of Parliament.
