Trust Senior Leadership Team

Ms J. Southby

I am delighted to have taken up the post of CEO / Executive Head Teacher of the Pelham Academy Trust.  I have been in teaching for over thirty years with the last twenty years as Head Teacher / Executive Head Teacher.  My career has spanned mainstream schools, special schools and alternative provision as well as leading multi-disciplinary teams in residential settings.  My passion is working with school leaders in developing and growing their teams, creating systems and structures which support pupils making exceptional progress and, most importantly, building a curriculum which encourages children to engage in their learning, experience success and enjoyment!  I want our schools to be places where pupils are able to expand their knowledge, widen opportunities beyond their lived experiences and make positive memories which will enable them to flourish and grow as they move on in life.  As a National Leader of Education, I am committed to collaboration and continual professional development to ensure that our staff become the best they can be which, in turn, improves the quality of our school provision and the educational experience of our pupils.  My ambition is that our Trust is aspirational and aims high for all of our pupils, recognises their strengths and areas for development and values each child as an individual.  Ultimately, I am here to promote the ethos of “excellence everyday” and ensuring that every child who attends our schools meets their potential whilst feeling valued, cared for and positively challenged to achieve their best! 

Mrs C. Robinson

I have been working at Pelham Primary School since 2007 and have contributed to leading various changes since this time including academy conversion, conversion to a Multi-Academy Trust, sponsorship and school improvement.  

My role of Director of Strategy and Resources within the Trust provides me with a diverse role where I am able to contribute towards improving outcomes for pupils whilst ensuring we are maximising resources.  I have provided support and advice to School Business Managers in other schools.  My role incorporates Leading Support Services, Finance, Human Resources, Health and Safety and Premises Management across the Trust providing me with a very diverse role. 

The Trust is a lively and vibrant place to work where everyone is valued and has fantastic CPD opportunities.  I have completed school business leader qualifications and have also completed a Post Graduate Certificate in Educational Leadership.  I am a Fellow Member of the Institute of School Business Leaders.

Mrs C. Whittington

Helping in schools as a teenager whilst I was in secondary school inspired me to enter into the world of education.  The experience of seeing children’s’ eyes light up with achievement after teaching and supporting them  still gives me an enormous feeling of satisfaction and means that I literally love coming to work each day.

I taught for a number of years across all phases within primary school, leading on science and music during this time, before I specialised further and studied part time through Oxford Brookes University to become a qualified Teacher of the Deaf. I successfully led the Hearing Impairment Provision at Pelham School for 15 years teaching deaf and hearing children inclusively. During this time I also supported a restructure within the provision and a new build project resulting in specialist rooms and facilities for the school.

I became Assistant Head at Pelham and gained the National Professional Qualification of Headship (NPQH) before I moved to Normandy Primary School in September 2015 to take up the Headship post there, after Normandy joined Pelham Academy Trust.  

I believe passionately that children are the key to our future and being a Head Teacher is such an exciting role that allows me to support them in the early stages on their life long journey of learning. Ultimately, these children will be running the country in years to come and selfishly (when I am old and grey), I want to know that they have the knowledge, skills, values and confidence to lead us into an ever changing world. I’m proud to have been Head Teacher at Normandy throughout our journey to Good with Outstanding Leadership and feel passionate about leading the school so we can celebrate greater successes for Normandy and our children in the future.

Mr T. Baines

Before I joined the Pelham Academy Trust, I trained to be a teacher by undertaking a PGCE at Goldsmiths University of London after completing a degree in Education, Culture and Society, which I also undertook at Goldsmiths University. I then started my professional teaching journey when I became a newly qualified teacher at Pelham in 2011. The Pelham Academy Trust places a strong focus on developing their staff using tailored CPD to support career goals, this focus and support has been instrumental in my own career path. I have taken on different Leadership roles within the school whilst being at Pelham - Phonics Lead, English Lead, Assistant Head Teacher, and Deputy Head Teacher before becoming the Head Teacher in 2020.

Our aim at Pelham is to provide the best possible education for the children that attend our school. We have high expectations and we promote an environment where children can be themselves and achieve their very best to develop the whole child - academically, physically, creatively, socially and emotionally. My role as Head Teacher allows me to ensure that the whole school community embodies and promotes our school values in all that they do. Ensuring that everyone is: Welcoming. Confident. Aspirational. Respectful. Hard Working. Co-operative.

I am proud to be Pelham’s Head Teacher and I am excited for the future of Pelham Primary School and the children in our care.