Five moments that show what leadership support looks like at Ark  

“I’ve worked at Ark Putney Academy for eight years, and one of the things I’ve really enjoyed is that I’ve always continued to learn. Each time I’ve moved role, I’ve received specific training focused on my area and what I was doing. It’s training grounded in the research and what we’re trying to achieve for our teachers and students, and how we can best put it into our day-to-day practice.”

Nadia Causton, Vice Principal, Ark Putney Academy

“I came into Ark from another multi-academy trust. I was blown away by the quality of the coaching that I’ve received since I’ve been here. At no point have I felt alone in this journey. It doesn’t matter what my remit was – I always had someone there to support me.
I remember when I became VP, I had to lead our first inset day with staff. Live coaching on the spot from my colleagues, headteacher and executive principal meant I was able to deliver a very high standard inset, and we saw real outcomes as a result of the training.”

Chez Buchanan, Senior Vice Principal, Ark Alexandra Academy

“Ark has helped me grow my career from being a brand new teacher all the way to becoming a Vice Principal. I’ve felt the real investment in me through training, mentoring and care at every stage of my journey, and that’s helped me become the leader I want to be. I’ve changed in so many ways – I feel so much more confident as a person and I’m proud to be serving a community that I really love.”

Jenny Bates, Vice Principal, Ark John Keats Academy

“The training and development at Ark really pushes you outside your comfort zone. I’ve had so many opportunities to grow and to learn new skills across different areas and also to network across the wider team. I’ve got so much further than I ever thought I would in my teaching career, so I’m very thankful.”

Emily Iliffe, Vice Principal, Ark John Keats Academy

“The investment you receive is real. It’s not a tick-box and you’re not dictated what your next step must be – it’s about understanding your strengths and weaknesses, allowing you to reflect on what you’re passionate about and what you want to develop. Ark believes in us and that’s the real difference. You are being supported to become the best leader you can be.

Going into other schools, seeing how they do things and speaking to their staff has been incredibly powerful. You see that investment in people across the network and how it develops great practitioners who drive outcomes for pupils.”

Pippa Lewis, Vice Principal, Ark Kings Academy