The headteacher and staff at Brandling Primary School have been selected for a top role supporting struggling schools.
Maggie Mitford has become one of only 61 heads across the country to be appointed in this latest recruitment round by the National College for School Leadership (NCSL) to the prestigious role of National Leader of Education (NLE). It also means the school is now designated a National Support School (NSS).
To mark the occasion, Maggie has been invited to a dinner with Jim Knight, Minister of State for Schools and Learners, on Wednesday (9 July) in Whitehall. The event will give the new NLEs their first opportunity to network with each other and meet the Minister to discuss the role they will play in raising standards generally and in relation to the National Challenge - part of the Government's strategy to improve all schools as set out in the Children's Plan.
NLEs use their success and professionalism as school leaders, along with the staff in their school - designated a National Support School - to provide additional leadership capacity in struggling schools. The type of support provided is flexible, ranging from coaching or consultancy and interim leadership roles to leadership of more than one school in a federated or executive headship. They also have access to Government Ministers to advise on education policy, and have responsibility for helping to grow the next generation of NLEs and National Support Schools.
The latest expansion of the scheme brings the total number available for deployment nationally from September 2008 to 181. The overall expansion will see the number of NLEs increase by up to 500 by 2012 leading ultimately to 300 primary and 200 secondary National Support Schools.
Maggie Mitford said: "This is a great opportunity for everyone at Brandling to use their broad ranging talents in a productive way"
Toby Salt, NCSL's Strategic Director of School Leadership Development, said: "I am so proud that these outstanding school leaders like Maggie Mitford are being honoured in this way. NLEs, supported by their schools, have a more important role to play than ever in ensuring that excellent school leadership and the best possible opportunities are available to as many children as possible. More than 30,000 children have already benefitted from the scheme which is making a real difference. Many of the schools involved in the scheme last year saw improvements in exam results at both the support and client schools with progress achieved in excess of the improvements nationally. This is thanks to the hard work and dedication of all those involved in the scheme."