Adam Gillett

Adam Gillett is a learning and development specialist who, as well as working for Minds Ahead, is associate vice principal for personal development at a large secondary school in Barnsley. As well as leading on personal development across the school, he also leads on mental health and charity, two of his major passions, and teaches GCSE history and A-level politics. 

Adam has a first-class honours degree in history and politics from Newcastle University, where he won the William Laurence Burn Award for outstanding achievement. Whilst at university, he started a translating and tutoring business and won both the North East Business Plan and North East Young Entrepreneur Award. Adam was then awarded a fully funded masters in history from the Arts and Humanities Research Council, which he completed with distinction. After completing his teaching qualification, he worked his way up to associate vice principal and has worked in Barnsley for 13 years.

Adam recently completed the MA in School Leadership in Mental Health and Wellbeing, which he says is one of his proudest achievements. He was asked to be part of an expert research group for the Department for Education, one of only three school leaders to be asked to do so. He was also incredibly proud of his school being awarded the Gold Award for Mental Health from Leeds Beckett. This has included introducing staff and student wellbeing ambassadors, engaging 27 external agencies, and developing an in-depth quality assurance system.