Clare Owen

Experienced and compassionate educator with over 20 years in teaching and leadership roles. Specialist in student engagement, wellbeing, SEND inclusion, literacy and behaviour intervention. Proven ability to lead initiatives that improve learning outcomes, promote inclusion and foster a sense of belonging across diverse school communities. Skilled in staff coaching, parent engagement and multi-disciplinary collaboration. Commitment to student voice, wellbeing and achievement. Recently relocated from England to Melbourne and seeking to contribute as Head of Student Engagement, ensuring students thrive academically, socially and emotionally, in line with Catholic education values. My leadership vision is to foster a culture of high expectations, belonging and resilience, where every learner feels valued, supported and empowered to succeed.

• Led development of support program at Upton High School, building access and belonging for learners with additional needs.
• Directed targeted literacy interventions for SEND and behavioural needs, boosting confidence, engagement and exam results.
• Embedded a mental health support program (ELSA) for anxious students, leading to improved attendance, resilience and academic performance.
• Served as Pastoral Support for Head of House, responsible for safeguarding learners and leading pastoral care, behaviour management and academic oversight for a large year group, improving attendance and reducing behaviour incidents.
• Facilitated professional training for adults and teachers, converting complex frameworks into clear, actionable strategies.
• Case-managed and advocated for students with autism and complex needs, collaborating with Social Care, medical professionals and families to ensure learner engagement and positive outcomes.
• Consistently delivered strong GCSE outcomes, with students achieving or exceeding target grades.
• Gained advanced organisational, data, communication and leadership skills through running a successful training and compliance business.