Janet Sheriff, OBE: Chief Executive Officer (CEO)

BA Hons (Geography), PGCE Secondary (Geography), NPQH, National Leader of Education (NLE), Qualified Ofsted Inspector

Janet has significant headship experience, having worked as Headteacher in two large secondary schools, including Prince Henry's Grammar School since 2009. Ofsted have graded leadership and management at Prince Henry’s as ‘outstanding’. In April 2022, due to the growth of the Collaborative Learning Trust, Janet became full-time CEO.

Janet has had a range of senior leadership experience in a variety of schools in different socio-economic contexts. Before taking up headship at Prince Henry's, she successfully led a school, situated in one of the most socio-economically disadvantaged areas of Leeds, out of the Special Measures category. As strategic lead for the Yorkshire Leadership Community, Janet chairs a group made up of representatives from nearby Teaching School Alliances and Local Authorities. This partnership has been successful in providing teaching staff and school governors from across the region access to a range of high-quality, school-led leadership development programmes to match their needs.

Janet has several years’ experience as a School Improvement Adviser (SIP) working with a range of schools across North Yorkshire Local Authority. She was appointed as a National Leader of Education (NLE) in 2016 and, as a result, has supported colleague Headteachers and members of SLT in a number of schools. Janet was awarded an OBE for Services to Education in West Yorkshire, in the Queen’s New Year 2021 Honours List. She is an OFSTED Inspector.

You can read Janet’s article about being the first BME Secondary School Headteacher in Leeds here.