About us
Built by school leaders, around the reality of running a school.
Built by school leaders, around the reality of running a school.
Intelligent Evidence started with a problem Steve Kirkpatrick knew first-hand as a headteacher and former lead Ofsted inspector: schools already produce a huge amount of valuable evidence, but connecting that work clearly to the framework takes time that could be better spent leading the school.
Inspection readiness shouldn’t mean late nights pulling files together. Intelligent Evidence keeps you on top of your framework — see your strengths, fill genuine gaps, and share your school’s story at any point in the year, without adding to your workload.
Meet the founders
Steve Kirkpatrick
Co-founder, former headteacher and lead Ofsted inspector
Steve brings experience from both school leadership and inspection. That perspective shaped Intelligent Evidence from the start: technology should help leaders see their evidence more clearly while leaving professional judgement with the school.
Graham Whistance
Co-founder and technology entrepreneur
Graham brings the experience of building and growing software businesses. His role has been to turn the school-leadership problem Steve identified into a secure, practical platform that can work at scale.
Steve Kirkpatrick
Co-founder, former headteacher and lead Ofsted inspector
Steve brings experience from both school leadership and inspection. That perspective shaped Intelligent Evidence from the start: technology should help leaders see their evidence more clearly while leaving professional judgement with the school.
Graham Whistance
Co-founder and technology entrepreneur
Graham brings the experience of building and growing software businesses. His role has been to turn the school-leadership problem Steve identified into a secure, practical platform that can work at scale.
Meet the team
Melanie Dobson
Chief Operating Officer
Mel brings experience of leading product, engineering and operations in technology businesses. Her role is to build the foundations that let Intelligent Evidence scale, creating an environment where the team can do their best work while staying focused on what schools need.
Rebecca Addison
Relationship Manager
Rebecca looks after schools and trusts from the moment they join Intelligent Evidence, bringing a background in analysis, software implementation and customer care to help them get set up, settle in and make the most of the platform.
Amanda Gifford
Education Consultant
Amanda brings over two decades’ experience as a school leader across both the state and independent sector. Passionate about supporting leaders to turn evidence into insight, use technology intelligently, and make confident, informed decisions while keeping professional judgement at the heart of school improvement.
Gemma Lavelle
Education Consultant
As an experienced Head of School of 13 years, Gemma brings experience of school leadership and a passion for supporting other leaders in evaluating their own schools. Her role is to support school leaders in understanding the positive impact Intelligent Evidence will have on their school evaluation.
Helen Macklin
School Engagement Lead
Helen engages with schools, helping them understand how our platform can support their improvement journey and Ofsted readiness. As an Early Years teacher for many years, she brings first-hand experience and a genuine understanding of the challenges schools face.
Abbie Hughes
Marketing Manager
Abbie looks after how schools hear from Intelligent Evidence, from the website and emails to the guides and resources that help leaders make sense of inspection and get the most from their evidence.
Melanie Dobson
Chief Operating Officer
Mel brings experience of leading product, engineering and operations in technology businesses. Her role is to build the foundations that let Intelligent Evidence scale, creating an environment where the team can do their best work while staying focused on what schools need.
Rebecca Addison
Relationship Manager
Rebecca looks after schools and trusts from the moment they join Intelligent Evidence, bringing a background in analysis, software implementation and customer care to help them get set up, settle in and make the most of the platform.
Amanda Gifford
Education Consultant
Amanda brings over two decades’ experience as a school leader across both the state and independent sector. Passionate about supporting leaders to turn evidence into insight, use technology intelligently, and make confident, informed decisions while keeping professional judgement at the heart of school improvement.
Gemma Lavelle
Education Consultant
Helen Macklin
School Engagement Lead
Helen engages with schools, helping them understand how our platform can support their improvement journey and Ofsted readiness. As an Early Years teacher for many years, she brings first-hand experience and a genuine understanding of the challenges schools face.
Abbie Hughes
Marketing Manager
Abbie looks after how schools hear from Intelligent Evidence, from the website and emails to the guides and resources that help leaders make sense of inspection and get the most from their evidence.
Graham and Steve have known each other for over 30 years.
Graham is an entrepreneur with a track record of building and growing software companies, bringing the tech expertise to turn that vision into reality. Steve is a respected former headteacher and lead Ofsted inspector who’s spent years on both sides of the table — leading a school through inspection, and carrying inspections out himself.
He knows first-hand how demanding and time-consuming evidence collation can be. He’s helped build the tool he wished he’d had back then.
Helping school leaders feel ready all year round
Not by replacing professional judgement — by putting it back in the hands of the people who know their school best.
