New National Academy For Educational Leadership Announced

Plans for a new National Academy of Educational Leadership have been revealed by the Education Secretary Kirsty Williams Thurs 17th Nov. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Plans for a new National Academy of Educational Leadership have been revealed by the Education Secretary Kirsty Williams today (Thurs 17th Nov). ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The new academy will be at arms length from the Welsh Government with the ambition of preparing all leaders in the Welsh education system with the right skills and knowledge to benefit pupils. It will also help to make sure schools can deliver the new curriculum and vision for education in Wales. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The former chief inspector for Estyn Ann Keane will lead the initial work to set up the academy, working with a range of respected experts. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The National Academy of Educational Leadership will initially focus on the needs of our next generation of head teachers, including: ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

• Ensuring headteachers are well prepared for their role.
• Consider the structure of qualifications of headteachers, including NPQH qualifications.
• Developing career routes for those who want to be headteachers and supporting new heads in the early years of their role.
• Work with well-established and successful headteachers to help create a group of leaders that can help promote the best practice across schools.

Kirsty Williams said: ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“My priorities are to get the basics right – let heads lead and teachers teach. I want to work closely with the profession to help teachers be the best they can be, while raising the standing of the profession as a whole. Without enthused, valued and skilled teachers we can’t achieve anything. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“That’s why this academy is so important. It will develop the current and future leadership talent for Wales and ensure all schools can deliver our new curriculum. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“My vision is to strengthen leadership and make sure that there is greater consistency across our schools. This will involve our schools, local authorities, regional consortia and our universities working together. Our school leaders need the right skills and knowledge to lead in a changing world so we can make sure our pupils receive the best education possible. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“This will mean creating development opportunities that are well-designed and learn from the best in the world. This is an important step in our national mission to ensure that our entire system continues on its journey of improvement.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Ann Keane said: ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“I am very pleased that the Cabinet Secretary has asked me to chair the task and finish Group that will take forward her brief to develop the National Academy of Educational Leadership. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“This is an important task and it is especially important in the context of the wider changes that are happening in our education system in relation to the school curriculum and to qualifications. I look forward to working with the group and with the education sector to create something together that will support and enable improvement.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The first group of serving headteachers and aspiring headteachers should be able to benefit from programmes in September 2017. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​