: Gill Power

Gill leads the Research Hub at CSS Essex, a service supporting some of the most complex and vulnerable pupils in the county. CSS is ambitious in its vision to become a beacon of excellence, creating the conditions in which high‑quality learning can flourish. Through structured engagement with educational research, CSS encourages professional curiosity, reflection and risk‑taking, building teaching capital across the service.

Under Gill’s leadership, the Research Hub is developing intentional strategies to regulate behaviour, cultivating the ​“fertile soil” in which excellent practice can grow. Her work ensures that research is not an abstract concept but a practical tool for improving teaching and learning, helping staff interpret and apply evidence to strengthen classroom practice.

With over 36 years of teaching experience across Romford, Hornchurch, and Shenfield, Gill has taught History and Geography from Year 7 to Year 13 and contributed to subjects including Citizenship, Mathematics, English, and Science. Her leadership roles have included Head of Faculty, Head of Year, Head of Key Stage, and Head of Humanities, alongside leading whole‑school curriculum development.

Gill is a senior examiner for Edexcel/​Pearson, and also examines for AQA and the International Baccalaureate. She holds a Master’s degree with distinction from UCL, is a founding member of the Chartered College of Teaching, and actively engages with ResearchEd.

Throughout her career, Gill has championed the bridge between educational research and classroom practice, from early collaborations with the University of Cambridge’s Improving the Quality of Education for All project to her current leadership at CSS Essex. Her work continues to reflect her deep belief in the transformative power of education to change life chances and in the importance of schools becoming reflective, outward‑facing organisations.