Claire has 23 years of experience working in education following her graduation from Manchester Metropolitan University with BA (Hons) in Primary Education.

Claire has held a number of positions since starting as a newly qualified class teacher in Central London. Progressing her career in Essex as a class teacher, a senior teacher and then becoming Deputy Head Teacher.

She then made the exciting move to North Yorkshire and joined the Ryedale Learning Trust as Head of School for Helmsley Community Primary School, before progressing to become the Executive Head Teacher of the three Ryedale Primary Schools- a role she continues in now as part of the ALT. This leadership role has helped her develop as a successful coach and mentor to school leaders.

Passionate about continuing to develop her professional growth Claire is a qualified and experienced SENCO and has recently successfully completed her NPQH.

Claire is an accomplished curriculum leader in subjects including maths, PSHCE, computing, and art. Given her international gymnastics background in both competing and coaching, she is also able to make a significant contribution in physical education!

Claire is now in her 8th year as a leader within the Trust. During this time she has become a valuable member of the Trust Senior Leadership Team. She continues to embrace the challenge to drive overall school improvement and the creation of a thriving learning environment for every pupil.

Favourite quote: “Be the change that you want to see.” Mahatma Ghandi

Fiona has worked in education for over 18 years, holding senior leadership posts as literacy lead, curriculum development lead and most recently as deputy head for a large, federated school. During her time as a deputy head and year 6 teacher, she brought about rapid school improvement, taking the school from attainment and progress scores of FFT 99 to 40 in the first year.

Before being recruited to take on the position of Deputy Head, she worked as a literacy specialist, tasked with bringing about rapid school improvement, delivering training to teachers and supporting literacy leaders to develop the subject within their schools. She worked alongside colleagues in industry and the research school in order to develop a program of reading comprehension designed to develop a love of reading and bring about rapid improvement.

 She has also supported middle leaders as an NPQML facilitator as well as having coached and mentored students, RQTs, and more experienced teachers for the past 14 years.

 Her teaching experience has been varied and she has taught year 1-6, although the majority of her experience has been in UKS2. She has also taught in a diverse range of schools including a 2-16 EAL school in South Korea, large inner-city schools in areas of great deprivation, a school in suburban York and in one of the top private schools in the country.

Fiona believes this is an exciting time to be in teaching, as we increasingly use evidence based research to help improve schools. With the support of the other schools in the trust, we are able to provide our children with the best education possible through collaboration, sharing of expertise and the professional accountability that comes with being a part of a high-achieving team.

Favourite quote: “We rise by lifting others.” Robert Ingersoll.

Neil has worked in education for 14 years. He began his career in an inner city school in Middlesbrough, before taking up a position in Whitby, prior to being appointed as Head of School at Sinnington in 2018.

Neil is passionate about reading. He believes that reading is an essential life skill, central to a child’s success and enjoyment of school, reading not only opens doors in the future but it opens every child’s imagination. He is also passionate about physical education and believes that every child should have the opportunity to participate in a range of sports to develop their confidence, their appreciation of teamwork and to support their wellbeing.

Educational Ethos: ‘I am committed to ensuring all children have access to high quality education and strive to ensure that all children reach their potential whatever their starting point. I believe the root to success is creating strong relationships and promoting excellence for all by working together. A school should be a place of learning and enjoyment.’

Favourite quote: “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” Nelson Mandela

 Rebecca is immensely proud to be the headteacher of Mill Hill Primary School.  Mill Hill is a vibrant school and she likes to make sure that she knows the people within the school’s community as well as overseeing the quality of teaching and learning provided.

 Rebecca has worked in education for 25 years as a teacher, SENCO, Executive Headteacher and Headteacher in a mixture of military, village and town settings.  She is passionate about inclusion and has brought this approach into all of her roles.  Rebecca enjoys the outdoors and, in an attempt to show that it’s ‘never too late to try something new’, is increasing her running distance and speed across the North York Moors. 

Mill Hill joined Arete Learning Trust in January 2022 and Rebecca has really enjoyed seeing the benefits for the pupils and school community.

 Education Ethos:

 “I believe in the power of a school to include and embrace its whole community.  If members truly feel that they are part of something – known, understood, supported and celebrated - they open themselves up to an educational journey where they can explore, push themselves and achieve”.

 Favourite Quote:

Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new. —Albert Einstein

As Executive Headteacher of Ryedale School and Norton College, Domenica works closely with the Trust Central Education Team to implement the Arete Learning Trust Education Strategy. Her experience and knowledge, particularly around building professional communities and leadership development, is invaluable in our continued plans for development.

Domenica has served the Ryedale area for over twenty years and is the Headteacher of Ryedale School. She began her career in education as a Newly Qualified Teacher in Hull. Having made the move to Ryedale School as a PE teacher, she quickly fell in love with the school and community and developed a passion for school improvement and desire to make a positive impact on the lives of young people on a larger scale. She progressed her career, undertaking the roles of Assistant Head for Behaviour and Standards, Deputy Head and then Headteacher from February 2021.  When Ryedale School Federated in 2016, she became the Federation's Secondary Director, where she was able to develop her skills in curriculum development and strategic leadership. Domenica is in the final stage of completing a Masters in Educational Leadership and Management.

Educational Ethos: Domenica is absolutely clear on her mission within the Trust: to ensure every learner is inspired to succeed and enabled to fulfil their potential through an absolute focus on the highest educational standards. She believes in the power of high expectations, strong relationships, and leadership development as the foundations on which to build a culture of school improvement and secure the highest quality learning experience for all young people.   

Favourite quote: "I am still learning" -Michelangelo

Mick was appointed to lead Stokesley School in 2023 and is extremely proud to be the headteacher of the school. He has overall responsibility for the strategic leadership and management of the school. This includes overseeing the curriculum, ensuring the well-being of students and staff and maintaining strong relationships with the community.

Mick has worked in education for over 20 years starting his career as a PE teacher in Kent and he has held senior leadership roles in schools for the past 15 years.  Mick has a particular passion for the outdoors and has led Duke of Edinburgh Award schemes in three different schools.  He believes that outdoor education offers young people to step outside their comfort zones and develop life skills that cannot be taught in the classroom.

Mick is looking forward to building upon the firm foundations at Stokesley School and striving for excellence in all that they do.  He is delighted to serve the community of Stokesley and beyond and is proud to be a member of the Trust Leadership Team.

Educational Ethos:

As headteacher he is developing a community that is committed to:

Academic Excellence - Equipping students with a strong foundation in knowledge and critical thinking skills, preparing them to excel in their chosen paths.

Personal Growth - Nurturing well-rounded individuals with self-awareness, resilience, and a passion for lifelong learning.

Exemplary Behaviour - Fostering a culture of respect, inclusion, and positive social interaction, where students become responsible and engaged citizens.

Positive Attitudes - Encouraging a growth mindset, collaboration, and a thirst for discovery, inspiring students to reach their full potential.

Favourite Quote:

As an outdoorsman, Mick often uses the famous quote from Edmund Hilary that “it is not the mountain we conquer but ourselves”.  For a student in Year 7 getting to the end of secondary school and sixth form may seem like a mountain but if they embrace the challenge and are well supported through a strong school and parent partnership they will reach that peak and realise their potential.

Robert is incredibly proud to be Head of School at Ryedale School. Robert has an MA in Theology from the University of Oxford, and a Masters in Education Research for the University of Cambridge. He has taught in three outstanding schools in North Yorkshire in his career, and is now in his ninth academic year at Ryedale School. In this time, he has been an Assistant Headteacher for Raising Achievement, and Academic Deputy Head. He is passionate about teaching and learning, and believes it is his role to create the conditions to enable great teachers to flourish and to deliver wonderful lessons for our pupils.

Robert loves being part of a small, community comprehensive school that is at the heart of its local community.

Educational Ethos: Schools can be magical places. All staff at Ryedale School are committed to making the formative years of the young people in our school positive and purposeful.

Favourite quotation: "I saw the angel in the marble and carved until I set him free." Michelangelo.

Sam is passionate about high standards and inclusive and equitable education and this drives all that he does as a school leader. He has worked at Norton College since 2015 and is Norton College through and through! Sam is immensely proud to be Head of School at Norton College. 

Sam has worked in a variety of roles and settings within education, including as a PGCE Lecturer and as a National Subject Leader where he led subject improvement works across 40 secondary schools. 

Aside from his active roles in Education, Samuel is a final year PhD researcher and a very keen smallholder. When not invested in education, Sam can often be found in the Moors with his cows, sheep, turkeys and chickens!

Educational Ethos:

‘I am passionate about high standards as without high standards young people's life chances are diminished significantly. The role of education is to educate others but also to show others how to educate themselves. Only when that is accomplished is a young person ready for the life ahead of them.’

Favourite Quote:

There will be obstacles. There will be doubters. There will be mistakes. But with hard work, there are no limits.” – Michael Phelps

Bio to follow.