Angie chosen for top school leadership role

Ditton Lodge headteacher chosen for top school leadership role

Release date: 25/04/2012

Author: Simon Cobby

Head appointed National Leader of Education

The headteacher of Ditton Lodge Primary School is one of only a few in the country to be chosen for a top role supporting schools in challenging circumstances.

Angela Finn is one of only 95 headteachers to be appointed as a National Leader of Education (NLE) in the latest recruitment round.

Her success means Ditton Lodge Primary School has been designated a National Support School and will provide additional leadership to struggling schools or those in the process of becoming federations or academies.

Angela was invited to the National College’s Learning and Conference Centre in Nottingham for a formal induction and training for the role in driving school improvement.

The deployment of NLEs is tailor-made to suit the needs of each school. The type of support provided is flexible and can involve the NLE becoming acting or executive headteacher of the respective school or schools. They also have a responsibility for bringing on the next generation of NLEs and National Support Schools.

Many in the National Leaders of Education and National Support Schools scheme see improvements in exam results at both the support and client schools with progress achieved which is better than improvements nationally.

Angela Finn said: “We are delighted to gain this accreditation. Working in other schools is a terrific way of skill sharing and idea sharing. As a Support School, we pick up new strategies as we work alongside colleagues, trying to give targeted support to work towards school improvement. For me, as headteacher, I am privileged to be invited into other schools to help with their development planning, but this is only possible with the skills and abilities of the excellent, experienced staff we have at Ditton Lodge. The children, parents and Governors are committed to working with us to share good practice which grows us as a school as well.”


Toby Salt, Deputy Chief Executive of the National College, added: “It’s great that headteachers like Angela Finn are becoming NLEs, looking beyond their own school gates to help more and more pupils get the best start in life. This scheme is about the best school leaders helping the rest and the results speak for themselves with benefits for both the schools and academies being supported and those providing the support.

“School-to-school support is having a growing impact across the education system and this is thanks to the hard work and dedication of all those involved. Helping other school leaders in this way is admirable and something I’d encourage other heads to consider.”