Senior Leadership Team and Academy Structure

Jon Richardson

PRINCIPAL

Mr Richardson is Principal at Strood Academy, he grew up in East Sussex before moving to Southampton to study at university. Mr Richardson completed an undergraduate degree in Sports Science, before progressing onto Canterbury Christ University to complete his PGCE. Mr Richardson has taught and led in many schools in both Kent and South East London in a variety of positions including Subject Leader of Physical Education, Assistant Principal and Senior Vice Principal prior to joining Strood Academy in April 2023. Mr Richardson has also completed a seconded post working for Kent County Council within their SEND and Inclusion team. In 2022, Mr Richardson completed his Masters in Education, completing a study on the impact that the Coronavirus-19 pandemic has had upon the teaching profession.

Julie Lindsay

VICE PRINCIPAL AND HEAD OF VICTORY

Miss Lindsay is Vice Principal at Strood Academy, she grew up in Scotland and went to Strathclyde University in Glasgow. She completed her PGCE before moving to Kent for her first science teaching position. Throughout this time, she has taught across many Kent and Medway secondary schools, completing various roles from heading up a science faculty, to Assistant Principal of inclusions and teaching and learning to Vice Principal of behaviour, SEND and Safeguarding.

Miss Lindsay has completed her Masters in education, completing a study on improving boys’ achievement. She has also recently achieved the SENCo qualification, which will be a real asset in supporting her with her role throughout the academy.

Lee Aitken-Cooper

ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL

Mr Aitken-Cooper was born in London but grew up in Kent. He studied GCSEs at Cleeve Park School and went to North West Kent College to do A levels and a GNVQ in Sports Science. At Christ Church university he then studied Sports Science and completed his teacher status.

Mr Aitken-Cooper has spent most of his teaching career working in Essex and has occupied a range of leadership roles over the last 15 years including Head of school, Senior Vice Principal and Assistant Principal. These responsibilities have included leading on teaching and learning, pastoral care, behaviour management and staff development.

Mr Aitken-Cooper has been at Strood academy since January 2022 and is the Assistant Principal KS3 Victory responsible for attendance and supporting safeguarding.

Leanne Barlow

ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL

Ms Barlow was born and raised in Manchester for 16 years until her Father’s job relocated the family to Northern Ireland. Here she completed her A-levels and went onto study her BA in History and English Literature at the University of Ulster. Following this she then completed her PGCE before again relocating to Medway for her first teacher of History position.

Ms Barlow has served a number of schools in Medway over the past 18 years and has vast experience in behaviour, attendance and pastoral care of young people. She joined Strood Academy 2 years ago as Assistant Principal and is currently responsible for KS4 Victory and safeguarding.

Harriet Carter

ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL

Miss Carter is Assistant Principal at Strood Academy, she grew up in Kent. Miss Carter studied Forensic Science at Greenwich University, before completing a GTP to gain QTS. Miss Carter has vast experience of working across a range of educational settings, including Primary, Secondary and Special Schools, namely specialising in working with children with Special Educational Needs or as a SENCO.

More recently she has been consulting and supporting schools across Kent, Medway and East Sussex. Miss Carter’s responsibility at the academy is inclusion.

Matt Piggott

VICE PRINCIPAL AND HEAD OF HERCULES

Mr Piggott grew up in Essex completing his GCSEs at William De Ferrers Secondary School, followed by a Sports Science Level 3 qualification at South East Essex College prior to attending Canterbury Christchurch University to complete a degree in Sport and Exercise Science.

Mr Piggott completed his PGCE with Kent & Medway Training and went on to teach science in Basildon, Essex. During this time taking on additional roles as Head of Pastoral, before joining The Leigh Academy, Dartford as an Assistant Principal in charge of Behaviour and Attitudes in 2017.

Mr Piggott joins Strood Academy as Vice Principal (Head of Hercules) with responsibility for Teaching & Learning and Assessment across the Academy.

Jamie Minshull

ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL

Mr Minshull is Assistant Principal at Strood Academy, he grew up in Rainham, Medway before moving to Leicester to study at university. Mr Minshull completed an undergraduate degree in Drama Studies, before completing a GTP to gain QTS.

Mr Minshull has previously held a variety of positions at another school in Kent, beginning as a Drama teacher, before leading the Performing Arts department. He developed as a skilled teacher, becoming a lead practitioner before becoming a senior leader. Mr Minshull also started HopShed Theatre group as an artistic director, a shedlink for the internationally recognised theatre company ‘Chicken Shed.’

Mr Minshull has joined Strood Academy as Assistant Principal (Hercules college) focusing on the quality of teaching and learning, and the development of trainee teachers across the academy.

Verity Hadden

ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL

Ms Hadden grew up in North London and attended Enfield County School. After completing secondary education, she attended the University of Nottingham to secure a joint honours degree in History and French. After her degree she was accepted onto the Teach First programme as a teacher of History and French.

Ms Hadden taught at St Thomas More School and St George’s RC School in London while completing her PGCE and NPQSL teaching qualifications. During her time teaching in London she held the posts of Head of Department, Deputy Head of Year, Careers Lead and Assistant Headteacher. Led by a strong belief in the transformative power of education, Ms Hadden made the decision to relocate to Strood in September 2022 accepting the post of Assistant Principal of Hercules College.

Ms Hadden’s role includes oversight of the students of KS3 Hercules, staff professional development and the quality of education provided by the fantastic teachers of Strood Academy.

Chris Pleasant

VICE PRINCIPAL AND HEAD OF TRAFALGAR

Mr Pleasant grew up in Medway and completed GCSE and A levels at a local school before studying Sociology at the University of Kent and a PGCE at Canterbury Christ Church University.

Mr Pleasant has since occupied a range of leadership roles in schools in Kent, including Head of Department for Social Sciences, Head of Sixth Form, International Baccalaureate coordinator and Assistant Headteacher before joining Strood Academy as Vice Principal (Head of Trafalgar) in April 2023.

In addition to his role within the school, Mr Pleasant has achieved Chartered Teacher Status with the Chartered College of Teaching and has worked with several associations such as ResearchED and PiXL to deliver talks on teaching and learning. Mr Pleasant’s responsibilities across the academy include curriculum intent and implementation as well as examination outcomes for Years 11 and 13.

Sav Fatania

ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL

Born in Stevenage, Hertfordshire, Mr Fatania completed his GCSEs and A-Levels at Barclays school. After this he went to University to pursue a career in teaching. Mr Fatania studied Physical Education with QTS at the University of Brighton for 4 years. Mr Fatania left university to work as Teacher of Physical Education in Bournemouth, and then went on to spend 11 years at an Academy in Maidstone. Here he held a range of roles including, Pupil Premium Lead, Head of Year, Lead Teacher for data, Faculty Leader for Physical Education and Associate Head Teacher for Behaviour and Attitudes. After a long service it was time to explore other horizons which led him to arrive at Strood Academy in the Easter of 2023 as an Assistant Principal (Trafalgar).

Mr Fatania’s responsibilities across the academy are Events, Parental Engagement, Key Stage 3 data and Social Media.

Samira Nasim

ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL

Miss Nasim grew up in Medway and went to St Mary’s Primary School and then went to Chapter School for Girls. Miss Nasim went to Bangor, University of Wales to study a degree in Chemistry and gained her BSC Honours in Chemistry. Miss Nasim completed her teacher training at Goldsmiths, University of London.

Miss Nasim started her teaching career in 1998 at The King John School, Essex, where she spent 6 years and this was followed by 6 years at Thomas Aveling School in Medway as KS3 Science Coordinator. Miss Nasim joined Strood Academy in 2010 and started as an Advanced Skills Teacher and is currently an Assistant principal.

Miss Nasim currently works within a range of areas which include, Year 6 into 7 transition, personal development across the years, work experience and KS3 Trafalgar as well as teaching Science to a range of year groups.

Victoria Hancock

ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL

Ms Hancock grew up in Medway completing her G.C.S.Es and A-Levels at Chatham Grammar School for Girls. Ms Hancock studied English Literature with Drama at the University of Greenwich and completed her P.G.D.E. at Canterbury Christchurch University.

Ms Hancock has had many roles whilst teaching including Faculty Leader of English, Assistant Principal for Teaching and Learning, and Deputy Principal for Behaviour and Culture. Whilst leading on teaching and learning, Ms Hancock completed the Teacher Educator course with the Ambition Institute and her Masters in Education focusing on curriculum.

Ms Hancock’s responsibility at the academy is Head of 6th Form.