CPD, support & wellbeing

My name is Olivia Gunner and I am now an Assistant Headteacher at Willow Tree, the newest school in our trust. Prior to this role, I taught at Laurance Haines School for ten years, where I worked as a Year 2 class teacher alongside an incredible team. I initially joined the school as a cover teacher before moving into a permanent classroom role. Within a week, I knew I had made the right choice. It was one of the most caring and nurturing schools I had experienced, where the wellbeing of children was always at the heart of everything staff did.

I began my NQT year at another school; however, the support and training available there did not allow me to develop to the best of my abilities. Moving to Laurance Haines School gave me the opportunity to thrive. The support and CPD opportunities provided throughout my career there were phenomenal and continued well beyond my NQT year. I also completed Mental Health First Aid training to support both staff and pupils, reflecting an area I am deeply passionate about.

During my time at the school, I became a staff governor, which greatly developed my understanding of the strategic challenges facing the education sector. I progressed through a variety of leadership opportunities and was supported in achieving my goal of becoming KS1 Lead. This experience also enabled me to become an external KS1 moderator for HFL Education.

One highlight was completing an Erasmus project focused on mental health and wellbeing in schools. As part of this project, I travelled to Italy and Spain with pupils to explore and compare wellbeing provision across Europe. My experiences throughout my career have strengthened my passion for education, wellbeing, and leadership, and I am excited to continue this journey in my role at Willow Tree.