Heather Mann
Leadership and School Improvement
Heather is a pioneering senior education leader with 25 years experience driving school improvement in the UK and international settings. She has founded and led high-performing K-12 British, American and IB schools in the UAE and is familiar with both ADEK and KHDA regulatory requirements. With a Master’s in Educational Leadership and Management, Heather has supported schools through challenging circumstances as a School Improvement Partner, Headteacher mentor, and Local Authority Inspector. Her expertise spans strategic planning, data-driven decision-making, and stakeholder engagement, leading to sustained academic growth and quality assurance. As Charter Schools Director and later group Director of Education, Heather worked closely with regulators during periods of rapid development. Passionate about nurturing successful students, she continues to coach leaders, facilitate and assess NPQ qualifications, and support schools with inspection readiness and improvement planning.
Key Accomplishments:
- Instrumental in establishing an Education Action Zone in Croydon
- Led a school in achieving three ‘outstanding’ Ofsted ratings
- Provided support to schools in challenging circumstances, often pre or post inspection
- Conducted multiple reviews and inspections in early years, primary and secondary settings coving English, American and IB curriculums.
- Worked in partnership with Abu Dhabi Education to establish Charter Schools
- Oversaw and guided the expansion of a school group from 7 to 23 schools
Services Offered:
- All aspects and levels of school leadership
- Leading new and expanding schools
- School improvement
- Working with regulators, boards and investors
- Preparation for school reviews and inspection
- Leadership preparation, interview preparation and development
- KHDA and ADEK leadership preparation, including Principal Interview prep
Core Values:
Integrity – Reliability – Respect – Resilience – Kindness – Trust – Empathy
Heather’s values stem from experience across a range of different organisations and high performing teams and they have greatly contributed to her continued job satisfaction and enthusiasm for education. Her commitment to making a difference and the belief that all schools and individuals can improve are a result of her personal philosophy that hard work and persistence delivers results.
Leadership Style:
Heather believes there is no ‘best’ leadership style, instead applies different leadership methods that are the most appropriate to the environment and need, adopting the style that will have the greatest impact on learning and achievement, whether that be of a school, an individual, or an organisation.
Consultancy Basis
Flexible to suit the needs of the individual or the organisation.