Our new blog series ‘Spotlight on Staff’ has been launched to showcase the great team we have here at Dartmoor Multi Academy Trust. 

We are keen to introduce you to the large team of fantastic staff we have across the Trust and to give you an insight into the work they do as we strive to serve our stakeholders and improve the life chances of the students in our schools.

Veronica Lloyd Richards, Director of Education, joins us as the next guest for Spotlight on Staff

Can you give a brief overview of your role at the Trust and some information about your career so far?

I always knew I wanted to teach and so went straight from university to do my PGCE in London in 1999. I started as a music teacher then moved into middle leadership, first as a curriculum leader and then as a head of year. After a sabbatical year in Thailand and Cambodia working as a scuba diver, I joined the Future Leaders programme in 2008 and began my journey into senior leadership in two different schools in Westminster. Before joining DMAT, I was Head of Professional Development at Ark Schools leading on CPD and teaching and learning in a network of 38 schools.

What do you enjoy most about working for the Trust?

I love serving the community I live in and knowing that the work we do has a real and tangible impact on the lives of families in this beautiful part of the country.

How would you describe your team/ people you work with?

The D Schools team and the principals of our schools are exceptional people who are driven by real moral purpose and an unfailing commitment to serve our communities. They are a special group of educators who I feel honoured to work alongside.

What are some of the challenges that you face within the sector?

Our biggest challenge is also our greatest privilege. Schools are at the heart of communities, and we are often on the front line of supporting families through challenges and difficulties. This is especially true as we deal with the effects of Covid lockdowns on society and young people and as we face a cost-of-living crisis which is impacting so many families.

If you could tell your younger self one thing, what would it be?

That teaching is the best job in the world and you never quite know where it will take you!