Rachel graduated from the University of Leeds with a BA (Hons) in Geography before then completing her PGCE in Secondary Geography Teaching. Once qualified, Rachel began her teaching career at a comprehensive in Leeds, holding several leadership roles including within post-16 and teaching and learning.

Alongside her first years of teaching, Rachel completed her Master's in Teaching at the University of Leeds in 2011. Graduating with a distinction, she was then asked to lead seminars to subsequent cohorts of masters' students.

As a passionate geographer, Rachel moved to the White Rose Academies Trust in 2015 for the opportunity to apply her teaching and learning experience to develop the geography departments across the trust.

In 2018, Rachel joined the senior leadership team within the White Rose Trust, with a particular focus on continuing professional development (CPD). At a trust level, this saw the creation and implementation of a CPD package for all colleagues across the trust with ten programmes established, including 'aspiring leaders', 'leadership development' and 'vulnerable groups'.

In September 2021, following a successful secondment, Rachel joined Leeds City Academy as Vice Principal for Quality of Education. In this role, Rachel worked with middle leaders to develop the curriculum intent and implementation across the academy. The impact of this was seen in 2024, in the academy’s most successful GCSE results and the feedback from the Ofsted inspection of December 2024.

Rachel has now returned to Derbyshire to be closer to family and is delighted to join Westfield in its vision for outstanding achievement for all.