ÎÞÂëרÇø has developed exceptional teachers, leaders and professional services staff in schools for over a decade.
We have an excellent reputation for delivering outstanding and innovative professional development for teachers, leaders and professional services staff across the Midlands and beyond and are a proud Associate College of the National Institute of Teaching. Associate Colleges are successful school trusts, selected because of their wealth of in-house expertise in professional development and their deep relationships in their local areas.
The aim of the WAT Talent Institute is to provide teaching and professional service staff with the very best professional learning opportunities. These opportunities are not limited to staff from within the WAT Family, we are part of the wider education family and inclusivity and collaboration is at the heart of everything we do.
Our comprehensive professional development programme includes National Qualifications for Leadership that help individuals enhance their skills, progress and make a real impact.
Our programmes are of the highest quality. We are part of a range of professional learning networks and work with industry-leading partners, such as Chartered College and Confederation of School Trusts, and local teaching school hubs and multi academy trusts to deliver outstanding continuous professional development.
Discover how we can help you and your staff progress. Find out more about our programmes.
Leyla Palmer, WAT's Head of Professional Learning and Talent, brings a wealth of expertise from her career in teaching and from her prior role as Teaching and Learning Assistant Headteacher. As a Specialist Leader of Education (SLE) and a Founding Member of the Chartered College of Teaching, Leyla holds a Master of Education (MEd), NPQs at various levels including the National Professional Qualification for Headship (NPQH), and was a member of Ambition Institute's Future Leader Cohort 20. Leyla has a commitment and passion for enabling all teachers, professional services staff and school leaders to have ongoing, life-long opportunities to access to high quality professional development and launched the WAT Talent Institute at ÎÞÂëרÇø last year, to support their mission to empower educators and unlock potential
Nathalie has over 25 years’ teaching experience in a number of schools across the West Midlands and Gloucestershire, although she started out in South London. She has enjoyed many different roles during her career, Head of Faculty in a Language College, and Advanced Skills Teacher, a Specialist Leader in Education and more recently at a local SCITT before joining WAT. At WAT she has led ECT and ITT provision as well as acting as a Lead Practitioner for MFL across our family of schools. More recently she has completed a Master’s in Educational Leadership as an apprentice with WAT! She loves to be part of the educational landscape and tries to contribute to education as a social mobility enabler.
Hayley has worked in a number of schools in the West Midlands as secondary English teacher, Head of English and senior leader. More recently, she has worked in teacher education as a tutor at Ambition Institute where she facilitated the full range of NPQ courses and teacher education programmes. She is also interested in Instructional Coaching and has coached and trained teachers across the country to become instructional coaches and implement coaching programmes in their schools. At ÎÞÂëרÇø, Mrs Bissell is ECF Lead and an ITT tutor and loves working with and supporting colleagues at the start of their teaching career.
Kayleigh is PA to the Professional Learning Team and has worked at ÎÞÂëרÇø for 3 years. Kayleigh works with the Professional Learning Team to support the delivery of high-quality professional development for teaching and professional services staff across the WAT Family and beyond.