Alison Simpson

For the past three years, I led Collective Worship and Religious Education across the three schools within the Abbey Academies Trust, following a 30-year career as an Early Years classroom teacher in the same Trust. As Director of Church Distinctiveness, I was an active member of the Leadership Team, contributing to strategic subject decisions and leading a small RE team to support colleagues in delivering high-quality provision. My responsibilities included subject monitoring with detailed feedback for leaders and teaching staff, writing subject policies and guidance, producing planning documents and providing targeted RE planning support.

I engaged in regular CPD with the Diocese of Lincoln to develop my expertise and led staff meetings to communicate key updates and initiatives. I met regularly with school governors, delivered Christian Collective Worship across all three schools and built strong relationships with the Diocese and local clergy, ensuring our work remained firmly rooted in the Trust’s Christian values and vision.

• Established solid partnerships for enhanced market presence.

As an Early Years classroom teacher, I provided a nurturing and stimulating environment for young children at the earliest stage of their education. I planned and delivered engaging lessons across all areas of the Early Years Foundation Stage, fostering children’s emotional, social, moral, spiritual, cultural and academic development. I assessed and tracked progress to meet individual needs, worked closely with parents and carers to build strong home–school partnerships and collaborated with colleagues to maintain a high-quality approach to learning. Throughout my career, I created a fun and inclusive classroom that encouraged curiosity, creativity and a love of learning.