We are delighted to report that Zoe Carr, Chief Executive Officer of WISE Academies, has been re-elected to serve as a member of the North Headteacher Board. There are just 32 HTB members across the entire country and they will play a crucial role overseeing the schools system in England over the next three years.
Headteacher Boards are made up of Headteachers and senior leaders from academies, who advise regional school commissioners on key decisions including who runs academies, what happens to struggling academies and non-academies, and which free-school applications are approved. There are just three positions available on each of the eight national Headteacher Boards, all of which were contested by a ballot.
The government said the election of local headteachers brings expertise to decisions about schools in each region. National schools commissioner Sir David Carter said: “Over the last three years, the expertise of Headteacher Boards has been so important in helping to create a self-managing and ever-improving education system.” Sir David added that “I know from personal experience how much Headteacher Boards help inform decisions, and I’m looking forward to working with the newly-elected members to help make our school system even better.”
The system of HTBs and regional schools commissioners was introduced in 2014, and Zoe has been a part of the North area HTB since its inception. She is therefore delighted to have been re-elected to serve for a further three years.
Zoe says “It has been my privilege to serve on the HTB for the last three years. As a primary practitioner, I have provided a strong voice, representing our sector with its distinctive characteristics and unique context. Through working in a trust that was established in 2011 and now spans three LAs, whilst serving highly deprived communities, I have gained a great deal of first-hand experience of finding solutions to the many and complex challenges that MATs face. The journey has had many ups and downs and I believe that this honest insight is fundamental to effective decision-making. I lead a highly performing MAT where combined KS2 outcomes consistently exceed national standards and disadvantaged pupils thrive. During my HTB term of office, I have shown strong commitment to collaborative working across the academies’ sector, which is central to the success of a MAT led self-improving system. Should I be re-elected to the HTB, significant experiences that I could offer include: leading a teaching school, working as an NLE, supporting the sector with effective financial efficiency on behalf of ESFA, training as an OFSTED inspector. My passion is to continue to influence future strategy for the benefit of our next generation.”