Our Secondary Partnership Management Committee (SPMC) is our strategic management group comprised of educational leaders from across the regional education sector who work with us on all aspects of course governance.
We meet formally three times a year, but regularly communicate about course developments and the regional and national educational landscape. SPMC acts like a school governors board; with a focus on strategic aspects rather than operational ones. We cover a number of different aspects, some of which include (but are not limited to):
- Mentor training and development
- The ITE curriculum
- Safer recruitment and safeguarding processes
- Recruitment strategy, including partnership involvement
- Strategic leadership
- Developments in evidence-informed teaching and learning
- Innovations
SPMC members
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Dr Catherine Richards
East Norfolk Sixth Form College
PrincipalI have taught and being a leader in education for the past 25 years with the vast majority of my work being undertaken in Sixth Form or Further Education. I have a passion for learning and ensuring that young people can achieve their very best regardless of their background. I joined SPMC to help to continually improve the support for trainee and new teachers to focus on high quality education. -
Roger Harris
Taverham High School
Headteacher/CEOI am passionate about education and I believe an amazing education begins with amazing teachers. Teachers not only unlock the secrets of the universe but, nowadays, have to be so much more for our young people. As a former UEA PGCE student myself, I want to support the UEA in continuing to deliver a first-class experience. It is vitally important that we ensure the next generation of amazing teachers are ready for the challenges ahead to ensure that all children, regardless of their starting point, are given the best possible education to unlock their potential. -
Mary Hallett
Northgate High School, Ipswich, Suffolk
Professional Development TutorI was asked to join SPMC as an experienced Professional Tutor in a large secondary school in Ipswich, Suffolk, having already been a science mentor to trainees in the past. I am very familiar with the work that schools need to do to make the experience for a trainee both positive and worthwhile and I am able to bring this experience to the SPMC meetings. The wider issues that are brought up at SPMC meetings demonstrate that the UEA team work together with all partnership schools to ensure that both trainees and schools continue to have excellent support, expertise and care from everyone they work with. -
James Hanner
Flegg High Ormiston Academy
CPL and Induction ManagerI have been working with the UEA PGCE Secondary Partnership for 15 years in various capacities including in the role of Mentor; Professional Tutor; Associate Tutor and Internal Examiner. The links that we have forged with the programme have enriched my own classroom practice and that of countless other colleagues through the sharing of evidence based pedagogy and contributes significantly to our drive to offer the very best in educational experience and outcomes for the young people in our school. The SPMC offers the opportunity to support the PGCE programme in continuing to offer the very best in Initial Teacher Training and preparing the next generation of teachers in the region with the core skills they will need in supporting pupils in a range of local contexts. Being part of the SPMC offers the opportunity for honest conversations about the future shape and direction of ITT within the region and I value being a part of this discussion. -
Clare Savory
The Parkside School
Head of Secondary SchoolMy main motivation in education is helping students to engage with their learning in an inclusive and encouraging way, regardless of ability. I have worked in secondary mainstream settings but found that my interest lay primarily in working with students with more significant learning needs. This culminated in being appointed as Head of Science at The Parkside complex needs school 7 years ago, and I have recently taken on the position of Head of Secondary School. My main areas of interest in education include; effective systems of safeguarding, strategies for building emotional efficacy in our students, the development of an inclusive and contemporary RHSE curriculum, and building effective scientific skills in learners with SEND. I was invited to join SPMC after giving several annual talks to Secondary PGCE students at the UEA, focusing on teaching strategies for SEND learners in science. I have always enjoyed engaging with the PGCE course and was primarily interested in joining SPMC in order to further contribute to the PGCE community and to share insights and ideas around how the educational community can best support SEND learners, in both mainstream and specialist settings. -
Tom Rolfe
Hellesdon High School / Wensum Trust
Principal / Secondary Strategic LeadAt present, I have a dual role within the Wensum Trust. My time is split between the role of Principal at Hellesdon High School, an 11-18 school based in Norwich and the role of Secondary Strategic Lead for the Wensum Trust, providing support across both Acle Academy and Alderman Peel High School. As a keen sportsman, my own personal teaching career started back in 2002 as a student and aspiring teacher on the UEA PGCE Physical Education programme. The quality of training and support I received during that time was outstanding and although, perhaps I did not realise it at the time provided me with an incredible foundation in which to start building my career within the teaching profession. Since then I have always had a strong personal affiliation with the UEA PGCE Partnership and throughout my career I have always vowed to support them with the opportunities that they can provide. -
Jim McAtear
Hartismere Family of Schools
Chief Executive OfficerJim is the founding Chief Executive of the Hartismere Family of School. He is also Headmaster at Hartismere, England's first academy, and Headteacher at Benjamin Britten Music Academy. Jim has served as a Lead Inspector with Ofsted over many years and has been appointed as a National Leader in Education. He is a Founding Fellow of the Chartered College of Teaching, has served as a Trust Chair and as a member, Director and Trustee in several organisation. -
Dr Simon Fox
East Norfolk Sixth Form College
Deputy PrincipalI've been working in education in Norfolk for almost twenty years in a range of leadership and teaching positions, now holding the post of Deputy Principal at East Norfolk Sixth Form College. Since completing my PGCE with UEA in 2003 I've remained connected with the university. Working with a variety of stakeholders, supporting trainees in their placements and participating in delivery to them as part of their programme of study. The opportunity to get involved more formally in the oversight of the UEA PGCE Partnership is fantastic, and one that both as an individual and an organisation we jumped at. I have a strategic and operational role in our own training program and schedule at the College, so the chance to connect and network with individuals focused on this aspect of education as part of the SPMC is also a fantastic opportunity.