Staff at Inspire

JENNA BAILEY – Curriculum Leader for Beauty Therapy Jenna has over 16 years experience in the industry and 12 years teaching experience. She trained at Blackpool and the Fylde college where she was awarded “Salon student of the year” in 1998. After completing the BTEC National Diploma in Beauty Therapy, she then went onto to achieve her NVQ in Aromatherapy and Reflexology followed by her Foundation degree in Beauty Therapy Management. Her teaching qualifications include the Certificate in Education, Teaching awards stage 1 & 2, Assessors award and Internal Quality Assurance award. She was awarded “ Most valuable staff contribution” in 2005 at the previous college where she worked.

In 1999 Jenna entered the National Beauty Therapy competition, achieved a gold medal which got her into the team to compete in Canada for the Worldskills competition, coming second place in the world. Since then she has been Associate Trainer enabling students to achieve over 15 medals Internationally, Nationally and Regionally. She has been a judge for WorldskillsUK competitions since 2007 and has travelled to Finland, Canada and Japan. She has worked in France providing Beauty Treatments for the holiday company Scott Dunn and won a scholarship in 2000 to teach in Australia. Jenna has worked in a number of salons and spas from Sanctuary Spa to Virgin working her way up from Therapist, Senior Therapist to Salon Manager.

In 2011 she organized the Beauty Therapy competition for 21 countries to compete at Worldskills London 2011. This all led to the award of “Most valuable contribution to vocational skills” awarded to her in October 2011 by the Worldskills Alumni. Jenna’s passion is to promote vocational skills and their benefits by speaking to Ministers at the Houses of Parliament, forums for the guardian newspaper and having the role of Alumni Activist. In June 2012 she was awarded an M.B.E in the Queens Birthday Honours list for her services to vocational skills. Her aim in the classroom is to make the students employable, raise the standards of the industry but first and foremost to give the students the opportunities that she has had.

LESLEY LEWIS – Curriculum Leader for Hairdressing Lesley completed City and Guilds Women’s and Men’s Hairdressing, Wig Making, Manicure and Makeup in 1987. This began her career in the Hair and Beauty Industry. With 13 years industry experience working in a number of salons, Lesley decided that she wanted to teach and give others some of the experience she had gained.

In 2000 she went back to college and enrolled on VTCT NVQ Level 3 in Women’s Hairdressing.

This qualification included the Assessor award. Along side this she also enrolled on City and Guilds 7307 – this was the beginning of her teaching career. During this time she continued to work in the salon. On completion of these courses and gaining Level 3 Hairdressing Student of the year, in 2001 she got her first job in teaching. This was a part time position that enabled her to continue her work in the salon. During this time Lesley gained her Certificate in Education

and continued to develop as a Hairdresser and Lecturer constantly updating her CV by attending numerous courses.

Whilst continuing to train in Further Education, in 2009 Lesley joined VTCT working with the team to develop the Principal Learning for the new Diploma in Hair and Beauty Studies. This included the writing and marking of the external exam questions, and now the role of writing, revising and scrutinising the new multiple choice questions for Hairdressing Level 1,2 and 3 in VRQ and NVQ. In 2010 Lesley joined Ashton Community Science College and is now Curriculum Leader for Hairdressing. She continues to develop as a Hairdresser by attending courses from Schwarzkopf.

Lesley spends her weekends usually at the side of a muddy football pitch watching her 3 boys play and referee for their local teams.

KAREN CAIRNS – HAIRDRESSING TUTOR Karen has 36 years experience In the Hairdressing and Beauty industry, as well as 25 years teaching experience in Further Education. During this time, she has taught all levels of Ladies and Gents hairdressing, been a Child Protection Officer, a personal tutor and a Learning Coach Mentor. Furthermore, she has worked extensively with students with learning difficulties and disabilities having taught discreet groups Art and Craft. She has also taught Public Services for two years working as an Independent advisor for the police. In the first ten years of her career, she has had experience as a Salon Manager, a self employed mobile hairdresser and has had experience working with a Trichologist (Hair and Scalp Consultant) and a senior stylist, at Barbara Yates, Hair Consultancy Salon, In Preston.

As a teacher, she prides herself on delivering effective teaching and learning sessions, considering differentiation and preferred learning styles. She endorses “Every Child Matters” policies, offering support, guidance and motivation, treating every student with respect and as an individual. She aims to pass on her skills, teach professionalism and prepare her students to a high standard for industry, making them employable. Karen is continually developing her own skills by attending regular training courses and Seminars.

REBECCA HYETT – BEAUTY THERAPY TUTOR Rebecca Hyett is the group leader for Level 3 Beauty Therapy here at Ashton. She has been a Beauty Therapy specialist for over 8 years, and has owned two successful Beauty businesses, one of which was sold on as an on going business. Within the 8 years she has completed a Modern Apprenticeship in Level 2 and Level 3 Beauty Therapy, a Foundation Degree in the Professional Practice of Beauty Therapy and lastly gained her Certificate in Education as well as her Assessor and IQA qualifications. She has attended numerous short courses related to the industry, which allows her to keep up to date with new trends and technologies.

Her aim is to make her lessons as fun and as interactive as possible, her focus being on the student to ensure that they all perform their treatments to a high standard. Rebecca will go out of her way to ensure that the students get the most out of the course and guides and supports each of them to meet their individual needs and targets.

REBECCA ARMSTRONG – Hairdressing tutor In 2005 Rebecca qualified with VTCT in a Level 3 Swedish Massage Therapy course. After working for herself, it was not long before she realised that this was not what she really wanted to do, Hairdressing was her real vocation.

After gaining a position in a Hairdressing salon as a Junior this led to Rebecca enrolling at college where she successfully completed NVQ Level 1, 2 and 3 in Women’s Hairdressing.

Whilst at college, Rebecca was chosen to be entered into UK Worldskills competitions along with the AHT competitions at Blackpool Winter Gardens. Rebecca was also awarded a VQ in Excellence in Hairdressing for Outstanding Contribution to the Hair and Beauty Sector.

After leaving college Rebecca gained valuable experience working in a number of salons including her own. During this time she also independently completed a number of courses at Wella Studios Manchester, including Advanced Creative Colouring, Foundation Colouring, Creative Blondes, and Foundation Foiling.

Rebecca’s next step in her career was to complete her Assessors Award. A year later in January 2012, Rebecca joined our team at Ashton Community Science College and has since completed her Professional Teaching in the Lifelong Learning Sector (PTLLS) and will start the Diploma in Teaching in the Lifelong Learning Sector (DTLLS). Rebecca enjoys reading and spending time with her family .