KEY STAFF

Sarah has been Headteacher of Hamilton School since 2021, bringing with her more than two decades of teaching experience and twelve years of specialist work with students with Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) needs. Previously, she served as Assistant Headteacher and Maths Lead at Chiltern Way Academy in Wokingham, a dedicated provision for children with ASC and SEMH needs.

In 2015, Sarah helped launch Aspire@Wokingham, an ambitious initiative created by Wokingham Borough Council to re-engage young people aged 14–16 with SEMH needs who were no longer in full-time education. Under her leadership as Centre Manager, the programme achieved remarkable success, enabling 90% of students to progress into positive next steps, including apprenticeships and college pathways. Although Aspire@Wokingham closed after two years due to funding challenges, its outcomes demonstrated the power of targeted, nurturing support.

Today, Sarah draws on this wealth of experience to lead Hamilton School with passion, high expectations, and a strong commitment to inclusive practice. She is proud to work in partnership with students, families, staff, and the Maiden Erlegh Trust as the school continues to grow and thrive.

Crispian has been a teacher for over 25 years with 15 years experience in Senior Leadership. His specialism is working with young people with SEMH and has worked in a number of different schools including 2 different secure units, 2 different PRUs and 2 Independent Special Schools. 

He has completed his NPQH and has been a Headteacher for 3 different schools. 

Crispian is very passionate about teaching and learning and his role at Hamilton is to continue the development of the curriculum as well as learning and teaching. 

Clare has dedicated over 30 years to education, bringing a wealth of experience to her role as Assistant Headteacher. She began her teaching career at Chiltern Edge in Sonning Common, where she taught Modern Foreign Languages and quickly discovered a passion for pastoral care — especially supporting students with social, emotional, and mental health (SEMH) needs and those with autism.

Over the years, Clare has held a variety of middle leadership roles, including several years as Head of Year. Following Maiden Erlegh Trust’s takeover of Chiltern Edge in 2017, she became Director of Learning for Key Stage 3 and then Head of Year until December 2024. She was also the school's mentor for Early Career Teachers, supporting newly qualified teachers.

In January 2025, Clare embraced a long-held interest in special educational needs by joining Hamilton, transitioning from mainstream education to the SEN sector. Her extensive experience in middle leadership has provided a strong foundation for her move into senior leadership, and she is excited to contribute to Hamilton’s continued growth and success, supporting both students and staff on their journey.