We have a large team of over 90 experienced and accredited school improvement advisers that includes NLEs, LLEs, NCAs, successful school and academy leaders, SIPS, consultants and facilitators. We will deploy these colleagues to act as advisers, mentors and coaches and they will seek to relentlessly raise the bar in terms of leadership and classroom practice, build capacity and ensure sustainability.
Academies Director: Mike Ion – until March 2011 Mike was Deputy National Director for School Improvement DfE/National Strategies. In this role he oversaw the strategic and operational implementation of the school improvement partner (SIP) programme to all of England’s primary, secondary and special schools.
Some of the key colleagues we may draw on to work with schools both before and after transition to academy status include:
Ann Gill – until July 2011 Ann was a very successful primary school headteacher. In each inspection of her school since 2001 (most recent 2010) Ofsted found her school to be outstanding, with no issues for action since 2001. In 2010 Ofsted commented ‘the headteacher provides exemplary leadership. An honest and accurate evaluation of the school's work is the basis for continuing debate and planning for improvement. ‘Ann has been a SIP to several schools and trained as a Consultant Headteacher via the National College Primary Leadership Programme.
Brian Norbury – Brian has over 20 years’ experience as a primary headteacher in the Merseyside area. When his school was last inspected (2009) it was found to be outstanding with the inspection team commenting on the excellent levels of pupil progress in a school with the highest percentage of statemented pupils and the broadest range of special educational needs of any primary school in England. The two most recent Ofsted inspections both judged the school to be outstanding. Brian has been a SIP to 3 schools and is Local Leader of Education.
Gill Broughton – Gill was a primary headteacher for 14 years. In her first inspection as a headteacher Ofsted judged her school to be outstanding and it became one of the first ‘Beacon’ schools in the country to share good practice. Until recently (2010) Gill was a LA area School Improvement Manager with responsibility for schools causing concern. In 2010 Gill was commissioned by a LA to support leadership teams and governors in schools in category and has very recent experience of chairing a primary IEB.
Gary Wilkie – Gary is an experienced and highly successful serving primary headteacher and the current chair of Newham Primary Headteacher Association. He is an accredited school improvement adviser with the Best Practice Network.
Heather Clements – Heather is the former Director of Schools in Harrow LA (2005-10) where she oversaw the support to schools in challenging circumstances ensuring that no school in the local authority was in category – she was recognised as outstanding by Ofsted and the local authority had the highest number of outstanding schools under the current Ofsted framework. A primary headteacher for over 11 years Heather has a senior role in the National Association for Able Children in Education.
Alan Rees – Alan has been headteacher of two contrasting primary schools and is acutely aware of the different approaches required to secure improvement in schools in different contexts and with different numbers of staff. During his second headship his school was awarded Beacon status. Alan was a Senior School Improvement Adviser with The National Strategies, providing support and challenge to local authorities, developing their risk assessment procedures to provide early identification of schools causing concern, as well as quality assuring programmes for LA school improvement partners.