Our Leadership Team
Here at Edstart Schools Salford we pride ourselves on finding and hiring the best team possible to deliver the best results. Check out our leadership team below.
The quality of a leader is reflected in the standards they set for themselves.
Proprietor and Governors
James Lowe
Proprietor
After teaching sport, public services and social policy in different sectors across Greater Manchester, James registered EdStart Schools in 2010 and, from there, has been responsible for its growth from our original site in Salford, to a further 9 DfE registered sites across the region. He has also supported several Local Authorities in developing the landscape of alternative provision; most recently working on the successful DfE ‘Alternative Provision Innovation Fund’ bid for Salford City Council.
james@edstartschools.com
0300 303 4414 (option 1 then Head Office option)
5 Gerald Road, Salford, M6 6DW
Find James on Linkedin
Peter Irwin
Chair of Governors
As a retired Senior Leader and Headteacher, Peter is still heavily involved in Education. He is Chair of Governors at a Salford Primary School and supports the EdStart Schools leadership team with his knowledge and experience around pastoral support in schools. Peter has been with James from the start of the school and has advised throughout its growth to ensure the quality and standards have been maintained.
Email: peter_irwin@btinternet.com
Mike Platt
Governor
Mike has been a Headteacher since 1998. He has considerable leadership experience as a headteacher of two very different primary schools in Salford leading them both to outstanding school status. In 2014 Mike was appointed as a seconded Team Inspector for Ofsted. He has also worked for the local authority as a seconded School Improvement Officer and also completed a role as Executive Headteacher. He is currently the serving Headteacher of a legacy National Teaching School. Mike’s particular areas of expertise are in Maths, PE, KS2 and EYFS.
Ged Rowney
Governor
For over 30 years Ged has been actively engaged in Education and Children’s Services at local and national level. Starting out as a teacher of History Ged moved into local government to work on Secondary Special Education and over the next twenty years progressed to become Director of Children’s Services in a range of local authorities in England and Wales. Throughout Ged’s career he has been committed to improving the life chances of all young people, including some of the most deprived. Ged is proud of all the teams he has worked with who achieved not only ratings of ‘Good’ and better from Ofsted but who enabled young people to move onto successful placements and lives. Ged also worked in the private sector and with innovative companies to provide tailored support to schools, MATS and local authorities. In addition, Ged chaired several Improvement Boards for authorities experiencing difficulties and has been a mentor to a range of colleagues across the country.
Leadership team
Kevin Buchanan
Director of Education
Kevin is an experienced mainstream and specialist school senior leader within safeguarding, welfare and inclusion education. He has proven experience of leading service change and building multi-agency partnerships in Third Sector, NHS, CAMHS, School Inclusion and Alternative Provision pathways. Kevin’s day-to-day work involves developing specialist provision, SEND, family and outreach work to vulnerable students and their parents/carers.
Phil Denton
Chief Operating Officer
Phil Denton brings over 20 years of experience in education to his role as Chief Operating Officer at EdStart Schools, having progressed from History teacher to Headteacher across schools in the North West and internationally. He has consistently championed high standards and inclusive practice, building a deep understanding of school culture, curriculum, and strategic development. At EdStart Schools, Phil focuses on driving performance and operational excellence by working closely with the central team, admin staff, and school leaders. As well as school leadership, Phil is a published author on the topic of leadership and speaks across the UK and beyond to leaders in the education, sporting and corporate sectors.
Billy Green
Chief Finance Officer
Billy is an experienced finance leader where he has held FD, CFO and CEO roles. Now entering the education industry, he brings extensive commercial and leadership expertise, combining strategic vision with a proven record of driving growth and transformation.
James Bradley
Executive Headteacher
James is an experienced leader in the team, who holds QTLS and the NASENCO qualification. James originally trained in post-16 but quickly transitioned into registered alternative provision schools, to deliver Maths and ICT, crafting his teaching, leadership and trauma-informed practice with some of the most vulnerable pupils in Greater Manchester. After Headship within a PRU for four years, James joins EdStart as the Headteacher over our Bolton schools. James is passionate about supporting pupils with SEN, quality first teaching, trauma-informed approaches and fostering a culture of growth – adding value to every young person in school and the staff members within his team.
Micky Mellon
Director of Leadership and Culture
A successful ex-Professional Footballer who played nearly 500 games in a career that saw him represent many high-profile clubs such as Burnley, Blackpool and West Bromwich Albion, Micky also achieved great things as a Manager/Coach, winning 8 promotions over 700 games at Fleetwood Town, Barnsley, Shrewsbury Town, Dundee United and Tranmere Rovers. In addition to his work in football, Micky has also co-authored a book about effective leadership, entitled ‘The First 100 Days’, published by Reach Sport.
Jayne Szpunar
Head of SEND
Jayne has worked in Education for 30 years. Initially as a Science teacher she has since taught a variety of subjects and held pastoral roles in Primary and High schools in the UK and Australia. Jayne worked as an advisory teacher for children in care for 15 years and this is when she discovered her passion for supporting children with SEND to achieve better Outcomes. Qualifying as a SENDCo in 2015 Jayne has held positions as a High School SENDCo and Assistant Headteacher with responsibility for SEND. Jayne also has a post graduate certificate in Autism and Asperger’s.
Adam Burns
Operations Manager
Adam Burns joined EdStart Schools at the beginning of 2019, during his time his role has developed and grown with the company. Originally starting out in the finance team Adam is now the Operations Manager for EdStart Schools. One part of Adam’s role is to assist Heads of Schools to ensure the pupils environments are kept to a high standard, as well as helping the company to grow by finding new sites in new areas.
Jackie Barbera
Director of Professional Development
Having held a number of senior leadership roles in mainstream and specialist education and in universities Jackie brings over 30 years experience in education to her role as Director of Professional Development at EdStart Schools. An experienced SENCo & senior leader with expertise in SEND and inclusion, leadership and management and Initial Teacher Education, Jackie is passionate about supporting individuals to develop themselves and in driving high standards and inclusive practice. She has proven experience of successfully managing change and improvement with teachers in schools to ensure pupils get the very best provision they deserve on a daily basis.
Samantha Jordison
HR Manager and Senior DSL (Designated Safeguarding Lead)
Beginning her career as an Office Manager and then PA to a Headteacher on the island of Jersey, Samantha’s natural organisational and administrative skills had been honed in various different sectors before she joined EdStart Schools, initially as an Administrator and Attendance Officer. She quickly progressed to the role of HR Administrator, before moving on to her current position as our HR Manager and Senior DSL (Designated Safeguarding Lead). Samantha’s day-to-day responsibilities include building and developing strong stakeholder partnerships and promoting positive staff relationships through effective consultation and negotiation. She also provides responsive HR advice and expertise in dealing with organisational change, workforce planning, policies and procedures, as well as ensuring that our schools and sites remain fully compliant with Ofsted regulations.
Luke Willis
Area Manager
Luke joined EdStart Schools in 2012 and has risen through the ranks based on his knowledge of Independent School Standards, the local AP and SEN stakeholders needs and most importantly the EdStart Schools model. He has led and managed numerous different EdStart Schools sites and has been deployed to remedy operations when they may have strayed from our processes. As Area Manager Luke is responsible for implementing our systems into new sites, coaching leaders and maintaining an eye on their operations, as well as supporting existing sites and leaders with their standards.
Carla Willis
Deputy Head Teacher, Bolton (Head of School Castle Hill)
Carla Willis joined EdStart Schools in 2013 after graduating from Edge Hill University with a degree in Childhood and Youth Studies and Criminology. She began her journey with the organisation as a Learning Mentor, where she quickly demonstrated her ability to support and inspire young people. Over the years, Carla has progressed through a variety of roles within EdStart Schools. Carla has continually showcased her commitment to high standards of education and care, while fostering a positive and collaborative school environment.
Carla is deeply committed to her own professional development, undertaking continuous training to enhance her knowledge and leadership practice. Her passion for education and dedication to the success of young people remain at the heart of everything she does.
Jess Holt
Head of School (Horwich, Bolton)
Jess Holt is Head of School at our Horwich site. Jess has led the school since its opening three years ago, when given the opportunity to establish and run it from the ground up. With a strong background in safeguarding and a deep understanding of the complex needs of our young people, Jess is committed to creating a safe, supportive, and successful learning environment. Jess believes it’s this combination of care, structure, and insight that has helped make Horwich the positive and thriving community it is today.
Melanie Gee
Head of School (Manchester Road)
Melanie brings over 25 years of experience in education, including 10 years of teaching, with a specialism in SEMH, SEND, safeguarding, and inclusive practice across both mainstream and alternative provision settings. Melanie has held leadership roles as SEMH Specialist and SENCO, Inclusion Manager, Pastoral Lead, and Safeguarding Lead, working closely with families, local authorities, and external agencies to ensure the best outcomes for vulnerable learners. Melanie is passionate about trauma-informed practice, restorative approaches, and holistic support, and is committed to fostering a safe, aspirational, and nurturing environment where all students at EdStart Schools can thrive both academically and personally. Melanie’s vision is to build strong relationships with students, families and staff, ensuring every young person is supported to achieve their potential and prepared for positive future pathways.