mark wilson biography

Haseltine judged outstanding, Jan 13

January 2013

Haseltine judged outstanding in all areas by ofsted.

The report opened thus:
Inspirational leadership from the Executive Headteacher and Head of School, who are ably supported by a dedicated team of teachers and governors, has created an exceptional learning environment where all pupils can flourish. They have led the excellent improvements in all areas of school life since the last inspection.

Press Release

Outstanding Haseltine Primary makes clean sweep after Ofsted inspection

Haseltine Primary School in Sydenham has been given the highest possible rating by Ofsted inspectors following a two-day visit during January 2013.

The school was judged to be outstanding in each of the four main categories of inspection: the achievement of pupils, quality of teaching, behaviour and safety of pupils and leadership and management.

The inspection scrutinised the quality of teaching and learning and gathered evidence in a variety of ways, including lesson observations, looking at pupils’ work, listening to them and taking account of parents’ views.

Lead inspector Penny Spencer said in the report: “Inspirational leadership from the executive headteacher and head of school, who are ably supported by a dedicated team of teachers and governors, has created an exceptional learning environment where all pupils can flourish.”

The report highlights the outstanding achievement of pupils, with attainment at the end of Year 2 and Year 6 being above the national average. Pupils with a disability or special educational needs were also making outstanding progress in all areas of learning.

The excellent attainment of Haseltine pupils was recognised by Schools’ Minister David Laws who recently wrote to the school informing them that they were fourth in the top 100 most improved schools in the country.

Executive Headteacher, Mark Wilson, said: “This is a magnificent achievement for Haseltine, for the children, for the community and for the staff. Jeanette is an incredible school leader. She has through the strength of her character galvanised an entire community. There is zero tolerance of underachievement here. The school's story is remarkable. It is a beacon for all schools for what can be achieved, regardless of circumstances and regardless of starting points.”

Headteacher, Jeanette Brumby, said: “I am overwhelmed at what our children, our staff and our community have achieved together. We are passionate learners - all of us. Our children are the best and they deserve the very, very best. That's what we give them every day and this is how they respond. From being among the very worst performing schools in London and in the country as a whole, we have become one of the very best. I feel privileged to work with these children, with this staff and with this community, and this is just the start for us. Outstanding is wonderful and we will celebrate it to the full, then we will set our sights on exceptional.”

Inspectors also praised pupils’ enthusiasm and commitment to learning and their enjoyment of taking on responsible roles as prefects, playground buddies and members of the pupil parliament. They were ‘extremely impressed’ with the way pupils ‘cooperated with each other and continually strived to do their best’.

National Leader of Education - ofsted inpsection pilot

Nov 12 - Jan 13

I was in the first group of NLE's to be trained as ofsted Additional Inspectors in the pilot programme for NLE's announced by Sir Michael Wilshaw.

Press Release of Sir Michael's announcement:
Sir Michael issued an invitation to the audience to get directly involved in school inspection. He outlined details of a pilot programme that has been agreed with the National College for School Leadership (NCSL) to encourage headteachers with National Leaders of Education (NLE) status to undertake a small number of school inspections each year. From September, 40 NLEs, following full training, will be involved in up to six days of inspections a year.
Discussing the plans, Sir Michael said:
“I am committed to more school leaders becoming involved in inspection. Those who already do this say it is valuable professional development for them, and it helps their own school to improve....
The changes we are making will support good heads who are striving to improve their schools. I want inspection to be a powerful tool that good heads can use to challenge and drive up standards."

Conference Keynotes

March 2013
National College for School Leadership
"Leading Across More Than One School"
Conference for School Leaders, Executive Head teachers and aspiring Executive Head teachers

January 2013
BETT Exhibition, Excel Centre, London
"Learning & Teaching in the Twenty First Century"

October 2012
Casey Cardinia Network Conference of School Principals, Melbourne, Australia
"Over the Horizon, On Personalised Learning"
Spent a week in Melbourne and the surrounding area touring schools and did keynote address the conference.

Executive Headteacher

Sept 2012

Executive Headteacher, Fairlawn, Haseltine & Kilmorie Primary Schools,
Lewisham Teaching School and Kilmorie Children's Centre,
Lewisham South East London

then ofsted ratings of the schools -
Fairlawn Primary School: Outstanding
Haseltine Primary School: Satisfactory
Kilmorie Primary School: Good

Kilmorie Children's Centre: Satisfactory
Lewisham Teaching School: unrated

Headteacher

Sep 2005-Aug 2012

Headteacher, Robin Hood Primary School, Leeds
ofsted rating: outstanding (April 2011)

The Inspection Report began thus: Robin Hood Primary is an outstanding school. It provides outstanding value for
money as pupils of all abilities and backgrounds, including those with special
educational needs and/or disabilities learn and progress exceptionally well. A highly
inclusive ethos ensures equality of opportunity and the tackling of discrimination are
the highest priorities. Inspirational and innovative leadership by the headteacher
promotes the highest quality of ambition and vision for the school. Consequently, it
has gone from strength to strength in recent years. Rigorous self-evaluation at all
levels of leadership has secured an impressive record of improvement from good to
outstanding in key areas such as outcomes for pupils, teaching, and leadership and
management. All these characteristics demonstrate the school’’s outstanding capacity
for sustained improvement.
Pupils’’ achievement is outstanding. They join the school with skills broadly typical for
their age. By the end of Year 6, they attain highly in English and mathematics. Key
strengths in the outstanding outcomes for pupils stem from high quality teaching, an
exceptional curriculum and first-class care, guidance and support for all. These
elements enhance pupils’’ excellent knowledge of how to lead safe and healthy lives.
Pupils’’ exemplary behaviour plays a vital role in enabling them to make high quality
contributions to the school, local and wider communities. The combination of these
key skills, coupled with pupils’’ excellent spiritual, moral, social and cultural
development, ensures that they leave Robin Hood with a range of skills that provides
a first-class foundation on which they can build for future success.
The Early Years Foundation Stage is developing well under the good guidance of its
relatively new leader. Strong overall provision ensures children make good progress
from their starting points. However, their creative skills do not develop as quickly as
in other areas of learning due to a lack of planned creative opportunities across the
separate Nursery and Reception classes.
Fast-developing governance provides checks and balances in support of the school’’s
improvement agenda. Safeguarding arrangements are good. The school strives with
increasing success to engage parents and carers in pupils’’ learning and school life.
The highest quality of partnership work also encompasses the excellent promotion of
community cohesion.

June 2011
Robin Hood became a National Support School (NSS)
I became a National Leader of Education (NLE)

NLE Press Release

Leeds Headteacher chosen for key school support role

The Headteacher and staff at Robin Hood Primary School have been selected for a top role supporting schools in challenging circumstances.

Mark Wilson, Headteacher at the school, is one of only 95 headteachers to be appointed to the role of National Leader of Education (NLE) in the latest recruitment round. He will now be invited to the National College’s Learning and Conference Centre in Nottingham in April for a formal induction and training for the role in driving school improvement.

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 capability in struggling schools or those in transition to federation or academy status. The deployment is tailor-made to suit the needs of each school. The type of support provided is flexible and can involve NLEs becoming acting or executive headteacher of the client school or schools. They also have responsibility for bringing on the next generation of NLEs and National Support Schools.

Mark said: “It is a privilege to be able to work with other schools and school leaders. I am delighted that both staff from Robin Hood and I are recognised by the National College for our quality and are able to contribute to the wider system, helping to improve life chances for children in schools beyond our own.”

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

The number of NLEs is set to almost double to 1,000 by 2014.

Toby Salt, Deputy Chief Executive of the National College, said: “It’s great that heads like Mark 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.”

Jan 2012
I began supporting a local school in my role as NLE.

Deputy Headteacher

Jan 2003-Aug 2005

Deputy Headteacher, Robin Hood Primary School, Leeds

Robin Hood was then a Beacon School.
Part of my role as Deputy Head teacher was to co-ordinate the Beacon work.... support for schools in challenge/ requiring School Improvement support.