What was the inspiration behind Cripps Education Group? 

I grew up in London, where education, sport and community shaped the person—and the educator—I would become. From an early age, I developed a passion for high-level performance, competing and training across Football, Tennis, Boxing, Kickboxing, Mixed Martial Arts, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Snowboarding. These experiences taught me the value of discipline, resilience and self-belief—qualities that have remained central throughout my career.

After studying Politics at the University of London, I became a PE teacher with a clear purpose: to ensure that young people in Inner London could access high-quality sporting opportunities, regardless of their circumstances. Alongside teaching, I worked as a scout and coach for several professional football clubs and managed teams at district and London county level. My teams achieved considerable success, winning London competitions, league titles and an English National Championship.

As my career progressed, I became a Head of Department, leading improvements in both educational and sporting outcomes. However, it was my subsequent role as a Head of Year that strengthened my passion for pastoral care. I found enormous fulfilment in supporting young people through challenges, rebuilding their confidence and helping them develop a more positive relationship with education.

My commitment to developing others extended beyond the students in my school. I trained and mentored student teachers, supported colleagues entering the profession and worked as a visiting university lecturer, teaching both undergraduates and aspiring educators.

More recently, I began working closely with young people accessing alternative provision. These students often faced significant barriers to education, including special educational needs, behavioural challenges, social and emotional difficulties, disrupted schooling and the complexities associated with Education, Health and Care Plans. This work reinforced my belief that every learner can make progress when education is built around the individual—not the system.

I founded Cripps Education Group to put that belief into practice. We provide high-quality, online personalised tuition and educational support for schools, local authorities, families and young people. Our approach looks beyond academic targets to understand each student’s experiences, strengths and barriers to success. The aim is not simply to teach a subject, but to rebuild confidence, encourage engagement and help every learner recognise their potential.

Cripps Education Group also supports talented young athletes who must balance the demands of education with intensive training, competition and travel. Drawing upon my experience in education and high-performance sport, I understand the pressures these young people face. We help them remain academically engaged, catch up on missed learning and develop the organisation, resilience and confidence required to succeed both inside and outside sport.

My career has taken me from the sports field to the classroom, from school leadership to university teaching, and from mainstream education to highly personalised alternative provision. Throughout it all, one principle has remained constant: every young person deserves to be understood, supported and given a genuine opportunity to succeed.