Prior to joining Hamilton School, Mrs Straw led two other special schools; LVS Oxford which she opened in September 2014, receiving a ‘Good’ Ofsted grading in May 2015 and Priory Lodge School, Roehampton, where she worked for three years from December 2016, also achieving a ‘Good’ Ofsted outcome in May 2019. 

Before moving into special schools, she spent fifteen years in mainstream comprehensive secondary schools in Cardiff, moving through middle and senior leadership and securing additional provision for students with special needs such as SEMH and autism. 

Mrs Straw brings a wealth of experience to the role and is committed to raising standards and giving students the best possible education so they achieve to the best of their ability.

Mrs Jane Straw said: “Hamilton School (previously Phoenix College) has been through a turbulent period in recent years but I have been clear since joining that progress is tangible and that the school is moving rapidly in the right direction. The Maiden Erlegh Trust are a wonderful sponsor and I will be working closely alongside the Trusts Executive Leadership, Central Services and School Improvement teams to ensure that I maximise the opportunities for further improvement.”