Schools North East Logo

News

Standing on the shoulders of giants at SNE Summit 2019

Over 520 North East Head Teachers attended the annual Schools North East Leadership Summit 2019, hearing from a range of expert speakers, academic researchers and other Head Teachers sharing their best practice.

Opening the day, Interim Director Chris Zarraga described how the Summit, now in it’s 11th year, ‘is the biggest regional event of its kind in the country, from one of the smallest but most geographically spread-out regions.’

This year’s Summit theme ‘Standing on the Shoulders of Giants’ highlighted the North East’s regional heritage, one of pioneers and dreamers. It was chosen as a direct response to the London-centric perspective which all too often dominates thinking in education, and the current misleading narrative of a North-South divide in educational achievement.

Emphasising that this is not the case, Chris Zarraga outlined the work of Schools North East going forward, with the intention to ‘change the narrative, change the practice.’ This will be done in two ways, with Schools North East establishing a ‘think tank’ in the region to own, understand, and broadcast the real narrative about our schools and the issues they face. Alongside that, the Ednorth programme will work across the region’s schools to change educational practice, creating a culture of evidence-based education in the North East.

However, underlining the strength of the misconceptions that North East students are achieving worse outcomes than elsewhere, Lord Agnew Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Minister for the School System), providing an update on the work of Opportunity North East, perpetuated the idea that while Primary schools in the region are good, North East Secondary schools are failing.

Opportunity North East is a £24 million programme of investment which Schools North East actively lobbied for, for over two years, and which was announced last year. Lord Agnew’s speech updated delegates on the work of the programme, including the work with the ONE Vision schools and proposals for transition projects which are due to be funded in the New Year.

Other keynote speakers included Steve Munby on ‘Imperfect Leadership’ and Ofsted Senior Research Lead, Alan Passingham. The programme focused on ideas of ethical leadership and curriculum, with a central panel debate looking at the question ‘Does the new Ofsted Inspection Framework support ethical decision making?’


Schools North East Summit 2019 was sponsored by EPM and Avec Partnership.

The Media Partner for the Summit was TES.

Similar News

14
Jun

Party Manifestos 2024: What do they have in store for education?

The general election is really hot on our heels now. As England’s political parties…

Read story
13
Dec

Summit empowers school leaders across the region

Schools North East’s Annual Summit took place this week, with hundreds of school representatives…

Read story
15
Oct

Summit empowers school leaders across the region

Schools North East’s Annual Summit took place this week, with hundreds of school representatives…

Read story