Meet the team

Jason Marantz

Jason is an experienced school improvement partner in Hackney who has helped schools develop strategies to improve teaching, learning and leadership. Currently serving as the interim assistant director, he has served as the senior primary adviser and the strategic lead on primary assessment for the borough. He has established an assessment network of primary schools which considers research and develops and shares good practice in curriculum, pedagogy and assessment. Jason has worked as a senior leader for 15 years, including as a Headteacher of two primary schools. He has also served as a head of a teacher training provider where he developed teacher training programmes in partnership with universities. He has trained emerging and established school leaders and governors to be effective and evaluative. 

Jason has an MA in Literacy Learning and Literacy Difficulties and his areas of expertise include using coaching to improve teaching and leadership; literacy learning, including reading and writing at the primary level; school review and self evaluation; and facilitating headteacher performance management. 

Anushka Sonpal

Anushka has over 15 years experience working at primary level. She was a primary Modern Foreign Languages (MFL) Advanced Skills Teacher in London and currently works as a freelance Primary Language Consultant in Hackney Education.

Anushka has organised and led trips to Spain for primary pupils across London and supported several schools to lead their own. She is also an experienced teacher-trainer and a Senior Lecturer at the University of East London (UEL) for Primary PGCE. She has a proven track record of supporting trainees and experienced teachers to achieve excellent outcomes with pupils through coaching and mentoring.

Claire Tregear

Claire has over 22 years experience in primary education as a teacher, leader, and currently, as an Associate Deputy Headteacher for Hackney Education where she leads on whole school behaviour and PSHE (including primary RSHE) for Hackney primary schools. 

Claire has a master's degree in Teaching and Learning with a Distinction from the Institute of Education. As a teacher, Claire worked across all key phases, as well as a lead behaviour professional, SENCo leader, ICT Coordinator, ECT mentor and teacher governor. In Hackney Education, she delivers extensive training and support to schools at leadership and classroom level including whole school policy and initiatives, such as positive behaviour management, attachment and trauma training, restorative approaches, solution-focused approaches and social and emotional aspects of learning, and emotional intelligence in the classroom. In addition, Claire supports primary schools as a WAMHS Wellbeing Framework Partner for the CAMHS Alliance pilot project in Hackney, and is a Moderation Manager, training KS1 and KS2 moderators.

Richard Boxall

Richard is an accomplished trainer and Teacher Leader who trained with Dame Marie Clay at the Institute of Education and has experience working with nursery, primary, secondary and adult students across settings. 

He originally trained as a teacher of the deaf, and was responsible for leading the first fully integrated hearing impaired unit in Tower Hamlets. He currently leads Hackney Education’s Daily Supported Reading (DSR) programme; an internationally acclaimed approach to the teaching of early reading in KS1, which he designed in partnership with teacher colleagues, currently used in schools across the UK and in Denmark. Central to his development has been a curiosity and deep fascination with the process of children’s language and literacy acquisition, as well as his interest in effective and creative responses to reading underachievement. 

Rosie Condon

Rosie has worked in primary education in London for over 20 years. Her love and knowledge of reading and literacy has been a constant throughout her career. She taught for 11 years in an outstanding Hackney school, initially as a Literacy Lead before becoming Deputy Head and Head of School.

Currently, Rosie works on the Destination Reader and Daily Supported Reading team in Hackney Education. As part of her role, she develops, trains and supports primary reading working closely with schools in Hackney and beyond, and develops and supports leaders to model and build effective teaching. She has also successfully completed her NPQH and trained as a Reading Recovery teacher, furthering her knowledge and understanding of reading skills and attainment. 

Emma Burton

Emma has 19 years experience within primary education and currently works as an Associate Deputy Head Teacher and Primary Maths Consultant in Hackney. Having worked with Hackney Education for 8 years, she supports schools and settings with her maths expertise, focusing on raising standards and improving outcomes for all children in mathematics.

Prior to this, Emma was a specialist Maths teacher, mentor and trainer across the primary age phase. She has a Postgraduate Diploma in Maths Specialist Teaching, and understands the importance of developing pupils as mathematical-thinkers and independent problem-solvers. Emma’s other responsibilities include primary maths and science training, Appropriate Body work, ECT training and Raising Achievement co-ordination.

Kathleen O’Connor

Kathleen has worked for over 25 years in primary schools in Tower Hamlets, Hackney and Australia as a senior leader, governor and subject lead on various areas of the curriculum. She currently works as an Associate Deputy Headteacher and Teaching and Learning Consultant for Hackney Education, advising on Primary Literacy and working intensively with schools to support leadership and train, monitor and coach teachers and literacy-leads. 

Kathleen worked with a group of Hackney teachers to develop a KS2 model for teaching reading called ’Hackney Loves Reading.’ This became ‘Destination Reader’, a programme now used in 200+ schools across England and abroad. Kathleen works with colleagues to oversee the development of the approach through training and ongoing support for schools. She has also worked strategically to improve reading in other local authorities and academy trusts, and has worked with schools in London and Sussex as part of the School Strategic Improvement Fund.