Dr Stef Edwards retired in 2024 following a long career in primary education, most recently serving eight years as Chief Executive of Learn Academies Trust (Learn-AT), a charitable educational trust of 19 primary schools in Leicestershire. Stef started teaching in1986, specialised in primary English, and was headteacher of a small village primary school for 11 years until being appointed to the role of leader of Learn-AT in 2016. She was a National Leader of Education, a Founding Fellow of the Chartered College of Teaching and had a career-long commitment to developing teachers’ research-informed professional learning. Building on a master’s in education research Inquiry, Stef was awarded a professional doctorate (EdD) by the University of Brighton in 2023, following a study of the leadership of teachers’ professional learning in Lesson Study contexts in a group of primary schools. Stef is now thoroughly enjoying retirement, and continues to serve on the Chartered College of Teaching’s Constitutional Committee.
