In this episode, I talked to Emma Sheppard who founded The Maternity Teacher Paternity Teacher (MTPT) Project, the UK’s charity for parent-teachers, whilst on maternity leave with her son in 2016. Having trained through Teach First as an English teacher in 2010, she continued to teach in the British International School, Ho Chi Minh, acting as Head of House, before returning to the UK as Lead Practitioner at an academy in South London. Here, she held responsibility for ITT provision, teaching and learning, and line managed the EAL department. In 2020, Emma began training as a coach with The Coaching Academy, and then relocated to the south of France with her family in 2021 to coach and run The MTPT Project full time.
The MTPT Project is the UK’s charity for parent-teachers. From humble beginnings as a blog and a Twitter handle, inspiring, empowering and connecting teachers choosing to complete personal and professional development whilst on parental leave, The MTPT Project has grown into the voice of parent-teachers in the UK.
The charity runs training and networking events, provides 1:1 and group coaching to teachers on leave, and is the only organisation completing research into women aged 30-39 – the largest demographic to leave teaching every year. Since 2016, The MTPT Project has worked to tackle the motherhood penalty in education, to transform education into a sustainable and “life-friendly” career choice for all.
Vicki started teaching in 1997. She became a Head of English in 2004 and worked in two schools as an Assistant Headteacher from 2010 until 2016 when she was appointed to a position as a Deputy Headteacher.
During her time as a school leader, Vicki trained as a coach and developed her coaching skills supporting staff and pupils
in each of the schools in which she worked by adopting a coaching philosophy and leadership style and using coaching to support pupil and staff development.
Since making the decision to leave teaching to set up her own coaching business, Vicki has worked with many different organisations and individuals including numerous schools and multi-academy trusts and over 100 school leaders. She is also a Leadership Performance Coach on the NPQSL and NPQH national leadership programmes.
She has created and presents the We Lead Well podcast on which she
interviews headteachers, school leaders and prominent educationalists about leadership and wellbeing and she has created and delivers the Women Lead Well group coaching programme for female school leaders and the Women Lead Well Network. In 2021, she gained accreditation as a consultant for Resilient Leaders Elements.
Vicki is an ICF trained, certified coach working towards PCC accreditation
Use code LC50 for 50% off all courses and memberships!
