The Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL) has started the new academic year with a new president, secondary school science teacher
Kim Knappett.
Born in south-east London, Ms Knappett started her career in 1987. She taught for two years in Middlesex before returning to south-east London where she now teaches at Forest Hill School.
She says that in her role as president she will put pressure on the government to give teachers the “time to do the work that matters to students and has an impact on them.
“I know that the night before teaching I sometimes have to spend time doing things that I know will not really impact my students, and that there are more effective things I could do,” she says.
“That is why I want teachers to be able to reclaim the time they need to do the job they, as educational professionals, know inside out.”
She also wants “space” for teachers to talk to colleagues, to share concepts, to solve problems and to develop new ideas. And she wants “trust” instilled back into the profession.
“We are not a union that will just be there for the sake of it and moan about Ofsted, we will provide insight into how we think inspections should be done, so I want to keep that aspect of forward-thinking going.”
Ms Knappett, 50, completed a chemistry degree at University College London and her PGCE at King’s College London.
Jamie Barry is the new headteacher of Parson Street Primary in Bristol.
He joins the Malago Learning Partnership school from Welford Primary School, Birmingham, taking over from Mark Lacey, who leaves Parson Street after 11 years.
Mr Barry spent his first week holding one-to-one meetings with staff and now plans a period of “stability” after changes in headship – and the curriculum.
“We need to imbed those things [the curriculum] and make sure they are really successful,” he says.
“I hope to bring a bit of objectivity to the way the school is already run and question whether these methods are right for our children. I hope our journey over the next few weeks will be to get that right.”
Mr Barry, 33, studied at the University of Central England where he did a four-year teacher training course in primary education.
Clive Paskell is the new director of finance and operations at the Active Learning Trust.
Mr Paskell, 59, was trust business and resources manager at Swavesey Village College, the founding school of the Cambridge Meridian Academies Trust.
He says his primary goal in the trust is to give students “the best opportunities. The way to do that from my role is by directing as many resources into the classroom as possible.
“We are facing challenging times financially with quite significant cuts being forecast for education budgets.
“I’ve got to manage that while not taking resources away from frontline activity.”
Mr Paskell is also chair of the Cambridge and Peterborough Academies Group, which provides a forum for Cambridgeshire academies to share best practice.
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