Jassa leads on the development and delivery of our advice to the Welsh Government and other stakeholders, including policy advice and survey reports. She also leads our work on building capacity including effective practice. Jassa is the lead for our work with local authorities, regional consortia, the inspection of post-16 sectors including further education), work-based learning, careers, adult learning in the community, learning in the justice sector, Welsh for adults and youth and community work training. She is responsible for the cross‑cutting theme of social justice and inclusion and leads on the inspection of special schools; pupil referral units; independent schools and independent special schools and colleges. Responsibility for our joint working with other inspection, audit and regulatory bodies also rests with Jassa.
Jassa joined Estyn in 2007 working in the field of local authorities, youth support services and schools. She became Assistant Director in 2010, overseeing special schools, PRUs and independent schools. Educated at Colne Valley High School and the University of York, Jassa taught in primary schools and worked in local authorities
Claire leads on developing and implementing our inspection policy and accountability. She oversees school inspections, including primary, secondary, non-maintained settings and initial teacher education providers. Claire also leads on our support for Welsh Government’s education reform programme, including curriculum development, professional learning and the development of a national resource for school improvement.
Previously, Claire was Assistant Director for the inspections of secondary schools and initial teacher education. She was also responsible for implementing our training and development strategy, managing stakeholder relationships and sharing effective practice.
Claire joined Estyn in 2006 as HMI for secondary education from her post as Deputy Headteacher at Porth County Community School. Her career began teaching economics and business studies before she became a senior leader in secondary schools in Bridgend and Rhondda Cynon Taf. Claire has also been involved in local authority advisory work and co-ordination of 14-19 provision. Claire attended Maesteg Comprehensive School and studied at University of the West of England and Cardiff University.
Assistant Directors
Liz is jointly responsible for inspections of primary and nursery schools and thematic reports. She also leads on professional learning, social justice and inclusion and knowledge management.
Liz first joined Estyn in 2010 and was involved in a range of inspection, training and thematic work. She has also been a primary lead inspector and acted as the assistant director for independent and special schools and post-16 education.
Since 1995, Liz has worked mainly in the primary sector, first as a class teacher, then advisory teacher, headteacher and advisor.
Mererid leads our corporate services team in Estyn. She oversees our internal enabling functions ranging from inspection coordination and stakeholder engagement to finance and HR. She is also responsible for delivering the Welsh for Adults inspection programme.
Previously, she was responsible for delivering the non-maintained nursery settings and primary school inspection programme as well as leading inspection policy and the Welsh language. Earlier in her career, she was Acting Managing HMI for further education, Welsh and bilingual education and an inspector in various other sectors including adult community learning. Following a brief secondment to Estyn from Yale College, Wrexham, where she was Assistant Director, Faculty of Arts, Mererid formally joined Estyn in 2005.
She attended Ysgol Morgan Llwyd, Wrexham; University of Wales, Aberystwyth and North East Wales Institute (now Glyndŵr University).
Catherine leads on developing and implementing our inspection policy and accountability. She oversees school inspections, including primary, secondary, non-maintained settings and initial teacher education providers. Catherine also leads on our support for Welsh Government’s education reform programme, including curriculum development, professional learning and the development of a national resource for school improvement.
Catherine joined Estyn in 2009 and was involved in a wide range of inspection and thematic work relating to secondary and primary schools and further education, as well as sector lead inspector for secondary schools. She attended Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Glantaf, the University of Manchester and the University of Oxford.
Previously, Catherine worked in schools in the West Midlands and South Wales.
Clive is responsible for delivering local government education services and regional consortia inspections together with the work of local authority and consortia link inspectors. He oversees Welsh language policy, Welsh-medium education and our work on socio economic inequity. He is also responsible for our engagement visits work.
Clive joined Estyn in 2010 and has worked mainly in the primary and local authority sectors. He has also inspected non-maintained nursery schools, special schools and independent schools. Previously, he was a primary school headteacher and a local authority school improvement officer.
Clive attended Ysgol Gynradd Eglwyswrw, Ysgol y Preseli, and Aberystwyth University.
Jackie is responsible for further education, adult community learning, learning in the justice sector and work-based learning. Jackie jointly oversees our advice to Welsh Government and other stakeholders, including survey reports and policy advice. She also leads on the Chief Inspector’s annual report and our support for curriculum reform.
Jackie joined Estyn in 2009 and was involved in a wide range of inspection and thematic work relating to secondary and independent schools and further education. She also led our policy and advice for pre-16 English and literacy and helped to develop the peer inspector programme. Jackie attended Kingdown School, Warminster; Stroud High School and Swansea University. Before joining Estyn, Jackie worked in secondary schools in South Wales.
Dyfrig is responsible for inspections relating to special schools; pupil referral units; independent and independent special schools; and independent specialist colleges. He also leads on safeguarding and ALN reform and delivering our internal and external training and development programme and stakeholder engagement.
Dyfrig joined Estyn in 2012 and was involved in a range of inspection, training and thematic work relating to primary schools, non-maintained settings and initial teacher education and training. In 2017, he became a lead inspector for the non-maintained sector.
Dyfrig attended Ysgol Glan Morfa, Abergele; Ysgol Uwchradd Glan Clwyd, St. Asaph and Bangor Normal College. He taught in several primary schools in South Wales and was the founder headteacher of Ysgol Tyle’r Ynn, Neath Port Talbot in 1995 before moving in 2004 to Ysgol Gynradd Gymraeg Lon Las in Swansea.
Jonathan is responsible for delivering the inspection programme of non-maintained setting. He oversees early years policy and Welsh in education. He is also jointly responsible for areas of stakeholder engagement.
Jonathan joined Estyn in 2015 and has worked mainly in the non-maintained, primary and local authority sectors. He has been a lead inspector in the non-maintained and primary sectors as well as a local authority link inspector.
Jonathan attended Caedraw Primary School and Cyfarthfa High School in Merthyr Tydfil before completing a music degree and PGCE in Bangor University. Before joining Estyn, he worked mainly in the primary sector firstly as a teacher and then headteacher.
With the current inspection framework ending in August 2024, Rhidian is responsible for ensuring successful delivery of Estyn’s new framework. Rhidian’s remit covers the whole programme lifecycle from defining through to delivery.
Rhidian joined Estyn in 2022 having previously directed a number of large scale strategic change programmes at S4C and Velindre Cancer Centre. Rhidian is also a member of Yr Urdd’s Busnes Board.
Rhidian attended Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Glantaf before studying for a Law degree at University College, London (UCL).
Non-executive Directors
Dr Emyr Roberts, who was a co-optee on the current board, has held a number of senior appointments across Welsh Government and the Welsh Office throughout his career, including Director General for Education and Skills. He was the Chief Executive of Natural Resources Wales prior to his retirement in 2017 and led the creation of the new environmental body for Wales which integrated the work of the previous legacy organisations. He is Chair of the Aberystwyth University Council.
Maria Rimmer is a retired school leader with a wealth of experience in educational management and governance and a keen interest in social justice and community relations.
David Jones OBE is currently the Chair of Qualifications Wales, the Defence Electronics Component Agency (DECA), and a member of the Wales Appeals Board of NSPCC Cymru. A Chartered Engineer, David has over 30 years of experience working in Further and Higher Education. Following his retirement, he currently works in a range of non-executive and consultancy roles.
Professor Charlotte Williams OBE is a renowned academic and has held a number of senior leadership roles in the Higher Education sector. She recently chaired the review into Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic Communities, Contributions and Cynefin in the New Curriculum.
Professor Brett Pugh is a former Headteacher and Director of Education at Newport City Council. Before his retirement he was a Director for Education at the Welsh Government. He is currently a visiting professor at the University of South Wales and Chair of the Ministerial Advisory Group on Education Other than at School.
