NAVSH Trustees

Matthew Cooke

NAVSH Chair

VSHT Suffolk

Matthew is the Chair of NAVSH having previously held the position of Membership and Regions Lead. He is a well known figure amongst the Virtual School community having facilitated many NAVSH websites and contributed to a number of regional conferences. Matthew is also a member of the secretary of state's Attendance Action Alliance.

Matthew knows the depth of knowledge and expertise that is held within our Virtual School community and is passionate about building networks that allow this expertise to be shared. However, Matthew also acknowledges the responsibility this year to navigate the additional demands being placed upon Virtual School Heads. This year he looks to strengthen the NAVSH team, adding capacity so that we can improve upon the membership benefits available to you. Our national and regional networks are such a font of knowledge and NAVSH will continue to support and facilitate opportunities to share excellent practice as well as commissioning additional resources to further support the invaluable work you all do.

Sue Johnson

NAVSH Vice Chair

VSHT Salford

Sue Johnson is the newly elected Vice-Chair, supporting Matthew and the Board to continue to develop the work of NAVSH.

Sue has been the Virtual School Head in Salford for a little over 6 years, having previously worked in a range of teaching and leadership roles in both mainstream and special schools, and under the National Strategies as a Behaviour & Attendance Consultant. I feel very fortunate to have landed in the wonderful world of the Virtual School Head; a role that is unique within an LA, but for whom there are boundless amounts of peer support from fellow Virtual Heads across the country.

Julie Bunn

NAVSH Immediate Past Chair

Julie Bunn has over 30 years experience in teaching and LA advisory roles Head of Achieving in Life Service NYCC. Virtual School Head (NPQH) for 7 years, in North Yorkshire and previously Middlesbrough. Member of Children and Families Senior Leadership team NYCC, leading the education strategy for Youth Justice.

Deputy Head of Vulnerable Learners in Middlesbrough, leading a multi-disciplinary team with a focus on vulnerable groups and strategic lead for Elective Home education. Lead of Ethnic Minority achievement Team working with all International New Arrivals and Gypsy Roma Traveller across all phases. SLT experience in primary and Early Years Lead.

Calvin Kipling

Communications Lead

VSHT Darlington

Kate Leyshon

Honorary Secretary

VSHT Sutton

Kate Leyshon has been Headteacher at Sutton Virtual School since 2018 and joined the NAVSH Board as Honorary Secretary in 2022. Kate has 15 years’ experience working as a Physical Education teacher and senior leader in the South East of England as well as being a Governor for a Federation of schools. Kate has a passion for working to support the most vulnerable children through education and believes in the power of sport and the arts to help young people further develop their strengths. Kate hopes to see NAVSH continue to grow and develop as a charity so the Virtual School network can reach more children and have a positive impact on their future lives.

Lynsey Burridge

Honorary Treasurer

VSHT Trafford

Sarah Clark

Membership & Regions Lead

VSHT West Sussex

Fay Blyth

Research Lead

Anwen Foy

CPD & Training Lead

VSHT Surrey

Anwen started her education career as a secondary school English teacher and has also worked in the FE sector. She has held a number of local authority roles over the years, focussing on improving outcomes of children and young people from vulnerable groups, including from Gypsy, Roma and Traveller heritages.

She is an experienced Virtual School Headteacher, a role she has undertaken in Hampshire, the Isle of Wight and now Surrey local authority. She is currently an Assistant Director in Surrey.

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