Paige Ferguson

I lead a whole-school spelling strategy, embedding consistent standards across departments and supporting colleagues through training and resource development. As a line manager for eight staff members, I conduct performance reviews and foster continuous professional development. I have been a mentor to trainee teachers for four years, providing structured coaching, formal assessment and developmental feedback to support successful qualification and long-term professional growth. I regularly lead departmental meetings and represent the school at cross-school collaboration events, working with colleagues from other institutions to share best practice and drive collective improvement.

I manage the English department budget and contribute to whole-school strategic planning, supporting sustained improvement initiatives. In addition, I serve as Head of House, organising large-scale events and enrichment initiatives. I regularly organise author visits, which require careful planning, stakeholder engagement and logistical coordination.

I am an English examiner, assessing GCSE Language Paper 1 (fiction) and Paper 2 (non-fiction) each summer, and have served as Lead Reading Examiner for the SATs series, overseeing marking standards and ensuring accuracy across large cohorts. I have been observed by Ofsted, receiving outstanding feedback, reflecting the high quality of my teaching, leadership and professional practice.

Experienced in addressing parent concerns constructively and building trust within the wider school community, I bring strong organisational skills, sound professional judgement and a commitment to excellence in both people and performance.

During a one-year teacher training placement while completing my Master’s in Education (PGCE) I developed strong skills in content evaluation, editorial refinement and lesson planning. I designed, delivered and assessed lessons across the English curriculum, regularly reviewing and refining student essays and creative writing to ensure clarity, coherence and impact. This required attention to detail, a structured approach to feedback, and the ability to guide writers of varying abilities toward polished, high-quality work.

I collaborated closely with mentor teachers and peers to review teaching materials, adapt resources and enhance lesson effectiveness, strengthening my project management and organisational skills. Through this process, I honed my ability to assess content critically, edit with precision, and tailor communication for specific audiences, skills directly transferable to commissioning, editing and positioning non-fiction titles.

Additionally, I gained experience in observing and contributing to a wide range of instructional styles, reflecting on pedagogical strategies and evaluating outcomes, which reinforced my analytical approach and capacity for constructive critique. This combination of content refinement, structured feedback and audience-focused communication provides a solid foundation for editorial and publishing responsibilities.

As Deputy Supervisor within a high-footfall public library service, I combined operational leadership with market awareness and community programming. Working in partnership with council leadership, I managed allocated budgets, monitored expenditure and supported strategic investment in stock and events to maximise reach, engagement and return on public funding.

I developed a strong understanding of the commercial landscape of both fiction and practical non-fiction publishing, regularly analysing borrowing trends, reader demand and emerging topics to inform acquisition decisions. This required balancing literary quality with market appetite, ensuring the collection remained relevant, accessible and commercially responsive to a broad readership.

I coordinated frequent author events, working directly with writers, publishers and publicists to deliver well-attended, high-impact programmes. From initial liaison through to promotion and delivery, I ensured authors were professionally supported and audiences engaged. These events required careful scheduling, stakeholder coordination and the ability to generate enthusiasm both internally among staff and externally within the local community.

Managing multiple concurrent initiatives, including programming, stock development and team supervision, strengthened my project management skills and attention to detail. I supported frontline staff to maintain high service standards and ensured authors and partners received attentive, professional care throughout their engagement with the library.

This role developed my commercial awareness, audience insight and ability to position books effectively within defined markets, alongside disciplined organisational skills and strong author relationship management.

As Personal Assistant to the Associate Director of Social Work and Mental Health at NHS Kingston Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), I provided high-level administrative and operational support within a fast-paced, multi-stakeholder environment. I managed complex diaries, coordinated meetings, prepared briefing materials and reports, and ensured smooth communication across internal teams and external partners, demonstrating exceptional organisational skills and attention to detail.

I managed large-scale NHS and council budgets, monitoring expenditure, ensuring compliance with financial regulations, and supporting strategic allocation of resources for maximum operational and community impact.

I regularly drafted, edited and refined documents, presentations and correspondence for senior leadership, ensuring clarity, precision and professional tone. I coordinated cross-departmental projects, tracked deadlines, and supported strategic initiatives, developing project management experience highly relevant to keeping multiple publications on schedule.

Additionally, I liaised with a wide range of stakeholders, including external partners, commissioners and service providers, building strong professional relationships and ensuring seamless communication. This experience strengthened my ability to manage sensitive information, provide meticulous attention to detail, and maintain professional care and discretion.