News & Updates

Safety Training Awards has confirmed the appointment of not one, but three new highly experienced EQAs – Anne-Marie Harriman, Maria Timperley and Rachel Done.

Anne-Marie joins as a full-time EQA for STA, with Maria and Rachel appointed to support the rapid growth of ATCs. Russell Sparkes who left the full-time EQA role this month so he can focus on his swim school fulltime, has also agreed to continue to work on a casual basis to support the team.

Anne Marie Harriman brings to the role more than 35 years’ experience of working in leisure. She started out as a pool lifeguard, then a swimming teacher and became an STA tutor 16 years ago – following this, Anne-Marie was also appointed the Regional Organiser for STA in the East Midlands region, and later became a moderating tutor. For the last year, she has been working as a Swim Manager for Everyone Active; a role she enjoyed, watching the swim scheme grow and ensuring exceptional standards were upheld. Alongside all this experience, Anne-Marie has also been actively involved in the administration of an STA ATC, and holds a PTLLS and an Award in Understanding the Principles and Practices of Assessment. On being appointed by STA, as a full-time EQA, Anne-Marie said: “I’m excited to meet fellow colleagues new and old, share good practices and use all my learned and years of practical experience to ensure STA maintains the highest standards. Russell has set the bar very high, and I’m looking forward to continuing his exceptional work.”

Maria Timperley also brings a wealth of experience to STA, notably her extensive knowledge of quality assurance and raising standards, which has underpinned everything she has been involved with throughout her senior management career in media, publishing, retail and leisure. For years, Maria has also been a practising IQA for both STA and other awarding organisations. She is also the owner of a very successful swim school, Just Add Water, and has been an STA teacher, tutor and examiner for the last 15 years. Combining her passion for media and leisure, Maria is renown, and highly regarded too, for being the founder of the Swim Teachers Network on Facebook. Maria, who prides herself on integrity and fairness, and who always strives for quality in all that she does, said she is looking forward to joining the EQA team. “Becoming an EQA, will give me an opportunity to be able to help people in a practical and substantial way be even better tutors and training centres; it will also enable me to use my experience, inspire best practice and help raise standards. STA is a vibrant, forward-thinking organisation and I’m excited to join the team and be a part of their continued growth.”

Rachel Done brings a vast amount of educational experience to the EQA role. Having worked for 14 years in educational settings, from being an apprenticeship assessor to a secondary school teacher, Rachel has extensive knowledge of quality assurance and compliance processes. In 2014, she took the leap from secondary education to join the world of aquatics and founded Chester Swim School. Over the last 7 years, this has successfully grown, with also setting up her own ATC. She looks forward to joining STA’s EQA team. Rachel said: “Over the past 7 years I have been really struck by how happy people are in the aquatics industry. Everyone I have met has been a breath of fresh air and I’m excited at the opportunity of becoming an EQA for STA. I cannot wait to get out there, meet more people face to face and find out about everyone’s journey.”

Louise Bangham, STA’s Head of Compliance and Assurance, said: “Anne-Marie, Maria and Rachel all bring their own unique, but complementary knowledge, skills and expertise to the EQA role. Importantly too, they are all STA tutors and have real experiences of running ATCs; this understanding of STA, and all the administrative and compliance processes will be invaluable when they are supporting other tutors and ATCs. I very much share their excitement, and look forward to working with them so that we can keep raising standards and provide even more support for our tutors and ATCs.”