Politics

Kimberly Morton, Ian Stockford and Patrick Hayes

Kimberly Morton is the new head of Cobholm Primary Academy in Norfolk. She was assistant principal of her childhood school, Norwich Primary Academy.

Ms Morton says school turnaround is her passion. “Both Norwich Primary and Cobholm have children from some of the most challenging areas of Norfolk, but as a former pupil I’m proof that you can go on to achieve and to help your community,” she says.

“Turning the school around is down to high expectations and not accepting that these children live in poverty and therefore cannot do well.

“Good teaching, high expectations, no excuses, and being relentlessly positive is what I shall bring.”

Ms Morton hopes to implement initiatives such as positive behaviour strategies to help Cobholm improve.

She read history at the University of East Anglia, gaining a masters before her teacher training.

She has also worked in a Montessori school in Germany, which she describes as an “eye-opening experience” because of the lack of “chalk and talk and upfront teaching”.

Ian Stockford is back for a second stint at exam board AQA, this time as director of product management, after a period as Ofqual’s executive director for general qualifications.

Dr Stockford was head of research at AQA before leaving for the exams regulator, first as deputy director of research and analysis, in 2014.

“It was difficult to leave Ofqual, but the opportunity to return to AQA in this role was one that I couldn’t, and didn’t want to, miss out on,” he says.

“The assessment system is undergoing unprecedented change at the moment. That represents a challenge for all parts of the system, particularly for teachers who are doing all they can to prepare their students – not just for their exams but for their future careers.

“I’m aiming to ensure that AQA supports the system to address these challenges by offering qualifications that are respected and meaningful, while also being enjoyable to teach and to be taught.”

Dr Stockford is a researcher by trade and says he “always values a clear, evidence-led, approach to challenges” and believes his goals will be best achieved by “staying true to those values”.

Patrick Hayes, former business development director at TES Global, has been appointed as the British Educational Suppliers Association’s (BESA) new director.

He replaces Caroline Wright who takes up the position of director general at the trade association, which represents more than 300 educational suppliers.

Mr Hayes says one of his main goals is to “help schools make the right choices” as cuts to educational services hit.

“The government is going to cut back on the educational services grant, meaning that schools and headteachers are looking to an uncertain future in terms of funding,” he says.

“With BESA I want to make sure that schools make the right choices and, in making those efficiency savings, do not cut back on the things that will really help drive up good education for the next generation.”

Mr Hayes started as a researcher on the TES news desk in 2004 and is now a trustee of the non-profit Young Journalists’ Academy for disadvantaged state-school students. He is also an active supporter of youth education charity, WORLDwrite.

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