Guidance

RISE: North East

Published 19 September 2025

Applies to England

Regional Director’s welcome

The Regional Director for the North East is Katherine Cowell.

The North East is a region of striking contrasts and enduring strength. From the rurality of Northumberland to the industrial heartland of Teesside, and from the rugged coastline of Sunderland to the cultural dynamism of Newcastle, this is a place where resilience is a way of life. Our communities are proud, tight-knit and fiercely ambitious for their children, but they are also navigating some of the most entrenched socio-economic challenges in the country. In the face of these challenges, our schools, trusts and local authorities are passionate and determined. School leaders know the power of collaboration and learning from each other.

Regional improvement for standards and excellence (RISE) advisers and the North East team are working across our region to support schools to raise standards and close the disadvantage gap from early years to key stage 4. We look forward to working with you on the 4 national priorities of:

• attendance
• reception-year quality
• mainstream inclusion
• attainment

We are drawing on the many strengths and excellent practice that exist across the North East to tackle these challenges.

RISE advisers

The RISE advisers for the North East are:

• Nick Blackburn – Chief Executive, Lingfield Education Trust 

• Pippa Irwin – Headteacher, Beverley School 

• Simon White – former Chief Executive, Vision Academy Learning Trust, and Director, Omnis Education Consultancy Ltd

• Maura Regan – Deputy Lieutenant, former Chief Executive, Bishop Hogarth Catholic Education Trust

Hubs

Maths hubs

There are 40 national maths hubs in England. Each hub is a partnership of schools, colleges, multi-academy trusts and other organisations. Hubs provide a range of:

• subject and pedagogical knowledge
• wider professional and school development opportunities for teachers, leaders and teaching assistants, from reception to A level

This consists of: 

• work groups (particularly supporting implementation of teaching for mastery pedagogy)  
• specialist knowledge for teaching mathematics (SKTM) programmes  
• professional learning communities for leaders   
• development programmes for local leaders of mathematics education (LLME)
• targeted, bespoke, intensive support for schools in need of greater assistance to help them benefit from universal support

Archimedes NE Maths Hub 
Areas: County Durham, Darlington, Hartlepool, Middlesbrough, Redcar and Cleveland, Stockton-on-Tees
jspringhall@carmel.bhcet.org.uk

Great North Maths Hub 
Areas: Gateshead, Newcastle upon Tyne, North Tyneside, Northumberland, South Tyneside, Sunderland
mathshub@monkhouseprimary.co.uk

English hubs

English hubs offer a range of support and continuing professional development (CPD) to primary schools to improve the teaching of early reading, with a particular focus on:

• systematic synthetic phonics
• early language
• reading for pleasure

This consists of tailored support from a literacy specialist, CPD and funding to buy phonics and early language resources. 

English hubs are also running a secondary pilot that builds on the existing offer by helping secondary schools:

• embed reading as a whole-school priority
• improve outcomes for pupils with reading needs
• strengthen professional knowledge around effective reading support

There are 34 English hubs in England.

One Excellence English Hub
Areas: Durham, Gateshead, Newcastle, North Tyneside, Northumberland, South Tyneside

Westgarth English Hub 
Areas: Darlington, Hartlepool, Middlesborough, Redcar and Cleveland, Stockton-on-Tees, Sunderland

Teaching schools hubs

Teaching school hubs are centres of excellence led by schools and multi-academy trusts. 

They offer teacher training and professional development for teachers and leaders at all stages of their career.  

They play a significant role in the delivery of: 

• school-based initial teacher training (ITT) 
• national professional qualifications (NPQs) 
• the early career teacher entitlement (ECTE)  
• appropriate body services for the induction of early career teachers 

Teaching school hubs are the main provider of appropriate body services.

NELT Teaching School Hub 
Areas: County Durham
info@nelthub.co.uk 

Northern Lights Teaching School Hub 
Areas: Gateshead, South Tyneside, Sunderland
tshinfo@nllt.co.uk 

Three Rivers Teaching School Hub 
Areas: Newcastle upon Tyne, North Tyneside, Northumberland
teachingschool.hub@the3rivers.net

Tees Valley Teaching School Hub 
Areas: Darlington, Hartlepool, Middlesbrough, Redcar and Cleveland, Stockton-on-Tees
info@teesvalleytsh.co.uk 

Music hubs

Music hub partnerships are made up of a range of organisations that work together to deliver high-quality music provision for all children and young people in and out of school. The hub programme funds a network of 43 hub partnerships that cover every area of England.

North Tyneside Music Education Hub (North Tyneside Council)
Areas: Darlington, North and South of Tyne
ntmeh.music@ntlp.org.uk

Tees Valley Music Service (Stockton Borough Council)
Areas: Tees Valley
tvms@tvms.org.uk

Sector-led networks

Contact your regional director’s office if you are interested in working with us to develop or contribute to future networks.

Schools North East
This is a self-funded, school-led regional network that represents all 1,150 schools in the region. It is a registered charity that campaigns to improve conditions for North East schools.
Areas: Regional
info@schoolsnortheast.com

The Tees Valley CEO Network
This network aims to provide support to anyone in a multi-academy trust CEO role.
katrina.durrans@nllt.co.uk