An interview with Lisa Bradshaw on working with Inspire Learning Teaching School Hub

Lisa Bradshaw, director of North West Learning Partnership and senior lead for NW3 Maths Hub, boasts an extensive career in education spanning an incredible 22 years, where she has served as a school leader before reaching her current role.

Lisa’s role at the helm of the NW3 Maths Hub has seen her work in partnership with schools across the region and establish a network of partners, including the designated teaching school hub for Liverpool and Wirral, Inspire Learning Teaching School Hub (TSH).

Before the national roll-out of teaching school hubs, Lisa already had a working relationship with Inspire Learning TSH’s director, Jane Kennedy, a relationship which Lisa praises for fostering a partnership that champions creativity, collaboration and innovation.

As part of the 2024 intake, Inspire Learning TSH announced it would be delivering the Leading Primary Mathematics National Professional Qualification (NPQ) in partnership with the Cheshire and Wirral Maths Hub and the NW3 Maths Hub – the hub which Lisa is part of.

Lisa said: “I think effective partnerships are about relationships, and people buy into people. Jane and I have always had a very strong relationship, we have always supported each other in whatever we have done, and I think this forms the strong foundations for the working partnership between the maths hub and Inspire.”

Lisa highlighted how at the centre of the partnership with Inspire Learning TSH is a shared goal to deliver training that ignites passion, curiosity, and collaboration and demonstrates a unified stance of the hubs working together.

She added: “It is important that we work alongside Jane and her team at Inspire Learning TSH to deliver a programme that elevates alignment and consistency. We are stronger together. We have a very strong track record in school improvement and why we want to collaborate.

“We are always seeking ways to level up our partnership and ensure we are meeting the needs of every school and ultimately, their students. If we improve teachers and we can support them, the children’s outcomes will naturally come.”

When asked what makes Inspire Learning TSH great, Lisa shared how the honesty and transparency of Jane and her team make the collaboration more effective.

Lisa commented: “We both want the same things, and it is fantastic to work alongside Inspire Learning TSH and share best practice, intelligence and information. This continuous collaboration helps us inform our approach and helps create a more sustainable system for the sector.”

Applications for the autumn NPQ cohort will officially open in July.

More information on NPQs can be found on the Inspire Learning TSH website here.

Registrations for NPQs are completed on the Department for Education portal here.