Two Teesside headteachers appointed to national roles supporting other schools

Two Teesside headteachers have been chosen for top national roles supporting other schools in challenging circumstances.

Jane Wilson, executive principal of Brambles Primary Academy in Brambles Farm and of Dormanstown Primary Academy, Redcar, and Katrina Morley, principal of Pennyman Primary Academy in Ormesby, are two of 137 headteachers to be appointed to the roles of National Leader of Education (NLE) in the latest recruitment round.

NLEs along with staff in their school - designated a National Support School - use their success and professionalism to provide additional leadership capability in other schools.

Pupils at Brambles Primary School and Pennyman Primary School became the first primary school youngsters to be educated at academies when the two schools converted in September 2012.

NLEs are deployed to suit the needs of each school needing support, or to those in transition to federation or academy status. The type of support provided is flexible and can often involve NLEs becoming executive headteacher. They also have responsibility for bringing on the next generation of NLEs and National Support Schools.

Jane, who has been a headteacher for six years, said: “It’s really nice to be able to help new headteachers coming in. The local authority does a great job but there just aren’t the number of people there used to be, so there isn’t as much support as there was when I became a head.

“I just think it’s really exciting news for the area. It’s reinforcing to parents that there is some really good work going on in Middlesbrough to improve things for all of our children.”

Many NLEs report improved exam results at the schools they support, as well as their own.

Charlie Taylor, Chief Executive of the National College for Teaching and Leadership, said: “It’s great that heads like Jane Wilson and Katrina Morley are willing to look beyond their own school gates to help more and more pupils achieve. We have over 1,000 National Leaders of Education and their efforts are at the heart of a self-

improving, school-led education system.

“School-to-school support is having a growing impact with benefits for both the schools being supported and those providing the support.”