Edition Overview

What an extraordinary time this has been for all involved in education. As we write this edition of CANVAS, we are looking ahead to an uncertain future and there is no major sector or section of society which has remained untouched. Education and its provision, however, has faced unparalleled disruption on a global scale, right through from infant care through to tertiary learning. The response to this across the educational spectrum could be considered remarkable both in its pace and level of innovation with the changes to the delivery of teaching, and the collaboration across schools and sectors for the benefit of young people. In a sector so full of passion and pride, where learners always come first, there has been extraordinary commitment from so many during the pandemic.

Leadership has been paramount, from Heads and their senior teams as well as from governing Boards. The need for collaboration right across the educational gamut, as well as within individual organisations, has placed teamwork and communication at the heart of all it is doing. To know your team well and understand how they operate, particularly when under pressure, is significant and this is an area where we continue to offer support to our Schools community.

The rapidly increased use of existing technology, as well as adoption of new platforms and systems, has been a learning curve for all but one that has enabled many of the innovative approaches in learning to happen. This will be one of the key areas where we continue to see development, opportunity and innovation across this sector.

There remain significant challenges ahead, and there is no doubt that the need for change will continue at pace. At the heart of it all, however, remains school communities, and collaborative leadership must be central to these. We need to identify and support leaders who can drive that innovation, embrace the future and forge a path together with their teams to deliver the greatest benefits to their respective communities. We at Saxton Bampfylde salute all those who have worked tirelessly to do this.

To share his thoughts on these areas, we were delighted to hear from Julian Drinkall, CEO at Academies Enterprise Trust, as he considers the impacts of the recent pandemic on his own schools including the support they have needed and perhaps more importantly the strength they have shown. Julian considers how innovations that were made pre-Covid have positively impacted on the governance and collaborative capabilities for the schools. He firmly believes these have ensured resilience and ongoing endurance – absolutely what this sector will need going forward.

In a crisis, leadership is needed but is also scrutinised and questioned more than ever. This puts substantial pressure on executives while also raising the risk assessment requirements at non-executive level. The past few months have seen a shift, indeed for some a rather sharp one, in the response from Boards of Governors and Trustees across the education sphere. Our Chairman and Partner Stephen Bampfylde outlines his observations as to what this means and how this function has evolved and the increased sharing of pressure and responsibility whilst still empowering the Head and Executive team to deliver day to day.

To follow on from this we hear from Cassandra Woolgar, Partner and Occupational Psychologist in our Leadership Services practice, as she considers how to enhance and support positive responses from leaders. She explores some of the key methodologies and assessments that can be used to help identify and nurture leaders’ strengths to deliver the greatest success for themselves, their teams and the wider school communities they are supporting.

We are also very pleased to share our Partner Perspective, offering a closer glimpse into the work and thoughts of David, who works very closely across much of our Schools practice work.

We do hope you enjoy this edition and welcome any feedback you may have.

Latest

Dr Nicholas Cullinan OBE appointed as new Director of the British Museum

Saxton Bampfylde partners with Family Business UK

Professor Robert Mokaya appointed Provost and DVC at University of Sheffield

Celebrating International Women’s Day 2024

Steering the family business forward: Interview with Emma Fox, CEO of Berry Bros & Rudd

Leadership in the age of AI: CEO Breakfast with Doug Gurr, Director of the National History Museum

Sustainability Dinner with speaker James Cameron, Chair of Crown Agents

What will healthcare look like over the coming decade? Interview with Nigel Edwards

Middlesex University announces its new Vice-Chancellor

SafeLives appoints new CEO

Do the right thing: ESG in 2024 – Interview with Lisa Hart Shepherd, CEO of Lamp House Strategy

A Healthy Perspective Podcast – Helen Buckingham, Nuffield Trust

New GPhC Council members appointed for 2024 and 2025

RICS senior governance appointments

An Independent Mind: Sharpening the role of a law firm NED

CLCH appoints new Director of Strategy, Partnerships and Integration

Into Film appoints Fiona Evans as new CEO

An evening for current and aspiring non-executives with Kenny Imafidon

V&A announces Director of Collections and Chief Curator

RNLI appoints new leader to take charity into third century of lifesaving

Erika Lewis appointed CEO at Connected Places Catapult

Alex Frazer Announced as the New Head of Bancroft’s

Sue Baillie appointed as Woldingham’s new Head

Royal Hospital School appoints new Head

The University of Manchester appoints Professor Duncan Ivison as next President & Vice-Chancellor

Championing the Mission – Interview with Jonathan Morgan

Quadrant Chambers appoints Sarah Longden as new COO

New Oasis Community Learning Chief Executive Announced

Rachel Kent made Financial Regulators Complaints Commissioner

Steering the family business forward: Interview with Paul Drechsler CBE

Indhu Rubasingham appointed as Director of the National Theatre

Northumbria University, Newcastle appoints new members to Board of Governors

Professor Tom Crick joins DCMS as Chief Scientific Adviser

Norwich Theatre appoints Tom Sleigh as new Chair

MOSL announces Cliff Kamara as new Board member

Saxton Bampfylde welcomes Partner Hannah Scarisbrick back to the firm

Saxton Bampfylde ranked in Financial Times UK’s Leading Recruiters 2024

The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award Foundation and Association Welcomes Martin Houghton-Brown as Secretary General

Royal British Legion Announces New Director General

English Heritage announces New Blue Plaques Panel Members

Paul Ridd named Director of Edinburgh International Film Festival

City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra announces Lord Tony Hall as new Chair

Team Consulting appoints new CEO

UK Civil Aviation Authority Appoints Rob Bishton as the new Chief Executive

The Box appoints Rebecca Bridgman as Head of Collections and Programme

English Heritage appoints Dr Nick Merriman as its new Chief Executive

Breadth and depth: leading across the regulatory landscape

Who’s Moving in Healthcare – August-September 2023

Wise counsel: bringing an external perspective to Higher Education

Looking through a different lens: a scientific scope from academia to government

Outside In: Leveraging External Perspectives in Higher Education

Samori Gambrah announced as Chair for New Art Exchange

Chris Auty appointed as new Director at London Film School

Cherian Mathews appointed as new Chief Executive of HelpAge International

Dr Dave Smith takes helm as UK’s National Technology Adviser

Now Teach appoints new CEO

A Healthy Perspective Podcast – David Hare MBE, CEO of Independent Healthcare Providers Network

Dr Paul Thompson appointed as British Council Chair

Appointment of new CEO for GLF Schools

Bas Javid appointed new Director General of Immigration Enforcement

New CEO appointed for the UK’s national synchrotron, Diamond Light Source

University of Nottingham appoints new Pro-Vice-Chancellor for its Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences

Béatrice Butsana-Sita appointed new CEO of the British Red Cross

Michael Plaut OBE announced as new Chair of Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama

Will Gompertz announced as the Soane’s new Director

Who’s Moving in Healthcare – June-July 2023

Dr Ghazwa Alwani-Starr appointed as new COO at University of Bath

PA Housing announces five new non-executive members to join board

Storyhouse appoints new CEO: Annabel Turpin

Claire Wood Hill announced as new CEO of The National Brain Appeal

OnBoard Programme broadens the horizon for board membership

James Williams announced as the next Director of the Royal College of Music

A Healthy Perspective Podcast – Sam Jones

#7 Road to Recovery: Integration, inclusion and innovation in the Healthcare sector

Who’s Moving in Healthcare – April-May 2023

SCIS appoints new Chief Executive

Talk with Sir Stephen Wall to celebrate Pride 2023

Celebrating Volunteers’ Week 2023

Celebrating the Contribution of Trustees from Underrepresented Backgrounds to the Arts: Launch Event

A Healthy Perspective Podcast – Nick Costa, UK CEO at Ramsay Healthcare

Challenging Crisis: Learning lessons in Leadership – Charlotte Hill OBE, CEO at The Felix Project

#6 Road to Recovery: Integration, inclusion and innovation in the Healthcare sector

The Air Ambulance Service appoints new Chief Executive

New Director of Tate Modern appointed

BBC News announces new senior appointments

Hosting Panorama’s Global Researcher Conference 2023

A Healthy Perspective Podcast – James Tugendhat, CEO at HC-One

George Watson’s College announces New Principal for August 2024

Iain Conn to chair EngineeringUK

Eunomia appoints sustainability change-maker as inaugural CEO

City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra appoints new CEO

Build better places with people at the core: Interview with Neil Sachdev

New Director appointed at The Foundling Museum

Jesse Jones announced as new Artistic Director at Northampton’s Royal & Derngate

New Headteacher announced for Aylesbury High School

St Aloysius’ College appoints Patrick Doyle as Head of the College

Celebrating International Women’s Day 2023

Our future in our hands: creating lasting and shared prosperity for the nation

The anatomy of effective regulation leadership – Jonathan Morgan on The Regulation Podcast

Department for Business and Trade appoints new Chief Scientific Adviser