Our history

Éamonn and Tony were successful teachers and senior leaders who spent their professional lives supporting the development of their schools, students and colleagues. When Tony left his MAT Directorship in 2015, he was quickly employed in coaching at a number of schools nationally and was then commissioned to take on a major contract. Realising he needed help, Tony called upon long time friend, Éamonn Whelan, and they formed Yearwood Education.

The company is named in honour of Gary Yearwood, a former student, and his mother, Jean.

Demand for Yearwood’s services was immediate and they found themselves consulting in Morocco, Middlesbrough, the Netherlands and Cardiff within weeks of forming the company. 

Developments

As demand grew Éamonn and Tony sought out and hand picked colleagues to work with them. Yearwood Education now has 38 associates, including former and current Headteachers, software designers and recruiters, with niche expertise and excellent inter-personal skills. Yearwood's associates understand schools, know what does and doesn't work and are acutely conscious of the pressures Headteachers are under. They seek to help in a positive, intelligent, cost effective and practical way. Both Founders also decided to keep learning and went through the rigorous, two year, adviser-development programme with the Association of Education Advisers.

Where are they now?

School services include governance support, safeguarding reviews, leadership training, Headteacher coaching, SLT development, recruitment, parental services and support with appointments, both at home and abroad. We are currently involved with nearly 40 schools, several dioceses, MATs, LAs and partner organisations. Having become Senior Associates within the AoEA we were delighted to have been asked to head up the London Office of the Association. This has given us a broader, nationally qualified group of advisers on whom to call and is a significant development. We are on the board of several educational start-ups and have recently been appointed as Non-Executive Directors at Eteach, the Education Recruitment specialists.

Mark Leighfield, Principal, St David's Catholic College

‘Your help has been really appreciated. Nothing but compliments from anyone! Do not wish to sound patronising but your work has been one of the best investments that the college has made!’