Lauren Grant
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Lauren Grant's journey from the classroom to Teaching & Learning Hub Lead
Lauren Grant is the Teaching & Learning Hub Lead across Greenacres, Brooklands and Ebbsfleet Green. Her career journey began in a very different field, working in advertising, before she realised she wanted a more meaningful, people-focused career. After progressing through roles including Learning Support Assistant, Teaching Assistant, Cover Supervisor and Unqualified Teacher, Lauren found her passion in education and has since grown into a leadership role supporting teaching and learning across multiple schools.
Although Lauren originally planned a career in media and advertising, she quickly realised it wasn’t the right fit.
“I wanted to do something more meaningful and people focused,” she explains.
She transitioned into education, gaining experience in primary settings and developing her skills through a variety of classroom-based roles. These experiences confirmed that education was where she wanted to build her career and make a lasting difference.
Lauren went on to complete her PGCE, with part of her teacher training taking place at Brooklands Primary School. Since joining Greenacres, she has continued to develop professionally and now serves as Teaching & Learning Hub Lead across Greenacres, Brooklands and Ebbsfleet Green.
In her current role, Lauren works closely with teachers and leaders to strengthen teaching practice, support professional development and improve outcomes for pupils across the hub. Collaboration is at the heart of the role, creating opportunities to share ideas, develop curriculum approaches and support professional learning across schools. She also leads initiatives around digital learning and technology, ensuring that new tools genuinely support teaching rather than add unnecessary workload.
Professional learning has played a significant role in Lauren’s career progression. Alongside her leadership responsibilities, she is currently studying for a Master’s in Education and Technology at UCL and is a certified Google Trainer, supporting staff to build confidence in using digital tools effectively.
“I’m particularly focused on helping teachers feel confident in their practice and ensuring the systems and tools we introduce genuinely support teaching rather than add unnecessary workload,” says Lauren.
She has also completed the National Professional Qualification for Senior Leadership (NPQSL), which helped develop her strategic approach to leadership.
“Completing my NPQSL encouraged me to think more strategically about leadership and how decisions influence teaching and learning across a whole school.”
Lauren is now completing the NPQSENCO, further strengthening her understanding of inclusion and how schools can ensure every pupil receives the support they need to succeed.
“Both programmes have strengthened my focus on sustainable improvement and supporting staff so that positive changes are embedded over time.”
For Lauren, one of the most rewarding aspects of her role is seeing the impact of effective teaching and support on both pupils and staff.
“Seeing a pupil who has struggled with confidence begin to explain their thinking clearly during a lesson discussion is incredibly rewarding.”
She also values hearing from teachers when new approaches have helped improve teaching or reduce workload, knowing the work being done is making a positive difference across classrooms.
Working within a diverse school community continually reinforces the importance of ensuring every child feels seen, supported and capable of success.
What stands out most to Lauren about working within Maritime Academy Trust is the strong culture of collaboration and shared purpose.
“Staff genuinely want the best for pupils and for each other, and there’s a real culture of supporting one another.”
The opportunity to work across schools, share ideas and learn from colleagues throughout the Trust continues to support Lauren’s growth as both an educator and a leader.
Reflecting on her career so far, Lauren is proud of the opportunities she has been given to develop, take on new challenges and broaden her impact beyond a single classroom. She remains passionate about supporting teachers, improving outcomes for pupils and ensuring every child has the opportunity to succeed.