Our School Team

Catherine@releasingpotential.com 

Catherine joined Releasing Potential in 2012 as Operations Manager of what was then a small charity. Catherine’s background is in education, having taught in secondary, tertiary and Higher Education; she has also worked for many years with vulnerable young people in a range of day services and residential programmes. Catherine oversees operations for the whole charity, and her role within the School is to lead on HR and Safeguarding as well as the work of the Releasing Potential Institute.

Alex@releasingpotential.com

Alex joined Releasing Potential in 2016, coordinating the work of the organisation’s professional services.  Since then Alex has gone on to develop the Releasing Potential Institute and looks after professional and teacher-training across RP. Alex’s background is in Higher Education (teaching & research) and she is currently seconded to RP School to oversee the implementation and progress of Curriculum 2022-2023 and Alternative Provision working closely with the Curriculum Lead and AP Manager.

Katy@releasingpotential.com

Katy spent her student placement at Releasing Potential in 2007 and joined the team full time the following year. Katy was instrumental in designing the Engage programme and delivered on it as Engage Lead from its inception in 2011 until 2016. Katy leads our Engage team and is responsible for the programme across a number of groups; she deputises for Lara as Assistant Head of Education.

Wayne@releasingpotential.com 

Wayne joined Releasing Potential in 2012, having worked previously at a Pupil Referral Unit. Wayne has designed the Activation programme, which has developed out of Wayne’s  love for the outdoors and his previous career in the Royal Navy. Activation involves outdoor or sporting activities, usually with a competitive edge, and often based on exciting narrative scenarios. Wayne heads up all Mentoring across the school, and also delivers the RLSS National Water Safety Management Programme.

Carol@releasingpotential.com

Carol is a qualified teacher and joined Releasing Potential in March 2021 as Functional Skills Lead; she has been Curriculum Lead since May 2022. Carol has a wealth of experience in teaching Functional Skills in FE colleges and for private training providers. She is responsible for overseeing the delivery of the curriculum within RP School.  Carol is married with 2 children and enjoys travelling, spending time with her family and walking her two dogs. 

Russell@releasingpotential.com

Russell has returned to RP after a 7 year hiatus during which he has worked with a range of Youth Work organisations as a senior manager. Russell heads up our Alternative Provision, providing bespoke 1:1 sessions aimed at enabling students who have been out of education to transition to the RP School and access the full curriculum. Russell is qualified in a range of outdoor skills and brings his significant experience of 1:1 and small group work to his role coordinating Alternative Provision.

CarolS@releasingpotential.com

Carol is a qualified teacher and SENCO and joined RP in August 2021. She has 15 years of teaching experience in Primary schools and for the last 5 years and brings a wealth of SEN experience with her. Carol enjoys being active and can be found at a local Parkrun on a Saturday morning or mountain biking in the South Downs with her family.

Charlotte@releasingpotential.com

Charlotte joined Releasing Potential in 2022 as a Mentor and has recently joined the Curriculum Team as Subject Lead for Project. Charlotte brings a wealth of experience to the role, having worked in a range of sectors in industry and education. Most recently Charlotte has worked as a specialist TA in an SEND primary school provision. 

Karl@releasingpotential.com 

Karl joined Releasing Potential in 2017 as a Mentor in our Activation programme; he has a background in Outdoor Education and in SEN, and holds a Level 3 in the Management of Challenging Behaviour (NCFE) as well as a range of NGB awards in outdoor activities. He is responsible for overseeing Outdoor Education delivery within RP School.

Lee@releasingpotential.com

Lee joined Releasing Potential in April 2020. He comes from a background in catering of over 30yrs, spending 17 of those in both the Royal Navy & Royal Air Force. During his time in the military, Lee was employed as a Chef Instructor teaching NVQ cookery & craft skills to Chef recruits. Lee is married with 2 children and his main passion is his motorbike, as well as cake decorating & sugarcraft.

Nicky@releasingpotential.com

Nicky is a qualified teacher with interests in science, sociology, theology and ecology. She is passionate about giving every child the best chance at education. She has experience in SEMH education, especially support for ASD and Dyslexia. Out of work she can be found paddling at low tide with her dogs, making bread or covering something in glitter.

Heidi@releasingpotential.com 

SteveP@releasingpotential.com

Steve is a qualified teacher and joined RP September 2020.  Steve has a wealth of experience gained through 25 years of secondary and post 16 teaching.  In addition he has over 30 years’ experience of voluntary youth work.  Steve enjoys outdoor activities including walking, running and cycling as well as DIY and gardening.

Paul@releasingpotential.com

Paul joined Releasing Potential in June 2022 as a Functional Skills Tutor. Paul has taught a wide range of subjects to SEN pupils across Primary, Secondary and Post 16. Before teaching, Paul spent 10 years in business, specialising in business process reengineering and complex software solutions. Paul enjoys spending time gardening, reading and watching rugby

Aiysha@releasingpotential.com

Aiysha joined Releasing Potential in 2020 and delivers English and Maths Functional Skills. With a background in languages and having lived and worked abroad, Aiysha has taught children from all cultures and backgrounds and strongly believes that education is every child’s right. She has worked in education since graduating from the University of Leeds in 2016.

Daniella@releasingpotential.com

Daniella joined Releasing Potential in 2022 as an Outdoor Mentor, having worked in a range of education settings and with a number of qualifications in Outdoor skills. Dani has worked most recently as a breakfast and after school club activities coordinator and as a specialist Life Skills TA at Portsmouth College. 

Duncan@releasingpotential.com 

Duncan joined Releasing Potential in 2018 as a Tutor, having worked in Youth Work for several years. Duncan has extensive experience as an outdoor-qualified instructor (sailing in particular) and has a BSc in Sports Sciences from Edge Hill University as well as a BTEC in Sports and Exercise Studies.  Duncan works with students on a 1:1 basis and brings his passion for sport and the outdoors to his role.

Emma@releasingpotential.com 

Emma joined Releasing Potential as a Mentor in Autumn 2018, having worked previously as an Outdoor Instructor. Emma has extensive experience of sailing and water sports in particular, and holds a BA in Outdoor and Adventure Education from the University of Chichester. Emma works with students on a 1:1 basis, and heads up one of our Post-16 Traineeship projects based at the RP Coastal Centre Nortney. 

Georgia@releasingpotential.com

Georgia joined Releasing Potential as a Mentor in Autumn 2019. Georgia has worked as a fully qualified Countryside Ranger in the Chichester and Hampshire areas for over 14 years. She has led conservation and building skills outdoor classes with many local SEN and Mainstream schools. She holds Countryside and Wildlife Conservation management qualifications – she likes beachcombing and bird watching.

Greg@releasingpotential.com 

Greg is an Outdoor and Adventure Education graduate from the University of Chichester. He has a sincere love of all things natural and a background in climbing instruction. Greg joined Releasing Potential in 2019 as a Mentor working within our Engage provision and now supports students 1:1.

HelenC@releasingpotential.com 

Helen joined Releasing Potential as a 1:1 Mentor in 2020. She has worked in mainstream schools for the past 10 years supporting young people in maths and science, either in the classroom or as part of small group teaching and 1:1 sessions. Helen loves being outdoors and enjoys outdoor ed. Helen is a qualified Mediator and practices mediation in her spare time.

Isabelle@releasingpotential.com

Isabelle attended Sparsholt College to study Equine studies after school. She has previously worked in a mainstream school and prior to this worked in the horse racing industry. She enjoys horse riding and being outdoors. Isabelle works with students on the Activation programme at our Chichester school site.

Ivan@releasingpotential.com  

Ivan is a qualified teacher and has worked previously in mainstream primary schools, while also pursuing an interest in outdoor education.  He now splits his time between mentoring at Releasing Potential, and working on his own ‘green woodworking’ projects, as well as running spoon carving and stool making courses in the woods.  Ivan loves incorporating woodworking into his mentoring at RP where possible.

previously Kim@releasingpotential.com  

Kim joined Releasing Potential in July 2022 as a Mentor with a focus on functional skills. Kim has previously worked as a specialist LSA within a mainstream school’s Special Educational Needs provision and brings a wealth of experience to her new role.

Leslie@releasingpotential.com  

Lesley joined Releasing Potential in 2019 after having previously worked in primary provision. Lesley works as a Mentor 1:1 with students and specialises in using her creative talents to support students in practical activities. Lesley runs our RP Printing business, through which she offers work placements to Year 11 and post-16 students with an interest in graphic design and printing. 

Lisa@releasingpotential.com

Lisa joined Releasing Potential in 2020. She qualified as a Football Coach in 2006, coaching in mainstream settings until 2008, when she went to work for Albion in the community for the disability department. Lisa has worked as a community football coach ever since. Lisa adores being out and about in the town & countryside and spending time with & around animals. 

LouiseC@releasingpotential.com

Louise started as a Mentor in September 2021. Louise has a background in social care and has worked in both specialist education and integrated offender management. Louise attended Solent University and achieved a Social Work Degree. In her spare time she likes to go to the theatre. 

MikeM@releasingpotential.com 

Mike joined Releasing Potential in 2018. Mike’s background is originally in sports, having done a BSc Sports Science degree and then trained and worked as a personal trainer. Mike then trained as a teacher doing a PGCEi and worked in an international school for a number of years before moving back to England to work in an SEBD school.

MillyJ@releasingpotential.com 

Milly joined Releasing Potential in 2011 as an assistant to an Engage group whilst studying Water Sports Studies and Management at University. Milly has experience working with SEN and vulnerable young people. Through her time at Releasing Potential she has run an Engage group and supported with sailing through the summer. Last year Milly went away to train as a Primary School teacher and has returned to help run our Explore provision.

Nick@releasingpotential.com

Nick joined Releasing Potential in 2020 as a Mentor and works across 1:1 and Engage groups. He is a Flag (American) Football coach/player and comes from a media and film background. 

NickP@releasingpotential.com

Nick joined Releasing Potential in October 2021 having previously worked as a teacher in an Independent SEN SEMH school. Nick has a degree in Adventure Education and a PGCE in Primary Education. Nick’s background in the outdoors comes from the world of Paddlesport where he has worked with a variety of centres and clubs, helping to overhaul procedures whilst leading on British Caneoing and IOL inspections. 

Sara@releasingpotential.com

Sara joined Releasing Potential in April 2021 as an Engage Mentor. Sara is a qualified teacher, with a creative background in Arts and Crafts. Sara is keen to educate and help students to understand the wider world after their time in education. Sara has a passion for nature, sports and travel.

SarahWest@releasingpotential.com

Sarah has worked in education and the community for 22 years. She has developed a passion for working with children with SEMH difficulties, which she has had experience of in the primary sector. Sarah has a BA (Hons) in Childhood Studies, and enthusiasm for the outdoors. Sarah joined Releasing Potential in 2019 as a mentor working 1:1 with students; she brings  her love of the outdoors to this work.

Sue@releasingpotential.com