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Rachel Hurrell
Deputy Headteacher at Castle View School: Teaching and Learning and Staff Development
Rachel is an experienced senior leader with over fifteen years’ experience at Castle View School, where she currently serves as Deputy Headteacher for Teaching and Learning and Staff Development. For more than half of her career, Rachel has worked as part of the senior leadership team, leading improvement in teaching, learning, and professional development through a strong commitment to evidence‑informed practice.
Rachel’s work is underpinned by a belief in inclusive, ethical, and student‑centred decision‑making. In response to a significant increase in the proportion of students with SEND, she has led the development of adaptive and inclusive approaches grounded in high‑quality research, including extensive use of the EEF guidance. She has a particular expertise in reading and literacy and her current research interests include oracy, metacognition, and the role of belonging and connection in improving outcomes for young people.
As a confident and experienced facilitator, Rachel regularly leads professional development within her school and across networks, including Trust‑wide programmes, ITT workshops, and leadership events across Essex. She is passionate about supporting schools to engage critically with research, evaluate impact thoughtfully, and develop a culture of inquiry that leads to meaningful and lasting improvement for both staff and students.