Leadership Team

Miss Longhurst joined Royal Greenwich Trust School in September 2019 as Associate Headteacher, and been successful in achieving the post of Interim Headteacher since joining. Miss Longhurst has extensive leadership experience acquired through various roles within the secondary sector including Education Consultant, Principal/Headteacher, Co-principal, Associate Principal, Deputy Headteacher and Assistant Headteacher.

As a highly motivated and innovative leader, Miss Longhurst has a proven track record for successfully leading and managing across diverse areas of responsibility. Her core talent in viewing challenges as opportunities and in achieving intended outcomes with drive and enthusiasm supports her dedication to raising standards.

Miss Longhurst is an advocate for young people who, at the heart of all decisions and actions, maintains clarity on what is ultimately of greatest benefit to the students within the learning community.

Jillur began his teaching career in 2005 as teacher of Business and Economics at Eastbury Comprehensive School in Barking. Over the next 13 years he progressed to become head of department and then director of learning. Jillur has experience working in several comprehensive schools across the East London area.

In January 2016 Jillur was appointed as the Deputy Head teacher at Royal Greenwich Technical College (UTC). This was a period of great change, during which time, the UTC was converted to a secondary school now known as Royal Greenwich Trust School as part of UST.  Most recently Jillur has been leading the ambitious design and build of the new school extension, and also lead on student outcomes as well as standards and curriculum.

Jillur believes that no child should be denied the transformative power of a great education. He believes that this school journey should be a distinctive and special experience. It should provide students with outstanding opportunities to learn, develop, and realise their full potential. Jillur has a relentless desire to help students make the most of their school life and to help them gain the skills, confidence and understanding to realise their ambitions and to contribute fully to our society and the communities they choose to serve.

Ms Alam qualified as an English teacher through the Teach First Leadership Development Programme having studied at King’s College London. She has a masters in Educational Leadership in Urban Contexts from the University of Manchester. She has taught in schools in Manchester, Greenwich and Tower Hamlets, putting into practice her educational knowledge of teaching in Urban Contexts from University.

Ms Alam was selected as a UK delegate for the Global Teaching Summit and continues to be a member of the global Teach For All Network.

Ms Alam has been an English curriculum leader, Head of Year, Head of Key Stage 4 and Director of Learning and brings experience of systems and processes in a start-up school environment, as well as a thorough understanding of teaching and learning, having led the School of Education at St Paul’s Way Trust School, part of the UST.

Miss Cleary is our Director of Learning (Inclusion and Safeguarding). She joined the School in October 2014 as curriculum lead for Art, Design and Technology. Miss Cleary has extensive experience leading both pastoral and curriculum teams in schools in central Manchester and London since 2000. She has held safeguarding responsibilities since 2004 and has been the Designated Safeguarding Lead at Royal Greenwich Trust School for two years. Miss Cleary is the single point of contact for external platforms and organisations including the police, and has developed strong links with other agencies in the wider community. Miss Cleary ran a weekly Engineering and Construction Project, for two years with sixth form students as part of a unique outreach programme with Bloomberg UK connected to their new Headquarters in the city. This partnership is now fully embedded across all year groups providing students with regular enrichment opportunities.

Miss Cariss joined the Royal Greenwich Trust School school in September 2017 as an experienced Head of English having taught in London for a number of years. Following a successful first year in the post she was promoted to the post of DoL: Teaching and Learning in September 2018 which is a fantastic opportunity in a school that quickly has become ‘home’ to her. Teaching and leading in a University Schools Trust school has been incredibly rewarding and she feels she have been given both the support and autonomy to make a real impact on student’s learning and educational experiences. Being part of the SLT she is excited to see what the future holds for the UST schools and the limitless opportunities that they provide for their learners.

In September 2017 Miss Saunders joined RGTS as Head of Year 7 at the start of its’ journey as a comprehensive secondary school. As Director of Learning for Behaviour Miss Saunders goes above and beyond to provide pastoral support and interventions to support young people, ensuring appropriate interventions are deployed to support young people with their behaviour for learning.

Miss Saunders has a passion for ensuring that every young person realises and achieves their true potential, and will ensure that the curriculum and school’s extra-curriculum allows for this to happen.  Miss Saunders places high emphasis on excellent relationships with parents and external stakeholders to ensure they work collaboratively with the students’ best interest in mind.

On completing two years of the Teach First graduate scheme it was clear that Miss Saunders’ passion was providing excellent pastoral support for young people which lead to securing Head of Year roles, and a Deputy Sixth Form post in previous schools. Miss Saunders has a wide range of pastoral leadership experience, as well as experience in building curriculums.

Mr Martin is our Director of Learning (School Systems and Procedures), working with the school from the beginning of our partnership with the University School Trust.  Before dedicating his career to raising standards in comprehensive education, Mr Martin studied Computer Science at Imperial College London and worked as a software developer in Canary Wharf.  Throughout his teaching career he has been passionate about introducing pupils of all ages to Computer Science and worked as a Master Teacher for Computing at School. Mr Martin leads the school in our use of technology for learning, use of student assessment data, external examinations and is Acting Head of Science.  Mr Martin teaches A-level Computer Science where students have recently completed projects in developing Artificial Intelligences.

Mr Fitzpatrick is proud to be a part of Royal Greenwich Trust School as they have limitless ambitions for their learners. He is steadfastly devoted to ensuring that our Sixth Formers are given a world-class education and access to the best opportunities to develop their academic and career skills, using his wide range of contacts and networks to nurture our young global citizens. He has a wide range of experience across the educational and corporate sector. Mr Fitzpatrick began his career working at Cambridge University, in Widening Participation and Raising Aspirations; striving to encourage talented young people from deprived areas of the country to apply to the most selective universities. He then took on similar roles in the City of London, working with schools, investment banks, law firms and charities to encourage young people to set their career aims high. He joined the University Schools Trust, first at St Paul’s Way Trust School and, from February 2018, at the Royal Greenwich Trust School.