In the autumn term of 2021, I embarked on a new adventure, taking on a Primary Regional Education Director position at AET. Having previously led three AET academies as an Executive Principal, I now supervise seven distinct schools - each with unique character and colour.
This shift has been a significant career transformation. I've traded in the day-to-day operational reins of school leadership for a more strategic role, overseeing a portfolio of schools in what is now, debatably, the most diverse region of the trust.
The East region contains schools of different sizes, from single-form to triple-form entry schools. The range of pupil premium percentages spans from 10% to 66%. Ofsted ratings vary from Outstanding to Requires Improvement, and we have Principals with an array of different experience, from newcomers to seasoned veterans.
However, the real epitome of our diversity is that while we have some of the highest-performing primary schools within AET, we have recently integrated two special schools catering primarily to students with profound learning difficulties.
Over the past few years, several schools that I have overseen have teetered on achieving our trust-wide vision of excellence, with 97%+ attendance, 90%+ phonics achievement, and 90%+ KS2. Yet, excellence for pupils in our special schools would naturally take a different form.
As Regional Education Director - standing at the intersection between a national network of schools and this regional group, the mission is clear yet complex. My responsibility is to support and challenge our schools to create a localised culture of excellence in our schools within the overarching framework of AET.
In a diverse region such as ours, it falls upon me to balance the focus on outcomes with a broader view of what constitutes an excellent education in our schools in the East. This balance includes the AET490 targets for our mainstream schools while simultaneously setting unique, tailored goals relating to broader pupil development and a sense of belonging for pupils in all our schools.
Importantly, as the Regional Education Director, I'm not sailing this ship alone. The lodestar for the school leaders in my region is an unshakeable commitment to collective action. Given the diverse identities of the schools in my region, this is where the power of the regional model truly lies.
The unique expertise in our schools, when united, forms a formidable bank of knowledge and experience, ready to tackle any challenge. Over the past two years - from a standing start - the goal has been to lay the foundation so that we can leverage what we have for collective improvement.
In working together, it's not just about creating a platform for exchanging pleasantries or sharing the occasional success story. No, we have worked toward an environment that really leads to high-calibre dialogue.
We have tried to identify and categorise outstanding practice and create an inquiry beyond basking in the glow of 'what works.' Asking more probing, restless questions: "What if we could push this even further? What if 'good enough' isn’t our endpoint?"
The impetus for regional collaboration must come from a culture of open trust, where our school leaders can speak to each other with a shared understanding that we are working together to improve all of our schools, rather than focusing solely on our individual progress. Last year, we put a strong emphasis on humanities.
We visited one of our top-performing schools, engaged in lessons, discussed lesson planning, and reviewed educational materials to unearth creative and inclusive teaching methods. Constructive discussions allowed us to identify effective teaching strategies and explore the what ifs that are needed for improvement.
Now, the teaching of humanities and the quality of resources and materials have noticeably improved. It's not just us who think so - we've had three inspections in our region that have confirmed our belief that the curriculums are ambitious. The confidence that we have gained from this example alone really gives us collective confidence that we can go even further in building and delivering high-quality curricula in every school.
But we do not shy away from acknowledging the challenges we face.
Navigating the path to educational excellence despite budgetary constraints remains a problem. So too, exploring strategies to implement effective reading interventions for our lowest 20% to ensure their progress, all while maintaining their access to a comprehensive curriculum. We are certainly still in the process of discovering the solutions to these challenges.
Yet, leveraging the expertise of our special schools within the new regional model will lend considerable support. The connections are limitless. A trial of standardised assessment used to measure reading comprehension across all of our schools is even more powerful to share adapted practice for SEN pupils.
These aren't just collaborative efforts; they're ambitious leaps toward redefining what's possible in our region.
Our special schools stand to gain just as much from this cross-pollination of expertise. In time, our special school leaders can soak up pedagogical expertise from their mainstream counterparts or, better yet, develop truly ambitious curriculum adaptations for their more able pupils.
Headship can be a role that promises the stars but can often leave you staring into the void, contemplating the loneliness of leadership. Yet, within the folds of our region, we're developing an antidote. Our team is emboldened with a simple yet resonant mantra: "You're never alone” - it’s a motto that has become cherished among us all.
Leading such a capable, unified, and trusting team is indeed a privilege. The benefits of collaboration, both professionally and personally, are immeasurable. As I look to the future with optimism, I'm excited to build upon our successes. I am confident that our combined efforts will inch us closer to realising our vision of being a localised and high-performing regional team.
This is part of a series that takes an honest look at the priorities of each of the five regions at AET.
For more on the East region, Johanna Thompson's explains how she has worked with school leaders to establish regional priorities.
As an introduction for this series, Rebecca Boomer-Clark, AET CEO, explains why we have revised our operating model and established five distinct regions.
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