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DGS Staff Stories
Sarah Roberts - Co-headteacher at Didcot Girls' School
Sarah joined Didcot Girls' school in 2010 and has progressed from Teacher of English to Co-headteacher since then.
I was fortunate enough to be placed at Didcot Girls' School during my teacher training year and knew that it was the only school I wanted to work in. Since joining Didcot Girls' School, I have benefited from working with a wide range of colleagues and school leaders across RET, been supported to complete a masters qualification in Teaching and Learning, had coaching sessions, and joined many carefully designed and research informed CPD sessions. Leadership sits at the heart of RET and it is a privilege to support both students and staff in their own leadership journeys.
I'm so proud to work at Didcot Girls' School and find my interactions with our school community to be energising and inspirational on a daily basis. Staff are united in their commitment to deliver the best possible education for the young people we serve and this shared moral purpose and commitment to something greater than ourselves brings great joy.
Julia Durie - Associate Assistant Headteacher, Didcot Girls’ School
Julia joined Didcot Girls’ School in Ridgeway Education Trust in 2019 as Second in English, having begun her teaching career at St Birinus School two years earlier. Since joining Didcot Girls’ School, Julia has taken on a range of roles including Lead Practitioner, Associate Senior Leader for Reading, Acting Head of English, and now Associate Assistant Headteacher.
I was drawn to Didcot Girls’ School because of its commitment to giving every student the best possible opportunities and outcomes. Since joining, I have felt incredibly well supported to develop my leadership skills, through coaching, opportunities to take on different roles, and more recently completing my NPQSL. Leadership is part of the DNA of the trust, and during my time in RET I have learnt that, at its core, leadership is about empowering others, building trust, and keeping the moral purpose at the heart of every decision.
I love my job because I am able to work directly with students while also contributing to the wider strategic vision of the school. I particularly enjoy working at Didcot Girls’ School because I work alongside genuinely inspirational leaders across the school, which I feel is a real privilege. I would describe the culture at the school as very supportive whilst also being highly ambitious for our young people. In my current role, I am most proud of the work I’ve done around literacy, helping students to access rich and challenging texts and succeed in their learning. It has been a really rewarding journey, and I feel very lucky to have grown my career within RET.
Amelia Kyriakides - Joint Head of Science and Associate Assistant Headteacher (T&L and CPD), Didcot Girls’ School
Amelia joined Didcot Girls’ School in 2016 as a newly qualified teacher. Following a period as Head of Biology, she was promoted to joint Head of Science and, initially undertaking a role alongside this as a Lead Practitioner, she now also holds the role of Associate Assistant Headteacher leading on Teaching and Learning and CPD.
Before joining Didcot Girls’ School, I visited for a tour and remember walking past a display of books about pedagogy in the staffroom. I immediately got a sense of the culture for continual learning and knew it would be an exciting place to learn and teach.
Since joining Didcot Girls’ School I have been given a wide range of opportunities that have developed me as a teacher and leader. Early in my career I took on the role of Head of Biology, a role that I held for seven years before becoming Joint Head of Science. I developed my curriculum thinking and led on collaborative curriculum development and subject CPD.
Alongside this, my interest in teacher development led me to take on mentoring roles and then become Lead Practitioner. This enabled me to support teaching and learning through CPD delivery and coaching. Experience gained led to a two-year secondment to SLT after which I moved into the role I now hold as Associate Assistant Headteacher for Teaching and Learning and CPD.
Throughout my career, I have appreciated the opportunities to continually develop that I have been supported in. This has included gaining a Master’s in Learning at Teaching from Oxford University, a Senior Leadership NPQ and an abundance of high-quality CPD in school. Along the way, I have enjoyed opportunities to share work that we have done both within and beyond the trust through publications and conferences.
Working with staff at Didcot Girls’ School to develop our teaching and learning is incredibly rewarding. The culture of continual learning and collaboration means there is always an exciting new challenge, alongside the support of brilliant colleagues.
Gordon Ball - Science Teacher, Didcot Girls’ School
Gordon recently joined Ridgeway Education Trust (RET), as a science teacher at Didcot Girls School. This wasn’t his first time at DGS – he was also trained by our expert teachers and Senior Leadership Team through the RET SCITT, picking up the character and ethos of the school.
I’d originally worked in a very different industry, so it was a real career change moment to move from a sales office to a classroom. The SCITT programme that RET offered really suited career changers like me – it felt like being immersed straight into the new job and not “just” being a trainee. I was welcomed by the science department with open arms – and that really helped me realise DGS was a great place to work – as well as that teaching was so rewarding! There is a strong emphasis on continuing personal development here; it creates a genuine belief across the staff that we can all keep finding small changes and wins to improve our students’ educational outcomes.
There are the traditional career prospects you would expect of a Trust, but I value the more informal opportunities at DGS – there’s a real excitement for trying out ideas, and support to do so. That links to what is a very “family” feel amongst school staff. The biggest stand-out for me? The pastoral team are very visible in all elements of the school day - showing they care for the pupils, helping students access our lessons, and therefore helping us teachers teach those students. Seeing them do such a good job really makes you want to do your best for the students, which ultimately makes you feel proud of the role you play in creating successful young adults year after year.
Gemma Charles - English teacher and Social Media & Marketing Lead, Didcot Girls’ School
Gemma joined Didcot Girls’ School in 2023 and has since progressed from Higher Level Teaching Assistant to English Teacher and Social Media and Marketing Lead.
I joined Didcot Girls’ School because its reputation for excellence and commitment to helping young people reach their potential strongly aligned with my personal values. I was looking for a new challenge and knew that working within such a high‑achieving, passionate team would be both motivating and fulfilling.
From the very start, the energy and enthusiasm of the staff were infectious. Within my first day, I knew I wanted to train to teach and play a part in shaping the school’s legacy for young people. The support I received was exceptional; DGS not only encouraged this step but actively guided me through the application process for the Ridgeway Education Trust’s School‑Centred Initial Teacher Training. The quality of this training meant I began my teaching career feeling confident, well prepared, and genuinely excited about the profession.
I have benefitted from a wide range of high quality CPD, from SEND support to developing effective modelling and explanations, all of which have helped me grow in confidence and continually improve my classroom practice.
What really stands out about DGS and Ridgeway Education Trust is the strong ethos of shared responsibility and leadership at every level. Staff are encouraged to contribute their skills and ideas, creating a culture where people feel trusted, valued, and supported.
I absolutely love my job. The staff are warm and supportive, and the students are a constant source of joy, reminding me every day why DGS is such a special place to work.
Joe Bates - MFL Teacher, Didcot Girls’ School
Joe joined Ridgeway Education Trust in 2024 as a trainee in the RET SCITT and after placements at schools across the trust secured a permanent position at Didcot Girls’ School.
Looking for a career change to teaching, I wanted to join Didcot Girls School because it’s a school which not only educates girls to the high standards that all children deserve but is equipping and empowering them to be the leaders of our future. Since joining, I've benefited from regular CPD opportunities to support my development, including bitesize teaching and learning briefings, regular and supportive feedback from colleagues and access to mentoring.
Having held leadership and management positions in my previous career, I've found it reassuring to see that leadership is part of the DNA of the trust, with colleagues at all levels encouraged to exercise different skills and facets of leadership in their roles. With learning and development a part of the school's culture, I feel there are many opportunities available for professional growth.
While teaching is a demanding profession, I love my job because of the passion that my colleagues bring to their role every day and the unwavering commitment to students' support and development. That in turn inspires me to perform to my best.
Leoni Barnes - Library Manager, Didcot Girls’ School and RET Reading for Pleasure Lead
Leoni started working at Didcot Girls’ School in 2014 as a decision to change career. Having initially joined the busy school office, the position of Library Manager became available, which was an exciting opportunity to try something new. In 2023, Leoni was appointed as Reading for Pleasure lead for Ridgeway Education Trust, alongside her role in the DGS library. In her RET role, Leoni works across the eight trust schools creating reading opportunities and experiences for all of our children and young people.
In 2023 I gained accreditation from the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals, which was a culmination of various study including webinars, reading and case studies. My confidence as a leader has grown hugely with the support of the Trust – both through the potential Trust leaders saw in me to excel in a role that I was completely new to, as well as providing the opportunity for me to consolidate my expertise through the chartership process. There is a real culture in the Trust of helping staff to find our passion and supporting us to take our career in our chosen direction.
I love my job because I have the freedom to be creative and try out new ideas with students. Working with young people is hugely rewarding, especially when you can inspire them to pick up a book! Didcot Girls’ School is a very friendly and nurturing place to work; everyone cares about the outcomes for our young people. I am proud to be a part of such a community and to be able to play a small but important part in students’ lives.
