Meet the Team 

Ruh Alford is the Executive Headteacher of The Carey Federation – which includes Ashwater, Halwill, and St Giles-on-the-Heath Primary Schools here in Devon, overseeing the operations, curriculum, and safeguarding teams across the three schools.
Having worked in London, Ruh has an understanding about the issues here in Devon and how many schools have little or no diversity; and how thinking and discussing diversity in a place where there is not much diversity is one of the barriers. Ruh also understands that schools can have other issues as well and sometimes be a bubble of thinking everything is equal.
Ruh continues to be an advocate for equity and diversity in schools across the South West and is the valued Leader of the SWIFT Professional Community Programme.
Ruh is Chair of the SWIFT DEIB Partnership Group.

Arnikah Brown is a mother of two, an experienced Teacher of P.E. and an aspiring senior leader, having recently completed the National Professional Qualification for Senior Leadership (NPQSL). 
Arnikah believes schools in the South West need to see more leaders who look like her, who reflect diverse backgrounds and experiences and therefore actively seeks change in the South West education sector. 
Outside education, Arnikah enjoys playing netball when she can and being her boys' number one supporter when they play sport.  

​Julie Fossey is Headteacher of West Exe School in Exeter and Director of Education with The Ted Wragg Trust.
Julie leads on Trust-wide professional development, and the Ted Wragg Charter with a pledge to ensure that all stakeholders are happy, cared for and can flourish both personally and  professionally, with DEI and sustainability at the core of this work.
Julie is also an elected member of the Devon Schools Leadership Group, and represents the Academy sector on Devon’s Education Forum.  She is passionate about improving the quality of education for all young people in the South West. 
As an ex-Head of English, and with a deep love for literature and theatre, Julie firmly believes in the power of education to transform lives and is committed to ensuring that all students have the opportunities they need in order to succeed in inclusive and welcoming schools.

​Caroline Leigh is the Assistant Headteacher at The Maynard School in Exeter where she leads on personal development, initial teacher training, and pastoral care.  
Caroline has a range of senior leadership experience in both state and independent settings in the South-West, and has extensive experience in change management having experienced first-hand the challenges of balancing leadership roles with parenthood.
Caroline is passionate about retention in education and using mentoring and coaching to support both trainee teachers and working parents, in particular females in leadership roles so they can progress their careers.
Caroline is a Governor at her local secondary school and a Mentor for the Leaders Plus Fellowship.
Caroline is Co-Chair of the SWIFT DEIB Partnership Group.

Sarah Whalley is co-Headteacher at Exminster Community Primary School with over ten years' leadership experience.  Previously Sarah worked as a Deputy Headteacher at Exminster and as Headteacher, before which she worked in Manchester and Salford. 
Equity, Diversity and Inclusion have been central to Exminster's school development over the last year and continues to be so.  A sense of everyone belonging is central to wanting to attend and work at school and being part of the community.  Being part of the DEI Partnership Group also allows a contribution to the Devon-wide picture, collaborating, listening and developing practice together.