Our Team
The English Hub team is made up of a group of professionals committed to the development of reading and language in schools. Each member of the Hub team plays an important role in ensuring that our support is impactful and meets your needs efficiently
Hub Leads
Our hub leads oversee the operations of the hub and develop our programmes to ensure that the Hub offer meets the needs of all schools seeking support.
Jonathan Bishop
Executive Headteacher & English Hub Strategic Leader, The Cornerstone Academy Trust
Jonathan Bishop is CEO and Executive Headteacher of the Cornerstone Academy Trust. Its founding school, Broadclyst Primary School, is an oversubscribed and successful Outstanding school. Jonathan as the CEO has led on opening two new Free Schools on the edge of Exeter at Westclyst and Monkerton. More recently, Yeo Valley, Marpool, Clyst Heath and Countess Wear Primaries have joined the Cornerstone Trust journey.
Jonathan is a National Leader of Education, leads the English Hub, and is one of the first Microsoft Showcase Academy Trusts in the world.
As both headteacher of Broadclyst and now trust CEO, Jonathan has led a drive that every child will leave primary school as a reader. Jonathan was awarded an OBE in the New Year’s honours list in 2026 for services to education.
Nina Rothery
English Hub Lead, Head of School, Westclyst Community Primary School
Nina has led the Cornerstone English Hub since its formation in September 2018. She has been teaching for 14 years and has been a member of the Cornerstone Academy Trust senior leadership team for 10 years. She is currently the Head of School at Broadclyst.
Nina’s specialist areas are early years, curriculum development, staff development and CPD, student training and SEN.
As part of the trust leadership team, she made Broadclyst one of the first academies in the country in 2010, extended the Cornerstone Multi-Academy Trust and successfully bid for two new free schools, opened a school-run nursery, developed an international KS2 business project with Microsoft and opened the Cornerstone Teaching Academy.
Michael Kimber
English Hub Lead, Broadclyst Community Primary School
Michael Kimber is the Professional Development Lead at Cornerstone, English Hub Lead, and a member of the EdTech Drive Team. Since January 2023, he has co-led the English Hub with Nina Rothery, overseeing its daily operations, managing finances, and leading on the medium-level support offer. He ensures the smooth running of the Hub while coordinating professional development through initiatives like Transforming Schools Reading Cultures.
Michael’s interests lie in oracy, literacy, and the effective use of educational technology in primary education, including playing a significant role in the coordination of the RISE Digital Skills and AI Hub. He is passionate about creating inclusive classrooms where children’s voices are central to learning. He also explores how digital tools can enhance engagement, collaboration, and formative assessment, helping teachers embed purposeful talk and rich literacy experiences across the curriculum.
Our Early Language and Literacy Specialists are:
Hannah James
Literacy Specialist
Hannah James is an experienced teacher and school leader with 25 years in education, working across teaching, leadership and school improvement. Her particular passion and expertise lie in Early Years, with extensive knowledge across the breadth of the phase, from child development, curriculum and pedagogy to communication and language, learning environments and high-quality provision.
As Head of Early Years across a seven-school academy trust, Hannah provides strategic leadership for Nursery and Reception, working alongside teachers and leaders to strengthen provision and improve outcomes for young children. Central to her approach is translating research and evidence into practical, ambitious approaches that make a difference in real Early Years classrooms.
Hannah brings this broad understanding of Early Years to her work with the English Hub, drawing particularly on her knowledge of communication and language, early literacy and how young children learn and develop. She leads the Broadclyst RISE Reception Network, supports the English Hub’s expansion into Reception and contributes to the Department for Education working party supporting this work. She is also a facilitator for the Early Years and Oracy strand of the RISE Digital Skills and AI Hub.
Hannah believes that excellent Early Years education should be ambitious, purposeful and full of joy. She believes every child deserves the opportunity to thrive. She is committed to helping leaders and teachers create rich learning experiences that develop children’s language, confidence, curiosity and independence, while building strong foundations for literacy and all future learning.
Tonia Dudley
Literacy Specialist
Tonia has been a teacher for 15 years and her passion for teaching the youngest children has been the backbone of her career and where she has gained a wealth of knowledge and experience of children and their early development. Tonia is the Head of School at Clyst Heath Primary School having previously been the Trust early years lead and deputy head of school at Monkerton Primary School. Previously, she was also an SLE and a Lead Practitioner in Early Years, specialising in supporting the transitions of children in their first years at school. She recognises the importance of establishing a curriculum that is engaging and purposeful, whilst ensuring that assessments and observations are used effectively to ensure good progress.
She is passionate about the need for effective communication and relationships between parents and teachers and acknowledges that allowing parents access to their child’s learning and development, is key to effective collaboration. Tonia is also one of our Literacy Specialists and supports the English Hub in delivering conferences, network events and supporting schools in delivering their Phonics Programmes.
Sarah Parsons
Literacy Specialist
Sarah is an experienced Early Years teacher and Head of Reception within a multi-academy trust, where she supports Reception teachers and pupils to achieve their best. She currently teaches Reception at Clyst Heath Primary School, where she enjoys implementing best practice and creating a nurturing, engaging environment in which children can thrive.
Sarah has particular expertise in establishing effective routines and structures within Reception, as well as creating purposeful and engaging classroom environments that promote independence and support a smooth, well-organised day. She also works closely with Early Career Teachers (ECTs) across the trust, helping them develop their confidence and understanding of Early Years practice. Passionate about sharing ideas and supporting others, Sarah is committed to helping teachers enjoy their Reception year while ensuring every child receives the best possible start to their education.
Emma Orchard
Literacy Specialist
Emma Orchard is Deputy Headteacher at Monkerton Community Primary School. She began her teaching career in Key Stage 1 before moving into the Early Years Foundation Stage, where she went on to lead EYFS before progressing into senior leadership.
Emma’s expertise includes early reading, phonics, Early Years education, curriculum development, and school improvement. She enjoys working with schools to support the development of effective reading and phonics practice, helping to improve outcomes for all children.
A passionate reader as an adult, Emma was a reluctant reader as a child and did not enjoy school. These experiences have shaped her belief that oracy and reading are the gateway to learning across the curriculum and is one of the most powerful tools we can give children.
Emma is particularly passionate about Early Years education and believes it is the most important stage of a child’s educational journey. She is committed to ensuring children receive the strongest possible start, believing that when we get the early years right, we set children up for success both in school and in later life.
Lucy Muchenje-Daye
Literacy Specialist
Lucy is an Early Years Development Lead and Early Language and Literacy Specialist.
With six years’ experience teaching in Reception—including three years as a Reception lead teacher—and a further three years in other leadership roles in her Nursery career, Lucy brings extensive expertise and a strong understanding of early education and literacy development.
As an Early Language and Literacy Specialist, Lucy works in partnership with schools and Early Years teams to strengthen the teaching and learning of phonics, early reading and early language. Through professional dialogue, coaching and practical support, she helps practitioners deepen their subject knowledge, refine their practice and develop approaches that make a meaningful difference to children’s learning.
Her commitment also extends to the adults she works alongside. Lucy particularly enjoys mentoring and coaching students, Early Career Teachers and colleagues, supporting them to build confidence, reflect thoughtfully on their practice and develop their professional expertise. Through this work, she helps to create a culture in which practitioners feel empowered to grow and thrive.
At the heart of Lucy’s work is a commitment to nurturing a genuine love of learning and reading from the earliest stages of a child’s education. She is passionate about inspiring children’s curiosity about the world of books and helping them become confident, enthusiastic readers—laying the foundations for a lifelong love of learning.
Our Early Reading and Phonics Literacy Specialists are:
Victoria Kennard
Literacy Specialist
Victoria Kennard is an experienced teacher and former KS1 Leader with a passion for improving reading outcomes for all pupils. She has extensive experience supporting schools from Early Years through to Key Stage 3, with expertise in early reading, phonics, reading fluency, disciplinary literacy, assessment and intervention.
As Lead Literacy Specialist, Victoria leads and develops the Literacy Specialist team, ensuring schools receive high-quality, evidence-informed support that addresses barriers and provides clear, practical next steps to drive sustainable improvement.
Victoria has delivered a range of professional development programmes for educators, including the English Hub Reading Fluency and Reading Ambition for All programmes. She is committed to helping schools translate research into effective classroom practice, developing sustainable systems and approaches that lead to lasting improvements in reading provision and outcomes for all pupils.
Victoria believes that every child deserves the opportunity to become a confident, successful reader and is passionate about working collaboratively with school leaders and teachers to make this a reality.
Amy Ruffell
Literacy Specialist
Amy’s journey into teaching was shaped by her global experiences and her deep appreciation for learning different languages. This diverse background has given her a unique understanding of language acquisition, which she has successfully applied in her classrooms, particularly in Phonics. Her expertise in this area has contributed to consistently high pass rates in the Phonics Screening Check.
Amy is passionate about empowering teachers by providing training and support that enhances their confidence in delivering effective Phonics lessons, analysing data, and identifying children that require additional support. She enjoys collaborating with colleagues to create inclusive, supportive learning environments that encourage and motivate children to reach their full potential. Believing that reading is one of the most valuable gifts we can give a child, Amy is dedicated to ensuring every child has the opportunity to read, learn, and grow.
Sian Ruhleman
Literacy Specialist
Sian is a dedicated teacher with a strong passion for literacy and phonics. She currently teaches Year 6 at Yeo Valley Primary School and has recently taken on the role of Literacy Specialist. Prior to teaching in Year 6, Sian spent three years teaching Year 1, developing a strong understanding of early reading and the importance of establishing secure foundations in phonics.
During her time in Year 1, Sian successfully supported pupils in developing their phonics knowledge and early reading skills, contributing to the school’s strong recent outcomes in the Year 1 Phonics Screening Check. She uses assessment and pupil progress to identify individual needs and provide targeted support, while working collaboratively with colleagues to promote effective phonics practice.
Sian is passionate about helping every child become a confident and capable reader. She is committed to high-quality teaching and creating positive literacy experiences that build both skill and confidence, with a strong belief that every child can develop a love of reading and succeed.
Rebecca Hughes
Literacy Specialist
Rebecca is a dedicated Key Stage 1 teacher with a strong specialism in literacy and phonics. She currently teaches Year 1 at Monkerton Community Primary School, where she brings a wealth of first-hand experience in delivering high-quality phonics instruction, leading year group provision, closely monitoring pupil progress, and implementing targeted interventions to support early reading development. Having successfully guided numerous pupils through the Year 1 Phonics Screening Check, Rebecca draws on this experience to shape effective teaching strategies and support colleagues in delivering targeted phonics provision, ensuring every child builds a secure foundation in reading. Her passion for literacy is evident in her commitment to helping every child become a confident and capable reader.
As Year 1 Lead, Rebecca works collaboratively with colleagues to ensure consistency and high expectations across the year group. She also supports staff in Early Years and Key Stage 1 by modelling best practice and guiding the delivery of purposeful phonics and reading interventions. She makes effective use of organised pupil data to inform planning, track progress, and tailor support to individual learning needs. Her extensive experience as a classroom teacher and mentor for Early Career Teachers (ECTs) enables her to nurture skills and confidence in phonics teaching, inspiring a shared commitment to creating language-rich environments where all children can thrive and become fluent readers. Rebecca is passionate about supporting schools to develop strong early reading provision and believes that high-quality teaching, evidence-informed practice, and early intervention are key to ensuring every child achieves success in literacy.
Hannah Westlake
Literacy Specialist
Hannah is a Reading Lead and Deputy KS1 Phase Lead with over ten years of teaching experience and a passion for helping every child become a confident, successful reader. Throughout her career, she has led KS1 teams, supported new teachers, and worked across multiple schools to implement and strengthen phonics and reading provision.
Her expertise includes Year 1, Phonics Screening Check preparation, supporting the weakest readers, and developing effective KS1 practice. She has supported schools with Read Write Inc. and Little Wandle implementation, leadership development, assessment systems, and coaching to improve outcomes for pupils.
She is passionate about closing reading gaps as early as possible, fostering a love of reading, and ensuring every child believes in themselves as a reader, empowering them to thrive across the curriculum and beyond
Sarah Thorn
Literacy Specialist
Sarah is currently a SENDCo working across the trust, having taught previously in KS1 for 10 years. She has extensive first-hand experience in phonics teaching, monitoring pupil progress and delivering interventions. In recent years, she has becoming increasingly involved in the training of student teachers and ECTs and has been working to support the implementation of a systematic synthetic phonics programme across a multi academy trust.
In her current role for the Hub, Sarah leads on the ‘Reading Ambition for All’ programme which combines her expertise in SEND with her previous classroom experience, Sarah supports those children needing additional help with their learning, whilst working alongside teachers to, ensure all children reach their full potential. The success of this programme has been evident across our trust already.
Chloe Rose-Godwin
Literacy Specialist
Chloe is the KS1 phase lead for a growing multi-academy trust that has maintained high phonics scores for several years. With experience teaching in both Year 1 and Year 2, Chloe offers a wealth of knowledge and practical insights into the phonics journey, from early stages to more advanced reading skills.
In her role as KS1 phase lead, Chloe leads by example, setting high standards and modelling effective phonics teaching. She is actively involved in showcasing her phonics strategies at English Hub events and regularly supports her colleagues in improving their practice. Chloe also delivers the Supporting Early Language Development CPD programme, a collaborative initiative with Speech and Language UK that provides consistent, medium-level support across the English Hub network.
Chloe is dedicated to supporting teachers by providing training and guidance. She helps educators assess and group children effectively and works closely with them to create practical plans for students who need extra support.
Our KS2 Literacy Specialists are:
Victoria Kennard
Literacy Specialist
Victoria Kennard is an experienced teacher and former KS1 Leader with a passion for improving reading outcomes for all pupils. She has extensive experience supporting schools from Early Years through to Key Stage 3, with expertise in early reading, phonics, reading fluency, disciplinary literacy, assessment and intervention.
As Lead Literacy Specialist, Victoria leads and develops the Literacy Specialist team, ensuring schools receive high-quality, evidence-informed support that addresses barriers and provides clear, practical next steps to drive sustainable improvement.
Victoria has delivered a range of professional development programmes for educators, including the English Hub Reading Fluency and Reading Ambition for All programmes. She is committed to helping schools translate research into effective classroom practice, developing sustainable systems and approaches that lead to lasting improvements in reading provision and outcomes for all pupils.
Victoria believes that every child deserves the opportunity to become a confident, successful reader and is passionate about working collaboratively with school leaders and teachers to make this a reality.
Dale Lawson
Literacy Specialist
Dale Lawson is Head of KS2 at Cornerstone Academy Trust, where he leads curriculum development and supports the continuous improvement of teaching practice across primary education. Throughout his career, Dale has worked as both a teacher and leader, focusing on helping schools create high-quality classroom experiences that enable all pupils to succeed. Alongside his role within the Trust, he has supported schools through a number of Department for Education-funded hub programmes and continues to work with schools through RISE improvement support.
Dale is passionate about the belief that every child should become a fluent reader, step by step, through high-quality teaching and carefully planned support. He believes that fluent reading is the foundation of successful writing and strongly agrees with Stephen King, when he says “If you don’t have time to read, you don’t have the time (or the tools) to write.” His aim is to help schools create ambitious, inclusive and engaging literacy experiences that enable all children to thrive.
Alex Pulfer
Literacy Specialist
Alexandra Pulfer is Head of Curriculum at The Cornerstone Academy Trust. She began teaching 25 years ago at Broadclyst Primary School and her career progressed alongside the growth of the Trust. Her extensive teaching and leadership experience informs her strategic oversight of curriculum development and her work with colleagues to deliver a creative, broad and balanced curriculum enriched by purposeful projects and wider opportunities.
Her expertise spans curriculum design, teacher development, early career support and school improvement. She leads the Initial Teacher Training and Early Career Framework across the Trust and serves as a Teacher Educator for the National Institute of Teaching, facilitating as a leader of learning to develop others and enable thoughtful, evidence-informed changes in practice. Her work focuses on ensuring that new knowledge is understood, applied and revisited so that professional learning leads to sustained improvements for teachers, leaders and the pupils they serve. Alexandra also works directly with schools receiving targeted support through the Regional Improvement for Standards and Excellence programme, helping leaders and staff strengthen practice and improve outcomes.
She is passionate about ambitious, inclusive education and purposeful professional learning. She believes that high-quality development should respect teachers’ time, connect research with practice and create opportunities for objective, reflective dialogue. By helping educators make well-informed choices about implementation and embed new learning into their everyday practice, she aims to enable pupils, teachers and school communities to thrive.
Amy Wilcox
Literacy Specialist
Amy is the Assessment and Data Lead and Head of Year 6, with experience teaching and leading in Upper Key Stage 2. As an experienced Year 6 teacher, she has successfully guided pupils through Key Stage 2 SATs and developed expertise in KS2 English teaching, SATs preparation, reading fluency and improving reading outcomes. She is particularly passionate about using assessment to identify gaps in learning at an early stage and implementing targeted support that enables all pupils to make strong progress.
Alongside her school leadership role, Amy has supported schools through the West Somerset Reading Project and is a strong advocate for embedding a positive, sustainable reading culture across whole-school communities. She believes that developing reading fluency is fundamental to improving comprehension, confidence and long-term academic success. Having studied English with Classical Studies at university, Amy draws on her knowledge of Latin to deepen pupils’ understanding of etymology, vocabulary and language development. This passion for language underpins her approach to literacy, helping children become confident readers while equipping teachers with the knowledge and strategies needed to improve outcomes for all pupils.
Kate Sills
Literacy Specialist
Kate Sills is a Deputy Head of School with over 13 years of teaching and leadership experience across primary education, specialising in Upper Key Stage 2. She has held roles including Deputy Key Stage 2 Lead and English Lead, developing a strong expertise in literacy, curriculum development and school improvement.
As an English Specialist for the West Somerset Reading Project, Kate supported a first school and two middle schools to strengthen the teaching of reading and improve pupil outcomes. Passionate about literacy, she believes that every child deserves to become a confident and enthusiastic reader, recognising reading as the key to lifelong learning, opportunity and success. She is committed to working collaboratively with staff to raise standards, develop effective practice and ensure the very best outcomes for all children.
Rosie Adamson
Literacy Specialist
Rosie is a dedicated and passionate teacher and currently teaches in Year 1 at Broadclyst Primary School. She has ten years of experience teaching across both KS1 and KS2 in a diverse range of school settings and has a strong specialism in English. Phonics and reading for pleasure are at the heart of her passion for teaching and she brings a wide range of experience of various techniques, schemes and platforms to support the teaching of reading. Alongside her classroom teaching, Rosie is committed to supporting colleagues, trainee teachers and ECTs by developing positive working relationships to create an environment of positive change and progress.
Richard Sills
Literacy Specialist
Richard Sills is a Year 6 class teacher and the English Lead for Cornerstone Academy Trust, where he supports the development of high-quality English provision across the trust. Throughout his career, he has held both KS1 and KS2 leadership roles, developing curriculum, improving teaching and learning, and supporting colleagues to achieve excellent outcomes for pupils.
Richard is passionate about creating rich, exciting and purposeful curriculum experiences that inspire children to learn, while maintaining high expectations to ensure every child can succeed. His areas of expertise include curriculum development, English leadership and educational technology, and he is a member of the RISE Digital Skills and AI Hub, with a particular focus on the use of digital tools and AI to support assessment.
Alongside his school-based role, Richard works with schools across the region through his involvement with the English Hub South and Southwest and the RISE school improvement programme, providing professional development, curriculum support and guidance to help schools strengthen literacy outcomes for all pupils. His work is driven by a belief that every child deserves access to an ambitious, engaging education that fosters both achievement and a lifelong love of learning.
Our Secondary Literacy Specialists are:
Tim Cook
Literacy Specialist
Tim Cook is a Secondary Literacy Specialist with extensive experience in school leadership, improvement and educational development. As Head of Schools across Marpool Primary School and Countess Wear Primary School within the Cornerstone Academy Trust, he has a proven track record of improving outcomes for pupils and supporting schools to drive sustainable improvement.
Tim’s expertise includes literacy development, curriculum leadership, inclusion and school improvement. He has worked closely with school leaders and teaching teams to strengthen teaching and learning, develop effective literacy provision and build a culture of high expectations for all pupils.
Alongside his leadership roles, Tim has served as a Visiting Specialist at the University of Plymouth, an ambassador for The Thrive Approach and a Leader of Governance, supporting schools across a range of contexts.
As a Secondary Literacy Specialist, Tim is passionate about improving reading outcomes and ensuring that every young person can access the curriculum successfully. He believes that strong literacy teaching, evidence-informed practice and effective leadership are key to improving life chances and enabling pupils to thrive.
Victoria Kennard
Literacy Specialist
Victoria Kennard is an experienced teacher and former KS1 Leader with a passion for improving reading outcomes for all pupils. She has extensive experience supporting schools from Early Years through to Key Stage 3, with expertise in early reading, phonics, reading fluency, disciplinary literacy, assessment and intervention.
As Lead Literacy Specialist, Victoria leads and develops the Literacy Specialist team, ensuring schools receive high-quality, evidence-informed support that addresses barriers and provides clear, practical next steps to drive sustainable improvement.
Victoria has delivered a range of professional development programmes for educators, including the English Hub Reading Fluency and Reading Ambition for All programmes. She is committed to helping schools translate research into effective classroom practice, developing sustainable systems and approaches that lead to lasting improvements in reading provision and outcomes for all pupils.
Victoria believes that every child deserves the opportunity to become a confident, successful reader and is passionate about working collaboratively with school leaders and teachers to make this a reality.
Vicki Thornton
Literacy Specialist
Vicky Thornton is Director of Literacy and Learning at Ivybridge Community College and a member of the Executive Leadership Team. With over 26 years of experience in education, she has worked across a range of leadership roles, including Assistant Principal, trust-wide English improvement lead, Deputy Headteacher and Executive Leader/SLE.
Throughout her career, she has led improvements in curriculum, literacy, teaching and learning, professional and personal development, careers’ education and inclusion. Her expertise lies in literacy development, reading improvement, curriculum design, teacher development and school improvement. She has a particular interest in ensuring that all young people develop the literacy skills needed to access learning, achieve success and thrive beyond school.
Beyond her own school, she has supported schools across the South West through Trust-wide improvement work, professional networks and large-scale literacy events. As founder of the SWiFT English Network and the biennial SWiFT Literacy Conference, she brought together teachers, leaders and national experts to share evidence-informed practice and improve outcomes for children and young people.
She is passionate about developing people, building strong school cultures and creating sustainable systems that enable staff and students to flourish. Her educational philosophy is rooted in the belief that high expectations, effective teaching and a commitment to literacy can transform life chances and open pathways to future success for every child.
Scott Davies
Literacy Specialist
Scott Davies is Executive Director of English for Westcountry Schools Trust, overseeing English and literacy. He has been an Evidence Lead for Devon Research School for a number of years (primarily focusing on literacy training and programme development), has delivered the NPQLL and is currently working with Cornerstone English Hub to support reading as part of a secondary offer.
Administrators
Our administrative team deliver the day-to-day operations of the Hub, including communications with schools, booking visits and events and supporting schools with queries and processes.
Anne Oxenbury
Hub Administrator
Anne is one of our Hub Administrators at the Cornerstone Hub Team.
Her role is focused on the smooth management of showcase and network events, as well as coordinating support of partner schools by the Hub’s literacy specialist team. Please contact her with any queries that you may have.
Kirsty Gardener
Hub Administrator
Kirsty is one of our Hub Administrators at the Cornerstone Hub Team.
Her role is focused on the smooth management of showcase and network events, as well as coordinating support of partner schools by the Hub’s literacy specialist team. Please contact her with any queries that you may have.