Sarah is the Head of the Institute of Education at the University of Derby. She has worked at the University of Derby since 2006, having first gained employment as a Senior Lecturer in Primary Initial Teacher Education. In 2015 she was promoted to Head of Discipline for Primary Initial Teacher Education and, most recently, in 2020, she was appointed as the Head of the Institute of Education. In her role as Head of the Institute of Education she has strategic responsibility for educational research and all education focused undergraduate and postgraduate programmes.
Prior to working at the University of Derby, Sarah trained as a primary school teacher. Throughout her time in the classroom, she taught all primary year groups and undertook a range of middle and senior leadership roles. Drawing on both past and present experiences as a qualified teacher, she aims to motivate the next generation of educators to strive for excellence in their chosen profession.
She has sustained experience of school/Multi-Academy Trust governance, having been a school governor and currently being a Trustee of three other Multi Academy Trusts. She has extensive links, both locally and nationally, to a range of diverse educational settings.
Sarah is committed to quality, research-informed provision that encourages critical thinking and the application of knowledge and skills to real-life working. Her doctoral research explored stakeholder attitudes towards students, with dyslexia, on Teacher Education programmes. Her current research explores trainee teacher preparedness to address homophobic bullying in primary and secondary schools.
Paul has over 25 years Human Resources experience across various sectors including service, chemical and automotive organisations. During Paul’s career as HR Vice President of a major automotive supplier, he successfully designed and deployed meaningful HR programmes that have been implemented on a global scale.
As an experienced HR professional and Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, Paul’s first-hand experience is translated into practical solutions which are tailor-made to ensure the businesses that he works with have sustainable solutions leading to tangible results.
As the Managing Director of Consulting for the Quantum Group, he is responsible for employee engagement, human resource business partnering, organisational development and senior management coaching. Enhanced by a postgraduate certificate in Executive Coaching, Paul is a Dad to two boys that have attended Primary and Secondary schools in Derbyshire and has also been a Primary School Governor for 3 years.
David is an ambitious leader of business transformation and ongoing operational delivery, with over 30 years’ experience gained through a multi-disciplined career in FTSE100Plc, private equity/ownership and public sector environments. An MBA graduate, with procurement, operations, facilities management, commercial fleet, retail pharmacy and change management expertise, strong commercial acumen and a history in delivering significant value improvement to organisations.
David is currently a senior management consultant for Go M.A.D. (Make A Difference) Thinking, a business improvement consultancy working with individuals, teams and organisations, supporting them to deliver transformative results and enabling change.
David enjoys playing sport in his spare time; golf, tennis, badminton and spinning, as well as relaxing with yoga and hiking.
On a personal level, David has been married to Dawn for over 30 years, living in Derby for the majority of that time. Their two sons attended Derby schools, enjoying their academic, musical and sporting experiences. Having graduated as dentists they now work in the NHS and privately in Manchester and Halifax.
Canon Carolyn Shoyer
Canon Carolyn Shoyer is the Diocesan Director of Education for the Dioceses of Derby and Leicester. This role involves advising the Bishop on all educational matters and in leading the vision and strategy for the Diocesan Board of Education which in Derby serves 111 church schools.
Carolyn is also a member of the Bishop’s Leadership Team and so contributes to the wider life of the diocese.
Previously, Carolyn was a primary school teacher, headteacher and an inspector for Ofsted and SIAMS (Statutory Inspection of Anglican & Methodist Schools).