The Leadership Team (ID 1348)

• Sophie Allchin
  Director
  Sophie Allchin

  After graduating with a BSc in Psychology from University College London, Sophie started her career working in a number of leadership roles in Higher Education.

   

  In 2014, Sophie moved to work for Mid Essex ITT, where she was first appointed as the Marketing and Recruitment Officer, a newly-created role to help boost the number of trainee teachers in local schools. Sophie took over the Programme Manager role in 2018 and was later appointed the Director of Mid Essex ITT in 2019.

   

  Sophie has recently completed the NPQ in Leading Teacher Development with the Saffron School Teaching Hub and now facilitates the NPQ course for the new programme members. She also completed the NASBTT Instructional Coaching (Level 2) course.

   

  Alongside her day job, Sophie also works as a Support Parner for NASBTT (The National Association of School-Based Teacher Trainers) and is a trustee for London Nightline. She also works as the People Strategy Lead for Bridge Academy Trust. As a parent herself, Sophie is passionate about recruiting the best staff for our local schools and developing teacher talent.

• Steve Fox
  Assistant Director, PGCE Lead, Assessment Only lead
  Steve Fox

  With over 24 years of experience in education, Steve is a highly respected senior leader who has worked across a number of Essex schools in a range of leadership roles.

  His passion lies in teacher training and supporting new entrants to the profession, helping shape the next generation of teachers and leaders. Steve has held key leadership positions including Head of History, Head of Humanities, Assistant Headteacher, and Deputy Headteacher. He is currently a valued member of the Bridge School Improvement Team, where he continues to contribute to school development and teacher excellence across the region.

  Steve holds a Master’s degree in Educational Leadership and Management from the Open University and has extensive expertise in Initial Teacher Training. He leads on the PGCE programme in collaboration with Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) and previously managed the successful delivery of the Level 7 PGCE programme at a local ITT provider. Steve’s deep knowledge of curriculum, pedagogy, and professional development makes him a trusted mentor and leader in the field of education.

• Holly Sutton
  Course Tutor
  Holly Sutton

  Holly Sutton has been teaching at Notley High School & Braintree Sixth Form since 2007. During this time, Holly has fulfilled a range of roles and responsibilities.

  In 2009, Holly became a Lead Teacher in English, which was then followed by a Head of Year role which would last for five years. In 2016, Holly became an Assistant Headteacher and the Head of Braintree Sixth Form. Holly is also a Specialist Leader of Education in English and completed her Masters in Educational Research at Cambridge University in 2014. In September 2020, Holly became a Course Tutor for Mid Essex ITT. She has recently received her Advanced Certificate in Safeguarding for Designated Safeguarding Leads (2022-23) NASBTT Instructional Coaching Level 2.

• Sarah-Jayne Sieg
  Course Tutor
  Sarah-Jayne Sieg

  Sarah-Jayne joined MEITT in September 2022 as a Course Tutor and is very keen to work closely with training teachers and support them on their exciting journey.

  Sarah-Jayne is an experienced mentor, having worked with many trainees and early careers colleagues since starting out as a Teacher of MFL in 2005, with specialisms in German and French. She went on to lead a happy and successful MFL team and became Professional Tutor for the school, ensuring high-quality mentoring and provision for all trainees and new teachers.

  As Assistant Head Teacher, she focused on Teaching and Learning and Professional Development across the school as well as continuing as Professional Tutor and running her MFL Department. Her experience in a variety of areas across all subjects enables Sarah-Jayne to support colleagues at all points in their career and she believes that the right balance of positivity and challenge will bring out the best in anyone.

• Dan Suen
  Course Tutor and ITaP lead
  Dan Suen

  Daniel joined Mid Essex ITT in 2025 as a Course Tutor, building upon a range of experience in teacher development, instructional coaching and curriculum design.

  Since qualifying in 2015, Daniel has worked in a range of roles across Essex, including Faculty Lead for Humanities, ITT/ECT Coordinator, and most recently, Lead Practitioner for Instructional Coaching. In this role, he led the whole-school coaching programme and oversaw the provision for ITT and ECT colleagues.

  He holds an NPQ in Leading Teaching, has completed Level 2 NASBTT training in Instructional Coaching, and has achieved the Steplab Certificate in Coaching Leadership. Daniel is particularly passionate about evidence-informed teaching, supporting early career teachers, and the use of technology to enhance practice.

• Julie Rickards
  Senior Course Administrator
  Julie Rickards

  Julie joined MEITT as a part-time course administrator in September 2020, supporting the core team of Course Tutors and the Director.

  Julie, also known as Joolz, took over the role of Senior Course Administrator in April 2023. Her background is in journalism. She is a key player in the friendly team of MEITT staff and is always happy to undertake a variety of tasks with confidence and a positive manner.