Christina Astin
is a prominent thought-leader on partnerships, especially cross-sector, and helps schools build strategic partnerships for mutual benefit. She offers bespoke partnerships consultancy and mentoring for schools, directs training programmes, and speaks and writes on partnerships. In 2022 she launched #PartnerChat, a network for school partnerships professionals, hosting monthly virtual “Breakfast Briefings” to discuss topics relating to partnerships.
In June 2023 her Partnerships WorkBook was published: a DIY course for independent schools in building a cross-sector partnerships strategy.
In April 2022 she was appointed Chair of Planet Possibility, a consortium of five organisations working together with funding from the Institute of Physics to increase diversity in physics.
She also works independently as a school science advisor (having taught physics in secondary schools for 22 years) and is a sought-after facilitator of science leadership and physics-specific teacher training, writing and delivering courses for STEM Learning, the Institute of Physics and others. As a Head of Science she co-founded Young Scientists Journal and is an advisor to the charity Physics Partners.
As a consultant on educational outreach she has a portfolio of corporate and charitable clients from local to global, shaping their offer to ensure successful and meaningful engagement with schools.
Christina nearly left teaching in 2002 after reaching the final three in a BBC Tomorrow’s World competition to find a new science presenter! She loves addressing audiences about her passions and presents a monthly slot on BBC Radio Kent called “Pocket Science”.
She qualified as a Level 7 Executive Coach in 2022. She is proud to serve as a Kent Ambassador, and is a Fellow of both the Institute of Physics and the Chartered College of Teaching. She lives in Canterbury with her family where she sings in the cathedral as a deputy lay clerk.
My philosophy
We can always do more together than we can alone. This belief underpins everything I do, from helping a school develop a partnerships strategy to showing a new teacher how to teach circuits. 22 years in the classroom taught me how all-consuming teaching is and how inequitably resources are distributed across the sectors. A growing drive for social justice has motivated my move beyond teaching, widening my impact on young people through teacher education, building better school partnerships and directing more impactful schools outreach.
You can read more on my thoughts about cross-sector partnerships in this article for the Eton CIRL journal in 2023 (Shared Lawnmowers, p.29).
Astin Consulting is just me, but when extra capacity or expertise is needed, I have a team of Expert Associates to call on.
I’m a ‘partnerpreneur’ and an optimist – let’s work together!