Meet our Senior Leadership Team

Introducing WA’s Senior Leadership Team…

Numera Anwar - Principal and CEO

WA’s Principal, Mrs Anwar, has been working in education for over 20 years. After growing up in Manchester she achieved a BSc(hons) degree in Biomedical science before completing a PGCE at the Institute of Education. 

A science teacher and a qualified SENCO, Mrs Anwar has worked in several Multi Academy Trusts (MATs) as a Senior Leader and has been Principal at an IB School. Most recently she has worked as one of His Majesty’s Inspectors (HMI) for Ofsted.

Mrs Anwar joined us at WA in August 2024, and as Principal she is responsible for providing leadership and direction across the whole Academy to ensure a high quality provision of education for all students. So far she has loved the experience, particularly the students and the diverse backgrounds from which they come. 

Mrs Anwar is a mother of three children. She loves to read, travel and she has a passion for ensuring that all students achieve their very best through the educational experiences they receive.

Jaya Carrier - Vice Principal (Teaching and Learning)

Ms Carrier is WA’s Vice Principal for Teaching and Learning. She grew up in West London and went to school in Surrey before completing a History degree at the University of Oxford and a Master’s in History Education. She is currently completing a Doctorate in Education. Prior to her time at WA, Ms Carrier worked in other inner-London schools, including in roles as a classroom teacher, Head of Humanities and Coordinator for Higher Prior Attaining students.

Ms Carrier joined WA as an Assistant Vice Principal for Teaching and Learning in 2018 and two years later she was appointed to the role of Vice Principal. Since then, she has initiated exciting opportunities for the Academy, such as leading work to give the school Holocaust Beacon School status, and launching our IB Hub Days. In her role as Vice Principal, Ms Carrier is responsible for the overall quality of teaching and learning at the Academy, performance management, SEND provision and literacy. 

Ms Carrier is a Level 3 trained coach and coaching training facilitator, and takes pride in the amazing staff and the professional learning programme we have at WA. Ms Carrier loves the school for its students and the staff: “They are just brilliant!”

Mr John Noel - Vice Principal (Pastoral), Designated Safeguarding Lead

Our Vice Principal, Mr Noel, grew up in West London and studied Youth Work at the University of Kent. He went on to complete an MA in Youth Studies at Brunel University, and Leadership Pathways at UCL’s Institute of Education. 

Mr Noel has extensive experience of supporting young people in a pastoral capacity. Before working in schools he was a Senior Youth Worker with borough-wide responsibilities  Since then, he has been a Lead Practitioner for Equality and Inclusion, working with clusters of school leaders to raise standards for the Specialist Schools & Academies Trust (SSAT), and has had 24 years’ experience of school leadership related to Pastoral and Safeguarding, and Facilities and IT, including being Deputy Headteacher in two other schools, and a Senior Assistant Headteacher. He also has considerable experience of school governance, including roles as Chairperson for an Alternative Provisions Management Committee, and Trustee for a standalone Academy.

Since joining WA in January 2024, Mr Noel has been responsible for personal development, wellbeing and student voice, which has included improving punctuality, attendance and behaviour, and working closely with the WA Student Council. Mr Noel is the Academy’s Designated Safeguarding Lead. At WA he loves the school building and the community, and particularly enjoys working with the "friendly, kind and hardworking students and staff".

Mr Mark Rogers - Vice Principal (Curriculum and Assessment)

Mr Rogers, our Vice Principal (Curriculum and Assessment), is originally from Kent. He studied Italian and French at the University of Oxford before embarking on a career in media, during which time he set up and then sold a company that provided sales consultancy to newspapers. Since then he has spent over a decade working in inner-London secondary schools, with roles that include Head of Languages and Senior Leader, leading on outcomes, Pupil Premium, exams, assessment and reporting, personal development and timetable. 

Mr Rogers joined WA in 2022 and during his time at the school he has worked closely with senior and middle leaders to ensure our curriculum reflects our IB-informed ethos, whilst overseeing academic outcomes that ensure progression throughout the school and beyond. Mr Rogers is also responsible for timetable and destinations, including Sixth Form. He is proud to see more and more WA students joining IB courses in our Sixth Form and progressing to life-changing destinations thereafter.

What he loves about the school is the WA community: students and their families as well as the “exceptional family of educators and wider staff that make WA such a remarkable place”.

Dr Mary Acquah - Assistant Vice Principal (Teaching and Learning)    

Dr Acquah grew up in Ghana and Denmark and attended the University of Cape Coast, where she earned a BEd in Psychology and a Diploma in English. Since then, she has also achieved an MBA in Management Information Systems, an MSc in Information Technology and an EdD Doctorate in Education in Technology Enhanced Learning from De Montfort University and the University of Greenwich. Before joining WA, Dr Acquah worked in other inner London schools as a Director of Learning (Computer Science) and an Assistant Headteacher. Her Senior Leadership roles focused on raising standards and attainment, data and assessment, and teaching and learning - quality assurance.

Since joining Westminster Academy in January 2023 as an Assistant Vice Principal, Dr Acquah's primary focus has been maintaining teaching standards through quality assurance and appraising educational standards and outcomes. She is currently in charge of Trainee Development and rolling out Westminster Academy's Tech and AI Strategy. 

Dr Acquah loves being involved in shaping the educational journey of students and trainee teachers, particularly seeing trainee teachers grow and succeed, and she gains a lot of satisfaction from the opportunity to lead the integration of new technologies and methodologies, enhancing the overall learning experience. “Ultimately, the most rewarding aspect of this role is the ability to make a meaningful difference in the lives of students and colleagues alike, helping to create an environment where everyone can achieve their best."

Ms Ruhina Cockar - Assistant Vice Principal (Curriculum and Teaching & Learning)

Ms Cockar grew up in Croydon, South London. From a part time job as a teenager in a pharmacy, she went on to study BSc Economics at the University of Surrey before doing her PGCE in Secondary Maths. As part of her degree she worked for a year in an economic indicators forecasting and analysis company. 

During Ms Cockar’s journey at WA, she has gone from being a maths classroom teacher in 2014, to Director of Learning for Maths, to Assistant Vice Principal. As a member of the Senior Leadership Team, Ms Cockar has developed a whole school Personal Development curriculum - character education that enhances academic achievement and develops students’ social and relationship skills. She has led work on diversity, equity, inclusion and social justice, including writing an anti-racism policy and establishing our student Diversity, Equality and Inclusion group. Within her role in Curriculum she has mapped a whole school curriculum to allow for better cohesion and cross-curricular work to take place. Ms Cockar is currently responsible for curriculum implementation and quality assurance of teaching and learning.

As a certified educational leadership coach, Ms Cockar is proud of how many staff have been trained to be coaches and have better conversations as leaders in the school. She loves the diverse community feel of WA and how much everyone feels invested in each others' success. “I love that we are always talking about improving ourselves and being better versions of ourselves each day - whether that's as a teacher or as a student.”

Paul Mulvihill - Assistant Vice Principal (Safeguarding, Well-Being and Attendance)

Mr Mulvihill grew up in Luton and studied Sport and Psychology as a Joint Honours Degree in Northampton. After achieving his PGCE in Primary Education at the University of Hertfordshire, he completed a PG Cert SENCo at UCL. He worked in various schools in London as a teacher, Head of House and a Lead Practitioner prior to coming to WA.

Since joining WA in 2018, Mr Mulvihill’s responsibilities have included being SENCo, line managing key stage 3 Year Coordinators, and being responsible for Year 6 and Year 7 transition, including when the school first became oversubscribed. Mr Mulvihill is currently in charge of Attendance and is one of our Deputy Safeguarding Leads. He is also responsible for student welfare and medical needs. Mr Mulvihill is a qualified Senior Mental Health Lead and led WA’s work to become a trauma-informed school for which the school achieved first a Bronze, then a Silver ‘Think Trauma’ award.

He says, “The sense of community spirit is always something that keeps me smiling at WA. Our staff, parents and students always work together to make the most of every opportunity.”

Russell Peagram - Assistant Vice Principal (Head of Sixth Form)

Mr Peagram is originally from Essex. After studying Geography at Plymouth University, he did his PGCE in Geography at the Institute of Education, UCL. Ahead of his time at WA, Mr Peagram gained a wealth of experience both in the UK as a teacher and Associate Leader, and in Jordan teaching IB MYP/DP Geography, Psychology, ESS and Business Management. He has also been a Head of Geography; Head of Year; Deputy Head Teacher (Student Wellbeing and Achievement); Director of Teaching and Learning; Director of Student Wellbeing and Achievement and a Vice Principal (Operations). His IB experience extends to being an IB Examiner and Exam Author, an IB Curriculum Designer for MYP Geography, and an Evaluation Chair for the Council of International Schools guiding international schools through improvement plans. 

Mr Peagram started at WA in August 2023 as an Assistant Vice Principal for Teaching and Learning, since which time he has had oversight for teacher CPD and professional learning, and for the Sixth Form. He is proud to have been involved in guiding the Sixth Form to an Outstanding Ofsted inspection outcome and through a successful IB Evaluation visit. Another highlight of his time here has been seeing the value educators place on their professional learning, and further fostering a sense of professional learning where staff are enthusiastic to share examples of best practice. Mr Peagram is currently responsible for Sixth Form provision, both academic and pastoral.

In his spare time, Mr Peagram takes any opportunity to travel and visit new places. The British countryside and coastlines are particular favourites, alongside the Dead Sea, Wadi Rum and Cappadocia. At WA Mr Peagram loves "seeing brilliant lessons take place with students who enjoy their learning and who are developing the life-long skills needed for life beyond WA".

Jacqueline Tsoi - Assistant Vice Principal (Behaviour and DDSL)

Ms Tsoi is one of WA’s longest serving staff members. She grew up in Hertfordshire and studied Music at Roehampton, University of Surrey, majoring in music technology. Her PGCE specialised in secondary music education and she also worked as a nursery assistant for one year, gaining her Early Years Practitioner qualification. 

Ms Tsoi started at WA in 2010 as the Head of Music. The following year she became the Curriculum leader for Performing Arts. One year later she joined the Senior Leadership team as Senior Leader (Creative and Enterprise), with responsibilities for behaviour, pastoral, off site provision, attendance, Expressive Arts and PE. This gave her the opportunity to develop her knowledge of how to best support students through pastoral interventions and working closely with external agencies. She is now WA’s Assistant Vice Principal for Behaviour and Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead, responsible for student behaviour and attitudes to learning at the Academy, and off site provision. 

Some of Ms Tsoi’s highlights at WA include introducing a WA choir which had its performance played on Classic FM on Christmas Eve one year; making a link with the National Opera House, which led to students being able to perform there as well as perform with top musicians like Jake Bugg; and taking the school’s steel pan drummers to play at Lord’s Cricket Ground. Ms Tsoi attributes her length of service at the school to her love of the community and the students with which she works.

Robert Wilson - Assistant Vice Principal (Data and Assessment)

Mr Wilson grew up in Derby and studied Geography at Birmingham University before doing his PGCE in Geography. He has taught in secondary schools since 2003 as a Geography teacher, Middle and Senior Leader.

In January 2017 Mr Wilson joined WA as a Director of Learning for Humanities. He was then seconded to work with SLT on quality assurance and performance management before being promoted to Assistant Vice Principal. His SLT experience has included attendance and SEN, working briefly as a Teaching and Learning lead before his current role leading on assessment practices, academic data and interventions, examinations, reporting, admissions and enrolment. 

Now in his eighth academic year at WA, Mr Wilson says, “I really love working at Westminster Academy because we all care about helping our students succeed in every way - not just with their marks, but as people too. It's brilliant being part of such a supportive team where we all work together to make sure our students feel happy, safe and receive a great education.”