Our team

Mathematics Mastery was founded by Dr Helen Drury – a pioneer of teaching and learning for mastery in UK schools. Alongside 10 years of classroom experience, Helen began researching how maths education could be improved to break the UK’s cycle of underachievement. This research, evidence and best practice became the foundation for the Mathematics Mastery programme. Helen now heads up the curriculum design team across all of the Ark Curriculum Plus programmes.

Having started her career as a McKinsey consultant and in venture capital, Madeleine has spent the last 15 years in non-profit leadership including 10 years in the education sector. Before joining AC+ she held director roles at Ambition Institute, the Institute for Teaching and social welfare charity Catch22. Madeleine has a degree in Maths and Philosophy and takes constant joy in being surrounded by people at AC+ who are passionate about learning. In her spare time she looks after two small children who keep her topped up with even more fun maths facts and phonics practice.

Nick is the Head of Partnerships at AC+. Previously, he led the English Mastery Secondary programme after he started working on the pilot when it launched in 2014. Since graduating with a degree in English, he has spent his career working in the public and charity sectors. He taught English in a challenging inner-London school, has also been a governor for a school in Hastings, and, unsurprisingly, loves to read.

Claire is Head of Primary Maths and has worked at Ark Curriculum Plus since 2014. Prior to working with Mathematics Mastery, she has taught across all year groups with a specific love and focus on the early years. Claire completed her masters in management in education which has a specific focus on maths. As part of this, she created and led mathematics training to primary teachers in Ireland over a two year period alongside her teaching role.

Laura has worked at Mathematics Mastery since 2016. Since graduating, she started her teaching career with Teach First and Ambition Institute, working in schools within Tower Hamlets and Hounslow. Laura has also completed further studies in coaching and mentoring at the Chartered Management Institute.

Anthony is our Head of School Experience, as well as continuing to lead delivery for primary mathematics. He leads on the CPD programme for all programmes. Prior to this, he has experience teaching across a number of primary settings, including both domestic and internationally. Anthony has a NPQH, has been a member of senior leadership teams, Maths leadership and a Lead Practitioner, in addition to developing the creation of the Oak National Academy maths curriculum.

Kate is in her fourth year working with Ark Curriculum Plus (ACP) supporting schools and School Development Leads in implementing the Mathematics Mastery Curriculum and working towards the goal of all pupils being able to enjoy and succeed in mathematics. Outside of ACP, Kate has worked closely with Oak National Academy, as subject Lead for Primary Mathematics, aiding with developing a remote curriculum for all pupils in the UK and beyond. And prior to working for ACP, Kate worked as a Primary School teacher and mathematics subject leader for six years.

James is a Principal Development Lead, supporting school leaders and teachers to develop their mathematics teaching since 2017. Prior to joining Mathematics Mastery, James held various middle leadership roles within Bedford, teaching across Key Stage 1 and 2 and studied the subject further to become a Mathematics Specialist Teacher and a Senior Leader in Mathematics Education for Bedford Borough.

Raajini officially joined ACP in January 2023 but has been an ADL for several years prior to this. In her previous role, she was the Lead Specialist Leader in Education for Maths at Learning Unlimited Teaching School, where she delivered training as part of the Primary SCITT programmes, as well as being a mastery specialist for her local Maths Hub. Prior to this, she has taught across KS1 and KS2, whilst leading maths across school.

Sophie started with AC+ in January 2023 supporting schools and their Mastery Leads in implementing the Mathematics Mastery Curriculum as part of the delivery team. Prior to working for AC+, Sophie worked as a Primary School teacher across Key Stage 1 and 2. Sophie was also a Maths Subject Lead for four years guiding that school through an amalgamation and complete overhaul of Mathematics allowing for Mastery to be at the heart of the new curriculum. She is looking forward to helping more schools to do the same.

Ravi joined the Mathematics Mastery Primary team in January 2023 as Design Lead. Alongside this role, Ravi has also trained as a Mastery Specialist with the NCETM and supports schools in the local area through the Maths Hub. In the 13 years prior to working at AC+, Ravi worked as a Primary School teacher and leader across Key Stage 1 and 2.

Verna-Jean joined the Mathematics Mastery team as an Associate Development Lead in 2018. Prior to this, Verna-Jean worked as a teacher, middle / senior leader, Teaching for Mastery specialist and maths consultant across primary schools in South London. Further studies include a PGCE in Leadership and Consultancy in Education at UCL: The Institute of Education and a Masters in Mathematics Education at Edgehill University.

Anna joins the team having been involved with Mathematics Mastery from its early inception, bringing it to her school in her role as Maths Subject Lead in 2009. Anna has continued to teach across KS1 and 2, as well as to support and develop teachers as a subject lead, phase leader, and Assistant Headteacher in London. Most recently she has supported schools with mathematics further afield in Devon.

Claire is an experienced teacher educator in primary mathematics and has master’s degrees in mathematics Teacher Education and Educational Leadership and Management. She is currently working on her doctorate in quantity awareness by primary children. Claire started as a primary teacher, mathematics subject leader and leading teaching for mathematics and then moved into a local authority advisory position for primary mathematics. Claire has been part of the primary mathematics team at Winchester University for several years, working with trainees on every route into teaching. She also works on the master’s programme. Claire has considerable experience in providing school support and professional development, for example the Solent Maths Hub as a work group lead, for a large multi-academy trust, as co-lead of the Bournemouth Maths Network, for Portsmouth local authority and individual and groups of schools.

Craig first became involved with Mathematics Mastery in 2015 when his school joined the programme. As the a Deputy headteacher and the school’s Maths Lead, he supported the team to implement the programme through delivering training and teaching in Year 1 to experience the programme. After two years on the programme, Craig became a Development Lead for Mathematics Mastery supporting a number of local schools introducing and implementing Mathematics Mastery. Having stepped away from his Headship in 2021 Craig now works self employed offering a number of services to school leaders alongside his role as an Development Lead and is excited to be back working with Mathematics Mastery to support schools in implementing this fantastic programme.

Formerly the Head of Primary Delivery at Mathematics Mastery, Sara now serves as an Associate Development Lead, collaborating directly with schools to enhance educational opportunity. Sara has worked with Mathematics Mastery since 2012, supporting the pioneer schools through the initial EEF evaluation and developing professional development models and practices. She studied for a Masters in Mathematics Education with the Institute of Education and alongside her work as an ADL, Sara coaches both teachers and students to realise their full potentials.

Priya officially joins the team at Ark Curriculum plus in September 2023. Priya brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise gained from over 20 years teaching mathematics from KS1 to KS4 in schools across England. As a trainer, Priya places focus on teacher development through deepening mathematical understanding. She believes that the beauty of maths sits within its connectivity.

Tom Garry is Director of a teaching school hub and has previously held a number of leadership positions, both within and across schools. He is an NCETM accredited Professional Development Lead and Primary Mastery Specialist, and has written ‘Mastery in Primary Mathematics’ for Bloomsbury, a guide to support teachers and school leaders with the implementation of mastery in their schools. Tom has a particular interest in professional development for teachers, and was awarded a Churchill Fellowship to research professional development for novice teachers in the United States.

Kanwaljit has taught in primary schools for nearly twenty years in both teaching and leadership roles. She has led maths across primary and supported schools through being a NCETM Primary Mastery Specialist and PD lead. She has a passion for international approaches to maths education, having visited schools in Singapore and Shanghai. She is currently pursuing postgraduate studies in Dyscalculia and Maths difficulties.

Prior to working for English Mastery, Stephanie was Head of English and Curriculum Development Lead at an outer London comprehensive, where she taught English from KS3 - 5 for ten years. She read English and European Studies at the University of Sussex, with a year’s study in Aix-en-Provence, followed by a career in television production, prior to gaining her English PGCE at Middlesex University in 2011. Stephanie recently completed an MA in Expert Teaching with Ambition Institute and Plymouth Marjon and has also taught undergraduates for the BA (Hons) Education Studies at the University of West London, focusing on Assessment Theory and Practice. Stephanie continues to work with Greenshaw Research School and the EEF as an Evidence Lead in Education. She loves reading but has too many books on the pile and is frequently distracted by her family, Jack Russell and Edutwitter.

Michlyn has spent the last four years supporting teachers and school leaders to elevate the quality of English education, as part of the English Mastery team. She has 12 years’ teaching experience in west and south London schools, serving in middle leadership roles including Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4 Lead, 2ic, Whole School Literacy Lead, and Lead Practitioner in English. Raised in White City and having started her career in education at Ark Burlington Danes, Michlyn brings a deep understanding and passion for fostering an inclusive learning environment. Michlyn is also a certified Project Manager and has served as a Governor at Ark John Archer, demonstrating her commitment to educational excellence and community engagement.

Sarah joined AC+ in April 2022 as an experienced English teacher with previous roles that have included KS4 English Lead and HOD. Sarah is passionate about bridging the gap between research theory and pedagogical practice and has completed both a MA (Res) and PhD in Education at the University of York. Her research interests are centred around cognitive science, particularly metacognitive practice, and how it can be successfully applied in the classroom.

Kirsty joined the team in July 2023 as Design Lead for Secondary English. She has worked in education for over ten years, firstly as a school librarian and then as an English Teacher, Mastery Lead and Assistant Head of Faculty. She has a lifelong love of literature and has a degree in Comparative Literary Studies and Film Studies and Master's degrees in English Literature and Educational Leadership. Additionally, Kirsty is a qualified information professional.

Catherine joined Ark Curriculum Plus in January 2021 and has spent the past year delivering the secondary English Mastery programme. Alongside this, Catherine also works in a secondary school in Nottingham. Over the past 11 years, Catherine has taken on a number of roles centered around Teaching and Learning including AST, SLE and a variety of mentoring and training roles within school. Catherine read English and Philosophy at The University of Nottingham, where she also completed her PGCE. Catherine really enjoys the opportunity that Ark Curriculum Plus gives her to work with schools across the country and to explore high quality pedagogy with colleagues.

Lyndsay joined Ark Curriculum Plus in September 2020 to support schools in their delivery of English Mastery. Lyndsay has been an English teacher for over twenty years, holding various roles such as Lead Practitioner and Head of English. Lyndsay is currently completing an MA in Senior Educational Leadership, as well as working as a Senior Examiner. Lyndsay is passionate about equality and visibility in education and is a Regional Lead for WomenEd.

Sarah joins the team in September 2023 as Associate Development Lead for Secondary English. She has been a secondary English teacher for 14 years and has been KS3 lead for the past 3. She currently works in a secondary school in Yorkshire and has been delivering the full English Mastery programme for the last 6 months. She read English at The University of Nottingham Trent and completed her PGCE at Sheffield Hallam University. She has gained a Masters in Education from The Edge Hill University with a particular focus on the use of AFL within the classroom.

Over the past 20 years, Emily has taught Maths on three continents, been a Head of Maths, and leader of Teaching and Learning. She joined Maths Mastery in 2020. She has a degree in Maths from Imperial College and PGCE, MSc and DPhil in Mathematics Education from the University of Oxford.

Clare is the Senior Delivery Manager for secondary maths and joined the programme in June 2020. Clare has taught in schools in Ealing, Hounslow and Dorset developing her understanding and practice of dialogic teaching in the classroom - the focus of her Masters degree. Clare was an assistant headteacher in her last school role with responsibility for teaching and learning. She has written for the SSAT and the ATM MT journal about curriculum and mastery teaching. Alongside working with Mathematics Mastery schools, Clare is studying for a PhD with Southampton University and is researching the relationship between mastery CPD, teaching and textbooks.

Kathleen is the Head of Secondary Science Mastery. She has worked on the design of the Science Mastery programme since 2019 and before that, she was the Science Curriculum Lead for Ark. Previously, Kathleen taught science in London schools and was Head of Biology at an Ark school. Kathleen has a BSc in Biochemistry, a PhD in Molecular Cell Biology and a PGCE in Chemistry. She is also a governor at a school in Kent.

Jo has been involved in Science Mastery since April 2020, working on the design of the KS3 Science Mastery Curriculum. She has taught Science for a number of years between East London and Johannesburg and has a degree in Neuroscience from the University of St Andrews and a Masters in Leadership from University College London.

Rosie has worked with the Science Mastery team since November 2022 working on curriculum design and delivery. As Senior Delivery Manager, Rosie leads on the creation of CPD and the school support offer for Science Mastery. Prior to working at AC+, Rosie worked in South London for a number of years, as a Lead Practitioner in Science before moving to teach in the Peak District. Rosie is passionate about supporting teachers to develop their practice to ensure excellent outcomes for all students.

Jess has been a passionate teacher of Science since 2013. After completing her degree in Cognitive Neuropsychology at Cambridge University, she taught in schools across London, always with a passion for curriculum design and implementation. She is currently working with SEN pupils at a farm in Kent, combining her love of the outdoors with her teaching experience to build the confidence of learners outside of the classroom.

Anna graduated with a BSc in Psychology and has taught science in number of secondary schools since completing the Teach First program. She currently works for Ark Curriculum Plus alongside her role as a part-time teacher of physics and CPD lead in a large comprehensive school. She completed a Masters in Educational Leadership at the Institute of education at UCL and has recently undertaken an NPQ in Leading Teaching.

Alice has over 10 years experience teaching and leading Science in comprehensive secondary schools. She has a BSc in Natural Sciences, PGCE in Secondary Science and a Masters in Leadership. Alice has worked with Science Mastery in various ways since 2019. She currently works with Ark Curriculum Plus alongside being Head of Science in a school in East Sussex. Alice is passionate about the impact of Science Mastery on student outcomes and teacher workload.

Kate is the Head of Secondary Geography at Ark Curriculum+. She read Social Science at Monash University in Melbourne before completing a Postgraduate degree in secondary humanities education. She taught for ten years in outback Australia and London and was Head of Geography at a south London school for four years. She has a Masters in Violence, Conflict and Development from SOAS, focusing on education in post-conflict settings. Since 2016 she has worked closely with Ark geography teachers and on the design of our Geography Mastery Secondary Programme. She can talk under water about geography!

Hannah is Head of Secondary Geography and has worked at AC+ since 2019. Before her current role she worked on the design of Geography Mastery, and taught the programme at Ark Elvin, where she was also lead practitioner for geography. She has degree in geography from UCL and Masters in education from Cambridge. She is passionate about making geography accessible for all.

Megan joined AC+ in 2024 as a Design Lead, contributing to the development of the Geography Mastery curriculum before becoming a Senior Delivery Manager for the programme. Prior to joining Ark Curriculum Plus, Megan was Head of Geography at schools in Cambridge and Bristol.

With fifteen years’ experience of teaching in and supporting primary schools, Sarah is Head of Primary English. Sarah graduated with a degree in journalism before gaining a PGCE and becoming a primary teacher. She received a distinction for her MA in Leadership, Change and Curriculum Innovation, whilst working as an Advanced Skills Teacher, supporting schools across London in challenging contexts. During her career, Sarah has been a senior leader, English lead, mentor, SATs marker, KS2 moderator and assessment associate. Sarah joined Ark 10 years ago, originally as their Network Lead for English, before moving to the Ark Curriculum Plus team. She is passionate about children’s literature and her favourite book is ‘Julian is a Mermaid,’ by Jessica Love.

Alice officially joined AC+ in January 2022, although her involvement in shaping the English Mastery Primary programme began back in 2020 while she served as an English Specialist Leader of Education at Learning Unlimited Teaching School Alliance. In this capacity, Alice provided support to Primary schools across South Yorkshire, focusing on enhancing their teaching of English. Prior to this role, Alice spent nine years teaching in Key Stage 2, with most of that time spent teaching Year 6 and leading English across the school.

Kerry joined the AC+ English Primary team in 2023 as Principal Design Lead, bringing with her a wealth of experience in education and English development. In addition to her role at AC+, Kerry continues to teach in Year 6 in a primary school in Sheffield. With over 15 years of experience as a class teacher in both Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2, Kerry brings a deep understanding of pedagogy and child development to the team. Before this, Kerry was a Reading for Pleasure specialist and English SLE for a Teaching School and English Hub in South Yorkshire. Her commitment to excellence in education is evidenced by her recent acquisition of an NPQ in Leading Literacy, showcasing her dedication to continuous professional growth and leadership in the field.

Eva is a member of the partnerships team as a Senior Strategic Partnerships Manager, supporting new and existing partner schools and MATs with their subject improvement plans. She has an undergraduate degree in psychology, and also completed a PGCE in secondary science with a biology specialism. She taught for 5 years in inner London, of which 3 years was as a member of the Senior Management Team as Careers Lead designing and implementing the new CEIAG provision. She continues to foster her enthusiasm for science, education and other social issues through reading and volunteering.

Ashleigh joined AC+ in 2022 as a Partnerships Executive, focusing on the customer journey and customer service. Prior to this Ashleigh worked in sales and finance.