Staff Testimonials
As an academy our mission is 'Transformation for All'. This applies to our staff as well as our students and wider community.
As such, opportunities for training, development and career progression are integral to the work we do. This page details testimonials of some of our incredible staff members who have progressed into various roles whilst at St Mark's Academy, highlighting the transformational impact of our culture and professional development programme.
Ms Fahey
From Newly Qualified Teacher to Director of Secondary Education and Standards, Anthem Trust
I joined the Academy in 2008 as an NQT in RE. After a year I was promoted to Head of Department and given the opportunity to study a Masters in Teaching and Learning and take part in the Teaching Leaders Programme. These CPD opportunities allowed me to gain the necessary skills to progress to Head of Humanities in 2012. From here I completed an NPQSL and was promoted to Vice Principal in charge of Sixth Form. After being exposed to whole school leadership of Teaching and Learning and Outcomes as Senior Vice Principal, I jumped at the chance to study the NPQH with Anthem. This supported my pathway to take up the role of Principal. To this day, this remains the greatest honour and privilege of my career. St Mark's is a very special community and family, and I am blessed to have been part of its story.
Over my 17 years at St Mark's Academy, I was able to transform professionally and I want the school to always be a place that affords the same transformational experience to every individual who works or studies here. For staff this means a life changing, research informed CPD offer. For students it's about staff delivering an awe inspiring curriculum everyday.
Working at St Mark’s has made me realise that anything can be achieved when a group of values-driven people come together in pursuit of a common cause - to transform lives in line with a clear set of inclusive values.
In September 2025, I took up post as the Director of Secondary Education and Standards for Anthem Schools Trust, made possible by the earlier NPQH supported by Anthem. I am excited to work alongside four talented head teachers and the ESL Team to apply the same leadership philosophy to ensure that every child across Anthem secondary schools thrives.
Mr Moggridge
Teacher of PE and SCP Lead (PE)
"I joined St Mark's Academy in September 2023 as a Teacher of PE. St Mark's is a fantastic place to work in a close-knit community. A place where all staff and students are working towards a shared vision – to transform lives!"
Ms Conway
Finance Assistant
"St Marks is the first school I have worked in where the ethos of Love, Hope and Trust is constantly felt around the school, from the older students supporting the younger ones navigating starting a new school, to the staff taking the time to talk to the students to make them feel valued."
Mr Dawson-Hunt
Head of Civics and SCP Lead (Citizenship)
"Saint Mark's Academy is a unique school with a strong feeling of community. From my first day here as a PGCE student to now working as a middle leader five years later, I have felt welcomed and supported at every step of the way. I would highly recommend working at Saint Mark's to any teacher at any stage of their career."
Ms Glymidou
From First Year Teacher to Senior Leadership Team
From the first day at St Marks, I felt like part of a family and in my first year as a teacher, I have never felt unsupported or alone. The sense of community and the support here is impeccable. St Mark’s gave me the opportunity to develop and succeed in my teaching career and realise my professional and personal ambitions as it offers an exceptional Professional Development programme underpinned by cutting-edge pedagogical research and tailored to teachers’ needs. I can’t speak highly enough of all the staff involved in our personal and professional development at St Mark’s.
I joined St Mark’s in 2015 as an MFL and EAL teacher and 4 years later, I was appointed Head of Languages. I developed rapidly as a result of the range of theory and strategies shared in CPD, all of which are underpinned by the opportunity to practise during weekly instructional coaching session. Before that, I enjoyed several different roles learning new skills that have helped me to move forward in my career. In 2016, I had the privilege to assume a wider School-wide role as the Careers Coordinator supporting the Careers Lead to successfully meet their objectives in developing the School’s Careers Strategies, establishing policies and procedures for embodying employability in the curriculum. On the back of that, and under their robust guidance, I have assumed myself the role of the Careers Lead since September 2018. Two years later, in 2020, I completed my NPQML which helped me develop further the skills, knowledge and behaviours in order to be a high-performing middle leader.
I am currently completing the Teacher Fellow Programme with Ambition Institute, which will help me deepen my understanding on how pupils and adults learn, and will also support me in designing and leading effective teacher education CPD sessions for my School.
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