Joanne Wells

Role

Joanne Wells is a Senior Lecturer in Further Education and Skills (FES) at the Nottingham Institute of Education, where she delivers teacher training across full-time, part-time and apprenticeship routes. She is committed to supporting trainee teachers to develop effective, inclusive and evidence-informed practice, equipping them to meet the diverse needs of learners across the FES sector.  In addition to her core teaching, Joanne contributes to the Education BA and Top-up programmes at the Mansfield campus.

Alongside her teaching responsibilities, Joanne serves as Mentor Development Lead for Initial Teacher Education (ITE). In this strategic role, she leads the organisation and development of Lead Mentors, designs and delivers mentor training, and ensures a consistently high standard of mentoring across Primary, Secondary and FES phases.

Career overview

Joanne Wells is an accomplished and highly experienced educator whose career spans secondary, further, and higher education, with a sustained commitment to improving teaching quality and learner outcomes across the sector. She began her career as a Secondary English teacher, building a strong foundation in subject pedagogy, curriculum design, and classroom practice.

Joanne went on to establish herself in the Further Education and Skills sector, where she specialised in supporting learners retaking GCSE English. Her work in this area developed a deep understanding of learner need, motivation, and the complexities of progression in FE.

Joanne progressed into leadership roles in FE, including Curriculum Manager and Quality Manager. In these positions, she played a role in driving curriculum innovation, raising standards, and embedding robust quality assurance processes.

Joanne’s career later transitioned into Higher Education, where she now delivers teacher training, bringing her extensive cross-sector experience into the development of the next generation of educators. As a Senior Lecturer, she is recognised for her ability to bridge theory and practice, equipping trainee teachers with both the pedagogical knowledge and professional resilience needed to succeed.

In her current role as Mentor Development Lead, Joanne works across all phases of education, leading on the design and delivery of mentor training and professional development. She plays a key role in strengthening mentoring capacity, ensuring consistency, and promoting high-quality support for trainee teachers in diverse settings. Her work is characterised by a strong commitment to evidence-informed practice, collaboration, and continuous improvement.

Joanne also has a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, a Masters in Education, a PGCE and a BA(Hons) in Comparative Literature.

External activity

Joanne is a Climate Ambassador with STEM Learning.