Amanda Spielman Hints At Aims For Ofsted
New Inspectorate chief wants "honest, clear priorities" and values a wide range of people and skills
- by Helen Mulley
Teaching Leaders and The Future Leaders Trust today officially launched their merger and rebranding as a single organisation called Ambition School Leadership, with an event held at School 21, London E15.
A short tour of the school itself for a select few (including your Teachwire correspondent; expect more about the intriguing educational innovation they’re up to in Stratford at a later date) was followed by a presentation in the main hall, during which chair designate Baroness Sally Morgan and CEO James Toop set out the new charity’s ambitious vision for closing the achievement gap and ensuring access to outstanding education for every child, through developing and extending their training courses and building powerful strategic partnerships to meet the “increasing and diverse” leadership needs of trusts and groups of schools. “We want to do more, and do it better,” insisted Toop.
Keynote speaker Amanda Spielman was quick to dismiss hopes amongst the assembled teachers and leaders regarding a “sneak preview” of what to expect when she steps into her role as Ofsted chief inspector in January – but nonetheless spoke with authority, conviction and a touch of dry humour about the qualities of effective leadership, in the manner of someone who has really had enough of people questioning her place at the podium. She described an approach based on identifying and sticking to “honest, clear priorities”; listening to others; and valuing a wide range of people and skills.
She pointed out that, whilst there is a place for “rage” in campaigning for change, it can also “blind us to the needs and priorities of others”. And she urged everyone present to read Jonathan Haidt’s The Righteous Mind – surely a clear hint that creating a less combative accountability environment is going to be on someone’s list of New Year’s resolutions.
The session ended with a panel discussion about the meaning of ambition and how best to support it, featuring three School 21 students (who demonstrated the impressive results of the school’s explicit focus on oracy throughout the curriculum) alongside primary assistant head teacher Megan Drummond, and Dan Morrow, principal of Oasis Academy Skinner Street and Future Leader and Talented Leaders participant.
